The Grover Zampa Vijay Amritraj Collection: Mapping Personality to Wine

A  wine  rendezvous  quite obviously entails tasting of wines and food to go along. It is only the

orientation of such events that sets them apart on the basis of aspects like-  the venue, exclusivity of wines and food and the profile of guests in attendance. Recently, the launch of Vijay Amritraj  (VA) Reserve collection  by Grover Zampa Vineyards (GZV) in New Delhi   witnessed these elements, befitting  the stature of the event that  saw Mr Vijay Amritraj himself fly in from Los Angeles to mingle with wine lovers of Delhi.   The venue was the expansive 2^nd floor terrace of Hotel Leela Palace at Chanakyapuri where the who’s who of Delhi’s wine fraternity descended to enjoy the wines amidst an evening full of festive revelry (Diwali, the festival of lights being just a day away)- and some classy hors d’œuvres.

Having been launched earlier at London, Mumbai and Bangalore, the VA collection is the first ever attempt by an Indian producer to model wine around a celebrated personality. This bold step could probably not be taken by anyone else than one of the  oldest and the most respected wine brands of  India. Mr Kapil Grover, Chairman GZV informed the gathering that the wines had been developed in close coordination with the tennis ace over a span of two years, and as such, incorporate many aspects of his versatile personality of being a Hollywood actor and producer, UN messenger of peace and a wine connoisseur . Two variants  - a red and a white, form this premium collection,   which  retail at Rs 1200.00 and £ 14.99 a bottle in India and the UK respectively.

(L-R)  Kapil Grover, Chaiman Grover Zampa, Vijay Amritraj and Vivek Nair, Chairman Leela Hotels launching the wines

Team Grover Zampa with the Tennis legend

The evening started with rounds of GZV’s sparkling wine Zampa Soirée Brut as the guests engaged in animated conversations with the top brass of the company present on the occasion. Shortly after the tennis legend arrived, the collection was launched with short and humorous talks by him and Mr Grover. The wines were then uncorked and flowed freely for the guests to sample. Around the wines I had the opportunity to have passionate discussions with both Mr  Amritraj and Mr Grover that enabled me draw my own inferences on the legend's specific personality traits  mapped to the respective wines.   I am listing these below:

The Wines

VA Collection Red:

Grapes:  Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Viognier
Alcohol: 14%

Wine lovers would know that Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are two robust grape varieties with

good level of tannins that are often used to provide backbone to a blend. Only a warm weather region could pull off the coup of having these two varietals to facilitate a blend that has sufficient ripeness while retaining an excellent structure. As I spoke to Mr Kapil Grover, inquiring about the premise of adding Viognier, he highlighted the reason being the desired upping of the fruitiness quotient- a common practice in the renowned  blends coming from the famous Rhône valley in France.  

Tasting Notes: Deep ruby red colour with a very expressive nose of red fruits, spice and discernible oak. Well structured with rounded tannins, a taste of red fruits and a long finish. Those who do not prefer prominently oaked wines may do well to reserve the bottle for an year or so, to enable the wood tannins to mature further. Ideal for pairing with rustic meat or well textured vegetarian dishes. 

How it matches to VA's personality: The potent volleys of the tennis ace are represented well by the wine's bold demeanour. The aromatics (fruits, flowers,spice) imparted by Viognier bring out his colourful charm as a Hollywood artist- not to forget the wine's complexity rendered by ageing in French oak barrels that signify  his many skills.

VA Collection White:

Grape:  Viognier
Alcohol: 13.5%

The main challenge in a Viognier based wine is in getting the right acidity level, as the wine starts getting flabby with increasing ripeness. So what was boon for the red in our context could well have been a bane for this one. But  I would say that VA Collection White has been managed very deftly going by its sprightly acidity that complements its fruity and floral notes rather well. The wine has been barrel-fermented which makes it toasty and creamier along with an extra chutzpah imparted by barrel maturation. 

Tasting Notes: Straw coloured wine having aromas of white flowers and stone fruits. On the palate it is fruity with pleasing acidity and mild spiciness. A versatile wine that could be enjoyed as an aperitif or with food.

How it matches to VA's personality:The noble grape varietal that has been adapted extremely well to the Indian conditions signifies Vijay’s momentous achievement of putting India on the world tennis map wherein he stood at No. 16 in the world rankings, beating well known worthy competitors such as Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe. This Viognier may well establish India as being highly competent in producing a single varietal wine that defies traditional perceptions about terroir influences.

Yours truly with fellow wine lovers

During my interaction with  Sumedh Singh Mandla, CEO Grover Zampa Vineyards, he brought out that apart from India, the key markets envisaged for these premium wines are UK, USA Europe and South East Asia, where the initial response to the wines has been very encouraging. 

With GZV wines winning 05 medals at the recently concluded Decanter Asia Wine Awards (DAWA) 2013, the VA Reserve collection has lots to cheer about. Developing wines around a famous personality may also work well in the interest of the consumer, as the producer will be obliged to maintain the wine style over the years- a quality measure that has so far been lacking in the unregulated Indian wine scene.

An Austrian Wine Blitzkrieg!

