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What Will They Think Of Next? India’s Tryst With Wine In A Can

Two can of beer, female and male hands on the background of a beautiful, wooden surface. Top view, close-up. Concept of leisure and travel

Of the ‘coolest’ trends coming out in 2020, one has to be India’s acceptance of wine-in-a-can. Albeit Sula Vineyards putting their 8 years old brand, Dia Sparkling, in cans last year, it really exploded in the markets this year. Fratelli Vineyards joined the party with their canned red, white, sparkling, sparkling rose medium-sweet wines, called TILT, recently. While the packaging, appeal and branding are utterly exciting, wine-in-a-can concept is still in its adolescence, and most believe it may be just too early to comment on its future in the country.

Is it a fad or something to stay, Gagan SHARMA, Certified Sommelier and wine educator explores. 

PUTTING WINE IN A CAN – WHO FIRST?

The first official study about the concept was conceived nearly half a decade ago in the US, which remains the biggest wine-in-a-can market. Between 2018-2019 the market has grown by 70% in the US, and 125% in the UK alone. Traditional countries like France and Italy are joining the race as well. Returning to the US, various factors have contributed to the success of this nouveaux category.

One being the ease of carrying, storing, and serving the cans. Add to that their catchy labelling and visuals, which have become absolutely imperative for the social media and Insta-ready generation (after all, they’re the fine wine genes of the future!). Others are the ease of committing to a 180-250-330ml can over a 750ml bottle, which many find a commitment bigger than marriage, or adopting a puppy. Not just the liquid, it is a financial commitment too!!

And then think of the technical jargons one has to record and decipher – the understanding of languages, regions, sub-regions, villages, crus, vintage charts, terroirs, etc. Then comes the NASA-equivalent act of uncorking a bottle, decanting it with panache, and watching it breathe. And what follows next? You drink half, and don’t know how to store the rest, since, you know, spoilage is a science by itself. Eh! Who wants that? It’s intimidating! A peppy looking can, with bright colours, a funky name, ready to rip open, and sip away, while holding a burger, a sub, or an avocado toast in the other hand, that’s more millennial-appropriate.

MILLENNIALS – FOCUS ALL THE WAY

Millennials definitely reign over the biggest portion of this pie. But, they haven’t just stuck to the basics. In 2019, over 60 percent of craft beers were packaged in cans. And cans are becoming the container of choice for beverages, think of water, coffees, soft drinks, beers, etc. Younger consumers are now perceiving cans as premium packaging. Taking advantage of this, winemakers are now making some bold moves of putting premium wines in cans, wines that can be vineyard specific, varietal specific, even vintage dated. What’s even better is that with the replacement of corks, wines don’t fear a chance of cork taint, rapid oxidation, being skunked or light-stuck, or a variety of other such complications. Yet, red wines are still to gather acceptability, the largest group remains roses and whites. Maybe the purists are hesitant to see their beloved Bordeauxs, Super Tuscans, Aussie Cabernets, or prestigious Chilean wines in an aluminium carrier just yet. After all, as we said, we are still waiting and watching.

WINE IN A CAN – AS GOOD AS FROM THE BOTTLE?

To get the stiff old school wine-in-a-bottle drinkers to see the magic of this new avatar, wine-in-a-can producers have been running trials and blind tasting tests to see if the packaging makes any difference in the quality of the liquid. Some have found that it was nearly impossible to tell them apart, giving the industry a much-needed morale boost. It does inch us closer to believing that it may after all not just be a fad, but a trend to stay.

India has added the concept to its repertoire with commendable acceptability. The price point works too. Sula’s Dia retails at INR180 for a 330ml can, at 8% abv. While Fratelli’s TILT is at the same price mark, it pours 250ml, at a higher 11%. Having said that, for the connoisseurs of even the most basic wines they both pose a challenge. One, they both offer only bubbly wines thus far, and the other, that their wines are semi sweet or sweeter. With that comes the problem – how much sugar can you imbibe? Nonetheless, not for once have I seen even the social-drinkers not get excited on seeing the cans and jumping on to try them. If they like it or not is for later, getting enthused and providing instant acceptability is definitely promising.

WHERE DO THEY FIT?

For the hospitality space, these cans offer solutions to a plethora of traditional problems. Be it spoilage, storing, portion size, disposal of glass, confusing glassware and their maintenance, easy service protocols, resolved staff training and development, being great for mini bars, in-room-dining, brunches, pool side parties, at banquets, and much more. However, is it ready to be accepted as that, only time will tell.

Some believe it will be a long wait before they are. And what about their future? Radlers, cocktails, premixes, flavoured wines? Who knows, but there’re definitely possibilities, opportunities, and innovations awaiting. Till then, you must get a can for yourself, of a few maybe, throw them in a chiller, try them for yourself and see if they satiate your wine cravings. Or do you miss the ritual of opening a bottle and a fine sommelier’s story telling too much?

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All You Mead Is Love

Here’s a story of a drink you may have never heard of. It’s mentioned in the vedas, Mahabharata, Lord of the Rings, Games of Throne, Hobbit, and many such sagas. Possibly the oldest drink on the planet, Mead is a fermented honey drink which was also Lord Indra’s favourite. It has made a comeback to India, thanks to the duo of Nitin Vishwas and Rohan Rehani, who’re leaving no stones unturned in ensuring it reaches our cups with Moonshine Meadery.

Rohan Rehani + Nitin Vishwas – Duo Behind Moonshine Meadery

INCEPTION OF A MEADERY

Many success stories start from its creators brewing an idea in a garage for years before one of them takes the leap. Rohan and Nitin did that, quite literally – from being novice homebrewers to becoming Asia’s first licensed meadery, which took them nearly half a decade. Nitin had an epiphany while reading about meads on an international flight. Upon landing, he tried convincing his childhood pal, Rohan, about re-introducing this heritage drink to India. They had nothing to base their plans and projections on, nor had any directions to follow since there were no pre-existing benchmarks or studies to learn from, thanks to the complete absence of a meaderies in the continent.

A few years of procrastination later, they finally approached the state excise department in March 2016, only to learn meads didn’t qualify for a licence under prevailing laws. Then started the long and exhausting bureaucratic process. Meanwhile, they not only set up their production site, just outside Pune, Rohan even quit his cushy job and enrolled himself into a full-time bee-keeping programme at the Central Bee Research Institute. He patiently chased the excise department consistently on the side. Nearly two years later, when they were nearing losing hopes, the news of mead finally being intronised in the Maharashtra Excise filled them with renewed excitement in July 2017. And, thus, Moonshine Meadery was born, or rather we should say, a revolution was born.

NOW WE MAKE MEAD – HIT AND MISS TO PERFECTION

The duo ran over 200 trials before they created their first meads. To save costs, they self-built a ton of equipments on their own, had a long-standing problem of filtering their final product, labelled the bottles with hand, and delivered orders in their personal vehicles. The first meads that entered the market were the Apple Cyder with Kashmiri apples and Coffee Mead with Karnataka-grown beans. Nitin recalls knowing nothing about the liquor trade when they launched in February 2018. Their friends came to the rescue. They received lessons in the sweetness level of their drinks, product pricing in retail, how to have them priced on restaurants’ menus, in trading and distribution, training and education, and often in humility. Nitin remembers posting himself as a part-time promoter at various liquor stores. He was even asked to shave his beard, and wear nothing but solid shirts. That made him learn about the magnitude of work involved, which made him depart from his corporate suit-tie-cufflink avatar in January 2018. He wears an insatiable smile while reminiscing about the early days. 

