News From the Liquid World

A London Comeback

The London Wine Fair has become UK’s largest annual wine trade tasting show. The landmark 40th edition was held at Olympia London from 7-9 June in the days following the spectacular Platinum Jubilee celebrations. The organisers, Brintex, wisely avoided a clash with their normal May dates imposed on them by ProWein Dusseldorf.

Over 3000 products were presented by 286 exhibitors from 25 countries. They vied for the attention of the 8822 in-person visitors (who paid an entry fee) and 4151 digital visitors. The show was spread out in the Grand Hall and Upper Hallways.

The Great Bourgogne Reunion in the Upper Hallway showcased wines representing the rich diversity of their ‘climats’ with an immersion in Chablis and Crémant de Bourgogne.

In the sustainable packaging area, we discovered the newest trends. The paper/ cardboard bottles by Frugalpac and When in Rome have the potential to reduce the carbon footprint of single-use glass bottles.

Our friends from Australia – Bec Hardy Wines and Metala Vineyards – had travelled for their first post pandemic show and were in ‘Wines Unearthed’ – unsigned talent from the world of wine – featuring export-ready producers looking for UK importers.

The best home-grown drinks were in the Drinks Britannia zone – the Wines of GB and the show-stopper Nyetimber double-decker bus, craft beers and ciders, and premium gins and other Made in the UK products.

An elaborate Low & No alcohol space, curated by Club Soda (a mindful drinking movement), featured the current offerings that could enhance the experience of every consumer.

The India Pavilion managed to create a buzz with well-presented stands and flash dance sequences to Bollywood music. Ajoy Shaw’s first attempts at an ‘organic’ wine were lauded.

Tastings and Masterclasses by global experts made for some exciting features on the sides of the show – and not dominating the agenda – so that business could be the main focus.

Hannah Tovey of London Wine Fair was pleased. “We have delivered a quality-driven bounce-back show which has brought the industry back together after a period of incredible uncertainty.”

The 2022 edition of the London Wine Fair was a ‘manageable’ and extremely productive show with many opportunities.

Battle of Mixers

Monin Cup is an international talent search competition seeking to award the brightest young bartenders. It was conducted by Monin – the French brand with over 100 years history of making syrups, mixes and sauces that has established itself as a reference for bartenders around the world.Based on the theme of ‘sharing memorable moments’, 1500+ participants (all between 21-27 years) this year were judged on their creativity, skill, passion, and inventiveness to develop a memorable cocktail.

64 were selected for the regional competitions in Kolkata, Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi. This narrowed down further to 14 to compete in the national finals at The Roseate New Delhi. All participants conjured a mocktail using a Monin flavour of their choice and in a surprise round, they had to prepare a cocktail with the Monin flavour randomly picked in the draw of lots. Legendary artisan Ducasse is the founder of École Ducasse, and has to date bagged 21 Michelin stars for several of his 34 restaurants in seven countries. In 2005, he became the first chef to receive the top three Michelin stars for three of his restaurants at the same time. The Ducasse conglomerate extends into Hospitality, Manufacture, Consulting, Education, Books, Culture and Reception.

The culinary team at Le Cirque worked closely with Team Ducasse to put together a flavourful evening for

Akshay Kottary, trainer at Martiny Mixology in Mangalore, emerged victorious in this hunt for India’s best mixologist – one who knows how to touch the right senses. His creation, ‘The Kalasa’, with Monin’s Falernum flavour, served in a coconut mug, earned him a ticket to compete in the International Grand Finale for the Monin Cup in France at the end of the year.

India is an important market for Monin – their products have been available in India since 1999 – and since 2019 through a wholly owned subsidiary. “This activity outlines our commitment to India”, said Managing Director Philippe Bergerault who flew in from Bourges, France. Andrea Fidora, Beverage Innovation Director from Dubai, joined the jury. Germain Araud of Monin India said, “The Monin Cup in India was a platform for budding bartenders to show their exceptional talent.”

