Getting Upfront with Dr. Giuseppe Martelli, President of Italy's National Wine Committee

Passion knows no barriers of language or nationality, and this was at its demonstrable best as Dr. Giuseppe Martelli, the President of Italy’s National Wine Committee, struck an instant rapport with vinos in New Delhi even as he spoke in Italian with an interpreter at hand. Dr. Martelli was speaking at “The Sweet Taste”, a workshop showcasing Italian food and wine conducted under the aegis of the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) at The Leela Palace, New Delhi.

In conversation with Dr. Giuseppe Martelli

About Dr. Giuseppe Martelli

An oenologist and biologist, Dr. Martelli, taught at the Viticulture and Oenology Institute in Conegliano (Treviso). He worked at the Italian Ministry of Agriculture’s Experimental Viticulture and Oenology Institute and at the “Tenute Sella & Mosca” farmstead in Alghero.

Since 2009, he has been the President of the National Wine Committee (under the Italian Republic’s Ministry of Agriculture), which is the major consultation and proposal body in the wine sector. He is also the Honorary President of the Union Internationale des Oenologues, a Paris-based Federation that represents the National Viticulture Technicians Associations worldwide, where he earlier served as full time president from 2003-08. In an earlier role, Dr. Martelli was the Managing Director of the Italian Oenologists Association (Assoenologi), the National Trade Organisation of Viticulture Technicians from 1978-2016.

My interaction with Dr. Martelli was facilitated by Ms. Mahima Yadav, Assistant to the Director of the Italian Trade Agency in New Delhi, who very kindly offered to be the interpreter despite her hair-splitting schedule.

Dr. Martelli’s thoughts

Me: What are the major functions of National Wine Committee (NWC) of Italy?

Dr. Giuseppe Martelli (GM): The National Wine Committee is the most important advisory body of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Italy in the wine sector. It comprises of 28 people representing the main categories of the wine sector, appointed by the Minister of Agriculture. It was established in 1964 and since then, its key objectives remain unchanged. Its purpose is to give opinion, in accordance with current legislation, on questions related to wines in general and on wines with denomination of controlled and guaranteed origin (DOC and DOCG, or DOP in the European Union) and in specific geographical location (IGP in the European Union). The views of the NWC are published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Italy.

Me: According to an IWSR study, Italy doubled its wine exports to India in the period 2008-12 and is currently the second largest exporter to India. France remains the top exporter in terms of value despite not being among the top here exporters to India. Do you think Italy will address this?

GM: France has been investing in the presentation and communication of its wines in India for a very long time, while Italy has joined in only recently as India is a market of rising importance. Hence, it’s logical that French wines are better known in India. But, I believe that the alert and experienced Indian consumer is getting increasingly closer to the Italian producers, and in the coming years, will certainly prefer our bottles, being fascinated not only by the quality of the content, but also by the history and the culture that characterizes every production of ours.

Me: India is among the “significant markets of long term”. What initiatives are planned to promote Italian wines in India?

GM: The Italian Trade Agency (ITA) in New Delhi under their new Director, Dr. Francesco Pensabene, is proposing an initiative to promote Italian products in India with great professionalism. I believe that the exchange of opinions, insights and advice initiated by the ITA have been working well in this respect. “The Sweet Taste” initiative, for which we are here, is concrete evidence of this headway.

(Above) The wines at The Sweet Taste (Below) My quick tasting notes

Me: The last edition of Vinitaly in India was in 2010. What might be the reason for this? Can we hope to see another edition of Vinitaly in India in the near future?

GM: The Verona fair, Vinitaly, cannot be present everywhere, and has limited its conduct to three markets: USA, Russia and Hong Kong. Personally, I believe that since the consumption of wine is not that high in India, producers prefer to go directly to the importers, buyers, opinion leaders and journalists, rather than approaching the consumer directly. Therefore, I believe that the role of the Italian Trade Agency and the Embassy of Italy in India becomes even more important to promote Italian wines.

Me: The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union is still under discussion. Are you hopeful of its successful conclusion?

GM: This question is complex and demands the attention of the relevant agencies and government bodies. I really hope that it will soon come to a definition where it takes into account the requirements of both India and Europe, in the interests of the wine trade. There is no denying the fact that taxes on imported wine in India are amongst the highest in the world – and this often discourages those who believe strongly in Indian markets and are willing and determined to invest.

