Sommelier India Table of Contents Sept/Oct 2010

Sommelier INDIA

For Indians around the world who enjoy the good life

September/October 2010 Issue 5 ` 130

20

COGNAC

Distilled Luxury

Your WINE Questions Answered 16 MALBEC Argentina’s Pride 27 Visit the Adelaide Hills in Australia 42 Pune Takes a Liking to WINE 52 Restricted circulation magazine dedicated to wine lovers and the wine trade

Editor’s Note

A

s I pen this note to readers of Sommelier India from rainsoaked Delhi, I wonder what wines you might be drinking in this weather. When I checked my personal cellar on a steamy August day of lashing rain I selected a gently chilled Grenache when normally I would have reached for a cold Riesling or a Chenin Blanc.

This is one of the great joys of being a wine drinker as opposed to consuming spirits. Every occasion, every mood, every meal presents me with a delicious choice as to what I should drink.

Our columnists both, regular and guest writers, enliven our pages each time with their unique perspective on the world of wine. Writing in her easy, accessible style, Jancis Robinson (page 6) brings her vast knowledge and experience to bear on a variety of topics. This time she analyses the differences and similarities of small family-owned wine enterprises and large multinational conglomerates. Expert wine commentator and critic, Steven Spurrier (page 12) sheds light on age-old sherries and directs us towards some outstanding examples.

A wider Asian perspective is provided by distinguished writer, CH’NG Poh Tiong, (page 11) whose comments on pairing wine with Chinese cuisine is based on Chinese literature and his debut book, “108 Great Chinese Dishes Paired”. Wine and food is a perennial topic of discussion with so many different ways to approach the subject. Alok Chandra (page 8) considers how wine could become a part of Indian tradition.

With its numerous winemaking expressions, Grenache is an amazing gastronomic wine, and can be paired with virtually any dish – in any season, in any climate – because it is such a versatile varietal. September 24 has been fixed as the first Annual International Grenache Day (page 3).

Another date to mark on your Wine Calender is a Gala Wine Tasting & Celebration Dinner scheduled for 12 November 2010. This will be a unique event organized jointly by The Wine Society of India and Sommelier India WINE magazine in recognition of the 65 best imported and domestic wines currently available on the Indian market as selected by The Wine Society of India’s Board of Wine Advisors. Here’s your opportunity to taste the “best of the best” for 2010. Stay tuned for more details via SI Online.

This edition is jam-packed with stories that I hope you will enjoy. Cognac is the topic of our lead feature. Harshal Shah who was in France this summer visited the House of Rémy Martin to learn firsthand what makes certain cognacs such as Louis XIII (the crown jewel of the House) such a luxury drink. Cognac, as you know, is a superior French brandy distilled from wine near Cognac. It was chiefly drunk in India as an after-dinner digestif on cold winter evenings, but is now also promoted as an integral part of innovative and fun cocktails and, with wider appeal, is becoming increasingly popular. Y

E-mail: rks@indianwinemagazine.com

Readers Write

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Contents September-October 2010 3

ON THE GRAPEVINE

News, notes and views for the wine buff

6

TWEEDLE DUM AND TWEEDLE DEE

Jancis Robinson considers the relative merits of family-owned wine enterprises and multinational corporations

8

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42 20

COGNAC WITHOUT COMPARE

At its simplest, brandy is the distilled juice of grapes and at its most sophisticated, it is Cognac. Harshal Shah explains the process and describes where the differences lie

From tee-totaller to occasional wine drinker, Sanjeev Kapoor shares his views on the Indian wine scene with Brinda Gill

27

PUNE TAKES A LIKING TO WINE

MALBEC, ARGENTINA’S PRIDE

WINE AND WEALTH CREATION

David Cobbold describes the rise of Malbec from France where it originated to Argentina, where it is flourishing

11

THE SI TASTING PANEL

Former banker Avi Bindra looks at wine as an alternative investment

PAIRING WINE WITH CHINESE CUISINE

CH’NG Poh Tiong on the pleasures of Chinese cuisine and fine wine

12

ASSESSING SHERRIES OF GREAT AGE

Steven Spurrier selects his favourites from a tasting of 33 wines assembled by the Sherry Institute of Spain

14

SHOCK AND AWE

Bunny Suraiya enjoys tasting wine in Napa Valley, home of the big, bold Cabs, but is staggered by the prices

16

ASK OUR EXPERT

Dr Ariff Jamal takes your questions about the health benefits of wine, alcohol levels in wine, and more

18

WINE AND INDIAN FOOD

Alok Chandra discusses entertaining patterns in India and some successful pairings of wine with Indian food

48

KITCHEN KING, SANJEEV KAPOOR

32

Recommends a selection of Malbecs available in India

34

PACKING A PUNCH

Brinda Gill tells the story of Nainaz Shroff and how she came to head a UK wine company at the tender age of 24

36

BIG BANYAN, UNIQUELY INDIAN

Passionate about wine, Lucio Matricardi speaks to Reva K Singh about his plans for Château De Banyan

38

FRATERNALLY YOURS

An Indo-Italian joint venture, Fratelli Wines is based in Solapur, Maharashtra.