Mead Lab Series

LEARNING ABOUT HONEY + EXPERIMENTING IN THE LABS

Rohan is the honey master of the meadery. He created a network during his bee-keeping programme and now sources honey from Maharashtra, Punjab, and Uttarakhand. He recalls meeting with small farmers while searching for varietal honey, which can be rather tricky to spot in india. From there, they met with a flourishing honey aggregator (trader) who educated them about the sourcing business and often financially supported them too. Today the meadery uses seven types of honey between their flagship meads – coffee, apple cyder, and traditional – and the search for more styles is on-going. They use them in different permutations for their experimental range called the MeadLab series. MeadLab is a fun concept of creating more exciting variants with flavour combinations that the sales team, clients, friends, professionals, or their customers suggest. They’ve already created over 15 different styles like cucumber, mango, earl grey, guava chilli, orange chocolate, christmas apple pie, smoked bacon, and bourbon oaked apple. Kokum and sea salt and cocoa husk were amongst my top rankers.

When asked, why such a wide variety of flavours, Nitin chuckles while sharing that honey was always the base of historic alcohols made from fermented fruits. Using flavours in honey drinks has come through the evolution of civilisation and they’re humbly reviving the practice. He also stresses on the importance of seasonality. Honey changes seasonally, so does the basket of fruits, florals, spices, vegetables, and other ingredients. Put the two together and, well, you get two things, ins’t it? One, the confirmation that mead is a craft natural beverage with nearly no possibility of creating a consistency in batches. And the other, the uncountable possibility of showcasing the irresistible flavours fresh to the season while keeping mead as a base. And that fine balance of nature-meets-business Moonshine Meadery has managed to strike very well. 

VISITING THE MEADERY

Before the national lockdown, I made my maiden visit to the meadery in Pune. Though I’m allergic to honey, tasting that array of beautiful raw nectars shall remain an imposing life-altering moment. There were honey that tasted of orange blossoms, berries, eucalyptus, mustard, rosewood, and carom seeds or Ajwain. Meads are gluten free, vegan-safe, and lower in calories than beers. Once honey is sourced, it’s diluted with RO water and left to interact with Champagne yeast that takes upto two weeks to ferment it dry. Once it settles, it’s filtered, bottled, pasteurised, and labeled. Moonshine has collaborated with several artists to have their labels designed, which makes their bottles a collectable proposition. And they can be held on the shelves for long.

Meads, unlike beers or ciders, don’t have an expiry date, rather they get better with age. The honey flavours get further amalgamated in the drink, developing layers of complexity, and shining brighter on the palate with time. Colours also deepen. We tasted youthful and older meads, served at room temperature, which tasted much better than when chilled. Of course, this also varies from the style of mead being served, which further urges the consumers to experiment and find their own favourite style of imbibing this elixir of gods and vikings.

DIVERSIFICATION IN MEADS

To further make their offerings exciting, Moonshine Meadery is now working with Maharashtra’s tribal communities to source strains of some sacred honey. They had to painstakingly convince them that their beloved nectar won’t be exploited for commercial purposes and it’ll be held with utmost regard. Nitin shares that some tribes pray for a week before even entering the forest and heavily guard their trails to ensure no one could trace it, securing their liquid gold like a lioness protecting her cubs. These meads yield upto 13% alcohol and fetch upto INR6000 for a 750ml portion. It reminded me of the oxidised wines of Jura or a well-crafted Olorosso sherry, partially piney and resiny, utterly complex and layered with notes of sap, savouriness, animally character, sweet tobacco, and earth. On the palate, it stood astute with ethereal acidity, and an everlasting aftertaste. It wasn’t available for sale during our visit.

MATI MEAD PROJECT – LIQUID GOLD

The tribal honey mead will be a part of a bigger offering called the ‘Mati Project’. It will feature different batches of special meads, produced from single origin honey from various parts of India, accentuating their special characteristics. The plan is to work with local potters to design special earthenware bottles in which they’ll be sold. Meads, like wines, can be barrel aged, and some of the Mati meads may see some maturation depending on their individual personality and style. Since meads don’t oxidise either, Mati meads will be able to withstand the test of time over decades, and it’ll start at the meadery with a minimum six months ageing prior to release. Bottles will read ‘best after’ date, further stressing the urge to hold on to the liquid for a rather special occasion. Such liquid definitely demands and justifies a higher tag. Yet, they won’t be even a fraction of the price of your favourite Bordeaux. If you are a proud guardian of a discerning palate, keep an eye on their release as they’ll be small batch produce. 

WHAT DO I THINK OF MEADS? THE FUTURE?

So, for anyone approaching a mead must bear in mind that it isn’t a beer or a cider, and must be treated as a drink by itself. There’s way more mysticism and romance in the liquid, and definitely holds more promise than other low alcohol ferments. It’s a category that’s bound to grow rapidly and earn its spot on our shelves and the list of favourites for our Friday evening soirees. It doesn’t take too long to befriend the taste of meads, but it stays on like a cruel mistress, arresting your desire of stopping at one. And lets not forget what Albert Einstein said – if the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years to live. Now remember when you’re drinking meads next time, you’re making a small contribution towards keeping the planet alive. 

Stay alive and drink more meads, after all all you mead is love!!

True Story Bro
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Chardonnay In India Is Weaving A Revolution!

A new wine producer’s primary task is to understand the relationship between the vines, climate cycles, and the potential of the land at disposal. In India, this gets even tougher, simply because we’re off the universal grape belt of 30-50 North/South of the equator. Conventional viticultural principles don’t apply to our geography. Yet, with every passing vintage, Indian winemakers are understanding this trio better, allowing themselves an ever-growing confidence to experiment. In my recent trip to Nasik, I noticed one such continuous experiment finally bearing fruits. It’s the oak-oriented Chardonnays which India has been working on for 20 years now. They not only look most exciting and diverse, but also hold a massive promise for the future which we are yet to realise.

INDIAN CHARDONNAYS BEGIN WITH VINTAGE WINES

Unlike in other countries, growing Chardonnay wasn’t easy in India. Majority of this had to do with the psyche of the farmers. To begin with they were shy to experiment and, even though some agreed, they weren’t very happy with the results. The yields were negligible with marginal quality, and, of course, there wasn’t much demand in the first place. This burdened the winemakers to buy crops at enormous rates, making it a financial and strategic nightmare to fail at.

However, Yatin Patil, Director of Vintage Wines, recalls the economic risk, yet allowed his passion for the varietal to reign. He was undeniably the first one to take the grape to farm in 2000. Their 2005 harvest became India’s first varietal, unoaked Chardonnay. And with the arrival of new oak barrels in December that year, their 2006 crush gifted India its first barrel-fermented Chardonnay. It’s an unignorable personality with exuberant tropical fruitiness with a backbone of a strong oak accent, overall making a brilliant treat for the palate. And, let me boast, it still remains an epitome of an Indian winemaker’s courage. With Reveilo’s Reserve Chardonnay, India definitely marked the arrival of a wine-style that’ll be followed for the decades to come. Vintage Wines today solely uses Italian clones and self-grows all their Chardonnay crops. 

IN COMES FRATELLI WINES

The Italians were to take notice of this, and Fratelli Wine’s dynamic winemaker duo of Alessio Secci and Piero Masi did just that. They planted their first Chardonnay vines in 2007 in Motewadi and the following year at Garwar. They too had to begin on their own. Alessio developed the vines at their winery’s site before passing them to the farmers in 2015. To offset the initial financial risk farmers feared, they not only paid them a high per kilo price, but also offered a minimum guarantee plan, which worked in their favour.

Piero proudly submitted that he found their soils’ mineral characteristics similar to that of Burgundy. It moved them to introduce Burgundian clones to the sites. Alessio adds that it’s the minerality of their sites, combined with the highly qualitative clones that makes all the difference. And, probably, that’s why there’s no one that produces as many shades of Chardonnays in the country as they do.

