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

When Wine becomes a Magic Potion!

 Asterix fans would probably recall a particular issue of the famed comic series in which Getafix, the village druid- who makes the Gauls superhumans with his magic potion- embarks on an annual druids conference. The next few pages in the issue depict Getafix having a ball with his druid chums each of whom is accomplished in his own right. The druids also enter their inventions to compete for the coveted 'Golden Menhir" that Getafix ultimately ends up winning.

From: Asterix and the Goths (publishers- Hodder Dargaud)

Before you wonder if this post is about the Asterix series (which I  love to revisit endlessly) let me shift the focus back to our good old 'magic potion' viz. wine. Recently when a sommelier friend came visiting at Delhi, I approached a couple of close wine friends for a BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle) gathering and the Gaulish druids conference was the first thing that came to my mind. Only here, we had different professionals  connected to the wine trade bringing in their unique experiences- and of course a cherished wine from their respecive personal collection. 

The visitor was Kamal Malik, currently the Head Sommelier of  the prestigious hotel Conrad Maldives Rangali Island. Kamal has been a close friend ever since the two of us embarked on a scholarship trip to Champagne. Hitting it off well, we kept in contact thereafter - exchanging wine notes and meeting up whenever the opportunity arose. And this was one such opportunity albeit a better planned one.

Apart from the two of us, the other vinos were Rajiv Singhal, the Ambassador of Champagne in India (under whose tutelage we had undertaken the Champagne trip),  Arjun Sachar, a young wine professional with a French cooperage and  the husband-wife team of Sumit and Chiquita Gulati  who own a wine savvy restaurant called Gulati Spice Market in the heart of New Delhi (also our venue for the evening). Our kitty for the proposed rendezvous was quite inspiring , with  a Champagne, a Burgundy Premier Cru, two Bordeaux Grands Crus and a Spanish dessert wine.

The wines (less the "Golden Menhir")

Came D day and we scrambled with pre chilled wine bottles to the venue. This was a meeting where no instructions had to be passed- the  importance of chilling, decanting and sequencing being a matter of unsaid wine propriety. The venue owners being on our side, we were good on the food front too. And so the indulgence commenced:

Champagne Alfred Gratien Cuvée Paradis

This was the first cork to be popped for the day. Being a worthy guardian of his protégé, Rajiv initially suggested that we serve the Champagne at number two after the Burgundy, but Kamal was able to convince him for serving the Champagne au début.

Alfred Gratien is an Epernay based producer widely known as an artisanal winemaker with a distinctly vinous wine style. Cuvée Paradis is their prestige offering with a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. A delightful Champagne, it poured with a luxuriant mousse, thereafter retaining the visual appeal with a persistent bead of fine bubbles. Its complexity could be sensed right from the nose which expressed layered aromas of red and dried fruits. A lush and medium bodied palate followed by a lingering finish completed the experience.We were served an assortment of cheeses, dips and crackers and mildly flavoured tapas that made the match more than ideal. We couldn't have expected lesser from an  Ambassadeur du Champagne. Could we?

Château de Blagny Meursault 2006 by Louis Latour

 When Arjun Sachar discussed this wine with me before finalising it for our rendezvous, he was on better side of caution, given the wine’s vintage- being a white. However both of us decided to include it solely on its pedigree. After all it was from the famed limestone soils of  Côte  de Beaune! The wine did not disappoint either. Initially appearing as “over the hill”, it had us all discussing as to how good it must have been in its prime. The next sip and we were humbled because the aromas and flavours arrived as if from thin air. This was a delicately perfumed wine redolent of white flowers, peaches and melons. Nutty/ oxidative aromas lent it a pleasant complexity. The wine retained its acidity admirably well rendering it a good balance. Arjun received a well deserved pat on the back for deciding to open this wine just in time.

Château Giscours Grand Cru 2000 and 2009

A wine that was received by me as a gift  two years back, Giscours 2000 was preserved just for an occasion like this. What I didn’t  anticipate was that Rajiv would offer another vintage of this Troisième Grand Cru  to enable a mini vertical tasting. These two wines were undoubtedly the stars of the evening. Each of them decanted for an hour plus, they offered an entirely different spectrum of aromas/flavours that beautifully demonstrated the evolution of a high quality wine with time. While Giscours 2000 had gamey, meaty and tobacco aromas followed by a savoury palate of , bacon, chocolate and spice, Giscours 2009 was more sophisticated with characteristics of blackberries, vanilla, cassis  and berry compote.  Nothing could have matched the rustic Indian preparations of Burrah Kabab (Char grilled lamb ribs) and Galouti Kababs on Sheermal ( Finely minced pan fried lamb kababs over baked sweetened bread) better.

Up and close with the wines. Notice the corks of both Grands Crus with darker one (left)  of Giscours 2000 indicating higher tannin pigmentation

The decadent food pairings by Sumit and Chiquita Gulati

Our "Golden Menhir"

Torres Floralis-Moscatel Oro

Apart from playing generous hosts for this eclectic outing, Sumit and Chiquita Gulati also pitched in with this wine to round off the experience. Hence this surprise inclusion was no less than the "Golden Menhir" for all of us. Torres Floralis-Moscatel Oro  has a radiant golden colour with aromas of white flowers spice and honey. It has a luxuriant palate of honey, licorice, dried fruits and white pepper. The Moong Dal Cigar with Rabri dip (Cooked lentils in sugar syrup stuffed in filo pastry  and served with thickened milk dip) matched the voluptuous wine rather well.

From: Asterix and the Goths (publishers- Hodder Dargaud)

Thus concluded our "druids conference" where all of us felt like winners. More than anything, this was a rendezvous  about friends meeting on a common platform of wine passion and ‘letting the hair down’ without bothering about taking notes or pouring pre defined measures. 

After all  wine is no less than Getafix's magic potion! Isn't it?

Top (L-R) Rajiv Singhal, Kamal Malik, Arjun Sachar, Sumit and Chiquita Gulati, Me

Bottom (L) Rajiv doing the honours with the Champagne.

Bottom (R) Once a Sommelier- always one- Kamal Malik instinctively taking to wine service