Volume 8 Issue 6, December 2013-January 2014

Special  interest  wine  magazine  for  restricted  circulation

Sommelier INDIA

PENFOLDS – PAST & PRESENT

Australia’s Sweetheart

CHÂTEAU HAUT-BAILLY

A Legacy Lives On

MOËT HENNESSY INDIA LAUNCHES CHANDON

A PORTUGUESE AFFAIR!SI Tasting Panel

Sparkling Wines

`200Contents

Volume 8: Issue 6, December 2013-January 2014

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ON THE GRAPEVINE06 NEWS, NOTES & VIEWS For  the  wine  buff

12 WINE CLINIC Reva  K.  Singh  helps  you  resolve    your  wine  worries  

14 INDUSTRY INSIDERFormer  president,  IGPB,  Dhananjay  Datar  speaks  candidly  to  Brinda  Gill  about  issues  ailing  the  Indian  wine  industry

16 WRIGHT AROUND THE WINE WORLD Carol  Wright  shares  tidbits  about  wine  from  her  travels  around  the  world

18 ASIA WINE AWARDS Steven  Spurrier  shares  some  highlights  from  his  wine  diary

20 WHAT’S IN, WHAT’S OUT!Jancis  Robinson  visits  the  Duoro  Valley  in  Portugal  to  report  on  its  shifting  fortunes

22 PLEASURE PICK – WINE OR BOOKS?Raghu  Bahadur  considers  several  ways  to  enhance  one’s  capacity  to  enjoy  wine

24 CAUTIOUS OPTIMISMWhat’s  on  the  horizon  for  India’s  wine  industry?  Alok  Chandra  asks  the  experts

26 THE RISING FORTUNES OF VINHO VERDE Eric  Asimov  on  the  rise  of  Vinho  Verde  in  the  US  after  tasting  samples  with  his  wine  panel

28 SOMMELIER INDIA TASTING PANELSITP  reviews  a  range  of  wines  presented  for  

tasting  by  the  PortIndia  consortium    of  Portuguese  producers    FEATURES30 AN ENDURING QUALITYWith  its  unique  terroir  and  age-­old  values,    Château  Haut  Bailly  has  a  distinctive  lineage  and  history,  discovers  Reva  K.  Singh

34 WINE WONDERLAND Marisa  D’Vari  spotlights  Austria’s  wines    that  are  back  on  the  wine  map  after  their  share  of  highs  and  lows

38 WINES WITH PERSONALITYRuma  Singh  visits  Laroche’s  Mas  La  Chevalière  where  modernity  blends  with  tradition

42 “MY MISSION IS TO MAKE THE BEST GRANGE”Harshal  Shah  traces  the  history  and  heritage  of  Penfolds  –  Australia’s  iconic  wine  label  

48 PILGRIMAGE TO VENICE Michèle  Shah  attends  the  gala  opening    of  the  chic  Danieli  wine  suite  in  Venice

51 MICHELIN STARRED DINNERSPeter  Csizmadia-­Honigh  on  Michelin    starred  charity  dinners  paired  with  Indian  wines  which  he  helped  organise

58 THE WINE RATINGS GAME Michael  Fridjohn  ruminates  on  wine  scores  and  what  the  critics'  ratings  actually  mean

60 WINE AND SPICE, & ALL THINGS NICEMake  mulled  wine  to  share  with  friends    and  family  at  this  time  of  the  year,  suggestes    Reva  K.  Singh

62 INDIA’S MOLECULAR DA VINCIChef  Anand  of  “Gaggan”  shares  his  food  journey  with  Kanika  Dhawan,  as  he  creates  inventive  Indian  dishes  in  Bangkok

66 PARTY TIMEAs  you  gear  up  for  year-­end  festivities,    follow  our  guidelines  for  entertaining

68 GOOD BUY Order  these  wine  gifts  online  or  pick    them  up  from  a  store  nearby,  as  the    festive  season  kicks  in 71 WINE LOVER’S COOKBOOKChocolate  and  Cabernet  Pots  for  dessert