They initiated oak integration with their iconic Blue Label Chardonnay in the initial year, however it’s now a virgin, unoaked expression. The urge for a completely oak-oriented Chardonnay was still bubbling somewhere in the back of their creative minds. This gave birth to their French oak barrel-fermented Vitae Chardonnay, which gained instant attention. I remember promptly lauding its quality of oak integration, lees influence, and minerality. In the times to come, the Vitae range, which also had a single vineyard Sangiovese, and an aromatic blended wine with Muller Thurgau and Gewürztraminer became a symbol of gutsy experimentation from the house. However, it has lately been delisted to make space for a new identity.

Its juices now contribute to the highly-regarded J’noon and JCB47 labels, born from the collaboration between Fratelli Wines, the Italian duo, and the enigmatic Burgundian, Jean Claude Boisset. It’s a limited release, small batch production which was destined for international markets alone, with a humble allocation

Tanks Bearing Chardonnay At Vintage / Reveilo Wines
Fratelli Wines Vitae Chardonnay

As Alessio confirms, “JCB takes the lead in the blending process and aims at bringing a taste of their own culture. He’s been instrumental at helping the label going in the Burgundy direction, which was Piero’s founding idea with the varietal.” When asked why JCB would invest in Indian Chardonnays, Alessio points out that it reminds him of the Burgundy soil from back home. Now, J’noon uses a 60-40 blend of barrel-fermented to stainless steel Chardonnay, while JCB47 is a high-quality bubbly with a base of 100% barrel-fermented wine with a long 24 months lees ageing. There’s a J’noon red as well, however, it’s the white sibling that’s captured the attention since its first introduction of the 2016 vintage which only produced 2600 bottles.

MAGIC OF HAMPI HILLS – A KRSMA OF SORTS

From Nasik to Akluj, the next Chardonnay crops were being planted in the then yet-to-be-celebrate Hampi Hills in Karnataka. KRSMA Estates planted their Chardonnay vines in 2009 which were first bottled in the 2013 vintage. They envisioned the combined influences of this virgin terroir, cool resting nights, and the unique soil type yielding a commendable expression. Vintage and Fratelli Wines had already arrived on the scene, KRSMA had taken notice of their potential. Krishna Prasad Chigurupati, owner of KRSMA Estates, strongly believed that Hampi Hills’ Chardonnay could create a niche of its own.

The initial vintages aimed at displaying the promise of the fruit, sans the wood. They kept toying with ripeness levels and winemaking styles before, in 2017, their Chardonnay interacted with oak for three months. It was partially their curiosity and growing confidence, partially the changing consulting winemaker. I remember tasting a very young expression of the wine where the liquid and oak were yet to become a single entity. A few cellaring years later, it yielded a beautifully harmonious amalgamation. Unfortunately though, the promise lasted only as long. After five successful vintages, vines demanded more nutrients than the soil could offer. In a hard decision, KRSMA Estates had to uproot the varietal. It was one of those styles that held enormous promises, but had to see an early departure. 

Chardonnay Bunches At KRSMA Estates

YORK & SULA JOINS THE PARTY

While this was happening in Hampi, back in Nasik the two neighbours York Wines and Sula Vineyards were gearing up for their expressions. Winemaker and the creative genius behind York’s wines, Kailash Gurnani, believed that making a good Chardonnay is a virtual pat on your back in the winemaking world. And his desire to make something beyond the famous whites and reds in India – Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon – drew him closer to the varietal. He realised the potential in Indian Chardonnays during the trials at Chandon India.

He planted his first Chardonnay vines in 2014 and increased plantation the following year. 2018 was Kailash’s first crush of the varietal, which was released as India’s first single vineyard Chardonnay, called H-Block. The name comes from the section on his plantation where the vines were planted. The H-Block stands out from other oak-influenced Chardonnays in India. It isn’t a typical heavily oak-influenced wine, nor would I qualify it as a fruit-forward one. It accentuates the plot’s expression and its minerality stands out amongst all the whites in the valley. It’s primarily a stainless steel fermented wine with some portion fermenting in used French oak barrels.

As he explains, “oak in wines is like salt in food. A winemaker must only use it enough to enhance the flavours. The aim is to make an overall harmonious and memorable recipe, not to glorify its parts”. 4000 bottles of H-Block were released in the first vintage and have now grown to 6700 in 2020. I’ve always lauded Kailash’s winemaking style and philosophy, it has a minimalistic approach and a strong confidence for experimentation. Though H-Block is a single vineyard wine, he would neither like it to be marketed as one, nor as a reserve wine. He sees a growing potential in the style, and, with demands soaring, it may not remain a wine of single vineyard origin.

While returning from the trip, I wasn’t surprised that I only picked Chardonnays to bring along. At the helm of it was Sula Vineyards Dindori Reserve Chardonnay. Karan Vasani, Sula’s chief winemaker, has done an excellent job of creating a consumer-friendly wine that has exuberant fruit, balanced oak integration, packaged under an eye-catching label, at a price point that allows the denizens to take a chance. Not only was this to be their first tryst with the varietal, but to label it under their iconic Dindori range must’ve taken some determination.

Karan shares their first vintage was in 2018 with about 1000 cases in production. It was exclusively sold at the winery. From there, the confidence soared, and now the production has grown five folds. In its introductory vintage, they brought new French oak barrels, hence only some portion went through barrel fermentation. In the following vintages, lesser new oak is used, with additions of a few experimental American oak barrels. Whatever their experiments be, they seem to be fairing out well. I have my eyes set on their future expressions for sure. 

York Wines H Block Chardonnay
Chardonnay Of The Future

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?

Indian Chardonnays are definitely beyond their teething stages. The promise is immense and winemakers are backing their experiments through the growing demand for the varietal. Piero Masi suggests that it can be the grape of the future, as long as guaranteed quality is achieved within a price range. Fratelli has done well with four different expressions. But he does add that it’s still challenging to grow good Chardonnay in India. He suggests holding a strong control in the vineyards. “Fratelli initially produced 13,000 bottles of their Chardonnay Blue Label, which now has grown to 100,000 bottles!!” says Alessio

Yatin Patil confidently says that Chardonnay quantities have definitely grown the most for them. And there’s further scope. He opines the key is to keep experimenting, understanding the varietal better, and aligning with consumers’ ever-altering palates. In India, fruit forward wines with some  complexity work best. The moment they get too oaky, consumers move away. Thus, it’s imperative to understand and adapt to changes, and not try to imitate an international style.

Karan Vasani is pleasantly surprised with the response, he didn’t anticipate Chardonnay will be an easy sell. Now he’s confident about putting his money on it as the style for the future. He sees a magnitude of versatility in the category and suggests consumers must try the full spectrum. He’s noted a growth in Chardonnay plantations and considers it a safe varietal to grow. He does add that Chardonnay crops are more expensive than any other white varietal being grown in India, justifying the higher price tag.

WHAT I THINK?

I’m a convert. Indian Chardonnays is where I’m putting my bets. Indian palates have definitely evolved and gotten refined. Our consumers have become smarter with their choices, and more inquisitive about what they’re drinking. They wish to learn the story behind their liquids, and Indian Chardonnays definitely have a story worth narrating. I see Indian Chardonnays being an excellent vehicle through which Indian palates can adapt to drinking oaky whites, and lean towards experimentation. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Indian Chardonnays picking awards and becoming a definitive style globally. India is seen as a hot country, and our chardonnays may just shatter that image and open minds of international drinkers as well. Much like our sparkling wines, and oaked Cabernets (blends) I’m sure to carry a few bottles of desi Chardonnays on my international tasting trips, with utter pride and passion. 

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Indian Gin

Undoubtedly, it’s the golden hour for innovations in Indian spirits. And amongst them, the blue-eyed child are the new Indian gins. With a thick Indian accent, unprecedented brio, nostalgia-suffused storytelling, and endless trials of flavours, they’ve stirred up a storm, one that the country and its tipplers hadn’t seen before. It’s so engraved now that if your Instagram profile doesn’t have a picture of an Indian gin, you’ll easily be called a social outcast. So, what’ve these homegrown gins done, in only a couple of years, that’s arrested everyone’s attention? We enquire.

