Guns to Gewürztraminer ?...Ahem....Guns to Mouton!

Mention the word “Grand Cru” to  wine lovers and instantly see their faces light up! Such is the aura of this classification of wines made in  1855 under the directions of King Napoleon III,  that any serious wine lover strives to memorize the list  to be truly called a connoisseur. The classification has a total of  62 estates across 5 subclassifications stretching across Premier (first) to Cinquième (fifth) growths mainly in the Médoc region of Bordeaux, France.

The  Premiers Crus are considered top of the ladder and fetch highest prices in the global  wine market. These five wines are- Châteaux Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild, Margaux, Latour and Haut Brion. Out of these, Château Mouton Rothschild made it to the club in 1973- being elevated from the second to first growth.

Now what if a good friend offers to bring you one of these first growths neither in standard, nor in magnum but in double magnum size- that too, from a vintage very close to your heart?  I bet you  can sense the aromas and flavours of the excitement  to follow.

So when  Gajendra (Gajju) Sareen, my buddy from the Military Academy informed  me that he had procured two double magnums (3 litre bottles) of Château Mouton Rothschild 1987 specially to celebrate our course anniversary (we graduated from the Indian Military Academy in 1987), my anticipation knew no bounds. It was a true “Guns to Gewurztraminer” moment realizing that two former army mates  who were more used to gun powder aromas in the past would now collectively revel at the complex  aromas of none less than a Premier Grand Cru Classé! That Gajju is now a global business tycoon  and a frequent buyer of fine wines  was surely a facilitating factor for this proposition.

Time flew fast before I received a message from  Gajju,  seeking to fix the itinerary of the tasting on his impending brief visit to Delhi. We were to meet at  his permanent suite in one of Delhi’s finest star properties  to sample the wine before carrying  the bottle to a larger gathering  of our course reunion.

I arrived at Gajju’s suite with  Smita, my lady who is also my Chef de Cuisine for wine pairings. With great enthusiasm he whipped out the wooden case containing the wine from a large bag. The box had several  stickers on it, apparently tracing the wine’s journey before it had reached us. On my enquiring Gajju told me that he bought the wine at a Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong and parked it in Crown Wine Cellars in the same city. Being a member of Le Club FICOFI (a prestigious club for buyers of fine wines ) he requisitioned them to fetch the wine to his Singapore cellar and voilà! There it was with us!

The box was handed over to his designated butler for opening.  Seeing him struggle with the box, I realized that three of its sides were nicely nail-hammered while the top panel was stapled. The butler accepted my suggestion to crowbar the top panel out, and a screwdriver  did the job just well.

The box with it's marked journeys  and after the top lid removed

The magnificent bottle emerged and we took some pictures. We were now ready for the grande oeuverture. Though I have been served wine from much larger bottles during my stay in Bordeaux, this was my maiden experience of opening a double magnum,  and I believe many wine lovers would be in the same boat. Therefore, I am sharing the micro level details:

The label

Château Mouton Rothschild is known to engage eminent artists to design the labels for each of its vintages. The 1987 label was created by Swiss painter Hans Erni and it  bears the face of its ancestor -the iconic Baron Philippe de Rothschild, as a homage to his last bottled vintage. A dedicating note by his daughter Baroness Philippe de Rothschild completes the homage and sums it up by a  phrase “Mouton ne Change” implying the continuing legacy of the Baron.

Au début

The Oeuverture (opening)

"Ah-so" cork remover

A thicker capsule required two well pressed turns of the knife to cut through. As I leveraged the fulcrum end of the waiter’s friend on the bottle lip, I realized that the lip was much thicker for the fulcrum to afford a snug grip. Endeavouring to pull out the cork carefully, I further realized to my horror that the cork started crumbling on the top and I paused. Gajju told me not to hesitate as he had seen it happening often with bigger bottles. He lent me a helping hand and the day was saved. I suppose an “Ah-So” cork remover (that pulls out a cork by sliding two prongs on its either side) may be a good choice if things indeed go awry. Any experiences?

