The Goan version

THE WINE CLUB

I tasted my first wine when I first visited Goa in 1970 "" it was a sweet and syrupy Adega de Vehla (could even have been something from Vinicola), a half-bottle of which had been left in the hotel room "with the compliments of the management".

A revelation for us yokels from Delhi; we (my cousin Jayant and I) slurped the stuff down, got mildly high, and felt happy and very sophisticated.

My tastes have changed, and I'm not about to re-start imbibing Goan wines anytime soon. The point is, Goan wines are still often the first taste many wannabe aficionados get of wine "" and mind you, the same stuff when imbibed in Goa tastes completely different: maybe the sea breeze and the swaying palms have something to do with a changed perception of quality.

Many (if not all) Indian winemakers deny that Goan wines are "wine" at all "" simply because all of them use only the Bangalore Blue grape to make their wines (and perhaps some use no grape juice at all!).

This is rather like the Scotch whisky manufacturers denying that Indian whiskies are "whisky" because they are derived from extra neutral alcohol produced from a molasses base rather than from a grain base: an argument not sustainable in the long run (see what Vijay Mallya has done).

Goan wines are cheap (Rs 25-150 per bottle), easy to drink, and widely available in Goa "" and provide the first rung of a ladder that leads to "quality" wines. They have no pretensions, and as such tend to be looked down upon by urbanites (for many of whom price = quality).

The grand-daddy of Goan wines is probably Vinicola, whose winery is housed in a century-old villa in Margao and run by the venerable Dr D'Costa. Vinicola makes a wide range of wines, but their signature Vinicola Port Wine (Rs 100) is made by a traditional port process, and is the benchmark for Goan wines.

Other Goan wine companies include Tonia (which also make the San Andre range of liqueurs); P V Vaz (whose signature gins in violin-shaped bottles are collector's items) and Goanna's from John Distillers (Rs 88 per bottle in Bangalore), the Caravalle Port No. 7 from La Monte, and the Napolean Port No. 7 from Oceanking.

Nothing prevents Goan wineries from migrating up the value-chain, and John Distillers has done just that by buying the best possible wine from Maharashtra and bottling it to international standards.

I tasted their Big Banyan Sauvignon Blanc (aromatic, a bit elusive, crisp, very drinkable) and Big Banyan Cabernet Sauvignon (bright red, fruity, balanced tannins "" nice) recently when in Goa and came away quite impressed. The range of five wines is due for launch any day.

So who says that good wines cannot be made in Goa?

The next time you go to Goa, just chill with the local brew: have the local ports or a Feni or an Urrak (drunk the way one drinks Tequila). Saude "" which is Portuguese for "to your health"!

al.chandra@gmail.com