British gins were the first to catalogue their botanicals on the bottle, tell their stories, and mesmerise the global population with the idea. Neither were their botanicals local, nor were they the epitomes of storytelling. Yet, consequently it became the norm. “For the longest time, western gins were taking our story, our botanicals, and reselling them to us. Now, after decades, there’s increasing curiosity in knowing about Indian botanicals and stories”, notes Anand Virmani, creator of Hapusa & Greater Than. And so should it be. After all, we were on the Spice Route for a reason. Karina Aggarwal of Terai further explains, “There’s been a global cultural shift. Everyone’s interested in knowing what they’re consuming, its source, how they’ve been cultivated, traded, etc. And with Indians travelling extensively now, their understanding of ingredients has grown drastically. There’s a sense of pride in supporting homegrown produce and how many you’ve tried”. 

EFFORT LESSLY INDIAN

Indian households, mythology, ceremonies, and rituals have for long revolved around botanicals, florals, and citruses. Be it the morning prayers around the Tulsi plant, or nimbu-mirchi hanging on trucks & lorries, or betel leaves, nutmeg, rice, sugar on puja thalis, scents and flavours have forever been the thread holding our daily lives. Put all these emotions & essences in a bottle, and it’ll be hauntingly intriguing. Accepting them will come naturally. In what’s traditionally been a dark spirit market, no one has consciously allowed such an expression that these new Indian Gins have. And it makes complete sense why we’d effortlessly get allured by them, and not position them as snobbish, but somewhat our companion. Forget not, ease and convenience is what’s driving the world now anyway.

EASY ACCEPTABILITY

Anand recalls from his earlier stint, at Hendricks gin’s launch, people enquired what whiskies were being poured at the bar. Now, a decade on, people enquire about the gins on offer. Aman Thadani, creator of Pumori, calles dark spirits a tricky proposition. “Whiskies & rums have their histories, templates, ageing, cask finishes, terminologies, etc. All this makes them pretty technical. Gin on the other hand is a free and simpler playing field”. Aditya Aggarwal, founder of Samsara, adds “Gins are easier to talk about. They create a nostalgic recall, and forego the technical gyaan one has to invest in before picking a dram”. Vidur Gupta, co-founder of Stranger & Sons, echoes the thought. “Unlike years of encyclopaedic information crunching in wine studies, gins are easy. And their mixability & versatility makes it further playful.” Karina adds, “it’s also the image of dark spirits in India, a quirky whisky bottle can also be questionable, let alone how to drink it, or the glass of your choice. With gins, there are no such moulds.”

PLAY OF BOTANICALS + IDEAS

However, the spice box of the world has so much to offer, it could be easy to overdo. Even the thought of constructing a gin in India can be daunting. Greater Than was the first craft gin in the country in 2017. Anand recalls, “we had a clean slate and could do whatever. It was equally exciting and confusing. We started with 120-130 single ingredients, then started putting them together, and the final recipe had only 10-12 ingredients”. Vidur says “we have a problem of plenty in India. There’s an endless list of botanicals we know of and even bigger one of those we don’t”. However, “No single ingredient is going to trigger someone into liking a gin. It does become a differentiating factor though, one that enriches their experience”, Anand adds. 

In such a vast expanse of ingredients, then how does one construct a gin? “Your gin distills down from your concept. We wanted to make a gin that’s bold, stands out in the crowd, is inherently Indian, and resonates with London as much as it does with Delhi. And to achieve that, our homework was to taste over 300 gins!!”, Vidur reminisces. Karina opines “though it’s a combination of various things, foremost are your personal preferences and knowing the palate of your audience. What reigns eventually is that it must be a product of provenance”. And the expression expands beyond just what’s inside the bottle. Aman puts it aptly, “put gin in a bottle versus a story, and you’ll see the difference. Before one picks a bottle, if you could tell them its inspiration and journey, the experience will grow manifolds”. Karina adds “from the label design to the bottle style, the gin needs to stand out, and have its own personality & identity. Consumers are also asking their tipples to be different, and it’s imperative that new gins do that.”

GINCREDIBLE INDIA

From these plethora of emerging ideas, one that shines is that of celebrating India. Our creators are proudly coining and nearly-boasting inscriptions like ‘India Dry’, ‘India Spirited’, ‘Himalayan Dry’ on their labels. But what are these terms and what do they signify? Like London Dry Gin, is there one that defines Indian gins? It’s simply too early to say. There’s no one India, in its geographic spread, cultural diversity, culinary spreads, languages, and attractions, there’re mere interpretations. And thats the most exciting feature in these new gins. They’ve celebrated India for Indians, that too at a time when our politics and a pandemic have divided us like never before. There’s a dire need for something that binds us together and makes us fall in love with our India again, and Indian gins are playing their part. 

Creators have very carefully and distinctly picked various features of India and put them in their bottles, on their labels, and in their stories. Haupsa, sanskrit for juniper, celebrates foraging local juniper from the snow-clad Himalayan mountains. A whiff of its gin teleports you to a rustic land with moist wood, petrichor, forest-floor, and fills you with a sense of adventure. Terai descends to the fertile & plush lowlands and has an imposing Indian accent through its fennel, tulsi, citrus, and floral hues, kindling a comforting assurance of botanicals you instantly resonate with. Stranger & Sons celebrates the Indian ghats and its agricultural diversity by putting a complex mix of spices, citruses, and aromatic botanicals in the hue. It teases you before it arrests you like a cruel mistress and doesn’t let you go. Samsara picked its botanical and aromatics reminiscing the scents at an Indian ceremony and the gin exhibits that in its floral liveliness, captivating secret citruses, and a regal khus note. And for once think, what do Himalayas, plush lowlands, the ghats, and Indian ceremonies have in common – nothing. And what’s India without either of them – nothing. And thats the play that Indian gins have mastered – there’s a union even in their diversity.

EMPOWERING THE CONSUMER

Finally, at a time of home drinking culture, where conversations around a refined drink have become the norm, gins are providing a reason to celebrate. Aditya exclaims “there’s a lot to resonate for everyone from a single sniff and sip of a gin”. Karina agrees and adds, “there’s a level of familiarity Indian gins offer, be it in the botanicals, or in their names, or designs”. Gin & Tonics have become the new norm. Vidur isn’t surprised, “we are a hot & social country, drinking chilled tall drinks makes sense”. Anand is on the same page and says “we’re in a country where whiskies are our almost national drink, but why? Drinking ideas from the EU don’t make sense in India”. Aman opines “consumers have elevated their game and for them a gin’s not a gin, a tonic’s not a tonic anymore, it’s much more”. 

Karina takes it a step ahead and claims “you can’t do anything wrong with gins, add any cordial, flavours, syrups, tonics, sodas, garnishes, throw them in any glass and it’s acceptable. Do that to a single malt whisky and you’ll get stares from every corner of the room. Unlike with some other spirits, here the consumer decides how they appreciate it. And you might be the only one who has that concoction in that pincode, which is so empowering”. And even for a humble G&T, Aditya says “there’s such sincerity in the process – cutting the fruits, getting the ice, picking garnishes, apt glassware, which elevates the aesthetics of the drink and the drinking ritual.” Sounds pretty civilised, eh!! 

India was always celebrated for its precise craftsmanship, and botanical offerings. With over a dozen gins on the shelves already, and many getting dressed to be unveiled, all in a span of 4 years, the gin revolution has been announced. There’s such promise in the category that one can’t help but anticipate more exciting introductions. If you haven’t befriended and added Indian gins to your repertoire, do it promptly. This wave isn’t calming down. 