Men at work

Reveling in the moment

The Tasting

Contrary to my long standing conviction that a  vintage wine of high pedigree need always be decanted before you could meaningfully appreciate it, Gajju insisted that we pour a glass right  away since time was at premium. I readily complied since I had already noticed intense aromas wafting out from the bottle. We did well by summoning  the largest bowled stemware with the hotel rather than the routine ones in the suite.  The first glasses were poured followed by a generous pour in a decanter for our second glass. As we swirled and sniffed, the Grand Cru pedigree started emerging:

Colour: Medium ruby with a fading rim

Nose: Vastly expressive aromas of red berries and pungent spice.

Palate: Dry, medium bodied with very soft tannins. A delicious palate of abundant berries and a distinctively spicy lingering finish.

The third tasting partner

Tasting after decanting for 1 hour

Nose: Aromas of cedar wood, jasmine and forest floor emerged apart from ripe red berries becoming more evident.

Palate:  A juicier palate of red berries with mineral hints, followed by a warm spicy finish going deep into the throat. Pigmented tannins could be noticed in the decanter and that explained the mellow character of the wine.

Food Accompaniments

An assortment of cheeses placed in the suite offered us an ample playing ground before the Burrah Kababs (char grilled, lightly spiced, tender lamb kababs) that I had recommended for the pairing arrived. Given the wine’s ample acidity, creamy cheeses like Brie and Smoked Gouda paired very well with it. And as expected, the Burrah Kababs were delightful, matching the savoury and spicy attributes of the wine, step by step.

We could continue for longer but a bigger gathering  awaited.  As we concluded the  surreal rendezvous, getting the bottle ready for the next stop, Gajju promised me to get some more gems like these on his next trips.

Not something I would complain-of for sure!

Clicking for posterity

Up, Close and Personal with Bill Hardy

If you have had more than a fleeting encounter with Australian wines, chances are that  you would not

have been untouched by the Hardys name. Adjudged the seventh most powerful wine brand in the world according to “The Power 100 report 2015” by Intangible Business, Hardys is Australia’s biggest wine producer identified largely with  easy drinking and affordable wines. But there’s more to Hardys than just approachable wines. It has a vast repertoire that honours their founding fathers as also the terroirs from where their wines originate. And I had a priceless opportunity to converse about these wines with none other than William (Bill) Hardy who was on his second all time  visit to India towards the end of August 2015.

Bill, a fifth generation member of this wine family arrived as Hardys Brand Ambassador to launch his eponymous “William Hardy Collection”- a range that honours his contribution towards the family business. The meeting was at the initiative of  Prarrthona Pal Chowdhury- the livewire Head Marketing, Brandy Project and International Brands at  Sula wines- Hardys importers in India. 

The interview took place immediately after a wine masterclass by Bill Hardy at ITC Maurya- a premier property of the ITC conglomerate of India. We promptly took our seats within the same precincts for this stimulating conversation:

Me: Welcome to India Mr Hardy and congratulations on the launch of the William Hardy collection.

Bill Hardy (BH): Thank you! It is indeed my pleasure being here to introduce the new label here with all humility.

Me:  Hardys winemaking philosophy is generally recognized as being centered towards blending cuvées from your vineyards in different regions, does that mean that emphasis on terroir takes a back seat for you ?

BH : Not entirely ! Though our easy drinking daily wines may be inclined towards blending for the sake of a consistent wine style,  we also have certain wines that bring out respective regions quite emphatically. A classic example would be one of our top wines- the HRB (Heritage Reserve Bin) which includes cuvées from two to three distinct regions. I remember James Halliday (Australian wine writer and critic) tasting these wines for the first time and saying “I can see the exact terroirs associated with this wine!” I consider myself a champion of blending and believe that this is one of the greatest skills a winemaker can have. It often happens that once a winemaker is through with making some great wines from individual parcels, he sits back and asks himself ‘this is nice, but can I make something even better by putting some of these wines together ?’ And there comes the art of blending into play. There is a beautiful quote by Hugh Johnson-  “Dom Perignon was the first deliberate  blender. Also the first perfectionist”.

Me : With relevance to the Indian market, do you see competition coming the Aussie wines’ way in the event of the proposed Free Trade Agreement  between India and the European Union (EU) that is likely to soften trade barriers on wine from EU.

