As the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps across the world, our thoughts and prayers go out to those who have been affected as tragic consequences are coming to light on every continent. With the virus spreading and…
Marvellous Malbec. The Sommelier India Tasting Panel entered its 11th year with a recent blind tasting of Malbecs available in India. The wines were uniformly appreciated and at times we were hard pressed to differentiate…
Which Wine? Twenty for 2020 Which wine should I drink is a question I am asked more often than I can say. So, as we step into the New Year, here is my list of…
MEET THE CHEF – Chef Akshraj Jodha Over a curated lunch of superb Lal Maans followed by Ker Sangri and the unusual Chakki ka Saag, Kaveri Ponnapa explores the idea of Rajasthani cuisine with Chef Akshraj…
Every third Sunday in November, Burgundy hosts a charity auction of barrels of young wines from vineyards owned by the Hospices de Beaune, a charitable establishment born in a distinctive historical context of 15th century…
Recent honours for Sommelier India Our normal way of life is low key. We like to fly below the radar and we rarely blow our own trumpet. But last month was unusual. First, we were…
The elegant doors of the Golconda Ballroom at the Trident Hotel at BKC Mumbai were thrown open to wine aficionados. The chic interiors were the perfect setting to showcase an eclectic selection of wines put…
MEET THE CHEF – Chef Julia Komp Julia Komp interacts continuously with the team of chefs at Ottimo, ITC Gardenia, Bengaluru, issuing a steady stream of instructions, accentuated by emphatic nods and smiles. Despite the…
Last year Vinitaly, held from April 7-10 2019, saw a sustained increase in the quality and number of buyers as compared with previous editions, emergeing as the largest ever edition of the show so far,…
SulaFest – India’s best and biggest vineyard music festival – is back at Sula Vineyards in Nashik. Marking the 20th Anniversary of Sula Vineyards, this edition, on 1st & 2nd February, is bigger and better…
Dhruv and Rati Sawhney’s 50th wedding anniversary provided the perfect occasion for the magnanimous hosts to serve rare, large format bottles to their circle of wine loving friends and family in New Delhi. Vidhi Tambiah…
North of Mandalay the Irrawaddy River spreads out wide and shallow, skirting huge sandbanks. I was travelling up it on Pandaw 2, a river cruise boat based on the old style boats that plied the…
Harvest season is in full swing amidst the reflecting light and golden sunshine that spills through Napa and Sonoma. This undulating land and its fertile bounty have enchanted travellers and tourists, wine collectors and students…
Chile is amongst the most active promoters of wines in India, and thanks to its efforts it’s now the third-biggest exporter. In a continuous effort to share their 500-year old wine making journey and spread…
What are the chefs of Vana Retreat in Dehradun doing in the Engadine Valley in Switzerland? Renu Chahil-Graf unearths the story behind this strange happenstance… The story emerged during an interview with the General Manager…
To be in Paris in April is a sublime experience. The cherry blossoms are out on every corner and this time around we were blessed and privileged to be able to revisit the beautiful cathedral of…
Despite the title of this piece, rosé wines are by no means just a summer drink. Fresh and fruity though they mostly are, rosés today are serious wines with depth of flavour and the potential to…
What started about four decades ago as an experimental project, has today converted Pinot Noir into the island country’s second most grown varietal. In the 1970s, vine-cuttings from Burgundy’s Domaine de La Romanée-Conti’s La Tâche…