Revisiting Torres Wines

Most wine lovers would agree that there are some wines which we meet as if they are well known friends. 'They' are quite familiar in terms of behavior, inclinations et al. These are often wines that we have encountered more than once, sometimes in their land of provenance. Torres wines from Spain and Chile are some such wines for me.

Reminiscences of tasting Torres wines when I visited them in 2014

Though I had sampled Torres wines several times before visiting their facilities in Catalunya and La Rioja, it was only after my visit that I  became close to them in the real sense. Having  physically seen their vineyards and wineries, meeting their winemakers and sharing lunch with the top man- Miguel A Torres himself (read my interview with Miguel A Torres), I became so  familiar with their labels as to recognize them easily beyond the realm of legibility, with their respective cuvée compositions coming automatically to the mind.

Hence I was quite enthused when Prestige Wines and Spirits, Torres’ importers in India invited me recently for a dinner with Mireia Prim, the brand’s ambassador responsible for India.  Mireia arrived on a three city tour to conduct trade sessions, interact with consumers and media, as also to get a first hand feel of the Indian wine environment . The rendezvous gave me an excellent opportunity to revisit some of my favourite wines,  and to catch up on friends made during my visit of 2014.

Mireia Prim, Brand Ambassador Torres guiding the dinner

For the uninitiated, Torres S.A. is a prominent Spanish winemaker, widely acclaimed as having single-handedly  revived the fortunes of wine trade in  the Penédes  region. It was these efforts  that led to the region’s recognition as a DO (Denominación de Origen) in 1976 after the Appellation regulations came into effect. The Torres Family has since then ventured much beyond Penédes owning  more than 2,400 hectares of vineyards, most of which are located in Spain apart from the ones in Chile and California. These wines are exported  to more than 160 countries across the world-  including India.

For my meeting with Mireia, I arrived  a little early at  'Honk', the Asian cuisine restaurant at hotel Pullman-Novotel. My deliberation of donning the Torres necktie worked, as she instantly noticed the detail. Knowing further that the tie was gifted to me by none other than Miguel Torres Maczassek, fifth generation of Torres family and General Manager Torres SA during his visit to Delhi last year, she suggested that we click a photo which she could show back home. I obliged readily.

After a brief one-on-one conversation, we moved al fresco to sample the first wines of the evening- Torres De Casta Rosé, which was served around starters as the guests assembled. The engagement continued indoors with an innovatively paired menu called "Spanish Moves on Asian Tongue" curated by the hotel to showcase the compatibility of Torres wines with culinary influences from diverse regions of Asia.  Also, each course was prepared using different cooking methods - from steaming to Robata (Japanese styled grilling), Charsiu ( a Cantonese method to flavor and prepare barbequed food) and likewise. The concept afforded to showcase  the dexterity of  wines in adapting to Asian food.

Guests at the dinner. Sumit Sehgal, Director Prestige Wines and Spirits  is second from right 

Wines and their pairings (Prices ex Delhi retail)

A diverse bouquet of Torres wines

Torres De Casta Rosé 2015 (Garnacha+Cariñena+Syrah+Tempranillo)

Price: ₹ 1730.00

Paired with: Assorted Starters

A refreshing Rosé with amazing levels of complexity to go with a range of foods. I liked it particularly  with sushi and assorted skewers doing the rounds.

Torres Viña Esmeralda (Moscatel+Gewurztraminer)

Price: ₹ 1650.00

Paired with Herb and Star Anise Smoked Prawn Har Gow

Viña Esmeralda has been a popular wine in India owing to it’s distinct lychee and melon aromas recognized well in the land. Apart from tropical fruit aromas, the wine has perfumed floral highlights which develop further on the palate into an abundance of flavours.  The wine worked well with the aromatic Har Gow (traditional Cantonese dumplings).

Torres Gran Viña Sol ₹ 1500/- (Chardonnay+Parellada)

Price: ₹ 1500.00

Paired with:  Salmon Robata and Miso Garlic

Another of Torres’ value for money wines considering that some Indian whites are selling at approximately the same price despite the tax advantage! While the Chardonnay gives this wine its crispness, Parellada lends it the aromatics and body. Reason enough  to pair it with the savoury dumplings at this dinner.

Torres Altos Ibéricos Crianza 2012 (100% Tempranillo)

Price: ₹ 2500.00

Paired with: Roast Duck

Same wine different experiences: (Top) Pairings I tried at La Rioja, and (Bottom-R) Pairing at Pullman New Delhi

The last time I enjoyed Altos Ibéricos, was with Vine-Grilled Lamb Chops and Patatas Riojana  in a Spanish countryside grill restaurant with none else than the winemaker for company This time too, the wine was a delight with it’s pairing  of Roast Duck, which had a nice texture to complement the wine's restrained power.