 

First published in Sommelier India The Wine Magazine

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Summer In A Glass

Yay!! Summers here. It’s time to host endless brunches (or drunches!!), poolside parties, and balmy evening rooftop soirees. And while at them what fits well is something that makes you move the least, and pours the most. Something you don’t have to put together endless inventive ingredients for, stir, shake, and muddle, into a library of fancy glasswares to fix a decent quaffer. And think of the repeats, lord mercy!! It’s the time to simply pop open a bottle, share it with your tribe, and laze sans the effort. Kiss your dark spirits and complex cocktails away, and traverse to your wine cellars, its time for them to make you look effortlessly suave, and lift the mood.

For a true oenophile every wine is a perfect summer wine, but when the mercury drops, you need a vino that’s served cooler than your AC blasts. They must be served chilled, have refreshing high acidity, preferably have no or very little tannins, and must be light enough to simply float on your palate and quench your thirst. Any wine that ticks these four simple boxes deserves sitting in your cups.

So, simply stay away from heavy reds, boozy fortified wines, and the sticky ones, the later especially. These wines pack a devilish kiss and have immense persuasiveness to turn you into a sloth or a zombie in a single serve. Summers are the time for light, citrus, and aromatic whites, roses and bubblies. If you’re trying to fit in a red, pour it in a glass, tilt it over a page of a Murakami novel, and see if you can read a page through it. If it works, chill it, and put it up. If that’s what you fancy, say hello to Pinot Noir and Beaujolais.

WHAT WORKS AND WHY

Dry, crisp, citrus, aromatic whites are a no-brainer. A gentle sniff should transport you to the farmlands and orchards, and the juicy citrus burst should put dew drops in the scenes with their refreshing lemon-lime play. Sauvignon Blancs and Rieslings are the perfect varietals for the season. And if you’re looking for something much simpler pick up a Pinot Grigio, Chenin Blanc, or a Viognier and watch them elevate your drinking rituals.

Roses do exactly the same, along with a generous serving of panache, elegance, and personality. These pink and salmon-hued drops are an absolute delight and keep either side of the drinkers satiated. Roses have a bust of crisp citrus, a rounder mouthfeel than their white counterparts, and a husky play of tannins to keep your tongue running over your teeth, reminiscing about the last sip and gently moving you towards another.

My perpetual go-to are the bubblies. They are a no-fuss, crowd pleaser and are the easiest to manoeuvre through with a tableful of delectable dishes. Forget not, they are served the most chilled amongst all winestyles, and there’s a ceremonial celebration each time the cork pops!! Add a few spoonfuls of fresh fruits, puree of peaches or apricots, and top it up with a sparkling wine and they make the perfect spritzer. A word of advice, whichever wine you may settle with, drink their youngest freshest avatar. The pompous, late-maturing, hefty wines are for the winters, summers are for accentuating the youth.

India’s been making some really worthy wines alongside those you’ve backpacked their ways on to our shelves. Here’s a pick of our favourite wines that’ll be crowding the community tables this season:

Jacob’s Creek Sparkling Brut, AUSTRALIA

Aussies have championed the art of making bubblies, and Jacob’s Creek is an unmistakable synonym. The play of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir brings a respectable charm and balance while maintaining a crisp mouthfeel, a citrus backbone, complimenting the mouse from bottle fermentation. An evergreen aperitif, a bankable serve, amazing with canapes, and biriyanis.

Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc, NEW ZEALAND

Think of a cool, crunchy leafy salad, with arugula leaves, pears, bell peppers, shards of piquant goats cheese, and a vinaigrette dressing. Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect marriage for that. Ethereal, crisp, gripping with hauntingly aromatic notes of lime, green veggies, gooseberries, and a playful lift of white florals. Chill it to the bone and hand over a glass to even a novice and see they eyebrows lift up with absolute amazement.

Campo Viejo Rioja Blanco, SPAIN

Viura meets Chardonnay meets Espana, what’s to go wrong in that trio? Viura is a rather introverted varietal that’s meant for those who like there wines to be subtle, not in-your-face, but pack a punch in the right places. It’s crispness is unparalleled to any other varietal making it a deserving partner for seafoods and baked dishes.

Jacob’s Creek Classic Chardonnay, AUSTRALIA

Its love-affair with Indian palate makes it the easiest contender to be on the list. Limey citrus with some white fruits, a play of creamy texture, with an earthy back, it’s a timeless charmer. It’s effortless to like and even easier to polish off a bottle of before anyone even notices. Stews, baked meats, and creamy preparations and this beauty, an utter delight.

Brancott Estate Pinot Noir, NEW ZEALAND

Think of a summery red and Pinot with jump out of your brain even before the end of the sentence. And if it’s from NZ, it’s a jackpot. NZ Pinots are smooth, light, and fragrant with ample dosage of red berries, rhubarb, rose petals, sweet cherries, and can quickly develop some complexity too. Any tomato-based gravy dish, mezze, simple mediterranean preparation, of a salmon dish, put a Pinot next to it and see people fall in love with their marriage.

York Vineyards Cuvee Brut Rose, INDIA

York’s winemaking style fills the trio of sensuality, aromatics, and a flirtatious slither of complexity in every bottle. A commendable rose bubbly that has never failed to impress from its first vintage. It’s minerally, controlled on the lees, and packs ample hues of florals, red fruits, and a cherry bite at the back.

Vallonne Vineyards Chenin Blanc, INDIA

Probably the most bankable Chenin Blanc you’ve not heard of or tasted thus far. It’s brimming with varietal flavours of green fruits, acacia flowers, an leafy bite, and a lemony acidity, making it a perfect open-relish-repeat proposition.

Grover Zampa Art Collection Riesling, INDIA 

The new kid on the block is the perfect balance of citrus, tropical fruit ripeness, flavour sweetness, and honeyed notes. It’s the harmony in its elements that makes it an easy sipper, but it’s not just that. Crack open one and find it for yourself.

Reveilo Wines Grillo, INDIA 

Amongst the most under-rated whites in the country that you only need to try once to befriend. Juicy citrus, white stone-fruits plushness, a hint of candied back, and ample character makes Grillo an amazing pick. An incomparable personality on the list, thank us later.

Sula Vineyards The Source Grenache Rose, INDIA

Amongst the most respectful roses out there right now, The Source rose is for those who understand their wines well. The play of red fruit flavours, a cherry twang, flirtatious tannin profile, and a mineral grip makes it a playful yet an astute rose. A definite bankable proposition.

Fratelli Vineyards MS Sangiovese Rose, INDIA

A pleasing aromatic nose, burst of lively flavours, bright fruity citrus, a clever grip on the palate, and  a candied finish, the thought of this salmon-hued rose alone puts a smile on one’s face. Relishing it is an even better joy.

First published in India Today Spice magazine in May 2021

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Discovering Grappa’s Magic

They call it the ‘Italian firewater’ and regard it as their prized possession. Some call it the son of the waste of wine industry while others regard it as a coveted drink that defines the Italian spirit just right. Sharp, pungent, herbaceous, and highly alcoholic, ‘Grappa’ is not everyone’s cup of tea. The spirit has been around for the Italians from the turn of the fourteenth century and but never earned its due respect until a few years ago. But now the world has opened their bars for it and is becoming a connoisseurs’ delight.

Not only is its origin controversial, it’s interesting too.  One of the stories suggests that its first citations dated back to 1443 in the custom documents of Piedmont when it was called ‘Branda’ in the local Piedmontese dialect. Because it was not a brandy in true sense but a grape distillate some believe this story to be unreal. The other one states that Grappa was originally made in a town located in Nothern Italy’s Veneto region called Bassano del Grappa and that’s where it gets its name from. This sounds more credulous. But what is a given fact is that the Medieval Latin word ‘grappolus’ owes Grappa its true origin which means bunch of grapes.