If you hold a glass of wine at the lawns of the Austrian Trade Commissioner residence in

Lutyen’s Delhi, chances are that bumblebees may want to befriend you. Don’t be wary though, as they come visiting for the aromas pervading the area due to the frequent wine tastings happening at the place!

Austrian wines ready for tasting at the Master Class

Metaphors apart, the Austrians have indeed unleashed a blitzkrieg of their quality wines in the Indian wine space, seeking to capture their share of the growing Indian goblet. I recently attended their second master class in New Delhi, within six months of attending the inaugural one, and both tastings- though similar in format- had distinct USPs by virtue of the diverse range of wines .

The event, aptly named so for its partly sit-down guided tasting format, was conducted by Sommelier Gurjit Singh Barry of Wi-Not, a well known beverages concern based at New Delhi. Christian Dworan, Marketing Manager from the Austrian Wine Marketing Board was specially present to highlight Austria and its wine regions as a precursor to the tasting.

(L-R) Christian Dworan, Shanay Hubmann, Gurjit Singh Barry and Dr. Wolfram Moritz(Trade Commissioner, Austria)

According to  Shanay Hubmann, the Austrian Deputy Trade Commissioner in New Delhi, the master classes are being organised to raise awareness of the quality and variety of Austrian wines in India, with a view to help Austrian wineries in entering the Indian market by stimulating their demand. Shanay also brought out that as a start, three such events were planned in Delhi- the last one in the series scheduled to take place early in November this year.

Participative, energetic tasting

A whole lot of wines across the Austrian wine quality pyramid (see Boxes 1 and 2 towards the end of this post) were available winery-wise for tasting at the stands. These ranged from international as well as Austrian native varietals representing a diverse portfolio. I found it particularly interesting to get a practical feel of the Austrian classification system by sampling the different categories in a vertical graduation, starting from a Spätlese and   finishing with a Trockenbeerenauslese.

The audience in rapt attention

 Out of 59 wines on offer, 17 were tasted on the stage and the remaining were available for the guests to explore in a walk around tasting. Here are some that I liked in particular:

Winery: Pleil

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc 2013 (white)

Tasting notes: A refreshing straw-coloured wine with grassy and white fruit aromas accompanied by spice overtones. Complex palate of white fruits and gooseberries, with a peppery finish.

Winery: Wieninger

Wine: Wiener Gemischter Satz 2013 (white)

‘Wiener’ indicates a wine from Vienna, and Gemischter Satz is the term used for a mix of grapes used for the wine.

Tasting Notes: Light golden-coloured crystal-clear wine with unmistakable aromas of tropical fruits, most prominent being lychee. A well balanced acidity accompanied by ripe fruity flavours on the palate made it refreshing yet delectable.

Winery: Weinrieder

Wine: Grüner Veltliner “Schneiderberg” 2012 (white)

Tasting Notes: Light gold colour with  a floral, honeyed and spicy nose. A complex palate, seemingly off dry due to intense fruity character that was well accompanied by the supportive acidity. A lingering spicy finish.

Winery: Kracher

Wine: Kracher Cuvée Auslese 2012 (sweet)

Auslese is a wine quality term literally meaning ‘select harvest’. This is done by picking grapes at full ripeness at the bunch level resulting in quality wines.

Tasting Notes:  A blend of Chardonnay and Welschriesling, this wine had medium gold colour with green highlights and floral and tropical fruit aromas. The palate had flavours of quince, melon and white pepper along with a long finish. A well balanced sweet wine.

Winery: Weingut Bründlmayer

Wine: Bründlmayer St. Laurent Ried Ladner 2011(red)

St Laurent is a black grape variety typical to Austria and is quite close in characteristics to Pinot Noir.

Tasting Notes:  A medium ruby colour with rounded tannins and flavours of raspberries and plums. Quite juicy on the palate, the wine had a medium spicy finish that makes it ideal with casual meals where not much planning may be required.

Winery: Wellanschitz

Wine: Wellanschitz Zweigelt Classic 2012 (red)

Tasting Notes: Made from another Austrian native grape varietal Blauer Zweigelt, it is a medium purple coloured wine with inky highlights. The nose indicated oak usage that happened to mask the other aromas, maybe because the wine was served on the colder side. The palate however had good structure and flavours of black fruits with the oak getting reaffirmed. I would like to revisit this wine sometime again with ample time on my side.

Yours truly comparing notes at the walk around tasting with Sarang Kumar from Prestige Wines and Spirits (wine importer)

Winery: Wellanschitz

Wine: Wellanschitz Cabernet Sauvignon “Rüsselgrund” 2011

Tasting Notes: A deep ruby wine with a garnet rim and appetizing pastry shop aromas (vanilla, chocolate, fruits et al). A well-structured red with flavours of blackcurrants and spice and a long finish. One of the best reds of the evening.

Considering the overall quality of wines presented at the last two tastings and the apparent response of the importers and F&B professionals at these events, Austrian wines may well be poised to delight the Indian wine lovers in a big way. It however remains to be seen as to how these wines are positioned in the price-sensitive and regulatory Indian market to fare against the competition. As for the Indian wine lover, getting spoilt for choices may well have found a new benchmark.