Mas La Plana 2009 (100% Cabernet Sauvignon)

Price: ₹ 6500.00

Paired with Pork/Chicken/Eggplant Charsiu

Chicken/ Wild Mushroom Lo Mai Gai

Mas La Plana is not only Torres’ Prestige Cuvée, it denotes an outstanding adaptation of an international varietal to local terroir. The wine is a gourmand’s delight, having the depth to accommodate several flavours/textures- maybe  reason why the hotel offered it with two pairings. This full bodied wine with rounded tannins and notes of dark berries, chocolate, vanilla and mint, didn’t disappoint either.

Torres Floralis Moscatel Oro (100% Moscatel)

Price: ₹ 1850.00

Paired with Berry Parfait, Lemon Curd, Raspberry Coulis, Strawberry Sorbet

Floralis Moscatel Oro is my go-to dessert wine for majority of wine dinners that I host in India. Reason? It has all the ingredients desirable of a dessert wine- balance, spiciness and long finish, made more attractive with a favourable price as compared to equivalent dessert wines. The sweet and sour components of the dessert integrated seamlessly with the complex flavor profile of the wine.

Sumit Sehgal, CEO Prestige Wines and Spirits Pvt Ltd informed me that they periodically conduct such sessions to highlight their wines' compatibility with different types of cuisine. The arrival of Brand Ambassadors to connect with trade and consumers, on one hand emphasizes the brand's seriousness towards the visited markets and on the other, gives them feedback to carry out course correction if any.

Going by the response at the dinner, the Torres Wine Armada appears well on course!

A selfie to carry the goodwill home

Lunch with an Italian Sommelier

Avant garde food and wine pairings are a foregone conclusion when you break bread with a sommelier, specially one with a strong pedigree. Alessandro Nesi works for the Tuscany based Piccini – wines since 1882, and was in India for a 5 month stint with the Piccini’s importers, Prestige Wines and Spirits Pvt Ltd. Alessandro’s brief was simple – to disseminate the essence of Italian wine and food in India – and he travelled from Delhi & Gurgaon to Chennai, Goa and Mumbai leaving the fine dine loving Indian in awe.

I was invited to share a meal with Alessandro by Sumit Sehgal,CEO Prestige.  I readily accepted in anticipation of the opportunity to exchange notes with a professional from the land of pastas, tomatoes, herbs and fromaggio- all very discreet ingredients for pairing with wines that he perhaps understood the best.

An Italian speciality restaurant in New Delhi - 28 The Capri was the venue for our rendezvous where Alessandro arrived with Sumit and his Marketing Manager, Sarang Kumar. We started off  like a Golf "fourball" – goblets and plates substituting the tees.

Inside '28 The Capri'

The wines

Given our time constraints, Alessandro selected two wines from the Piccini portfolio. We warmed up with a customary standalone tasting, as we browsed through the menu.

Piccini Pinot Grigio 2013

Pinot Grigio is known for its light but refined temperament and Piccini has preserved this essence. The varietal grows mostly in the cooler regions of North-eastern Italy, most prominently in Veneto. This wine has been produced with an affiliated winery in Veneto, to save the significant logistical challenge of transporting the fragile berries. With floral and subtle stone-fruit notes, the wine is all about freshness, whilst maintaining its easy going demeanour. This wine can be enjoyed even subconsciously while poring over a book or amid intense discussions at a working lunch.

The wines

Piccini Toscana Rosso

Alessandro suggested that this could be Chianti’s younger sibling owing to its Sangiovese dominated character in the blend of Malvasia Nera and Cillegiolo. The wine had delicious red fruit aromas, earthy undertones, a medium body and very supple tannins. A hard core red wine lover would desire more structure, if enjoyed on its own. But exploring it with food could reveal its dexterity to match its cousins in Chianti with equal aplomb.

Our lunch

We 'teed off' and ordered what each one of us thought would be probable matches from the menu. With the crisp Pinot Grigio, I chose the Caesar Salad with Bacon and Parmesan, while Alessandro preferred the Greek Salad with Feta, and Sumit and Sarang went for Grilled Chicken Bruschetta. Each of these dishes had some connect with the wine, and I discovered that good pairings can be bettered too, as the tangy and creamy character of the feta on Alessandro’s plate matched far better with the wine, than the bacon and parmesan on mine.

