| The vineyards proper emphasise the contrast. They are a patch of green among semi-arid hills covered with scrubs that turn brown or semi-green depending on when the rains last came. The vines themselves also have a duality. A symbol of life in the surroundings, they are propped up by grey white stone posts in neat rows, creating the feeling of a war cemetery down a hillside. Only the cross pieces of the crosses are missing. |
| Under the shade of a few stunted trees a group of food and drinks correspondents, friends of the Grovers and plain food addicts like me listen to the world's greatest wine consultant, Michel Rolland. He spells out a rosy or rich red future (he himself prefers red wine) for India in the wine business. At well over 30 degrees, it is as hot as it gets in these parts, making the glasses of chilled wines being served that much more desirable. |
| He is careful about commenting on the quality of Indian wines, except to say that Grover wines are easily the best of the lot. (China produces a lot of wine but he is yet to drink any good wine out of it.) He recalls with humour how 14 years ago, the senior (Kanwal) Grover, who is also present, approached him in France to help produce good wine in India. The Frenchman, in whose wine making universe tropical India barely existed, declined. But Grover persevered and to cut a long story short, here was Rolland, friend of the family by now, celebrating the quality of the red La Reserve, the Rose Shiraz and even the very affordable white Sante. |
| Earlier on the bus he told me (one of the three he spoke to, by coming and sitting by them one at a time) that it is still early days for India in wine making. The French have been doing it for over five centuries and still learning. But Indian wine makers must be getting it right, or else why would wine consumption keep growing by 30 per cent a year. |
| He said wine drinking goes quite well with Indian food, except maybe the most spicy. You could spend a lifetime seeking to match dish with wine. His great desire is to wean Indians away from whisky, a historically acquired taste (he didn't deign to mention India's former rulers), to wine. It is the most complete beverage. He likes beer too, but not Coca-Cola (I'm sorry, he interjected), barely concealing his dislike for the stuff. Wine, he felt, is so much more acceptable. You cannot visualise a public figure with a whisky in his hand, but a glass of wine is so different. |
| The lunch under the white awning continued the contrasts of the afternoon. The lamb chops from the nearby resort Angsana were superlative, maybe even the best in the country as the junior (Kapil) Grover declared. The tandoori prawns were as good, the wine tasted better as it flowed on, and through it all wafted the heat of the May afternoon. |
| Michel Rolland, stocky, with a light beard and fluent in his French-accented English, appeared comfortable in his light cottons. The man who has done more than anybody else to demystify and democratise wine making (grow the grapes right and the good wine will come from it) has taken on Bulgaria as his latest client country. But in Asia and India his affection and attention will remain reserved for the Grovers, whom he will be visiting every year to advise and also be an ambassador of good living. |
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