Me: In your opinion, what are the factors that may work in favour of Italian wines in India?

GM: By increasing the knowledge of our wines, first at the level of opinion leaders and trade and then at the consumer level, a perception of “value for money” can be instilled. I know that the Indian consumer, as generations before him, is pre-disposed to aperitifs with a super high alcoholic base. I hope that the new generations appreciate Italian white wines as aperitifs, not only for their alcoholic strength but also for the delicacy and fragrance that the wines express and allow you to drink more – hence allowing a longer socialization. Having said that, I feel that Italian wines are more suitable to the high temperatures of the climate in your country, as well.

However, given the delicacy, the tastes, the strength and the variety of your Indian kitchen, I am sure that a better understanding of the potential success of classic Italian red wines – robust and appropriately aged – will happen in India. And of course, all the above is subject to the level of duties and import taxes that your country upholds!

The Sweet Taste continues..

(This interview was first published in vino india)

An Indo-American Compatibility of the Palate Kind

That Indians love their whisk(e)y is well known . But do they really love whiskey more than whisky? It may surely be a debatable issue.

For the uninitiated, the American and the Irish pronounce the word with an extra 'e' while the rest of the world largely calls it 'whisky'. The difference though is more than just cosmetic, as all these whiskies stand out in their distinctive niche.

To strengthen the position of American whiskey among  beverages denizens of New Delhi, Shatbhi Basu, celebrity mixologist and American Whisky Ambassador in India, recently ramp-walked some popular American whiskies sans their oft associated pompousness. The whiskies were paired with Tapas styled Indian food with a Delhi essence by Vipul Gupta, Senior Sous Chef  WelcomHotel Sheraton. The venue was fit to the tee as "Delhi Pavilion"- the multi-cuisine restaurant at the hotel.

Whiskey or Cologne?

Shatbhi started the evening on a rather unconventional note. She urged the audience to rub some whiskey served in a shot glass in their palms and appreciate the aromas. The audience seemed to gel with her thought of equating the resultant  aromas to those of a quality cologne! Soon enough, other whiskies for the evening followed, embossing their individual personalities through innovative presentation and deliberate food thought.

Knowing American Whiskey

So what is special about American whiskey?  For starters Shatbhi dispelled some myths- the most common  being that American whiskey implies only Bourbon. She clarified that apart from corn, an American whiskey could also be made from other grains like wheat and rye or as a blend of more than one grain. Explaining further on the USPs of these whiskies, she highlighted that  majority of whiskey producing areas in America offer high temperature variations, resulting in much faster ageing (thrice as fast on an average) as compared to those from most other countries. She also brought out that these whiskies use only new charred barrels as opposed to second use barrels (significantly American) that are common with whiskies produced elsewhere. 

The Tasting

Those pressed for time, may get a decent perspective on the evening through my FB album embedded as under. Just click on it to go through the individiual photos with descriptions. However, those who would like to get a wee bit of extra whiskey punch, reading further is highly recommended.

The tasting lineup 

First Course

Maker's Mark Red Seal, ABV 45%
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Presentation: Iced whiskey with a sweet dark date garnish

Maker's Mark is a  craft distilled product made from corn, barley and "red winter wheat" rather than the usual rye. It also goes at a lower strength into the cask at 110 proof as opposed to the more normal 125 proof. These variations aim at making the whisky (spelt here the Scottish way as they come from a Scottish heritage)  as mellow as possible without too much spice on the palate. The bottle is sealed twice i.e. capped and then dipped in wax for added protection.

Paired with: 

Dilli chaat plate (Bhalla papdi upside down, Aloo Edamame tikki)

An Indian savoury snack incorporating various textures and flavours. The  honeyed/spicy characteristics of the whisky matched well with a mélange of sweet, sour and spicy flavours of the chaat. The bite of date lent it an extra savouriness.

Second Course

Jack Daniel's, ABV 40%
Type: Tennessee Sour Mash
Presentation: Iced whiskey topped by a citrus foam.

Jack Daniel's is a Tennessee whiskey from Lynchburg. Every drop of this whiskey is filtered through ten feet of activated maple charcoal and wool before being matured.