72 WINE MOMENTS We  share  some  memorable  moments  in  wine  from  the  SI  photo  album  

74 DELHI DUTY FREE Tax-­free  wine  prices  for  the  traveller

76 SI LISTINGS Sommelier  India  directory  of  wine    producers,  importers  and  retailers

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Publisher,  editor  and  owner:  Reva  K  Singh.  Co-­publisher:  Shiv  B  Singh.  Deputy  Editor:  Kanika  Dhawan.  Copy  Chief:  Bunny  Suraiya.  Editorial  Assistant:  Jessy  Iype.  Layout  artist:  Sandeep  Rana.  Advertising  Concessionaire:  Akshay  Shroff  +919892190241.  Printed  at  EIH  Ltd.  7,  Sham  Nath  Marg,  Delhi  -­  110054.  Sommelier  India  is  a  restricted  circulation  bi-­monthly  produced  by  CMI,  Consolidated  Media  Int,  C-­320,  Defence  Colony,  New  Delhi  -­  110  024,  India.  Tel:  +91  11  2433  1013.  E-­mail:  info@indianwinemagazine.com.  Web:  www.sommelierindia.com.  The  views  expressed  in  this  publication  are  the  writers’  own  and  not  necessarily  those  of  the  publishers.  Subscription  price:  `  1,500  for  two  years  and  `  2,000  for  three  years.  International  $56  for  two  years  and  $82  for  three  years,  excluding  postage.

Sommelier INDIA 3

No  answer  at  allWhy  is  it  that  one  is  advised  to  store  red  wine  for  up  to  five  years,  allowing  it  to  age  in  bottle  for  optimum  enjoyment,  but  white  wines  can  be  drunk  pretty  much  on  purchase?  The  best  answer  I  have  got  to  that  question  is,  “That’s  the  way  it  is”,  which  is  no  answer  at  all!  Aarti  Desikan,  BangaloreThe  short  answer  is  that  simple  fruit  forward  white  wine  can  be  drunk  young,  while  age  makes  the  tannins  in  red  wine  gentler.  Ed  

Thailand’s  first  qualified  winemakerThere  is  a  mistake  in  your  Editor’s  Note  about  Nikki  being  Thailand’s  first  qualified  winemaker.  I  studied  Viticulture  and  Oenology  in  LWVO  Weinsberg  Germany,  graduating  in  1997   and   started  making  wine   at  PB  Valley  Khao  Yai  Winery  in  1998.  My  assistant,  Joolpeera  Saitrakul  graduated  in   Viticulture   and   Oenology   from   Lincoln   University,  New  Zealand  in  2006  and  started  working  with  me  right  after   that.   In   fact,   I   was   making   wine   for   Gran  Monte   at   our   winery   from  the   2001   to   2008   vintage,  until   Nikki   graduated   from  Australia  and  started  their  own  winery.   You   would   be   correct  in   saying   Nikki   Lohitnavy   of  GranMonte   is   Thailand’s   first  female   qualified   winemaker.  I’m   glad   that   you   covered   the  wine  scene  in  Thailand.  I  hope  to  learn  more  about  Indian  wine  as  well  from  your  magazine  and  also  read  more  about  wines  from  this  part  of  the  world.Prayut  Piangbunta,  MD  &  Chief  Winemaker  Khao  Yai  Winery  Co.,  ThailandEmail:  prayut@khaoyaiwinery.com

Subscription  renewedThank  you  for  the  renewal  of  my  subscription.  I  certainly  enjoy   your   magazine   as   well   as   good   wine.   The   note   on  claret   in   Wine   Clinic   was   very   interesting.   We   were   in  France  recently  and  had  some  excellent  claret.Asjit  Chawla,  New  Delhi

Painstaking  effortsI  would   like   to   congratulate   the  Sommelier   India   team   for  putting   such   painstaking   efforts   into   the   magazine,   the  product   of   which   is   showcased   at   the   end   of   every   two  months  with  an  engaging  new  issue.