So what is Grappa? Simply put, it’s a grape pomace distillate. Pomace , pronounced as ‘pomak’, is simply the moist skins and pips, or grape husk, left over from the pressings of grapes at the winery. In Italy pomace is called vinaccia, pronounced as ‘win-aa-chi-ya’, and the producers believe quicker the vinaccia comes to them the better it is. As the raw material is extremely sensitive prolonged delays can cause not only off-flavours but also lead to producing some harsh alcohol. A bottle of grappa requires 15 kilos of vinaccia for its production which comes from about 100 kilos of grapes. The stems are a complete no-no as they end up releasing methane, the deadly alcohol. Therefore, distillers believe in sourcing vinaccia only from the closest sources. For bigger facilities they store their vinaccia covered in impermeable covering topped up with sand to ensure on air is left behind. From here the vinaccia directly goes in for distillation making it unique in its own way as there is no other spirit made in which solid raw material is fed in to the distillation tanks. The tanks are specially made as they resemble a bain marie with a water bath running between the outer and the inner tanks. This prevents the skins from direct contact with the heat source and restricts sticking and burning of the skins.

Grappas were meant to be clear, i.e. unaged. With the growth of darker spirits like Cognacs, Whiskies, Rums, and the likes, in the international market the demand for aged grappas grew manifolds. As a result distillers started to mature their spirits in oaks for short periods, ideally one year or so. The oak not only provides it a darker hue but also rounds off the spirit by smoothening its sharp alcohol, acidity, and providing an extra element of flavor. Today distillers prefer to not only blend their Grappas but also age them in a variety of oaks ranging from American, French, Portugese, and Sherry casks, and also different toasts levels. 

There’s a constant debate amongst the producers about Grappa made from single varietal versus a mixed vinaccia. Black grapes are regarded to produce better distillates as they’re not only more aromatic but also produce lesser methanol than the whites. While blended vinaccia produces complex distillates, aged or unaged, connoisseurs believe that single varietal Grappas are better received by the drinkers. This wasn’t always the case though. It was Madame Giannolo Nonino in the early 1970s that started producing single varietal Grappas. To promote her unique produce she would offer her distillates for free to journalists, restaurateurs, and other clients. She would often come to these restaurants and host informal tastings of her products with the regular diners and showcase what different grape based distillates could do. Since then it became and international phenomenon and Grappa culture changed for good. 

During my recent trip to Italy we had a sojourn at the Francoli Distillery in Ghemme, Piedmont. Mr. Luigi Francoli, the founder of the facility was a known personality in area. His son Mr. Alessandro Francoli takes care of the distillery now and talks passionately about Grappa. They produce 22 different styles of Grappas and are amongst the biggest producers in the region. On asking him about how his family has seen Grappa progress all this while he says “the Grappa category as a whole is stagnant in the domestic market and only slightly growing internationally. For our company the Grappa sales are in the positive sign both in Italy and outside”. Not only in Piedmont, Prosecco giant Carpene Malvolti also produces Grappas from their Glera grape husks. Their Grappas are definitely different from those of Francoli’s as the grape is an aromatic one and showcases its potential even after everything is taken away from producing a sparkling gem. Another astonishing product comes from the house of Brancaia in Tuscany where Mr. Martin Kronenberg makes a vintage grappa every year from the vinaccia of their expensive top-end wine only from a mix of Sangiovese, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The grappa is not distilled in Tuscany but in Piedmonte, as historically intended.

Grappa was considered to be a bi-product of the wine industry. It never earned its due respect amongst the drinking class. Vinaccia was a waste and grappa received a matching stand in the society. Grappas are best served chilled in small glasses straight as an after dinner drink as it aids digestion. Alternatively, Grappa mixed with espresso was also served as ‘Café Corretto’ either in early morning or post-dinner. The working class drank it in a single shot to bring fiery heat during the shivering winters in Northern Italy. It is only recently that it has gained acceptance by the society other than the working class. If you’ve never tried it you’re in for a treat. It is an acquired taste and must be dealt with patience. Once understood, Grappa is like Cognac or single malt whiskies. 

 

First published in Spiritz Magazine in February, 2012

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Scotch Love

When Scota, the Egyptian wife of the Spanish Celtic King Milesius, invaded the island in 1699BC from Ireland, who’d have even in passing thought of the power this meagre colony would possess in the modern era. They used their advanced knowledge of chemistry to concoct beverages using native ingredients primarily to restore health and what started as a medicinal endeavour developed into producing a spirit called aqua vitae or aptly ‘the water of life’. Local farmers of these fertile lands took up distillation as a secondary occupation, converting their excess grain into whisky, seeking some extra income. The fortunes it yielded for these poor farmers were rather handsome and attractive, as also providing an alternative to their commoner local tipples and therein emerged an industry, and a drink, that have never looked back since then.

Surviving endless wars, dodging the bane of the Prohibition period and the heavy taxations that ensued, managing to usurp Cognac’s dominance in Europe and more recently, that of vodka in the US, Scottish whiskies have had a journey like no other spirit. They belong rightfully to a world of royalty, grandeur, and celebration even if they are somewhere a matter of snobbery for us Indians.

Swirling in a small-cupped stemware, a bright golden liquid with a regal sheen, gently settles in the bowl leaving lazily trails of descending tears, a burst of aromas kindle a silent excitement, providing a soul-stirring emotion – that’s the enigma of a Scotch.  Some say that a minute sniff of a dram can evoke a vivid image of the environs where the whisky originated. Whisky expert, Dave Broom, describes the landscape as a place where you can read the rocky poetry of the Earth’s birth. With an abundance of clean springwater making its way to the distilleries, healthy grains glistening in the gentle sunlight, and a familial passion seeped down generations of distillers – the stage is indeed set for this unctuous drink to be born.

In the early years (circa 15th century) , every house had a miniature pot-still distillation apparatus that produced the house’s supply of aqua vitae. While the men worked in the farms to produce the grains, it were the ladies of the house that produced the spirit and used it intelligently when someone took ill. As the knowledge of this art grew, farmers turned towards the profession of distillation indefinitely. The agricultural scene in the Highlands was much more developed than in the Lowlands and so was the overall quality of produce and lifestyle. With distillation being introduced, Highland focused on smaller batch production, and lavishly double-distilled their spirits, taking them to a higher alcoholic strength, as they yielded lesser but richer (read: pricier) returns. Lowland distillers took the easy route of rushing through the process, producing a foul and weak spirit in contrast. By the end of the 18th century, these two styles were well-established, and Highland was the preferred one. Lowland fell so far behind that today it only features three operational distilleries. Towards the western frontier was the jungle of distilleries that mushroomed so close to each other that they not only shared the dividing walls but the neighbours could actually smell each other’s spirits from their own cellars. This was the land on either sides of the River Spey, unimaginatively  called, Speyside! Just falling short of the mainland  on the eastern edge was the Island of Islay. It was banned from using coal to roast the grain for malting and the wood was mostly too moist to burn easily with a reassuring crackle. Thus, they were left with only one option: to utilise the natural resource of ‘peat’, which was compressed vegetation that had died over millions of years ago to become a semi-carbonised fuel. It burns freely releasing mammoth fumes, imparting to the grains, and consequently to the whiskies, their key character of smokiness and pungency.

To simplify the matters for the untraveled, particular regions make a particular style of whisky. Or so goes the common adage. And it is true to some extent, for a label can often help a buyer decipher just what kind of a whisky he is in for. Various stories can be narrated attempting to explain as to why the landscape is divided in to Highland, Lowland, Speyside, and the Island of Islay and further be used to generalise their respective whisky styles, and while there does exist a sort of a taste template for each region, exceptions do exist, and that’s what makes it exciting.  Approaching them from a distance, Highland scotch are marked for their sweet, fruity, and citric appeal, Lowlands are light and gentle, Speysides may be appreciated for their floral and fragrant character, and Islay malts are identified by their smoky masculinity.  However, the key to how a scotch may taste rests upon four pillars – water it uses (after all a whisky is more water than alcohol), raw material (generally malted barley, its grade, and blend), distillation finesse (speed, quality, and size), and finally, the art of blending. 

