Strawberries, cherries and an angle’s kiss in spring…” went that old Nancy Sinatra song — obviously, the songwriter never factored in our Indian summer, which is here in full blast with Delhiites baking at temperatures over 40 degrees centigrade, and denizens of the other metros sweating it out in the pre-monsoon humidity. (Okay, Bangaloreans are spoilt, although the city today is a far cry from what it used to be). So what to do?
Probably the best way to beat the heat is with sparklers — whites or rose wines. Let’s start, then, by taking a look at the Indian wines available today in these styles.
Sparkling is the term by which wines with fizz are known (since “Champagne” can be used only for the stuff produced in the Champagne district of France). Since these are always served ice-cold, they are a perfect foil for a hot day or a sultry night. The Indian fare is strictly limited: Marquise de Pompadour or Ivy brut from Indage has practically disappeared from retail shelves as the company seems to be having supply problems, so the choice is restricted to Sula brut, the sweeter Sula Seco, the lemonadey and lightly fizzy Dia (also from Sula, with a screw cap closure), or, where available, the Vinsura brut from Sankalp Wines, Nashik. There are also the Zampa brut and sparkling rose wines just being launched in Mumbai.
Prices for most of these sparklers hover around Rs 500-700 per bottle (except in Bangalore, where they are about Rs 300 per bottle higher, thanks to the import duties on wines from outside the state), with the price for Dia being about half that of the others. I would go for the Sula brut on most occasions, and plumb for Dia when in a cost-cutting mood.
White wines: The vast majority of Indian whites are either Chenin Blancs or Sauvignon Blancs. The leading brands are Sula, Grover, Big Banyan, Reveilo, Four Seasons, Nine Hills, Nilaya and Vinsura, and the old stalwart Chantilli and Ivy (from Indage) — apart from a host of offerings from lesser-known wineries like Renaissance, Bluefolds, Mandala Valley, Mercury, Vin & Vouloir, Chateau D’Ori and Valee de Vin. A crowded field, and one which will keep getting even more crowded each year with wines from new wineries in Karnataka (Kinvah, Maya) and Maharashtra.
Prices vary from Rs 300-700 and are distorted by differential taxes levied on wines produced (and sold) within the state against those “imported” from outside the state (Maharashtra, Karnataka). While there’s little to choose between the many labels now on the shelf, the Bangalore Master’s Panel tastings have consistently rated Sula’s whites as being the best of the lot available in that city — followed by Four Seasons and Grover — the latter’s second-rung Sante (Rs 290 in Bangalore) is surprisingly good value for money.
The key problem is consistency of quality: white wines are more prone to getting oxidised and “cooked” by indifferent storage conditions along the supply-chain, particularly at retail shops, and one is never quite sure that the wine has not been adversely affected. Happily, the problem of cork taint has been addressed as most Indian whites are now coming with screw caps — small consolation!
Rose wines: the least-understood wine style, and one which possibly is the best-suited for Indian cuisine — rose wines suffer because they are neither here (white) nor there (red). As such, they have a less than 5 per cent share in total wine volumes. These wines tend to be less dry than the whites, should be served chilled (like the whites), and are great either as an aperitif or with food.
The leading rose in India is probably Sula’s Blush Zinfandel, closely followed by Grover’s Shiraz Rose, and the Four Seasons Blush — a blend of the above two grapes. I haven’t really come across any other rose wines that I’d like to talk about.
So there you have it — wines for the summer.
