| The Bangalore Wine Club held a unique event in mid-December 2005: an auction of 10 wines, with the proceeds going to charity. The combination of good wines, good people and good intentions is unbeatable, and Rs 20,000 were raised in just one hour for the Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation Centre, and it's worthwhile taking a look at the wines auctioned.
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The first wine was a Santa Ana Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 "" an Argentinean wine from the giant Penaflor group that is characteristically mellow and easy-to-drink, and which went for Rs 850.
A Concha Y Toro 'Sunrise' Merlot 2003 came next, from the largest winemaker of Chile; the wine boasts of a bouquet of cherry, pepper and cacao, and the bidding closed at Rs 1,400.
This was followed by a Cesari MARA Vino di Ripasso Valpolicella DOC 1999 from northeast Italy. The Ripasso technique is used only in exceptional years, and the Mara promised a "generous honeyed nose, and a hint of raisiny Amarone notes" "" it was knocked down for Rs 1,300.
The Ozeki Sumo Sake (1.8 L carton) from Japan was a very unusual participant "" this rice wine went for a goodly Rs 1,500.
Next came a Sequra Viduas Mas d'Aranyo Reserva 2001 from the Pendes region of Spain "" a red wine made from the Tempranillo grape and matured in wood for 14 months, this is a fruity and balanced wine. Gone for only Rs 1,500.
A Grover La Reserve 1997 came next "" a rare Cabernet Shiraz from their first vintage; silky smooth, fruity and balanced, long finish. Went for Rs 1,500.
Bidding started looking up with the Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 ""the tasting notes of this classic from southern Australia talk of a complex bouquet and a fruity, balanced taste, and was bid up to Rs 3,100.
The Hungarian Tokaji Aszu 1995 (4 Puttonyos) is a sweet dessert wine tasting of dried apricot and orange peel made from grapes that have suffered "noble rot" "" and was themed "the wine of kings and the king of wines" by Louis IV. This went for a mere Rs 2,500.
A Far Niente Chardonnay Estate 2000 from the Napa Valley of California came next: it has flavours of melon and fig along with mineral and yeast notes "" good for another five years, and sold for Rs 4,000.
Last (but not least) was the Robert Mondavi Opus One 1996 "" a Bordeaux-style red wine produced in California by a JV with the legendary Baroness Philippene de Rothschild, this talks of "nose of berry, toasty oak, vanilla, caramel, clove and pencil, with extracted and concentrated blackberry fruit and medium tannins. Massive, intense, excellent aging potential." No wonder this was bid up to Rs 15,000!
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