I  was  very  intrigued  by  the  cover  story  of  Issue  5,  Oct-­Nov,  2013  on  Thai  wines  and  applaud  Joel  Payne  for  such  an  interesting  article  on  the  extraordinary  wine  trends   in  Thailand.  The  article  was  an  eye-­opener.  Now  the  next  issue  is  awaited  with  great  eagerness.Astha  Bhargava,  via  email

Success  storySommelier   India   Wine   Magazine   being   the   first   and   only  printed  magazine  dedicated  to  wine  for  Indian  readers,  I  am  keen  to  know  the  story  of  its  success.  Other  than  a  couple  of   printed   issues   that   I   gathered   at   Vinexpo   Bordeaux  2011  and  2013,  I  usually  refer  to  the  online  version  of  your  magazine.  In  my  opinion  it   is  the  only  wine  website  with  reliable,  accurate  and  updated  information.Frida  Reddy,  OIV  Master  student,    Montpellier,  France

Readers Write

22 Sommelier INDIA

Editor’s Note

It  was  a  Big  Splash!  And  everybody  who  was  anybody  was  there  at  the  Four  Seasons   Hotel   in   Mumbai   this   October   for   the   much   awaited   launch   of  Chandon   (pronounced   “shan-­don”).   The   occasion   was   a   sparkling   wine  produced  in  India  by  the  legendary  House  of  Moët  Hennessey  with  grapes  

grown  and  vinified  in  Nashik.Chandon  Brut  and  Chandon  Rosé  are  Indian  sparkling  wines,  no  mistake.  

But  they  are  as  close  to  champagne  as  you  can  get,  produced  as  they  are  by  Moët  Hennessey,  the  world’s  leading  Champagne  House  since  1743.  In  fact,  they  are  but  the  younger  siblings  of  Moët  &  Chandon.  As  Mark  Bedingham  said  to  me,  “We  are  proud  to  put  our  label  on  the  Brut  and  Rosé  being  launched  here  as    ‘Produce  of  India’.’’

Moët   Hennessy   Estates   &   Wines’   team   of   international   and   local  winemakers  and  viticulturists  worked  closely  with  grape  growers  in  the  Indian  winemaking  heartland  of  Nashik  to  come  up  with  something  uniquely  Indian.  Packaged   in   exactly   the   same   style   as   other  Chandon   sparklers  produced   in  South  America,  California  and  Australia,  Moët  &  Hennessey’s  Indian  sparklers  are  the  first  in  Asia  and  represent  a  great  mark  of  confidence  in  our  youthful  wine  drinking  market.  

Recognising   our   culture   of   celebration   and   growing   love   for   bubbles,  the  decision  to  enter  India  was  a  strategic  step  towards  strengthening  and  expanding   the   Chandon   brand   for   making   world-­class   sparkling   wines  outside   of   the   Champagne   region   in   France.   Domaine   Chandon   was  created  in  1959  with  its  first  sparkler  produced  in  Mendoza,  Argentina.

After  extensive   research,  Moët  Hennessy  decided   that   the   terroir  in  the  Nashik  region  in  India  had  tremendous  potential  to  produce  premium  quality  sparkling  wine  and  decided  to  launch  the  Chandon  brand   in   India.   This   was,   simultaneously,   a   great   boost   for   the  Indian  wine  industry.  

The  Indian  wine  drinking  market  is  deep  enough  for  superior  bubbles   at   all   levels,   including   affordable   and   good   sparkling  wines   from   Indian  producers,   as  well   as   celebration   champagnes  like  Veuve  Clicquot  and  Moët  &  Chandon  which  are  already  well  established  and  sell  for  `6,500  and  `5,000,  respectively.  

And   now,   for   the   young   wine   enthusiast,   who   perhaps  doesn’t  want  to  spend  quite  as  much,  we  have  Chandon,  costing  `1,200  for  Chandon  Brut  and  `1,400  for  Chandon  Rosé.  Made  in  the  traditional  way  with  a  second  fermentation  in  the  bottle,  Chandon  Brut  uses  Chenin  Blanc,  Chardonnay  and  Pinot  Noir  grapes  while  the  Rosé  consists  of  Shiraz  and  Pinot  Noir.  This  is,  indeed,  the  season  to  sparkle  as  Chandon  toasts  India  with  its  first  Indian  launch!