That last one, blending, is the key to every whisky, or rather every spirit  we leisurely swig. It is also the one thing mired in much controversy in the Scotch world for it launches a debate about which is better – blended or single malts –  and has kept the two schools’ tempers raging. In geekspeak, a single malt whisky is made from a single grain, in this case malted barley, while blended whisky uses a blend of grains and cereals as its base. While single malts are the crown jewel of the distiller’s art, a master blender takes pride in meticulously crafting the blended whisky every year and making it taste just the same as its first batch even after decade. In the passing of the tradition from one generation to the next, the art has remained unaltered, but some have graduated to become the epitome of their regions. In the Highland, sweetness of Dalwhinnie, tight fruity and slightly tart charm of Glenmorangie and Ardmore, and the heaviness of Dalmore have established themselves as style icons of their respective profiles . Speyside has a web of distilleries producing a range of styles to satisfy every whisky type of connoisseur. While Glenfiddich and Glenlivet bear the flag of the fragrant, floral, light-bodied, easy-sipping whiskies, Glenfarclas, Balvenie, Macallan, and Cragganmore fill the richer, fruitier style cabinet in the collection. One travels to Islay looking for what all other whiskies fail to deliver, the love-it-or-leave-it ‘liquid cigar’ alikeness. While Ardberg, Caol Ila, Lagavulin, and Laphroaig are the bad boys of the region, producing the mouth-coating fumé style, Jura, Bruichladdich, and Bunnahabhain are the alter-ego, unpeated styles of whiskies. Bowmore and Talisker aim to please both the sides and do a fair job of it. Returning to the mainland to the least populated whisky area, Lowland is the home of Glenkinchie and Auchentoshan, which are generally considered light and gentle.  

It’s often said in connoisseur circles, “A drink makes you travel without requiring you to leave your armchair.” Scotch, after wine of course, does a handsome job of keeping that spirit alive. It is a produce of nature, crafted with the art of the distiller, nurtured in the hands of a wise blender, all combined and softened with the patience of the breathing barrels, till finally it is bottled and makes it journey to you, reaching your discerning palate only so to take you back to where it all began. It’s an experience worth the pause it evokes. No matter where it comes from, you’ll be happy to go there. 

 

First published in Times of India Luxpresso in Feb, 2014

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Tempranillo – A Rockstar From Spain

rows of a vineyard in autumn

Among the grapes that capture the essence of their representative country’s wines production one must make due mention of Tempranillo and all it achieves for Spanish Tintos. Synonymous with Rioja, the variety has silently resided in every corner of the country with different names for ages. Initially, it received a slow welcome on the international scene. But, upon arrival, many authorities lauded it as the ‘Next Big Thing’.

ORIGINS OF TEMPRANILLO

Whilst it is Spain’s local find, a legend claims that it was the Burgundian monks who carried its cuttings from France on their way to Santiago, and dropped them off at the monasteries here. Following this, claims were also made that Pinot Noir and Tempranillo may have similar parentage. While that may be dubious, they do share some similarities, one being their early ripening, called ‘temprano’ in Spanish, from where the grape gets its name, meaning the ‘little early one’. Now it flourishes in the cooler parcels of Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Penedes, and Navara. With over 550 clones and mutations, it even has something to fill up the hot vineyards of Valdepenãs, Toro, and even Portugal for its treasured Ports. 

TEMPRANILLO GOES TRAVELING

Phylloxera demolished the French vineyards, in early 1880s. It resulted in a situation where they had international demands but no means of catering to them. They turned towards the Spanish vineyards seeking some remedy. Considering the climate, the French brought Grenache to make wines. The plan was to transported them to Bordeaux, bottle them, and sell as French produce. The French went back, but left a library of knowledge. However, they left behind the know-how to make quality wines. The Bordeaux recipe demanded marrying various varietals and resting them in oak for complexity.

Shortly after, Rioja took charge and not only adopted the recipe but also let Grenache flourish locally. Today, blending is ideal in Rioja reds. Tempranillo’s lacking acidity, tannins, and colour Grenache compensates. Luckily, it also improved with oak-ageing. American oak barrels are preferred. Rioja reds have earned a reputation of being ‘vanilla-scented’, thanks to this. Ribera del Duero, however, exploits the advantage of hot continental climate, blended with the altitude of nearby hills. This ensures a well-ripened acidic fruit, the pillars for the wine to age on.

SHADES TEMPRANILLOS

A well-handled Tempranillo has everything an easy drinking wine should have. From good bright colour, moderate acidity, low supple tannins, fruity flavours of strawberry, mulberries, red cherries, it has everything. Grow it in cool climates and it will provide mouth-watering acidity at the cost of low colour and tannins, rendering a quaffable wine. Too hot a climate and the wine will be tannic and thick with no structure. It is the play of climate that makes a good Tempranillo. Rioja does furnish age-worthy wines worthy of easy five to 10 cellaring years.

Howbeit, it’s the balance of heat and altitude in Ribera del Duero that produces pure Tempranillos. They’re worthy of aging up to thirty years! Houses like Vega Sicilia and Dominio de Pingus rubbish the argument against Tempranillo’s ageing potential. They’ve also earned spot in the world’s most sought-after wines, soon becoming Spanish fine wine identity. Upon maturity, it’s similar to a matured Pinot Noir, savoury and meaty, rarely too complex. They develop and produce notes of coffee beans, leather, cigar, forest floor, cedar wood, and appreciated for their ‘tobacco leaf’ character.

DRINKING TEMPRANILLO

Tempranillo has everything New World wines offer; burst of juicy fruits, supple tannins, lively acidity, freshness, and an appeal of difference. Regarding its acceptability, Australia, California, Argentina, Mexico, and South Africa have opened their vineyards to the varietals in the past two decades. India has followed suit. Charosa Vineyards, the latest entrant to Indian quality wine brigade, and the illustrious Grover-Zampa alliance are now producing worthy Tempranillo. Crediting these successful experiments, we now have something unique and playful. Especially, if Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot don’t capture your fancies anymore.

Charosa Vineyard Reserve Tempranillo, Nasik, India – INR1500 – Juben Wines, Mumbai

Country’s first pure Tempranillo red that has impressed the desi palates with its first vintage release itself. Nurtured under the cooler shadows of the Dindori hills in Nasik, the grapes ripen to their pristine best. This ensures a balance of flavours, and much required phenolic structure. Patiently maturing in French oak for a year further adds character and nuances of finesse. The nose provides a fresh burst of sweet vanilla-scented oak, sweet baking spices, and ripe juicy red fruits. Strawberries, raspberry compote, plum mash, and red cherry syrup fill up the palate soon after drawing a sip. Then, follows the refreshing acidity and round tannins, ending with an alluring and subtle aftertaste. The combination of these characteristics with a youthful appeal, and medium body makes the wine an easy-drinking proposition. Pair it with lamb stew, Malabar chicken, or even pork sausages tossed in pancetta and beans.

Grover Zampa Chêne Grand Reserve, Nasik, India – INR1700 – Juben Wines, Mumbai

With an initial limited release of only 3000 bottles, the much-awaited Chêne finally reached the shelves last year. Denoting ‘oak’ in French, it draws a picture of powerful blend with a blanket of granular oaky notes. The nose open up to ripe dark fruit notes like cassis, blackberry, dark cherry mash, and plums. The fruit is accompanied with subtle traces of warm and baking spices with sweet vanilla notes. All this bound with robust and sturdy oak. The aftertaste leaves the palate lifted with chewy yet long-lingering matured savoury tones. Touches of liquorices, roasted coffee beans, and cigar smoke follow. The wine rests in the cellars for up to three years before released. Yet, it’s worth lying it down for a few more.

