 "Wines for Diwali")
There's every reason to celebrate Diwali with wines - after all, what better occasion to break out the bubbly than this most convivial of all Indian festivals.
You may have heard about the launch of Chandon, the first sparkling wine made by Champagne giant Moet Hennessy in India, available (for now) only in Mumbai - the Brut at Rs 1,200 and the Rose (a lovely peach pink) at Rs 1,400 - this Champagne clone is flying off the shelves like hot cakes! There's also the re-launched (and, I'm told, far more authentic) Sula Brut (now Rs 875) and the Fratelli Brut (Rs 995 in Mumbai), both of which are delighting wine lovers - who are re-discovering the joys of sparkling wines all over again.
But why restrict yourself to sparkling wines at Diwali? There's a world of good wines now available on retail in shelves. I myself am an abashed red wine lover, and here are some of my domestic favourites (all prices are for Bangalore):
Krsma Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve 2011 (Rs 1,500)
A sneak peek at this blockbuster which is expected to hit shelves in Bangalore only in December. A dark crimson colour presages the wine's quality - it has an aroma of ripe tannins and oak, with a complex and full-bodied taste of berries, plums and cassis with oak notes and fruit and a very long finish. Produced by Krishna Prasad and Uma Chigurupati at their unique winery near Hampi (in North Karnataka), this wine is sure to redefine the quality of Indian wines.
Reveilo Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2010 (Rs 1,345)
This cask-matured red from Vintage Wines Nashik wins prizes at all the competitions, and not without reason - it's a complex, smooth and full-bodied wine with notes of cherry, raspberry, and blueberry that are enriched with the spicy notes of pepper, cinnamon , and nutmeg. Winemaker Andrea Valentinuzzi and owner Yatin Patil have produced a real winner.
Sula Rasa Shiraz 2009 (Rs 1,250)
A powerful, spicy, and full-bodied wine produced in the Dindori area near Nashik where Sula has a contiguous 250-acre vineyard producing its best fruit. Head winemaker Ajoy Shaw and master winemaker Kerry Damskey (from California) brought out the first vintage (2005) some years back, and are struggling to cope with demand as its widely distributed, but production is limited.
Big Banyan 'Limited' Reserve Shiraz 2009 (Rs 1,200)
A big, bold wine with an intense aroma of red fruits, and a full-bodied mouthfeel and balanced soft tannins that gives a good long finish. Made in Goa by winemaker Lucio Matricardi using selected grapes from Nashik, and aged in imported oak casks for 12 months - only 6,000 bottles have been made. Available only in Bangalore, Goa, and Hyderabad.
Vindiva Reserve Estate Shiraz 2011 (Rs 875)
The wine has a ruby garnet colour, an intense nose of raspberries, hawthorn berries, and spices that carry through to the palate. This is a soft, expressive, full-bodied wine with that softens with decanting. Produced near Talakadu in South Karnataka at the state-of-the-art Alpine Wineries' unit by winemaker Stephane Derenoncourt (from Bordeaux), this is possibly the best wine produced in the state. Currently available only in Bangalore.
Grover La Reserve (Rs 800):
Last (but not least) is the old favourite from India's oldest winery -they've never revealed the blend, but it has to be made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, and is matured for 4-6 months in imported French oak casks. World-famous Wine Consultant Michel Rolland crafted this little gem way back in 1996, and it remains a staple favourite, outselling all other reserve wines combined.
So go for the best Indian wines rather than entry-level imported stuff that are not necessarily better just because they are imported.
You may have heard about the launch of Chandon, the first sparkling wine made by Champagne giant Moet Hennessy in India, available (for now) only in Mumbai - the Brut at Rs 1,200 and the Rose (a lovely peach pink) at Rs 1,400 - this Champagne clone is flying off the shelves like hot cakes! There's also the re-launched (and, I'm told, far more authentic) Sula Brut (now Rs 875) and the Fratelli Brut (Rs 995 in Mumbai), both of which are delighting wine lovers - who are re-discovering the joys of sparkling wines all over again.
But why restrict yourself to sparkling wines at Diwali? There's a world of good wines now available on retail in shelves. I myself am an abashed red wine lover, and here are some of my domestic favourites (all prices are for Bangalore):
Krsma Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve 2011 (Rs 1,500)
A sneak peek at this blockbuster which is expected to hit shelves in Bangalore only in December. A dark crimson colour presages the wine's quality - it has an aroma of ripe tannins and oak, with a complex and full-bodied taste of berries, plums and cassis with oak notes and fruit and a very long finish. Produced by Krishna Prasad and Uma Chigurupati at their unique winery near Hampi (in North Karnataka), this wine is sure to redefine the quality of Indian wines.
Reveilo Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2010 (Rs 1,345)
This cask-matured red from Vintage Wines Nashik wins prizes at all the competitions, and not without reason - it's a complex, smooth and full-bodied wine with notes of cherry, raspberry, and blueberry that are enriched with the spicy notes of pepper, cinnamon , and nutmeg. Winemaker Andrea Valentinuzzi and owner Yatin Patil have produced a real winner.
Sula Rasa Shiraz 2009 (Rs 1,250)
A powerful, spicy, and full-bodied wine produced in the Dindori area near Nashik where Sula has a contiguous 250-acre vineyard producing its best fruit. Head winemaker Ajoy Shaw and master winemaker Kerry Damskey (from California) brought out the first vintage (2005) some years back, and are struggling to cope with demand as its widely distributed, but production is limited.
Big Banyan 'Limited' Reserve Shiraz 2009 (Rs 1,200)
A big, bold wine with an intense aroma of red fruits, and a full-bodied mouthfeel and balanced soft tannins that gives a good long finish. Made in Goa by winemaker Lucio Matricardi using selected grapes from Nashik, and aged in imported oak casks for 12 months - only 6,000 bottles have been made. Available only in Bangalore, Goa, and Hyderabad.
Vindiva Reserve Estate Shiraz 2011 (Rs 875)
The wine has a ruby garnet colour, an intense nose of raspberries, hawthorn berries, and spices that carry through to the palate. This is a soft, expressive, full-bodied wine with that softens with decanting. Produced near Talakadu in South Karnataka at the state-of-the-art Alpine Wineries' unit by winemaker Stephane Derenoncourt (from Bordeaux), this is possibly the best wine produced in the state. Currently available only in Bangalore.
Grover La Reserve (Rs 800):
Last (but not least) is the old favourite from India's oldest winery -they've never revealed the blend, but it has to be made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, and is matured for 4-6 months in imported French oak casks. World-famous Wine Consultant Michel Rolland crafted this little gem way back in 1996, and it remains a staple favourite, outselling all other reserve wines combined.
So go for the best Indian wines rather than entry-level imported stuff that are not necessarily better just because they are imported.
Alok Chandra is a Bangalore-based wine consultant