’Tis the season to sparkle

4 Sommelier INDIA

Michèle Shah is a marketing consultant and wine critic based in Florence, Italy, for over 30 years. She has organised, on behalf of Italy’s regional union, wine tastings, seminars and educational sessions for the international press and wine buyers. Michele writes extensively for the world’s leading wine publications, including Sommelier India. She is an honorary member of Donne del Vino in Italy, The Circle of Wine Writers in the UK and the international journalist association FIJEV.

Michèle  Shah

Contributors

Renu Chahil-Graf has travelled widely while working for the United Nations and discovered great wines from around the world along the way.

She is a !edgling wine writer, but has been an avid wine enthusiast for some decades. Renu currently lives near the vineyards bordering Geneva in Switzerland.

Renu  Chahil  Graf

Alok Chandra is a manage-ment consultant with a focus on wine based in Bangalore. He has worked with and consulted for companies like United Spirits Ltd, Diageo India,

Fosters India, and Moët Hennessey India. Alok has been writing for Sommelier India since its inception in 2004.

Hungarian by descent, Peter Csizmadia-Honigh has been with the Institute of Masters of Wine for eight years. At other times, he moonlights as an education management professional in Central London. As the co-proprietor of Royal Somló Vineyards, Peter shares his vinous experiences in both English and Hungarian, as he travels around the world, in search of the "nest wines.

Peter  Csizmadia-­Honigh  

Alok  Chandra

Sommelier INDIA 51

Wine producers and a!cionados are known for supporting charitable causes elsewhere and now increasingly in India, among them is Peter Csizmadia-Honigh. Here, he describes the charity

dinners he helped organise In Delhi and Mumbai

WINE Charity Event

Michelin Star Dusted Charity Dinners

in Mumbai and Delhi

In  late  2012  a  good  friend  living  in  Delhi  introduced  me  to  Anand  Kapoor,  the  Director  of  CSSG.  As  I  had  conducted  a  charity  dinner  and  auction  with  fine  Hungarian  wines  at  the  Taj  Palace  Hotel  before,  I  thought  it  was  the  next  

opportunity  to  “give  back  to  society”  by  organising  wine  dinners  in  Delhi  and  Mumbai,  respectively.  Little  did  I  suspect  what  an  adventure  I  was  getting  myself  into.  

Anand,  born  and  educated   in   the  UK,   is   a  New  Delhi  based   entrepreneur   running   the   hugely   successful   Image  Foundry,   an   award-­winning   vfx   studio,   which   he   had  founded  with  his  brother  in  2001  after  having  worked  in  the  US  and  France.  

Business  made  Anand  relocate  to  India  in  2006,  where  he  soon  realised  that  there  was  plenty  of  opportunities  to  involve  the  creative  industries  in  charitable  endeavours.  Supported  by  his  wife  Aditi,  a  seasoned  business  woman  with  an  MBA  from  the   US,   Anand   set   up   the   Creative   Services   Support   Group  three  years  ago.  The  aim  of  the  registered  charity  is  to  support  young  underprivileged  Indian  kids  to  learn  a  trade  so  that  they  can  be  self-­reliant.

The  Kapoors,  believing  that  charity  should  be  joyful  and  fun,  put   creativity   at   the  heart  of  CSSG.  Their   fund-­raising  efforts  are  centred  around  fine-­dining  experiences,  which  are  inspired  and  complemented  by  art  installations  and  specially  commissioned  pieces  of  art.  The  idea  is  simple,  but  impactful.  Artists,  musicians,  chefs  and  other  creatives  contribute   their  time  and  expertise  to  the  creation  of  unique  experiences,  which  are  sold  to  the  affluent  and  discerning  with  deep  pockets  and  

generous  hearts.This   year’s   line-­up   of   star   chefs   was   second   to   none.  