BH : Firstly I am positive that if any such agreement favourable to the wine trade is worked out, it will not be implemented selectively by the Indian government for different trading zones. But if it happens otherwise and if the same level of duty cuts are affected on high value as well as daily drinking wines from EU then it would indeed be serious competition to Aussie wines, as Australia is the biggest volume exporter of wine to India.

Me : The Hardys portfolio has a vast range of wines. How does a consumer differentiate between similar varietal blends across these ranges ? For example, how does one differentiate between Eileen Hardy Shiraz (named after Bill’s grandmother) from the now launched William Hardy Shiraz ?

BH : We have consistently made an effort towards educating the consumer on our different wines. I am quite proud of having elaborated on these wines through personal writings on the philosophy, style and characteristics of each wine. I also love to present our wines to people, highlighting the USPs of each range so that they understand as to why they should be paying more for a particular wine vis-à-vis a lower priced one. 

Coming to your specific query, the essential difference between the Eileen Hardy Shiraz and the William Hardy Shiraz is that while Eileen Hardy range is an example of the very best of wines we make, William Hardy range is a more commercial wine. Both these wines are single varietal single region wines with Eileen Hardy Shiraz being produced from 2-3 selected vineyards in McLaren Vale. Compared to this, William Hardy Shiraz currently comes from vineyards in Langhorne Creek with subsequent plan to shift the sourcing for this range to McLaren Vale as well. In terms of ageing potential, while Eileen Hardy Shiraz comes from  vines upto 110 years old and has an ageing potential between 12-15 years, William Hardy Shiraz  can currently be aged upto 5-7 years. In short you can say that while Eileen Hardy is our Prestige range, William Hardy range is growing to be one.

(Prarrthona signals me to  hurry-up as Bill has to leave for the next engagement- a dinner featuring the William Hardy Collection where I am also invited).

Me : How does your marketing plan look like in India ? Specially with reference to another competing Aussie brand Jacob’s Creek  that seems to have an ostensible advantage of leveraging on the Spirits brands in the Pernod Ricard portfolio .

 BH : I do agree that Pernod Ricard have managed their marketing well through well placed sports sponsorships and  leveraging their Spirits brands for wine promotion. At Hardys our focus is on spending our dollars on opening and sharing wine bottles rather than spending big time on advertisments. As for sponsorships and endorsements, we may have faltered earlier by spreading ourselves too thin, but in the present day we are very much  focussed on the subject. A good example of this is the recent launch of the Art of Cricket collection with Glenn McGrath as the brand ambassador, which has magnified awareness of our brand amongst the target consumer.

Me : A last question on the personal front. Since you are here with Mrs Hardy, are you visiting the Taj Mahal ?

BH : Certainly ! As a matter of fact we are doing a tour of the "golden triangle" (Delhi-Agra-Jaipur) starting tomorrow. We have been looking forward to it.

A rare honour!
Raising a toast with the man himself and his eponymous wine- William Hardy Chardonnay.

* This interview was published as a narrative in vino india.

Experiencing the Charm of Glenfiddich

Festive season in India is in full bloom with Diwali just gone by and the countdown to X Mas and New year  well on its way. Amidst all festivities, I recently had the privilege of being invited by James Pennefather, General Manager William Grant and Sons in India for a vertical tasting of Glenfiddich whisky around a paired dinner at his residence. On most occasions, I have been attending or conducting wine dinners, so the invitation came as a unique opportunity to refresh my knowledge on whisky. It was only incidental that a few days prior, I had the pleasure of conducting a whisky appreciation session for a group of Executive MBA students from the  Duke University USA, that has famous alumni like former US President Richard Nixon and philanthropist Melinda Gates on its honour rolls.

There is a great deal of similarity between wine and whisky tasting. Cynics may scoff at this comparison but the fact remains that appreciating any aged alcoholic beverage involves a set methodology. It is all about discerning the aromas, palate and finish in the backdrop of the beverage’s provenance. So much about similarity- now the differences. Whisky is a distilled product made from grains while wine is  fermented from grape(s), hence there are different variability factors for both. I have endeavoured to summarise these in the graphic below:

Coming to the Glenfiddich dinner at  James’ place, it was heart warming to be welcomed by him in the company of his cute son Richard who had just returned from a Halloween party with ‘scary’ paint et al on his face. This warmth continued with James  carefully seeking to know my preferred way of enjoying  whisky, which I specified as a 1:1 dilution with a couple of ice cubes. The party got rolling as the guests – a select group of whisky connoisseurs- started acquainting themselves with each other. The graceful Mrs Pam Pennefather too, briefly joined-in to make this ‘stags only' (pun intended) gathering   feel at home.

