 "Indian wines at their best")
I am frequently asked which the best Indian wine is and my answer is always the same - there is no one 'best' wine, but rather, a number of wines would qualify for the top slot.
In India the wine industry is young and has still to find what grapes (and winemaking styles) do best in our near-tropical climate. As such, the quality of Indian wines is still evolving - and improving every year. Just seven years ago there was a clear price demarcation between Indian and imported wines: Indian wines were priced below Rs 500, and imported wines above that level. No longer: we've now got a slew of Indian wines priced above Rs 1,000 per bottle - and yes, price tends to be an indication of quality.
However, 'quality' in wine is a peculiar thing, a combination of intrinsic quality, and perception. Just think of Grand Cru Bordeaux - those that fetch top dollar are not necessarily rated the best in blind tastings, and many 100-pointers are priced lower. Intrinsic quality in turn derives from both the grape(s) and winemaking. Some say that "80 per cent of the quality of a wine comes from the vineyard" - certainly, you can make bad wine from good grapes, but there's no way anyone can make a good wine from bad grapes.
Perception of quality is as important as the reality: if I think a particular wine brand is good, chances are that I will rate it higher than, say, an unknown brand - that's what marketing and 'brand-building' is all about. Perception is often influenced by price - so a higher-priced wine is perceived as being better than one that may intrinsically be as good, but priced lower.
The Zampa L 'Amour Brut Rose' at Rs 2,500 is the most expensive Indian wine currently available - a pink Champagne-style wine (strawberries and yeasty aromas, creamy texture) that's not easily available.
Zampa Chene Grand Reserve 2010 (Rs 1,700 in Mumbai): a blend of Tempranillo and Syrah (Shiraz), produced at the winery near the Mukne Dam (near Nashik). Complex and smooth - only 3,000 bottles made.
Fratelli Sette 2009 (Rs 1,642 in Bangalore): Made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Sangiovese grapes grown in their own vineyards at Akluj, near Solapur. Good to drink till 2018.
Krsma Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 (Rs 1,500, Bangalore): A single-varietal wine, being launched at the end of January, produced at the winery's own vineyards near Hampi in North Karnataka. Complex and fruity - 6,000 bottles made.
Chandon Brut Rose (Rs 1,400, Mumbai): The just-launched methode traditionalle (we're not supposed to use the C-word) sparkling wine from Moet Hennessey India - aromatic and refreshing.
Sula Rasa Shiraz 2011 (Rs 1,250, Bangalore): Produced in Nashik from the best grapes grown in their Dindori vineyards, the wine is complex and powerful, with strong tannins - 1,700 cases produced.
Big Banyan Limited Shiraz 2008 (Rs 1,200, Bangalore): Produced and matured at their winery in Goa from grapes grown in Nashik, this big robust and complex wine is almost sold out. 6,000 bottles made.
There are many more Indian wines priced above Rs 1,000 and are surely worth a try. Not surprisingly, most of these 'super premium' wines are red - that's because 'reserve' wines are matured in imported oak casks for anything from 4 to 14 months, and reds benefit more from oak-ageing than whites.
Like most sensible people I've been allowing my innards to recover from the year-end revelry, so will resume the para on Wines I've Been Drinking from the next piece onwards.
Alok Chandra is a Bangalore-based wine consultant
In India the wine industry is young and has still to find what grapes (and winemaking styles) do best in our near-tropical climate. As such, the quality of Indian wines is still evolving - and improving every year. Just seven years ago there was a clear price demarcation between Indian and imported wines: Indian wines were priced below Rs 500, and imported wines above that level. No longer: we've now got a slew of Indian wines priced above Rs 1,000 per bottle - and yes, price tends to be an indication of quality.
However, 'quality' in wine is a peculiar thing, a combination of intrinsic quality, and perception. Just think of Grand Cru Bordeaux - those that fetch top dollar are not necessarily rated the best in blind tastings, and many 100-pointers are priced lower. Intrinsic quality in turn derives from both the grape(s) and winemaking. Some say that "80 per cent of the quality of a wine comes from the vineyard" - certainly, you can make bad wine from good grapes, but there's no way anyone can make a good wine from bad grapes.
Perception of quality is as important as the reality: if I think a particular wine brand is good, chances are that I will rate it higher than, say, an unknown brand - that's what marketing and 'brand-building' is all about. Perception is often influenced by price - so a higher-priced wine is perceived as being better than one that may intrinsically be as good, but priced lower.
The Zampa L 'Amour Brut Rose' at Rs 2,500 is the most expensive Indian wine currently available - a pink Champagne-style wine (strawberries and yeasty aromas, creamy texture) that's not easily available.
Zampa Chene Grand Reserve 2010 (Rs 1,700 in Mumbai): a blend of Tempranillo and Syrah (Shiraz), produced at the winery near the Mukne Dam (near Nashik). Complex and smooth - only 3,000 bottles made.
Fratelli Sette 2009 (Rs 1,642 in Bangalore): Made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Sangiovese grapes grown in their own vineyards at Akluj, near Solapur. Good to drink till 2018.
Krsma Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 (Rs 1,500, Bangalore): A single-varietal wine, being launched at the end of January, produced at the winery's own vineyards near Hampi in North Karnataka. Complex and fruity - 6,000 bottles made.
Chandon Brut Rose (Rs 1,400, Mumbai): The just-launched methode traditionalle (we're not supposed to use the C-word) sparkling wine from Moet Hennessey India - aromatic and refreshing.
Sula Rasa Shiraz 2011 (Rs 1,250, Bangalore): Produced in Nashik from the best grapes grown in their Dindori vineyards, the wine is complex and powerful, with strong tannins - 1,700 cases produced.
Big Banyan Limited Shiraz 2008 (Rs 1,200, Bangalore): Produced and matured at their winery in Goa from grapes grown in Nashik, this big robust and complex wine is almost sold out. 6,000 bottles made.
There are many more Indian wines priced above Rs 1,000 and are surely worth a try. Not surprisingly, most of these 'super premium' wines are red - that's because 'reserve' wines are matured in imported oak casks for anything from 4 to 14 months, and reds benefit more from oak-ageing than whites.
Like most sensible people I've been allowing my innards to recover from the year-end revelry, so will resume the para on Wines I've Been Drinking from the next piece onwards.
Alok Chandra is a Bangalore-based wine consultant