Caesar Salad with Bacon and Parmesan

Clockwise from top: Grilled Chicken Bruschetta, Pasta Primavera and All Chicken Pizza

Next up, the pastas and pizza with the red. Alessandro ordered Pasta Barberesco and I went neck in neck with a Pasta Primavera. Sumit and Sarang provided a different dimension with the savoury All Chicken Pizza. The texture of the pastas being the same, the flavours ranged from vegetal to herbal and spice. And both pastas were equally good with the wine. The thin crust pizza with its savoury topping providing a nice angle to the overall meal that we all shared.

Wine is my calling

As the conversation winded through the meal, Alessandro’s wine story came across as absolute passion personified. I felt more to his personality than classic Italian charm. Inspite of clocking 20 years in the trade, he showed great composure despite his deceptive youthful appearance. He started in the trade without formal education, and studied at the prestigious FISAR Sommelier School after realizing his true calling. His approach towards wine changed and he transcended from mere technicalities to a deeper focus on appreciation, with a special focus on the consumer. And that, he believes, has made him relate to his wine customer better.

Across the glass with Alessandro

In Italy, Alessandro’s typical workday involves travelling to the various estates of the company, helping the wine maker choose blends and contributing to winery works. He also takes care of the promotion of the Piccini portfolio at tasting events and international fairs. His favourite wines from Italy are Chianti and Franciacorta. From outside of home, he has several favourites but bets strongly on Porto wines. Considering how young the Indian wine industry is, Alessandro feels that Indian wines are pretty decent, but has not tried enough to have a favourite.

On the Indian wine landscape

Speaking about his Indian séjour, he found the restaurants that were on his itinerary well prepared and very interested in continuous learning. On the wine storage front, he believes that a lot needs to be done. “I found very different situations regarding storage. Wine requires specific storage conditions viz. no light, temperature control, horizontal storage for cork closed bottles etc. As this represents high costs, many businesses are unable absorb them." But he is optimistic though, and feels that as the wine culture grows in India, people will get more and more particular about their wines and things will be better.

I asked him the burning question, what about his best pairings with Indian food. He believes that spiciness is the main challenge, and wines that are rich in perfume, with low acidity and soft or no tannins would pair well. He vouches strongly for an extra dry Prosecco or an ‘appassimento’ (high residual sugar wine made from shriveled grapes) as complementary to Indian food. 

The course 'played', and all players scoring well, it was time to pose for the 'clubhouse' photos. I insisted that Alessandro put on the elegant stole around his neck that he entered with, rather than his Sommelier’s jacket. Sure enough, the classic Italian charm reflected on the photo too!

Alessandro and me posing for the 'clubhouse' photo

(This writing has been adapted from my original work in vino india- news views and reviews from the market for wine in India)

A rendezvous with Miguel Torres Maczassek

Miguel Torres Maczassek  is miles ahead of earning his spurs. This  fifth generation scion of the Torres wine empire is accredited amongst other achievements, as being  the driving force behind their ever expanding  business in Chile. Now back in Vilafranca del Penedès at the Torres headquarters as Director General, Torres S.A. . Torres Jr. (as he is popularly known) is  assisting his father - the inimitable Miguel A. Torres, Chairman Torres S.A.  in developing new business strategies  for  world markets.  

Recently when Torres Jr. stopped over for a few hours on a hopping visit to India, I was one of the privileged few to meet him. And it instantly brought back memories of my meeting with his father less than a year back in June 2014.  I reveled in the moment of probably being one of few to get this rare opportunity of   meeting  leaders across two generations of the same wine family in such a short span of time! It was opportune too,  as Torres has just recently been adjudged as  “World’s most admired wine brand”  by Drinks International magazine for the second time in a row.

Meeting helmsmen from two generations: with Miguel A. Torres (L) and Miguel Torres Maczassek (R)

My agenda however, of meeting Torres Jr. was a little different than rote. Having covered much of their wines in the preceding duration, I though of getting some gems on their brandies straight from him. With news about Torres brandies having broken into the top 10 rankings in bars  across the world , I had all good reason too.

Torres has five brandies in their portfolio each being distinct in a striking way. I tasted all these variants in 2014 when  visiting their cellars located amidst the enchanting Mas Rabell Fontenac estate. The three important points summarising their brandy production philosophy are:

• Extensive use of autochthonous (native) Catalan grape varietals.
• Use of base wines low in alcohol and high in volatile substances.
• Use of  static (standalone barrels) and dynamic (solera) ageing.

The brandies in details are listed towards the end of this post. I have put these in image form for convenience of saving/sharing by right clicking.