The muster was followed by James introducing the proceedings that lay ahead before we took our seats for the tasting.

Band of whisky brothers

About Glenfiddich 

Glenfiddich means “Valley of the Deer” in Scottish-Gaelic language. Situated in Dufftown (popularly known as “whisky capital of the world”), in the Speyside region, Glenfiddich  distillery was established in 1886 by their founder William Grant, whose name is still borne by the family owned company. They also own the Balvenie and Kininvie distilleries in the same region.  

In the course of James’ presentation, he  showed an interesting image depicting the 1909 visit of Mr. Charles Gordon, son-in-law of Mr. William Grant to India with some of his staff on a horse carriage. On the lighter side James also showed a similarly themed image of his, albeit in an auto rickshaw!

(Above) Mr Charles Gordon on his first India visit (Below) Mr James Pennefather with his staff in the current day

The Tasting

First Course

The first whisky to sashay on the ‘ramp’ was Glenfiddich 18 Years Old (YO). With its enchanting antique gold colour the whisky had aromas of freshly baked apple pie with an unmistakable cinnamon touch. It was thoughtfully paired with the entrée course of parmesan sable with mascarpone truffle mousse and petit légumes which was innovatively served on a rustic stone platter.

James also emphasized that it is not always necessary to taste whiskies vertically in ascending order of age. It all depends on how one would like to highlight the subtle differences in each kind of whisky. In this tasting, he informed that the stress was on typical flavor profiles that were worked around the respective food courses.

Second Course

Next was Glenfiddich 15 YO. Apart from being aged in new European oak and Sherry casks  this whisky is further mellowed by a dynamic aging method innovated by their malt master, which is inspired from the ‘solera’ method followed in Sherry production. Only here, the ‘solera’ comprises of a single large oak vat (as opposed to a pyramid of interconnected barrels for sherry) that has always been half full since 1998. As the whisky is tapped from the vat, equal amounts are replenished from fresh batches, making it a continuously moving blend.

Paired with the main course of spice roast lamb confit with spiced jus,  the ample body of this fruity and floral whisky stood in apt balance with the varying flavours and textures of the food.

Third Course

The dessert course of decadent hot chocolate fondant with Baileys mousse saw the companionship of Glenfiddich 21 YO that carried rich aromas and flavours of fruit cake, caramel and dark chocolate. The USP of this whisky is its finishing in Carribean rum casks that originate from a special blend of rum made for the Glenfiddich distillery. With its deliciously warm character, this  was my favourite of the evening (and therefore I requested for an additional pour too!).

Surprise (4th) Course !

 As James briefly went inside the kitchen area, we thought it was for some routine instructions to his staff. Instructions he did pass- and they turned out rather special, as they culminated in the serving of Glenfiddich Anniversary Edition to us. The Anniversary Edition was specially created to commemorate 125 years of Glenfiddich and is available only in travel retail in selected outlets. It has a peated-fruity character commonly associated with Islay malts and if one were to taste it blind with other single malts whiskies, it could be a tough nut to crack. However mulling over it longer, I realized that apart from the peaty red herring, the underlying essence of Glenfiddich style is scrupulously maintained by the malt master. I hope that I get to taste it more often to face the blind tasting challenge sometime. The course was served with assorted cheese platter for us to experiment with the pairings. Truly the pièce de resistance of the evening!

My side of  the table

Thus concluded our voyage on the "Glenfiddich seas" with reminiscences of flavours still on our palate. Freshly brewed coffee (which we all needed to get sober again) capped the malty evening as we bid adieu to James, drenched in the spirit of the Stag,

The spirit that is shared enough to make it the top selling single malt of the world!

Au Revoir!