Torres Ibericos Crianza, Rioja, Spain – INR1800 – Defence Store, Delhi

Owing its name to the Iberian Peninsula, the land of oak trees, home of the wood on which the wine rests during its adolescent first year to be called a Crianza. Spanish reds are difficult to not like. Torres family, guarantees quality. Delicate fruity aromas of raspberries, cranberries, red currants, sweet cherry syrups, and a touch of moist earthiness are gently wrapped with spicy tones, vanilla and cinnamon hints. A juicy palate and a round mouthfeel compliments the palate. Fruit-rich palate with an uplifting delicacy and harmony allows returning to the wine without much thought. A good pairing with lamb shanks, kadhai preparations, tandoori mushrooms, and smoke-cured ham cuts.

Torres Celeste, Ribera del Duero, Spain – INR – 3000, House of Spirits, Delhi

The celestial configuration of Ribera del Duero’s cloud-kissing hills owes the wine its name. The natural relationship between day’s bright sunlight and evening’s chilly calm promises propitious wines. And, Torres Celeste is the window in to Ribera del Duero’s finesse-bound reds. Noticeable deep colour marks the first indication about the wines strength. Matured and intense nose opens up to black pepper hints, dark olives, liquorice, toasted oak, and aged meat. Substratum of matured dark fruits compliments the ripened tannins, warmth from the alcohol, and full bodied robustness of the wine. It is an elegant drop which can age well too. Rest it for 5-7 years and relish it with a discerning grilled steak or lamb rack, charred chicken breast, Chettinad preparations, or spicy chorizo dishes.

Marquse de Riscal Reserva, Rioja, Spain – INR3860, House of Spirits, Delhi

The winery gathered international attention in 1895 when it became the first non-French winery to win the much coveted certificate of honour at the Bordeaux Exhibition. With an architectural genius that can be spotted from a distance, the winery is the mecca for quality wine production in Rioja. It effortlessly serves as a benchmark for many budding wineries. Dusty nose captured the essence of traditionalist winemaking style with notes of meat, candied bacon, balsamico, red fruit compote, touches of sweet oak, earthiness, and minty calm. Palate holds the full bodied weight supporting the ripe dark fruit notes, leathery touches, with roasted coffee beans, nutmeg, bayleaf, and toasted nuts, finishing with a velvety tannic chewiness. A good portion of paneer lababdar with butter naan, lamb biriyani, mutton rogan josh, veal schnitzel, and gamey preparations can do justice to the wine.

Bodegas Roda, Reserve, Rioja, Spain – INR 7596 – Mumbai

The mesmerising wines of Bodegas Roda are a treat and deserve a laudable occasion to be savoured. Having spent over three years in the cellars, the wine matures to the discipline of a unique character of its own. Aromas are captivating, vibrant floral note upfront is followed by rich and ripe red fruit character overlapping fresh sweet oak and baking spice tones. Soft mouthfeel with round juicy tannins allows the wine to create a rich impression. Enjoy it best with gamey meats, oven-roasted camembert with caramelised pepper and red onion, pork spare ribs, and black bean chicken.

Bodega Beronia Reserva, Rioja, Spain – INR3510, House of Spirits, Delhi

Named after the warrior tribe of Celtic origin, the Berones, who called their land Beronia, the wine is as humble and grounded as the thought of its moniker. Having spent initial years in barrels followed by a long term in the bottle, the elixir is brought to its utmost finesse. The 2007 vintage we recently tasted was a burst of assortment of aromas and nuances. Complexity takes over with notes of dark chocolate, bayleaf, cinnamon, leather, cigar leaf, forest floor, touch of aged balsamico, smoked meat, chewy wet wood, sweet oak, and hint of foie gras. Velvety delectable tannins, refreshing acid back, and soothing balanced alcohol aid in supporting the wine in its prime.

Beronia breaks the notion that Rioja’s seldom age well, it can live a healthy long life. My picks for sharing the table with would be a traditional roasted chicken dish, pan-seared red snapper, aged grilled pork chop, or a simple dal makhani.

Principe de Viana Crianza, Navarra, Spain – INR 1680 – , House of Spirits, Delhi

Navarra Tempranillos are hard to spot on any wine list in India. Known for their fleshy fruitiness and individuality, however, the reds from the region are overshadowed by Rioja and Ribera del Duero legends. Principe de Viana defined modernistic production in Navarra and the wines show the same. Even after aging it for a year in oak, fruit dominates and display notes of soft berry flavours, cassis, blackcurrant, plums, and black cherry, infused with subtle hints of chestnut, coconut, chocolate, vanilla and cinnamon from the oak. A simple easy drinking drop with good structure and balanced that can be paired with Moroccan lamb shank, kosha mangsho with lucchi, sausage platter, Mangalore style vegetable curry, even pan seared salmon.

 

Tip: Tempranillos are best savoured in their youth, only some can age.

 

 

First Published in BBC GoodFood Magazine in July 2014

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Blog Videos

52 Drinks 52 Weeks – Baijiu

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXq_wx1rqT0&t=21s

The most consumed spirit on the planet, Baijiu, is more than just a shooter or a local Chinese spirits. It is complex and has many shades. The bald sommeliers – Gagan SHARMA + Magandeep SINGH discuss its journey and production, and Rohan MATMARY fixes his take on the spirit with a Hongkong Martini.

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Blog Conversations

Conversations with Indulge – Rakshay Dhariwal

Rakshay Dhariwal is a Delhi based entrepreneur, whose ventures focus on luxury-lifestyle in the hospitality industry. He started his career in 2008 with Ayurvedic Wellness Centers in Delhi. In 2012 he made his mark on the F&B industry in India by launching the award winning speakeasy-styled cocktail bar, PCO. He has interests in the luxury beauty and grooming space with a Salon & Spa at the prestigious DLF Emporio Mall. Over the past several years, he has scaled up his F&B interests with ventures in Delhi, Kolkata and Goa which include the award winning – Jamun, Ping’s Cafe Orient and SAZ. Apart from his successful catering vertical, in 2019 he forayed into events as the co-founder of India Cocktail Week. 

Rakshay has lived and studied in India, Australia, South Africa, Hungary, Philippines, Singapore and the USA. He studied Marketing in Telecommunications from Indiana University – Bloomington. He can often be found in the private room of PCO, sampling cocktails and writing his next business plan.

What’s the best part about being in restaurant business?

You get to eat and drink for a living. Whoever said you can’t get high off your own supply clearly hadn’t figured out the art. 

What is the one thing that you wish to keep in all your restaurants?

A healthy bottom line? Lol. Jokes apart, every time I start a new restaurant – I make sure it is a niche offering that cannot be found anywhere else in the city or country.

Given a chance to establish a restaurant in any part of the world, -what would be your choice city and why?

Very subjective question as everything boils down to the investment size. If that weren’t a constraint, I’d go straight to Soho, London. You can’t go wrong there with a good product. As long as your rent is controlled, your menu is engineered efficiently, you’re staffed smartly, you’re bound to be quite profitable.

What is the most unique restaurant you have ever been to?

It would have to be DiverXO in Madrid. The 20-odd course meal was exquisite, exciting, and overall a novel experience. It was a bit of theatre with a lot of incredible trickery on the menu. A piece of advice – do not go there if you’re afraid of eating things you’re not accustomed to. 

As a leader, do you have any post covid suggestions for the hospitality industry?

The Hospitality industry? Will that even exist soon? Lol. If you’re just starting off, try and get out of this country – the opportunities are far better abroad where governments value the role of this industry, and how it plays an important role in the development of the nation.

What’s your favourite tipple at the end of a busy day?

Ever changing – current tipple of choice is a Barrel-Aged Mezcal Negroni.

What is your advice to people envisaging a startup in this space?

Not worth the hassle in this country. The government is better than Warne and Murali put together. You won’t see the googlies till they catch you clean bowled. If you have no option, like me, and you have to operate here – I’d suggest plan for the worst, and if your business plan still makes sense – go ahead. But keep in mind, what can go wrong, will go wrong, so be prepared to make adjustments to your business plans without emotion.