Ian   Curley   of   the   European   in  Melbourne   and   Mark  Best  of   the  Marque   in  Sydney  representedw  the  cutting  edge  of  contemporary   Australian   restaurants.   All   the   other   chefs,  including   Frances   Atkins   of   the   Yorke   Arms   in   North  Yorkshire,  Alyn  Williams  of  the  Westburry  by  Alyn  Williams  in   London,   Laurie   Gear   of   the   Artichoke   in   Amersham,  Marcello  Tully  of  the  Kinloch  Lodge  on  the  Isle  of  Skye  and  Michael   Wignall   of   the  Latymer   in   Surrey,   came   from   the  UK  showcasing  the  incredible  breadth  of  talent  that  British  restaurants   have   got   to   offer.   Unfortunately,   Fernando   del  Cerro   of   one   Michelin-­star   Casa   Jose   in   Madrid   did   not  arrive  in  India.

The  menus  of  the  four  dinners,  held  at  the  Leela  Palace  and   the   Four   Seasons   in   Delhi   and   Mumbai   respectively,  paraded  an  impressive  list  of  ingredients,  some  of  which  had  to  travel  in  the  suitcases  of  the  chefs  to  India,  as  either  they  would  not  have  been  available  or  they  would  have  had  to  be  prepared  so  much  in  advance.  

You   can   imagine   what   this   rich   diversity   of   tastes,  flavours  and  textures  meant  when  selecting  the  wines.  Not  to  mention  the  very  peculiar  nature  of  India  in  that  it  is  not  a   single   unified   market,   but   an   amalgamation   of   as   many  different   ones   as   many   states   there   are.   Licensing,   import  regulations,  duty  rates  or  taxes  are  diverse,  which  made  the  use  of  imported  wines  virtually  impossible  and  unaffordable  at  the  scale  of  more  than  350  guests  and  four  dinners  with  

50 Sommelier INDIA

Lamberto Frescobaldi, Vice-President, Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi with the MD of Hotel Danieli, Antonello de’ Medici

From left to right: Marco De Grazia, owner of Terre Nere winery on Etna, Sicily; and Gianluca Bisol, owner of Bisol Winery, with his son

designer  Pierre-­Yves  Rochon,   responsible   for   completing   the  restoration  of  the  four  “Signature  Suites”  in  2012  and  creating  eight  new  “Dandolo  Suites”  in  2013,  which  make  the  Danieli  the  leading  symbol  of  hospitality  in  Venice.  

Alessandra   Boscaini,   director   of   Sales   for   Masi   winery,  a  renowned  Veneto  winery  in  the  hills  not  far  from  Venice,  praised   the   Danieli   Wine   Suite   as   “an   innovative   concept  which  offers  a  unique  platform  to  enjoy  wine  tasting.”  She  went  on  to  say,  “I  am  really  proud  that  our  Amarone  Riserva  di  Costasera  and  Brolo  di  Campofiorin  were  served  at  this  opening  and  will  be  part  of  the  prestigious  Suite  Library.”

The  Danieli  Wine  Suite  was  created  for  special  moments  and  can  be  booked  exclusively  upon  request   for  banqueting  events,   exhibitions,   informal   dinners   and   wine   tastings.  It   presents   itself   as   the   ideal   place   to   begin   a   journey   of  gastronomic  excellence.  And  is  the  newest  tourist  attraction  in  Venice,  which  remains  today  as  a  jewel  among  world  cities.  !

For  more  information  on  Hotel  Danieli,  a  Luxury  Collection  Hotel  in  Venice  visit:  luxurycollection.com/danieli

Sommelier INDIA 53

between  six  and  12  courses  at  each  dinner.India  being   a  wine  producing   country,   the   solution  was  

right  in  front  of  our  eyes.  We  just  did  not  see  the  wood  for  the  trees  anymore,  but  eventually  we  agreed   to  approach  Indian  wineries   for   in-­kind   donation.   With   hindsight,   I   now   see  why  many  considered  me  naïve.  Yet,  I  am  absolutely  thrilled  to  report  that  as  a  result  of  the  generosity  of  Indian  vintners,  some   misconceptions   were   shattered.   I   shall   not   claim   that  Indian  wines  are  on  par  with   fine  Bordeaux  and  Burgundy,  instead   I   encourage   Indians   to   have   more   belief   in   and   be  objective  when  judging  their  own  wines.