10 Indian Wines to Gift this Festive Season

The festive season in India is on its way to reach a crescendo with Diwali- the festival of lights- being just a few days away. With that, the scurry to plan celebrations and scout for gifts has also started. Traditionally on Diwali, Indians clean their homes elaborately, light them up with diyas (earthen lamps), and perform pooja (prayers) to invoke Lord Ganesha and Goddess Laxmi- the Hindu deities considered as harbingers of good luck and prosperity respectively. Diwali is also the occasion to exchange gifts with near and dear ones, as well as professional associates. And this brings us to our favourite topic- wine.

Over the years Indians have been looking for new gifting ideas beyond the traditional sweets and dry fruits. With the overall awareness on wine going up, it is also turning out to be one of the favourite gifting ideas spelling class and sophistication. But choosing the right wine for  gifting can become a tedious issue if one is unsure about the preferences of the intended recipient. The dilemma is accentuated by a multitude of labels available on retail shelves. Then how should one go about picking the right wine?

Having received many such queries over the past years, particularly during festive occasions, I thought of coming up with a list of wines based on my personal experience. Since the  list could become humungous, I decided to stick to Indian wines on three accounts. Firstly, Indian wines have seen admirable evolution in the past few years, winning global awards and featuring in the wine lists of Michelin starred restaurants. Secondly, thanks to the absence of customs duties (as much as 160%), they invariably offer good value for money as compared to their imported counterparts. And lastly- the supply chain for these wines being much shorter, there is lesser chances of spoilage on account of improper handling/storage.

However, the number of 'good' Indian wines could be many more than just a list of 10. Hence I also narrowed down the focus based on the following considerations:

• I should have tasted each wine at least twice to find them consistently good.
• The wines should be available in at least two major metros of India- viz. Delhi and Mumbai.
• To include generic personality types of wine consumers.

So here is my festive pick for 2015 (wines listed category wise and not in any order of precedence):

Meet India's New Champion Sommeliers

They came, they poured and they conquered! Young suave sommeliers from India competing in the eighth edition of Indian Sommelier Championship (ISC) served the reds, whites and the sparklings with expected élan during the final round of the competition that saw the culmination of several weeks of hard work on the sommellerie front. This year too, I had the opportunity to witness the final round amidst the privilege of sipping the same wines in tandem with the finalists on stage and chatting them up while they waited their  turn on the rostrum.

The Champion Sommeliers: (L-R)  Lalit Rane , Harish Acharekar and Pratik Angre 

 An annual feature, the ISC has been  conducted since 2008 under the aegis of Wi-Not Beverage Solutions Private Ltd- a beverages consultancy based in New Delhi.  The contest involves grooming and orienting the candidates towards the championship followed by preliminary rounds and eventually the grand finale where India’s best sommeliers slug it out for the top positions. The winners, apart from getting immense recognition in the world of wine, get further opportunities in the form of visits to international vineyards,  one-on-one sessions with celebrated winemakers and likewise.

As I have already dwelled on the conduct aspects of the championship in one of my earlier posts, this time I thought it would be good idea to present a little more about the winners than meets the arclights. Hence I got in touch with them again (as winners were not announced in the finale but a separate gala dinner that  didn't see my presence- a fact that I rued last year too) and they came out whole heartedly with the  details. So here’s introducing the mint fresh Indian Sommelier Champs: (Note- you can right click and save/share the respective images as you may please)

Prizes Won

While Harish Acharekar looks forward to an all expenses paid trip to the grand Austrian wine fair Vie Vinum 2016- an award bestowed by the Austrian Wine Marketing Board (AWMB), Pratik Angre will take off for Spain to visit the Gramona Cava facility. Lalit Rane gets his share of the winners' pie with exclusive visits and one-on-one sessions with the winemakers at the Fratelli and York wineries in India.

Here's wishing the Champion Sommeliers joyous barrels and exulting acres in their journey of passion!

Getting Winesome with Indian Wines

Indian wines have evoked a lot of interest worldwide of late. From being listed in Michelin starred restaurants to rubbing shoulders with international peers on retail shelves, the buzz on Indian wines continues to grow. And with that, wine events featuring Indian wines and cuisine are also being received with heightened interest.