Paired with:

Kadak paneer, achari asparagus with fresh cress salad (V)- Crispy cottage cheese coupled with pickled asparagus and microgreens 

Delhi fish fry, achari asparagus with fresh cress salad (NV)

Sipping the  iced whiskey through the citrus foam  made for a mellower experience which was good with the 'crisp outside, soft inside'  fish & paneer as well as the crunchy and tangy asparagus.

Third Course

Jim Beam White, ABV 40%
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Presentation: Cocktail "Pomegranate Sour" (recipe in image below)

Seven generations of the Beam family have been distilling at the Jim Beam distillery, making it the number one selling bourbon in the world. Jim Beam White is one of the cleanest, yet full flavored bourbons with caramel and vanilla sweetness followed by a peppery spiciness. Jim Beam is now bottled in India making it even more accessible.

Paired with:

Podi Idli with Upma cigarillo (V)
Steamed garlic pod centered dumplings, crisp cigarillo with mushy filling.

Chettinad chops with Upma cigarillo (NV)
Slow cooked succulent lamb chops, crisp cigarillo with mushy filling

"Pomegranate Sour" worked perfecty as a foil for the podi and chettinad spices- cleansing and refreshing the palate.

Fourth Course

Woodford Reserve, ABV 43.2%
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Presentation: Chilled, infused with a saffron strand and with an aam papad (semi dried mango pulp) garnish.

Woodford Reserve is the only triple copper pot still distilled Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey. It is made in small batches to preserve it's artisanal character.

Paired with:

Badam ki Galouti, mango kachumber (V)
Browned almond paste, Sprouted moong pistou, saffron flat bread, salad

Silvatte ke shammi, mango kachumber (NV)
Hand pounded lamb boti kababs, saffron flat bread, and salad

Shatbhi called this combination as "Lucknow meeting Kentucky".  The intensely dried fruit and sweet spice flavours of the Woodford, further infused with a hint of saffron and served with a bite of aam papad, blended effortlessly with the softly spiced galouti and mango kachumber.

Fifth Course

Jack Daniel's Liqueur, ABV 35%
Type: Tennessee Honey
Presentation: Chilled, straight up

Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey is a whole lot of Jack with a little bit of honey. It has warm honey, caramel and vanilla flavours with a little nuttiness and hints of anise

Paired with:

"The Three Sweet Act"- an amalgamation of three cities on a plate. The Beetroot halwa from the Mughal era, the Alphonso payesh from the contemporary Bengalis and the saffron milk solids samosa from the northern India.

The iced Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey complemented the trio of favourite Indian dessert flavours, with the rudder of balancing acidity.

"The Team" with Shatbhi Basu (middle) and Chef Vipul Gupta (extreme right). Rishi Raj Singh, Resident Manager Welcomhotel Sheraton (2nd from left) can  also be seen in the photo.

The Showstopper

Even as the guests took charge of their mobiles to summon their respective wheels, Shatbhi urged them to stay put for a smokin' hot experience. 'Smokin' ' it was literally, and 'hot' it was on the chutzpah front. Choco Nut Madness (see recipe in image below)  aptly contained some of the favourite ingredients of the American way of life, wrapping up the evening on a lingering American note! 

P.S. Recipes above have been deliberately put as images to facilitate downloading like any other image from the www. Please feel free to download  and share with fellow whiskey enthusiasts.

Know The Latest Amendments To The Austrian Wine Law

Barely a month back  as I attended the seminar 'Austrian Wines- 7 Elements of Uniqueness' conducted during the Austrian wine fair VieVinum 2016 in Vienna, I asked a question to Willi Klinger, Managing Director Austrian Wine Marketing Board (AWMB) who was chairing the seminar- "when would the much talked about new Austrian Wine Law be formalised?" Willi replied- "anytime now". Sure enough, even before I could embark on the trip back home, the new law that seeks to make Austrian wine simpler yet more precise, came into effect.

Willi Klinger chairing the seminar "Austrian Wine- 7 Elements of Uniqueness"

The action on these amendments was going on for sometime, and these reforms finally came into effect on 14 June 2016 in the form of an amendment to the Wine Law of 2009.  Among other matters, the amendments encompass modifications to the existing appellatives of wine-growing regions and vineyards.