I  made  my  selection  of  top-­end  Indian  wines  on  the  basis  of   my   visits   to   producers   in   Bangalore,   Nashik   and   Pune  last   December.   I   was   uncompromising   enough   to   request  producers   to   send  me  samples  of  any  wine  I  had  not   tasted  before  or  if  there  was  a  new  vintage  on  the  market.  In  total,  I   had   tasted   through   100   wines   by   the   time   I   picked   16   to  be  paired  with  the  exquisite  meals.  Needless  to  say  there  were  countless  changes  by  the  time  we  actually  got  to  the  dinners,  

all  to  do  with  the  availability  of  wines  in  the  Delhi  or  Mumbai  markets,  vintage  changes,  lack  of  approved  sales  licence  for  the  particular  wine  or   indeed   changes   to   the  menus  because  of  availability  of  ingredients.

INDIAN WINES MARRY WITH MICHELIN STAR DISHESIt   was   hugely   satisfying   to   receive   positive   feedback   from  dinner  guests  and  chefs  alike.  Of  course,  I  am  not  pretending  that  everybody  liked  all  the  wines.  I  appreciated  Ian  Curley’s  critical  comments  in  connection  with  some  of  the  wines  used  at   the   Mumbai   dinners   and   they   made   his   praise   of   other  wines   at   the  Delhi  dinners   even  more  precious.   Similarly,   I  was  pleased   to  know  that  guests  of   the  Mumbai  Chapter  of  the   Entrepreneurs’   Organisation   were   impressed   with   the  quality  of  Indian  wines  and  that  guests  of  American  Express  Centurion  Card  also  appreciated  the  food  and  wine  pairings.  The  satisfaction  must  be  down  also  to  the  service,  which  could  not   have   been   more   regimented   either   at   the   Four   Seasons  Hotel  in  Mumbai  or  the  Leela  Palace  in  New  Delhi.  !

Seated, left to right: Mark Best, Michael Wignall, Frances Atkins, Aditi Kapoor, Nandita Das and Laurie Gear. Standing, left to right: Ian Curley, Marcello Tully, Peter Csizmadia-Honigh, Ana Marie Labin, Anand Kapoor, Roger Pizey and Alyn Williams

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Clockwise from top left: Chef Marcello Tully. A starter consisting of grilled watermelon and cucumber with local herbs, !owers and Berber-spiced almonds. Little lobster burgers with wasabi mayo and brioche bun, smoked salmon, blini, Osetra caviar and crisp salmon skin. Chef Alyn Williams. Crab Bloody Mary and celery lavoche. Beetroot carpaccio with smoked walnuts and goat curd. Chef Ian Curley. Left to right: Chefs Mark Best, Laurie Gear, Frances Atkins and Michael Wignall

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Sula Dindori Viogner Reserve 2012This  wine  with  its  highly  intense  and  perfumed  nose  with  apricot  and  rosewater  was  paired  with  Laurie  Gear’s  sheep’s  milk  mousse  with  sorrel  sorbet  served  as  a  pre-­dessert.  It  is  off-­dry,  fresh,  with  lots  of  minty  tones.  It  was  equally  delicious  with  the  coconut  and  mango  mousse  in  coconut  cylinders,  fresh  mango,  lime  jelly,  lime  sherbet  and  coriander  cress.

Four Seasons Cabernet Sauvignon Barrique Reserve 2009An  unquestionably  big  wine,  which  was  savoured  by  guests  after  a  cooking  master  class  in  Delhi.  With  age  there  is  an  undeniable  character  of  undergrowth  and  forest  floor  along  with  the  cassis  on  this  wine.  The  generous  barrique  ageing  gives  this  wine  a  hint  of  savoury  tarry  tones,  which  was  remarked  by  a  few.