Recently I hosted a wine dinner titled “Winesome India” offering a lowdown on the Indian wine industry highlighting its promising prospects on the international scene. We presented six wines from one of India’s prominent wine producers Grover Zampa Vineyards (GZV). Coupled with a four course spread from one of Delhi’s  rapidly emerging wine friendly Indian restaurant Gulati Spice Market (GSM), we had wine lovers enthused on Indian wine and food pairing- which is considered challenging by many folks.

Guests raise a toast to Winesome India

Conversations galore!

The event though was not just about eating, drinking and making merry. It was an endeavour to present Indian wines and cuisine in the right earnest- to be served at right temperature, sequence and food affinity. And while doing so, to highlight that Indian wines hold good promise, considering their relative nascence. Given that Indian wines are increasingly being awarded at global competitions, we also wanted to dispel a common perception that they are sub-par as compared to international wines.

The evening started with rounds of Zampa Sparkling Brut, paired with a wide range of finger food, followed by the starter, main and dessert courses coupled with two wines each (see menu below). Though an Indian dinner is classically not course oriented, we managed to unobtrusively spread it so, bringing out each pairing deservedly in full glory!

The Winesome menu

The range of wines represented the diversity of GZV portfolio courtesy their large heartedness in offering their entire portfolio to pick and choose from. . Rohit Arora,Trade Marketing Manager GZV worked closely with me on selecting the wines to adequately represent the two major wine regions of India  viz. Nasik Valley and the Nandi Hills where they grow their grapes. Two of their wines that we used have also recently been included in  the wine list of L’Arpège- a 3 star Michelin Restaurant in Paris, rated amongst 25 best restaurants of the world.

The wine parade

Popular wines of the evening

While all wines basked in their dedicated moments of glory, there were some that were runaway hits. These were:

Art Collection Rosé

Grape: Shiraz

 A fresh and fruity wine with a pleasing salmon pink colour. It paired well with the starter course of light and airy Makai Seekh (skewered kababs made with beaten minced corn) and decadent Galaouti Kabab (parboiled and pan cooked minced lamb patties) served on mini Sheermal (sweet fermented bread).

VA Collection Red

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon + Shiraz + Viognier

Launched by GZV last autumn, this wine has been generating a lot of interest having already garnered a couple of international awards. An extrovert  red, with flavours and aromas of black fruits and wild flowers, the wine has firm rounded tannins making it a good pairing with succulent Indian preparations.

La Réserve Red

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon + Shiraz

By far the most respected of GZV wines, it is more restrained than the VA Red but packs immense power, making it an alpha wine. Black fruits, chocolate and vanilla personify this wine as a bold red that can be at ease with the most robust of Indian foods .

Both, VA Collection Red and La Réserve above, came of their own with the main course of Burrah Kabab (marinated lamb chops slow cooked in a clay oven), Paneer Takatak ( griddle cooked cottage cheese cubes with Indian spices) , a variety of Dals (gravied lentils), assorted Indian breads and steamed vegetable rice.

Zampa Soirée Brut Rosé

Grape: Shiraz

A creamy and delightful Rosé sparkling, this is a versatile wine that can either be enjoyed as an aperitif or with food, including dessert courses. The wine has aromas of red berries accentuated by yeasty notes and a lush palate that makes it gourmet inclined.

This sprightly Rosé harmoniously counterbalanced the creamy Gulkand Firni (Milk and rice reduction with candied rose petals) as also the more robust Moong Dal Cigar with Rabri dip (Cooked lentils in sugar syrup stuffed in filo pastry  and served with thickened milk dip). Pairing a dry sparkling wine with dessert has been successfully tried internationally and it worked well with the Indian desserts too.

Finger licking food from Gulati Spice Market

Happy and contended faces

The audience for Winesome India comprised of distinguished people from different vocations who share common love for wine and cuisine. Defence officers, corporate honchos, food and beverages professionals and business owners- all were there to raise the toast to the winsome proposition in Winesome India.



....and Winesome India is also the toast of leading Beverages publications in India !

