October 9 saw the launch of Chateau D’Ori’s 2007 bouquet of five Bordeaux style wines in the Delhi region at one of Gurgaon's newer eateries, the Ho Shi Nian Nian Szechuan fine dining outlet, reports K. Singh. The Estate bottled wines are Viva (Chenin Blanc), Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet-Merlot and Cabernet-Syrah.
While in Cape Town, South Africa for Cape Town Wine 2008, Reva Singh interviewed the CEO of Wines of South Africa (WOSA) Sue Burch. She discussed the South African wine market and how the show has evolved over the years.
Wines of South Africa (WOSA) is a fully inclusive body, representing all South African producers of wine who export theirproducts.
Based in Baramati, Maharashtra, Nira Valley Grape Wines Pvt. Ltd, reported as being the fourth largest producer of bulk wine in India, is producing its own bottled wines under the brand name of Celesta. On Wednesday, August 27, Celesta was launched in Pune. The wines are also available in Maharashtra, Goa, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh, writes Brinda Gill.
Rosés – these light refreshing wines are ideal for the Indian summer. Enjoyed for long in France for their light, fresh, dry character, where Provence is the region most famous for its rosé, this style of wine is made all over the world. Try the Pink Elephant, a delightful, bright pink rosé from Portugal brought to us by the UB Group. Its intense fruity aroma of strawberries is carried over in your palate with a hint of sweetness, supported by delicious acidity and a delicate finish.
Here’s a hot tip for those of you who enjoy fine dining and Indian food. The new place to eat is Varq at the Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi. The very name, “Varq” which refers to the edible gold and silver foil traditionally used to embellish certain Indian sweets, rich biryanis and curries, calls to mind refinement and luxury. The restaurant’s ambience and culinary style is both modern and traditional Indian.
The first Christie's Wine Auction to be held in Asia since 2001, will take place on November 29th, 2008 and it will open Christie's Hong Kong Fall 2008 Sale Season. Given the wines that will be auctioned off, for the serious Indian wine lover, it is probably worth a trip from India. Christie's International Wine Department will conduct a focused sale of fine wine including select offerings from the cellars of first growth, Château Latour.
With the Indian wine market continuing its bull run, it should come as no surprise that Kingfisher has entered the market with another wine brand. Called Kingfisher Bohemia with the theme no rules, no rituals and no special occasions, Kingfisher aims to bring the good times to the world of wine. We haven't tasted the wines, but this is certainly a dynamic marketing play. Accompanying the launch, is a contest, an NDTV tie in and scheduled wine tastings across the country.
Introducing Italian cuisine to an Indian audience, Ritu Dalmia, chef and owner of Diva, one of Delhi's most beloved Italian restaurants, has all the answers on Italian cooking in her first cookbook. For example, you will learn how to substitute lemon with lime, use chili (authentically!) with your pasta and dress your mutton as lamb. It also offers a wide range of options for vegetarians.
The book launches on July 15th but the Sommelier India editors attended an exclusive sneak peak event where guests did some Italian cooking for themselves.
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Diageo India plans to roll out high-end wines like Justerini & Brooks in the coming year. It is currently launching the Thomas Barton range which has already launched in Mumbai and will be available in Delhi and Bangalore soon. The Justerini & Brooks is in the $1,000 (Rs 40,000) range.
Here are two clarets of excellent provenance that you should know about, which we hope will soon be available in the country, Château Clauset and Château de Côme from Saint-Estèphe. Baron Maurice Velge of Château Clauset was in Delhi in April when I had the privilege of meeting him soon after returning from the en primeur tastings in Bordeaux.
Château Clauset and Château de Côme are two wines that complement each other very well.
The influential Bordeaux oenologist, Michel Rolland was in Bangalore recently for his annual visit to Grover Vineyards. Sommelier India interviewed Rolland and found his comments that India makes much better quality wine compared to the cheap international wines encouraging.
The Economic Times is reporting that Zampa wines from Valle de vin, Deepak Roy's 35-acre vineyard on the periphery of Nashik. are set to launch soon. Most interesting is the direct response initiative which is the first of its kind in the business. Mr. Roy picked up a select group of wine connoisseurs, about 1,000 of them and sent a miniature wooden cask filled with varietal wines from his vineyard. This followed with a couple of bottles of red and white wines. Mr Roy is heading the Kishore Chhabria group company which produces Officer’s Choice whisky.
The portfolio includes Zampa white of Chenin Blanc, Zampa Red of Shiraz, sparkling rose wine, sparkling red wine of cabernet sauvignon, etc. Prices range from Rs 600-650.Read the whole story here.
“I have been impressed by the rapid growth of the Indian economy, and the booming indian wine market”.
South Australia, with its capital at Adelaide, produces 50% of all Australian wines: its 563 wineries made 724 million litres in 2007 (out of a total of 1.4 billion) and exported wine worth A$ 1.4 billion (Rs. 5,180 crore). Its wine regions are legion: the Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, McLaren Vale and Coonawarra are home to many of Australia’s best-known wineries.
These include Penfolds, Wolf Blass, Petuluma, Shaw & Smith, Torbreck, Grosset, Majella, d’Arenberg, Hardys, and Sepplt (to name just a few). Loxton winery which Champagne Indage bought is also based in South Australia. The Premier of South Australia, Mike Rann, who was in India in mid-March 2008 leading a 26-strong delegation of businessmen and industrialists to promote investment, education and migration, spoke to Alok Chandra in an exclusive interview for Sommelier India about wines from his state, the wine market in India, and areas where the two could meet.
After launching brands like Blossom Hill, Barton and Guestier and Piat d'Or earlier in India, Diageo has made its entry into the Indian wine segment with the launch of Nilaya, its first domestic wine.
Diageo India MD Asif Adi, "We are proud to present Nilaya which is a bold, unique and an interesting wine meant for a contemporary India. Nilaya exemplifies a cherished lifestyle for everyday living. Nilaya is a celebration of individuality, everyday, everywhere."
UK-based Diageo had recently tied-up with retail giants Reliance Fresh and Shoprite Hyper to distribute its wines portfolio in cities like Mumbai and Pune. It is also planning a tie-up with the Aditya Birla-promoted retail venture 'More' to sell its wines across the country.
While General Bilimoria is keen to quickl expand its Cobra beer presence in India, it is also looking at the wine market. According to sources, a pilot study has already been conducted and the company plans to enter the Indian market under the General Bilimoria brand. The company plans to launch its wine business within the next three years.
According to Karan Bilimoria, when the company enters the Indian market, it will be manufacturing the wine in India through licensing arrangements with existing wineries in the country.