Sonal Holland dined with the promoters to learn more

42

ON A ROLL IN THE ADELAIDE HILLS

The Adelaide Hills area of Australia is dotted with vineyards. Gustasp and Jeroo Irani stopped at a few to taste the wine

52

Observing the steady growth of wine culture in Pune, Jyoti Balani asks professionals in the wine and hospitality business for their views

n Sommeliers are in short supply

n Contributing to wine culture

As a fellow wine lover and someone who plays the part of a catalyst in engaging the nascent wine industry and the wines of Australia in South India, I am a regular reader of your magazine. I am proud to put on record the respect I hold for the stupendous effort made by your magazine in India.

We plan to host a series of wine-tasting events in South India presented by a Sommelier whose notes on participating wines can then be shared with your readers. This is to ensure the best possible presentation of the wines to the audience.

However, finding a Sommelier in Chennai is even more difficult than finding a needle in a haystack! It may be easier to land a vintage Aussie Shiraz…I’m still making an effort though.

Gitesh Agarwal, Business Development Manager, Australian Trade Commission, South India

Just a short line to say that your current publication is yet another masterpiece. I am of the opinion that SI is the only independent platform that is elevating the wine culture in this country. Thank you for that.

Pesi Engineer, via email

56

Carol Wright interviews Michelin starred, Indian chef, Atul Kochhar and British wine expert, Olly Smith, to find out what to expect on P&O’s latest ship, Azura

60

RESTAURANTS THAT LOVE WINE

66

THE AESTHETICS OF WINE TASTING

In the last of a four-part series on wine tasting, David Cobbold analyses the overall impression of a wine

68

SI LISTINGS

Directory of wine producers, importers and retailers

Publisher, editor and owner: Reva K Singh. Co-publisher Shiv B Singh. Copy editor: Bunny Suraiya. Executive Assistant: Aienla Ozukum. Creative Director: Peali Dutta Gupta. Design: Shamik Kundu. Layout artist: TMJ. Printed at EIH Ltd. 7, Sham Nath Marg, Delhi - 110054. Sommelier India is a trade bi-monthly privately 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.

For restricted circulation only. The views expressed in this publication are the writers’ own and not necessarily those of the publishers.

Subscription price: Rs. 1000 for two years and Rs. 1300 for three years; international $56 for two years and $82 for three years.

When oh when, will wine prices come down in India?

I’ve developed a real palate for wine and like reading your magazine which I save and keep to refer to when I come across a particular wine or grape varietal. But there are so few chances of tasting the wines, let alone buying them. Another point – why don’t you print an index of the topics you have covered so that we can refer back to them more easily?

Kiran Thakur, New Delhi

News, Notes and Views for the Wine Buff

WINE AND CURRY ON THE HIGH SEAS

Ruma Singh reviews West View, ITC Royal Gardenia’s top-of-the-line restaurant in Bangalore, while Javed Gaya waxes eloquent about the joys of eating Japanese at Wasabi at the Taj Mahal in Delhi and Kishore and Smita Iyengar revel in wine-infused food paired with premium Italian wines at Stella, at The Leela Kempinski Mumbai

n Points of reference

Celebrating Grenache The Grape for all Seasons

F

riday, September 24, 2010 has been designated International Grenache Day (IGD). For the first time this versatile varietal which is also the world’s most widely planted red grape will be celebrated around the world by restaurants and wine merchants highlighting its all-round virtues.

As was recognised at the First International Grenache Symposium in June in the Southern Rhône, where over 250 top Grenache producers, journalists and retailers from 23 countries met to examine the many facets of this intriguing grape, Grenache is remarkable for its broad appeal and versatility. From white to rosé or sweet fortified wines, and as light varietal

reds or complex blends, Grenache has historically been disguised in blends from regions like Chateauneuf-duPape and Priorat – making great wines greater but lacking the ‘brand’ recognition that other varietals such as Chardonnay or Pinot Noir enjoy.

However, it’s time to bring this reticent grape to centre stage and give it its due – a grape that is characterized by juicy, luscious fruit, warm spice, balanced acidity and supple tannins.

Because of its diverse winemaking expressions, Grenache is also an outstanding match with food.

Described very often as a chameleon, Grenache makes an easy wine choice when you are in doubt about which wine to pair with your dish, especially if it’s a red wine you are after with a flavour of the Mediterranean. Dave Powell of Torbreck whose wines are available in India, describes Grenache as a warm climate Pinot Noir.

However, Grenache is often served too warm, causing alcohol to be perceived as lack of balance. Serve whites and rosés chilled but not below 8°C and serve red and sweet wines, cool, between 14 and 18°C. Sula’s Mosaic Red is the best known Indian Grenache wine. What better place to start your discovery of great Grenaches from around the world?

Sommelier INDIA 3