Alain Ducasse in India

In his first ever visit to India to inaugurate the École Ducasse campus in partnership with the Indian School of Hospitality in Gurgaon, French Chef Alain Ducasse attended a dinner hosted in his honour at Le Cirque by Anupam Dasgupta, General Manager of The Leela Palace New Delhi. the guests. French Ambassador H.E. Lenain attended as did FINE Magazines, who offered Champagne Duval Leroy to raise a toast to Alain Ducasse.

Chef Julian Mercier, under the watchful eye of Chef Ducasse, laid out a treat for the senses. The quinoa entrée was followed by the morel mains and a sinful deconstructed dessert. We hope to see many more such interventions till the time India can boast of its own star offerings.

World Dairy Summit

The IDF World Dairy Summit 2022 was held in India after 48 years at the India Expo Centre, Greater Noida. The theme was ‘Dairy for Nutrition and Livelihoods’. Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated this annual meeting of the global dairy stakeholders. He attributed the success of Indian dairy to small farmers and co-operatives that had embraced digitalisation. “Women are the real leaders of India’s dairy sector”, he emphasised. India is the largest producer of milk in the world, with an annual output of 210 million tonnes.

Amul greeted visitors with the iconic life-sized Amul Girl. Their stand depicted the activities of milk farmers and showcased Amul’s success story. Women farmer-led co-ops like Asha from Rajasthan, Sheerja from Andhra Pradesh and Maahi from Gujarat were represented by their members dressed in traditional attire. State coops like Nandini from Karnataka, Saras from Rajasthan, and Verka from Punjab participated. Private Indian brands like Pride of Cows by Parag Foods and Ananda attracted interest. Multi-national giants like Nestle presented their community outreach activities.

The who’s who of the dairy world were present – around 1500 delegates from 50 countries participated. They deliberated on challenges and opportunities

facing the industry and discussed safe and sustainable interventions, collaborative action to mitigate climate change, and making best practices easy to adopt and remunerative for local farmers.

History in a Glass

The Ambassador of Georgia in India, H.E. Archil Dzuliashvili, collaborated with Rajiv Singhal of the FINE Wine & Champagne India magazine to host a Friendly Georgian Wine evening in New Delhi. On the edge of the Black Sea, at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Georgia is home to over 500 indigenous grape varieties and a powerhouse of artisanal wine making in the post-Soviet era. Georgia is the birthplace of wine; wine has been made here since the Neolithic period (around 6000 BC). ‘Qvevri’ – large 1000-litre clay pots with Protected Geographical Indication status which today are part of Georgia’s Intangible Cultural Heritage – remain at the centre of an uninterrupted 8000-year-old history of wine-making.

Proud of the unique offering from his country, Ambassador Archil said, “The world is now appreciating our wines, it’s time for us to share our wine diversity with you and hope that you enjoy the friendliness.”

A wide range of unique wines of Georgia showcasing the indigenous grapes Saperavi, Rkatsiteli, Kisi, Kakhuri Mtsvane in both traditional and modern styles were offered by several producers who are prospecting the potential of the Indian market. The selection had a fair share of wines made in the ancient Qvevri style – both red and white. The Ambassador also presented his favourite – the traditional Georgian drink ‘Chacha’ or ‘Georgian grape vodka’, which is double distilled grape pomace 50% abv matured in qvevri for some months.

There was a style and flavour of wine to suit every palate. The diplomatic community, trade professionals, and wine lovers were able to enjoy the various wines offered at their own pace, sometimes guided by the enthusiastic Ambassador Archil who is building a compelling narrative around Georgian wines – one that stresses their impressive history and their exclusivity and rarity in the wine world. L

Wines of Chile Academy

There is big potential in India for foreign wines – the market is in expansion. Promotional efforts based mainly around education for trade professionals are being developed by some wine regions. One such activity hosted recently was the Wines of Chile Academy Masterclass.