So what is the fuss all about? To put things in perspective, let us first look at the generic Austrian wine classification in the image below (feel free to download and share):

The New Amendments

The overall essence of the new amendments is to represent various levels of Austrian wine unambiguously and with greater consumer-friendliness. The graphic below covers the salient aspects:

The Details

A Tailwind for the “Rieden”

The demarcation of single vineyard sites, which has been progressing according to the laid out plan in all wine-growing regions, has received new impetus from the amendment to the wine law. It has been determined that wines with a vineyard designation must bear the word “Ried” on the label before the name of the vineyard, i.e. when the word “Ried” appears before a geographic (topographic) designation, it will indicate that the wine has come from a legally defined single vineyard site. 

With this provision, wines from single vineyards become recognisable at a glance to the consumer, easily distinguished from branded wines or wines with spurious indications of origin. Growing consciousness about the importance of a clear system for indicating origins has also found expression in the regions Kamptal, Kremstal and Traisental, wherein the DAC wines of these regions have been arranged according to law in a benchmark three-tier system – “Regional-”, “Village-” or “Single Vineyard-” wine. In this structure, classification of the wines must observe a predetermined minimum alcohol content.

Modifications to indications of origin in Burgenland and Steiermark

In order to avoid unnecessary duplication, the Burgenland wine producing appellations Neusiedlersee, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland, Mittelburgenland and Südburgenland have been eliminated. In future, all Qualitätswein from Burgenland will show the generic wine-growing region “Burgenland” on the label.

Only the regionally typical DAC wines shall henceforth be permitted to bear the designation of their specific wine-growing regions – Neusiedlersee DAC, Leithaberg DAC, Mittelburgenland DAC or Eisenberg DAC.

Parallel to this, the Grosslage (large vineyard site) “Südburgenland” is being created to replace the former Grosslagen “Pinkatal” and “Geschriebenstein”.

Pursuant to the amendment, the wine-growing region “Süd-Oststeiermark” in the hilly southeast of Austria shall be renamed “Vulkanland Steiermark” – far more expressive in the conceptual sense.

Ausbruch: exclusively from the Free City of Rust

Special attention has been paid to the Austrian Prädikat wines, particularly the Ausbruch. With the changes to the wine law coming into effect, the term “Ausbruch” is defined as a Trockenbeerenauslese – and as an exclusive, protected indication of origin for Ruster Ausbruch – thus reserved for Trockenbeerenauslesen from Rust. No other wines may henceforth bear the designation “Ausbruch”.

Austrian Sekt with Protected Designation of Origin

In a process of discussions taking place over the course of several years, the Austrian Sekt Committee – together with a committee of growers conducting their own tirage, in concert with experts of the Winegrower’s Association, the Chamber of Commerce, the Austrian Wine Marketing Board and the Federal Agricultural Ministry – have developed new regulations with the goal of enhancing the position of Austrian Sekt with Protected Designation of Origin (Sekt g.U.). Building upon this, the amendment to the wine law now provides that the Minister for Agriculture and Forestry, Water and the Environment is empowered to determine and specify all details pertaining to Sekt with Protected Designation of Origin by means of an ordinance to be filed under seal at a future date.

This ministerial decree will – among other things – stipulate that Austrian Sekt with Protected Designation of Origin can be sold only when bearing the defining terms “Klassik”, “Reserve”, or “Grosse Reserve”. Hereby the sales description must be composed of the category (Österreichischer Qualitätsschaumwein or Sekt), the name of the protected designation of origin (in the cases of Klassik and Reserve, solely the name of the Austrian federal state; in the case of Grosse Reserve: federal state and municipality or part of it; in special cases also Grosslage or Ried) and the term “geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung” (Protected Designation of Origin) or “g.U.”. Furthermore, the regulations and the conditions applying to its enactment will also establish standards with regard to methods of vinification and interval of élevage on the lees, as well as alcohol content and residual sugar content for the individual tiers

Austrian wine: Full Speed Ahead

According to the AWMB, standstill is a step backwards. Hence the Austrian authorities are currently working relentlessly to fine tune the unique and distinctive profile of Austrian wine. The evolution of wine laws is considered by them as a pre-requisite towards a successful future for Austrian wine. The latest amendments promise to be a step towards that direction.

With excerpts from a Press Release by the Austrian Wine Marketing Board.