The sixth floor lounge at hotel Hyatt Regency New Delhi offered a perfect backdrop with panoramic view of the Indian capital for our conversation . Here is what transpired:

The many moods of Miguel Torres Maczassek

 Me: (Showing a photo on my smartphone of myself with Torres Sr. in Mas Rabell restaurant). Last year I started my conversation with your father by congratulating him on Torres being adjudged the most admired wine brand of the world. Should I call it a coincidence that I start the same way with you?

MTM: Coincidence yes, but it also means that you have been meeting the right kind of people! (Laughs) . Seriously, we have not worked towards any particular award and have been doing what we are best at. The award coming our way is of course a reassurance of our efforts.

Me: Coming  to another accolade, Torres has made it to the list of top ten selling brandies as per a survey conducted by Drinks International in 100 top bars of the world. Are you betting strongly on brandy ?

MTM: We’ve always accorded due priority to our brandy business since we started distilling in 1928. This recognition for the quality of Torres brandy is special to us as it coincides with the 150th anniversary of Juan Torres Casals our forefather from the  second generation. That said, our brandies have been receiving recognition over a period, through numerous other  awards  like the gold medals for Torres 20 in the International Wine & Spirit Competition (United Kingdom) in 2006 and in the Internationaler Spirituosen Wettbewerb (Germany) in 2014.   

Me: I had the opportunity to visit you brandy facility last year in Pacs del Penedès and  also had the chance of making my own blend from different eaux de vie.  The brandies were quite complex and appeared in similar league as cognac. What do you think about this  perceived likeness to cognac?

Above: Copper Alembic (Charentais) stills . Below: The soleras at Torres Brandy facility in Mas Rabell de Fontenac
Pics courtesy: Torres S.A.

MTM: Our brandies are certainly closer to the cognac style as these are aged for significant periods in  French oak. We even use the traditional cognac grape varietals in some of our brandies. But we also have a very distinct identity by virtue of using autochthonous Catalan grape varietals and incorporating  both static and dynamic (solera) methods for the production. This affords us an unmistakable style that the consumers   have been warming up to.

Me: Asia is the biggest market for brandy if you look at the consumption figures for past consecutive years. How do you plan to promote your brandies in this region?

MTM: For one, many Asian brandies can be a blend of grape and non grape spirits. Hence  we are keen to highlight that our brandies are made in the traditional way i.e. entirely from grapes. We also like to highlight our advantage of being  blessed as a wine producer who can afford to incorporate French oak barrels that can cost as much as € 900  a barrel- a price  largely  affordable  to Bouilleurs de Cru (producers who uses their own wine for distilling brandy) only.  All these factors  help us in presenting ourselves in the right spirit to the consumer.

Me: Given that India is also a large market for brandy, particularly towards the south, do you have any brandy plans for India ?

MTM: Our current focus in India is on wine  though our brandies are already present in several Indian cities. In the Asian market we currently look to promote our brandies in China where the consumer is looking for novelty in the premium segment. We are advantaged by the fact that lots of Chinese tourists have been visiting Spain, thus establishing an initial connect. Nevertheless, we see good potential for brandy in several other Asian countries but would like to take a step at a time.

Trying my hand at blending selected eaux de vie at Torres brandy cellars 

Me:Brandy is made mostly from white grape varietals. Why can’t it be made from red varietals in a similar fashion as a Blancs de Noir champagne?

MTM: White grapes have more acidity and lesser alcohol potential which is a desirable characteristic for making brandy. This is one of the reasons why we extensively use the Parellada varietal in making our brandies.

Me: How about producing a brandy in Chile where your footprint has significantly grown. Is there a possibility to make one-  for example from Chardonnay grapes?

MTM. In Chile we are already making Pisco which is similar to brandy but produced using single distillation method to preserve the native grape aromas- in this case Moscatel. The project was initiated three years back  in Ovalle (Limari valley), a dry region ideally suited for  Pisco’s production. and has been hugely successful. So much so, that our stocks have fallen short to meet the surging market demand. 

Me: With the growing brandy demand worldwide, are you likely to face the  danger of depleting stocks like in the case of Single Malt?

MTM: I do not think so. We have sufficient stocks and are investing in newer ones as well. Our brandies have both mature and growing markets. What we do not sell in mature markets like in Spain, we sell in the growing markets. Hence there is always a balance where we can cater to the demand-supply equation.

The world of Torres Brandies

Out of the aboove, Torres 5, Torres 10 and Jaime I are available in cities across India at prices ranging from ₹ 2000.00 to ₹ 13,500.00 through their importers Prestige Wines and Spirits Pvt Ltd.  According to Sumit Sehgal, CEO Prestige, the most recent introductions of these brandies have been in the southern Indian cities of  Chennai and Puducherry, They expect to expand the ambit to more cities in the near future.