The Wines of Chile, a non-profit, private trade association that represents Chilean wine producers and helps them position their wines in an international context, created the Wines of Chile Academy to offer structured courses around the wine history, regions, grape varieties, and styles of Chilean wines.

For India, the Wines of Chile Academy entered into a partnership with Group Ritu – which has spearheaded wine education in India since 2001 and has focussed on making wine knowledge more approachable and affordable. Supported by the Embassy of Chile and ProChile, the Wines of Chile Academy Masterclass by Rajiv Singhal was made possible at The Lalit New Delhi by Dr. Jyotsna Suri and Mr. Keshav Suri.

The target group – the hotels and the trade – responded enthusiastically, with 33 participants representing 18 establishments from the Delhi NCR region. The images of Chile and its landscapes around the tasting room helped create the context. A tasting set-up was laid out individually for each participant.

The wines tasted were representative of the diverse range for which Chile is known.

Ritu Singhal H.E. Juan Angulo Marcela Zúñiga

The Masterclass was inaugurated by H.E. Juan Angulo, the Ambassador of Chile in India who said, “Our objective is to give the Indian consumer a taste of Chile through Chilean wines. These wines are made with a lot of passion and have received international recognition. When you taste our wines, you are tasting the soul of Chile, its culture and its people. We want to make a difference through such actions and help the Indian consumer select, drink and enjoy Chilean wines. We have so many varieties, that we will always have the perfect wine to match the perfect food on any occasion.”

Rajiv Singhal presented the wines from this faraway land in South America – the long sliver shaped country that is 4300 kms long but only 177 kms wide. The natural barriers – Pacific Ocean (west), Atacama Desert (north), Andes Mountains (east), Patagonian glaciers (south) and the 23 climatic zones create conditions conducive to viticulture in Central Chile. The earliest wineries were set up in the 16th century in Maipo with an eye on the Peruvian market. A wave of historic wineries were founded in the 19th century. The 20th century marked the significant transition to a fresher, lighter style – typical cool climate wines. With a 500-year history of wine-making and all these factors combined, Chile today is the 4th largest exporter of wine in the world.

The wines tasted were representative of the diverse range for which Chile is known. All wines are already imported in India.

All attending participants sat for an examination which would qualify them to be ‘Ambassadors of the Wines of Chile Academy’. 22 Ambassadors were certified and they proudly received their certificates from H.E. Juan Angulo at the ceremony.

Presenting the vote of thanks, Marcela Zúñiga, Trade Commissioner ProChile said, “India is demanding knowledge. We have recognised the need to develop education programs so that the trade can learn how to appreciate Chilean wines. The results will not be coming fast, so our approach to the market is realistic yet cautious, because we still have a long way to go in the wine market in India and need to build it step by step. L

Ventisquero Clásico Sauvignon Blanc 2019 from the Casablanca Valley. Yellowish golden colour. Aromas of cut grass and gooseberry. Refreshingly clean with a medium fruity finish. Well balanced acidity.

Antares Chardonnay 2018 from the Central Valley. Pale yellow colour. Aromas of apples and intense tropical fruits. Light, fresh, crisp and fruity.

Cono Sur Bicicleta Reserva Pinot Noir 2019. Intense dark plum colour with purple tints. Aromas of concentrated black fruit and hints of sweet toasted oak. Excellent structure, balanced acidity, fruity intensity and pleasantly ripe tannins. Casillero del Diablo Reserva Merlot 2017 from the Rapel Valley. Intense red purple colour. Aromas of cherries and licorice. Approachable. Silky, elegant and balanced finish. Medium bodied.

Vina Tarapacá Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 from the Maipo Valley. Deep ruby colour. Aromas of Vanilla, Cherry, Pepper and Black Tea. Fruity, young, balanced structure with smooth tannins.

Valdivieso Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 from Casablanca. Dark red colour. Aromas of red fruit with some vanilla, spices and coffee. Juicy, flavourful and very fruity with rounded tannins.