As for the bumblebee bit, it wasn't  entirely a metaphor!

Spanish National Day, 2014: A quick refresher on Spanish wines

This October 9^th  as I attended the reception hosted by H.E. Gustavo de Aristegui, Ambassador of Spain in India to celebrate Spain’s national day that falls on 12 Oct, it was quite logical to expect some good Spanish wines . Amidst the celebrations as the guests stood in attention to the reverberating Indian and Spanish national anthems rendered by the synchronous Indian Navy band,  it was also a Guns to Gewürztraminer moment for me since the Spanish national day  also happens to be their Armed Forces day! Wine being an important part of the Spanish culture, I thought it was a good occasion to  refresh my knowledge on the major Spanish grape varietals that I am sharing in this post.

A 'Guns to Gewürztraminer'  moment: with a brother officer from the US Army and his charming lady around Spanish wines

The lively gathering

Background 

The third largest country in Europe, Spain is amongst the top three wine producing nations of the world, the other two being France and Italy. Wines in Spain are made largely from native  grape varietals but international varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay too are being increasingly planted.

Red Varietals 

Tempranillo  (Tempra-neeyo)

Also called Tinto Fino, this thick skinned grape varietal produces age worthy wines quite close in style to Cabernet Sauvignon.  It is the highest planted red varietal in Spain, particularly so in the famous Rioja region. Wines from Tempranillo  have dark berries and spice characteristics . You may like to keep these wines few years from the date of bottling before uncorking them!

Garnacha

  

 Dark  coloured  and thinner skinned than Tempranillo, this varietal produces luscious  and juicy wines with red fruit flavours that can  easily classify it in the gourmet league. It is the second most planted red grape varietal of Spain and is the  same as Grenache of France. It also has a refreshing and flavourful white version called Garnacha Blanca.

Monastrell 

Also known as Mourvèdre in France and Mataro in Australia, this varietal  originated in Spain but is lesser planted in the country of its origin. It has concentrated sugars due to its small berries and hence a potentially high alcohol content and good level of tannins. The flavours are dark fruits with savoury characteristics and it is used mostly in blends with Garnacha.

Cariñena  (Kari-nyena)

Also known as Carignan  in France , Cariñena has been considered a difficult to cultivate varietal for long due to its susceptibility to various vine afflictions but is being revived on both sides of Pyrenees mountain ranges in France and Spain. It is  used mostly in blends but single varietal wines are also becoming popular of late.

White Varietals

Parellada (Paa-rey-yaada) 

Together with the following two varietals (Macabeo and Xarel-lo) this grape varietal  from Catalunya region is well known for producing the Spanish sparkling wine Cava. It is also used for single varietal still wines or  blended with Chardonnay,Sauvignon Blanc and Garnacha Blanca. On it’s own it has floral as well as fruity flavours with decent acidity but if not made properly, could turn out insipid easily.

Macabeo (Maka-beeyo)

 A Catalan grape varietal again, it is intriguingly called by another name (Viura) in the Rioja region of Spain. The wines from this grape have floral characteristics but the acidity level has to be carefully handled like in case of Parellada. The USP of this varietal is that it can tolerate the vagaries of weather rather well and hence is widely planted in Northern Spain. Used mostly in blends, notably so with its Cava compatriots.

Xarel-lo  (Sha-rello)

 One of the powerful white varietals, it is known to give Cava it’s  citrus and fruity overtones. As a still wine too, it has vegetal to stone fruit  flavours and good acidity/sweetness balance.

Albarino

Cultivated mostly in the Rias Baixas region in Spain, this varietal is known as Alvarinho in Portugal which lies south of this Spanish region. The grape is thick skinned and produces aromatic wines with good acidity levels and a slight element of bitterness you would probably encounter in a Viognier.

Moscatel 

One of the oldest grape varieties, it is also known as Muscat in France and Moscato in Italy. It has further sub varieties and in Spain, Moscatel de Alejandria is widely cultivated. The wines from this varietal are aromatic and with good alcohol potential. Moscatel is largely used for sweet and fortified wines.

Palomino  

Connoisseurs of Sherry would need no introduction to this varietal. Cultivated mostly in the Andalucia region in south-west Spain where the iconic town of Jerez is located,  this grape varietal has low acidity and sugars that make it suitable for sherry production. Palomino is also popular as a table grape.

Pedro Ximinez (Pedro Shiminez) 

A thin skinned white grape varietal which is traditionally dried in the sun to produce sweet and syrupy wines that are mostly used for sweetening the fortified blends. Also known as PX, this varietal is native to the Andalucian region.

Wines at Spanish National Day celebrations 2014

White

Torres Viña Sol- Parellada

Torres San Valentín - Parellada and Garnacha Blanca

Torres Viña Esmeralda - Moscatel and Gewürztraminer

Red

Torres Mas Rabell – Garnacha and Cariñena

Torres Celeste- Tempranillo

Torres Coronas- Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon

Sweet

Torres Floralis Moscatel Oro- Muscat de Alejandria

Spanish music enlivened the evening further