Spiritz Magazine Oct 2015 issue

vino india, Oct 2015 issue

Mud House and Kumala Wines Debut in India

It is not enough to be a country’s largest wine producer. You’ve got to keep expanding the ambit to

ensure a continuing customer outreach. Sula Selections, the import division of Sula wines of India seems to be following this approach by augmenting its portfolio aggressively of late. The latest in their slew of wines are two ranges- Mud House and Kumala wines from New Zealand and South Africa respectively. After eventful months with Hardys wines of Australia culminating in the launch of William Hardy and Art of Cricket collections, Sula’s  action arena has shifted to other New World regions apparently in a quest to evolve a well rounded portfolio. And with this it’s association with Accolade Wines- one of worlds largest wine enterprises delivering wine to 143 countries worldwide- goes a notch higher.

The 'Sula Selection' for the  Lavaash dinner
Pic: Prashant Sharma via Sula Selections

The launch of Mud House and Kumala wines was done at a dinner hosted in Lavaash- a new restaurant serving Armenian cuisine in Delhi.  Prarrthona Pal Chowdhury- Sula's enterprising Marketing Head for Brandy Project and International Brands  invited me over for the tasting. The wines came across as refreshing and full of novelty. Here is a lowdown on the portfolio:

Pic: Mudhouse wines

Mud House Wines

About 

This production house has presence in three of the renowned  wine areas of  New Zealand viz. Marlborough, Waipara valley  and Central Otago. It gets its name from the house which was built by its founders from the mud excavated from the local area.

Wines tasted (Prices indicated ex Delhi/ Mumbai):


Mud House Sauvignon Blanc 2014 (₹ 2300/ ₹ 2575)

True to its provenance (of a maritime climate) the wine had expressive ripe peaches aromas going on to guavas after some time. It may be called a ‘typical Marlborough’ wine but my personal choice steers away from particularly domineering aromas. On the palate, the wine was pretty decent and refreshing with tropical fruit flavours. This wine will please those who like intensely aromatic Sauvignon Blancs as opposed to their subtler cousins.

Pic: Prashant Sharma via Sula Selections

Mud House Pinot Noir 2013 (₹ 2530/ ₹ 2830)

The light ruby colour of this wine indicated at the outset that it would be more fruity and less tannic. The wine expectedly came out juicy on the palate with abundance of red berries and soft tannins- though I felt it could have done well with a firmer structure. Notwithstanding, the wine was an excellent match for the paired food that had vegetal-fruity orientation and ample texture.

Kumala Wines

About 

The winery takes great pride in being located in the surrounding areas of the iconic Table Mountain that has  rich bio diversity. Perhaps their  'Gecko' motif conveys the same essence. They also source their grapes from growers spread over five prominent  South African viticultural regions viz Western Cape, Olifants River, Paarl, Stellenbosch and Worcester.

Richly bio-diverse Kumala vineyards surrouinding the Table Mountain in South Africa  (Pic: Kumala wines)

Wines tasted: (All variants ₹ 1250/ ₹ 1355)

Kumala Chardonnay

A crisp Chardonnay with aromas/flavours of apples, citrus fruits and pears. Well suited for the Indian summer conditions.

Pic: Prashant Sharma via Sula Selections

Kumala Sauvignon Blanc 

A subdued variation of the Mud House Sauvignon Blanc tasted as above, this was a well balanced wine having pleasant citrus, vegetal and spicy aromatics that were accompanied by a delicious palate.

Kumala Pinotage

No SA wine talk is complete without the mention of  Pinotage- the country’s derived varietal from Pinot Noir and Hermitage (also called Cinsault) varietals. This wine had complex aromas of red fruits and fruitcake. A well rounded medium bodied delicious palate and a medium finish made it a pleasant wine to relish even without food.

Kumala Shiraz

 A deep ruby wine with aromas of  ripe black fruits and black pepper.  Full bodied with round tannins and a distinct oak touch made it a good accompaniment with the robust and savoury main course dish called Chicken Kalagyosh- a chickpea and chicken stew with parsley paprika and olive oil.

To sum up the entire tasting experience, both the wine ranges have something unique to offer- coming from two distinct terroirs of the New World.The benefit-cost ratio however, works to the advantage of Kumala wines, significantly so, because Mud House may find ample number of worthy competitors for their pricing on the Indian retail shelves- including biggies from the Old World.

But then- it all depends upon catching the customer’s fancy!

With Prarrthona Pal Chowdhury (extreme left) and Ann-Marie Battista of Accolade wines (extreme right)
Pic: Prashant Sharma via Sula Selections