Grover Art Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2012A  very  good  aperitif  wine  with  a  pale  lemon  colour  and  a  green  hue.  Medium  intense,  ripe  white  grapefruit,  pineapples  and  a  bit  of  lemongrass.  Dry,  fresh,  lots  of  citrus  and  a  bit  of  mint  in  the  mid-­palate,  medium  finish.

Grover La Reserve 2011It  is  well  known  that  this  wine  though  one  brand  is  made  in  two  different  locations,  both  in  the  Nandi  Hills  in  Bangalore  and  Nashik  in  Maharashtra.  The  latter  one  is  bigger  and  riper,  whilst  the  one  from  the  Nandi  Hills  tends  to  be  more  restrained,  cooler  climate  in  style  and  with  more  finesse.  The  difference  was  noted  by  some  of  the  chefs  who  particularly  enjoyed  the  one  from  the  Nandi  Hills,  which  accompanied  a  cold  onion  soup  with  vanilla  ice  cream  created  by  Frances  Atkins  as  a  substitute  dish  for  Fernando  del  Cerro’s  originally  planned  Nana  de  la  Cebolla  according  to  Perito  En  Luna.

Zampa Shiraz Rosé 2013Both  the  warm  crab  mousse  with  a  rich  seafood  sauce  and  the  vegetarian  option  of  goat  cheese  tart  with  caramelised  onion  and  fig,  pink  peppercorn  and  parmesan  pastry,  sesame  seed  dressing  proved  to  be  enjoyable  with  it.  The  wine  is  of  raspberry  colour  with  an  intense  nose  of  raspberry  and  creamy  cherry.  Though  it  feels  a  little  off-­dry,  there  is  a  bit  of  peppery  tone  at  the  back  and  good  backbone.

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TASTING NOTESIt would be an impossible undertaking to provide detailed notes on every single

wine and food matching, therefore, what follows is a concise list of wines with brief tasting notes and examples of dishes they were matched with

Fratelli Grand Cuvée Brut Sparkling 2012This  traditional  method  sparkling  wine  had  not  been  officially  launched  at  the  time  of  the  dinners,  still  we  received  a  very  generous  number  of  bottles  from  it.  In  accordance  with  Indian  practice,  it  is  made  from  Chenin  Blanc.  It  is  pale  lemon,  there  is  plenty  of  mousse  with  medium-­sized  bubbles  showing  a  nice  persistence.  Quite  restrained  at  first,  citrus  notes  dominate  over  the  apples  and  it  is  delicately  surrounded  by  brioche.  It  boasts  of  a  soft  and  creamy  texture.  It  was  an  popular  aperitif  and  a  nice  complement  to  Marcello  Tully’s  amuse  bouche  of  Jerusalem  artichoke  with  roasted  chorizo,  sultana  and  cashew  nuts.

Zampa Sparkling White and Rosé BrutThese  two  wines  were  served  as  a  pair  for  Frances  Atkins’  amuse  bouche  of  rhubarb,  watermelon  jelly  and  caviar  savoury  Madeline.  The  white  Brut  is  a  pronounced  lemon  in  flavour  with  a  white  golden  hue.  It  has  a  restrained  creamy  nose  with  notes  of  guava.  It  is  dry  and  fresh  on  the  palate  with  a  medium  fine  mousse.  The  rosé  Brut,  a  straightforward    pink  sparkler,  is  salmon  in  colour  with  dried  strawberries  and  cherries  and  a  persistent  mousse.

Fratelli Chardonnay 2013This  relatively  light  (despite  a  touch  of  oak  ageing)  and  crisp  Chardonnay  from  Akluj  in  Pune  proved  to  be  unconventional  enough  to  divide  people.  With  its  nicely  intense  nose  of  buttery  scents,  sawdust  on  the  ripe  apples  and  lemon  zest;  it  proved  to  be  a  lovely  match  with  Alyn  Williams’  tandoori  scallops,  pickles,  caramelised  aubergine,  mango  and  onion  bhajee.  