Hungarian Wine Summit

The first Hungarian Wine Summit was the collective initiative of several agencies responsible for marketing Hungarian wine in export markets. It was hosted as part of SIRHA Budapest, the largest food industry and HoReCa trade fair in East-Central Europe.

Peter Ondré from the organiser’s team said, “Our longterm goal is for Hungarian wines to occupy a worthy place on the international wine map, thus increasing their competitiveness in our existing and future export markets.”

The five-day Summit attracted over 100 international wine experts, trade press, traders and sommeliers from Europe, UK and beyond – the first ever gathering of such a large number of opinion leaders on a mission to experience the traditions associated with Hungarian wine first-hand along with the culture, origins, craft and people. The Summit opened at the Budapest Marriott on the Pest banks of the River Danube with views of the UNESCO heritage Buda Castle. Several Hungarian wine experts conducted themed presentations in which local Hungarian cuisine was paired with selected wines. We joined the ‘Feminine & Masculine Wines’ session with Agnes Nemeth. At this dinner, each of the four courses had been provokingly paired with two Hungarian wines which we all had to identify as male or female. The ensuing conversations and discussions were very lively and engaging, with some of the winemakers presenting their wine-making techniques to guide us.

The dinner was followed by a walk-around tasting of old vintage wines. A wide selection of different styles of wines was spread out to taste at one’s own pace – the Tokaji Aszu flight was a delight – going back to

the five puttonyos from 1956 and 1962. The highlight was the Disznoko 6 puttonyos from the very special anniversary vintage of 1993.

The organisers grouped six wine region study tours so that the invitees could see the Hungarian wine world up close – the wines, the vines, the winery and the winemakers – and take in the beauty of the landscapes.

The Hungarian Wine Summit pavilion at Hungexpo presented the significant wine regions. Almost 100 wineries had been selected from all over the country to showcase their wines. The criteria for the selection by the organisers was ‘strict’: the quality of the wines had to meet international standards and the ‘deserving’ wineries were those whose work, passion, stamina and potential will take them further. The wineries were well-represented by their owners, wine-makers and management teams.

In addition to the winery booths, discovery tastings at the feature bar were guided by experts. Tastings of Palinka, the traditional fruit-based spirit of Hungary, were also presented by the National Council.

On the sidelines, the Masterclasses were conducted by Hungarian wine experts in tandem with some international ones. The topics demonstrated the diversity of Hungarian wines and emphasized Hungary’s commonly used indigenous grapes – Furmint, Olaszrizling, Juhfark or Kekfrankos – and the distinct wine styles of Tokaji (naturally sweet) or Bikaver “Bulls Blood” blend from Eger/ Szekszard. The Summit ended on the Buda side of the River Danube at the Hilton Budapest in the historic castle district with views on the Hungarian Parliament. The gala dinner was hosted on the customary Danube cruise – where guests could discover more (if they still could) and bond with Hungarian wines and the people who made these wines possible. In her closing remarks, Aliz Nemeth of AMC was very kind, “All of you are now the Ambassadors of Hungarian wine”.

A very interesting discovery for us was the Blue Wine from the volcanic Badascony wine region on the northern shores of Lake Balaton. Elizabeth Gabay MW showed us Kekneylu, a rare indigenous grape of Hungary which some producers are reviving. Neither this late ripening grape nor the wine is blue in colour, but the name comes from its blue tinted stalk. It is a ‘female only’ grape, thus planting alternate rows with another variety such as Budai Zöld encourages more consistent pollination. The wine is pale yellow in colour. Intense aromas, minerally flavours and subtle acidity lend elegance to the wine.

Overall, the Summit was a truly satisfying and informative immersion. It underlined the versatility and diversity of Hungarian wines and emphasised the importance of indigenous varietals. Most importantly, it brought to the front the people who believe in their wines and their potential to create an important presence in international markets in the not-so-distant future.

Hungary is ready to conquer new wine territories. L

Ritu & Rajiv Singhal