Fratelli Chenin Blanc 2013Chenin  Blanc  seems  to  have  found  another  home  in  India,  as  it  is  a  variety  that  does  particularly  well  here.  This  wine  is  pronounced  lemon  with  a  very  restrained  nose  of  guava,  wool  and  pears.  It  is  dry  with  fresh  acids  and  quite  a  bit  of  minerals  on  the  mid-­palate.  With  its  rounded  and  well  polished  body,  it  was  very  enjoyable  with  Alyn  Williams’  amuse  bouche  of  pear  and  smoked  eel  with  horseradish  and  chilled  watercress  Vichyssoise.

Vallonné Sauvignon Blanc 2012What  a  great  match  it  was  with  Ian  Curley’s  snapper  with  aubergine  brandade,  fricassée  of  cuttlefish  and  calamari.  A  medium  intense  nose  with  plenty  of  ripe  white  grapefruits,  beautifully  zesty  lemon  and  touch  of  gooseberry  at  the  back.  The  body  is  stunningly  built  up,  limestone  and  zesty.

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Vallonné Merlot 2010Mark  Best’s  Boudin  Blanc  (sausage),  fermented  carrots,  pear  and  kimchi  proved  to  be  an  eclectic  combination  of  tastes.  This  medium  ruby,  highly  intense  Merlot  with  a  nose  of  geranium,  raspberry  and  cherry,  along  with  a  softly  textured  body,  complemented  it  well.

Vallonné Cabernet Sauvignon 2010The  vegetarian  option  of  Mark  Best’s  Boudin  Blanc  dish  was  that  of  confit  heirloom,  carrots  with  pear  and  kimich.  The  crimson  coloured  Cabernet  Sauvignon  with  a  highly  intense  nose  of  cassis,  cedar,  pine  and  mushroomy  undergowth  accompanied  the  dish  nicely.  The  wine  is  complex,  with  ripe  mid-­grain  tannins  giving  it  a  velvety  and  soft  texture.

York Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2009It  was  the  second  wine  to  be  served  with  Mark  Best’s  confit  heirloom.  I  had  tasted  this  wine  at  the  winery  before  and  I  must  be  truthful  to  say  that  it  did  not  show  as  well  in  Mumbai.  As  if  the  distributor  had  not  kept  it  in  proper  conditions,  the  wine  showed  some  cassis  and  sour-­cherry  with  a  hint  of  pine,  but  it  was  overly  earthy  and  a  bit  drying  out.  I  must  say  I’d  love  to  taste  this  wine  again  from  either  a  good  cellar  or  the  winery’s  own  library,  because  when  it  is  stored  properly,  it  is  soft,  ripe  and  playful.

York Shiraz Reserve 2009Ian  Curley’s  pumpkin  &  smoked  mozzarella  tortellini  with  sage  and  shaved  truffles  was  just  beautiful  with  this  wine,  which  again  showed  some  premature  ageing  in  comparison  to  the  sample  I  had  tasted  at  the  winery,  but  in  fact  the  paprika,  pepper  and  cloves  with  a  bit  of  dusty  tannins  fitted  the  flavours  and  textures  nicely.

Fratelli Sette 2010Michael  Wignall’s  seared  tuna,  cannelloni  with  ponzu,  broccoli  salad,  nunu  with  kecap  manis  was  not  only  a  delicious  and  stunningly  presented  dish,  but  it  was  a  perfect  match  with  this  deep  crimson  wine  of  highly  intense  and  richly  perfumed  nose  of  cassis,  blackcurrent,  violets,  cloves,  French  oak  and  liquorice.  It  is  very  soft  with  velvety  and  finely  grained  tannins.  

Raveilo Late Harvest Chenin Blanc 2006Pudding  wine  is  the  toughest  challenge  in  India,  I  must  admit.  This  is  the  only  one  I  have  come  across  that  combines  acidity  with  natural  residual  sugar  elegantly,  whilst  offering  an  array  of  orange  peel,  burnt  sugar,  lemon  zest  and  vanilla  flavours.  It  is  versatile  enough  to  have  been  matched  with  a  range  of  mango,  coconut  or  pistachio  flavoured  desserts  too.

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