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Wine-ing Move

Wooden winemaking barrel 3d illustration

Would it be fair to say that wine is the most remarkable elixir of the Alco-bev world? It may provoke comment, but one fact will go uncontested; that it has inspired, pushed and nudged other spirits to be better, added oomph and character to them. In a time where every drink is trying to reimagine, think out-of-the-box, reinvent, and offer the unprecedented to awe and delight patrons, ageing in wine barrels is the most relevant move. Surprisingly, this is spilling over from whiskies to agave spirits, brandies, to even coffee now. Why wines? Well, nature designed it as such; it is the only all-natural elixir. Also, it grows on its own, even in the most unforgiving terrains. And once the fruit ripens, it ferments to create alcohol by itself, soliciting no human intervention. Pairing food with wine wasn’t a luxury; it was the only way to survive—eat and quaff it down with wine. No wonder the ancients submitted to the higher wisdom of In vino veritas—in wine, there is truth and also insiration, apparetly.

THE REST BEFORE RELEASE

As far as whiskies are concerned, cask finishing has always been around, and now it’s the flag bearer of the rapidly changing whisky scene. Remember whenever you read labels like Sherry, PX, Maderia casks, Port Pipes, and the like, you’re picking up a wine cask finish. Cask-finishing is essentially moving a fully matured whisky in a used cask (that once held another alcoholic beverage) for a few months before its release. It allows the spirit to pick up nuances that it couldn’t have developed on its own. It also gives distillers the opportunity to play with their output whilst retaining the distillery’s signature style. Paul John, India’s most awarded single malt distillers do a fabulous job at this with their famed PX and Oloroso variants. They age their whiskies for over three years, and finish it for a period longer than usual for more robust results. Michael Dsouza – Master Distiller believes that the additional character that wine casks add is a ready solution to the depleting interest in age-statement whiskies of 18-21-25 years. “Consumers demand whiskies that can be relished sooner, yet have a different twang. Whisky distillers’ goals are also shifting towards creating something different. Since a lot of whisky giants also own wineries, this cross exposure comes naturally”. And with that comes premiumisation. Drinkers across the globe are paying more for these cask-finished whiskies, even deeming them collectibles. Should it be inspiration?

Paul John - Oloroso and PX casks

PUSHING THE ENVELOPE

Adding a sweet affectation to a whisky, long considered a man’s drink, is also helping make it gender neutral. Glenmorangie’s Nectar d’Or is aged in Sauternes casks, the coveted, delectable, dessert wine from France. Glenfiddich, often known to push the envelope, produced a limited release Winter Storm that was aged in the legendary winery, Pellar Estate’s iconic ice wine casks. Set to disrupt the scene, their precious 21-year-old single malt met with the elegant, suave, and delish Canadian icewine. “The aim wasn’t to make a sweet whisky, but to excite the scene, do the unthinkable”, adds Angad Gandhi, Glenfiddich’s Brand Ambassador in India. “Currently more than half the whisky makers are toying with wine casks in one form or the other. Characteristics delivered by a wine cask are unparalleled. It won’t be incorrect to assume that wine casks are the way forward. For instance, Winter Storm was sold out not in days or months, but a matter of hours. It’s a very clear indication of the consumers’ readiness”, he adds.

Glenmorangie - Nectar D'or
Glenfiddich - Winter Storm matured in a canadian Icewine Barrel

METAXA - A SPIRIT BEYOND DEFINITIONS

Alcohol has always provoked socio-cultural change. Traditionally, après dinner drinks never really took off in India since we usually drink before our meals, seldom with, and definitely none afterwards. That probably accounts for why brandies and dessert wines have enjoyed limited success in the country. However, an iconic 130+ year old Greek label is altering that one drink at a time. Metaxa puts together an aged Greek brandy with a local sticky Muscat dessert wine, along with some herbs and rose petals to create a proposition that fits into no set boxes. What was once a medicinal endeavour is now changing the way generations drink and when. Although this has been popular abroad over a dozen decades or so, India has been slow to the party, and is only befriending the trend now. “The sweetness and balanced acidity of the Muscat wine gives Metaxa a smooth and fruity taste without making it overly sweet, and when combined with fine wine distillates and herb extracts, it creates a unique organoleptic experience”, explains Constantinos Raptis, Metaxa Master.

Metaxa - 12 stars

WHERE INDIAN AGAVE MET INDIAN VINO

India’s romance with Tequilas has been a longstanding one. Now Rakshay Dhariwal is single-handedly putting India on the world map by making converts of agave drinkers. Pistola Agavepura too couldn’t stay away from the trend. KRSMA Wines, sole winemakers in the UNESCO World Heritage Site tagged Hampi Hills, produce commendable, cult-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon. Dhariwal scored a few barrels from their cellars and aged his nectar in it for two months to create the pink-hued Rosa and Rosa Select, the latter being an exquisite single-barrel rendition.  Borrowing a page or two from the playbooks of rum and other spirits, agave-crafters have been looking to wine for inspiration. Calirosa has been a leader, ageing their distillates in Californian barrels; El Mayor ages their Reposado in ex-Chardonnay French casks; Cava de Oro tops at it with their Extra Anejo aged in French red wine casks for seven years! “We put our distillate in their French oak, 225 litre, ex- Cabernet casks and the product was a stunner. We might try the same with ex-Sherry casks now,” confesses Dhariwal. “Wine is vast, well-accepted, and a premium beverage, and agave naturally does really well with them. It gets little tannic, fruity, attains depth, broadens the spectrum, and the hue is amazing. Most importantly, it adds a level of spice, vegetal, and red fruit notes which not only work well with agave, but it’s something no other barrel can deliver.”

Pistola Rosa

BEYOND CASK FINISHING

Red wine barrels have also reserved their space at distilleries. The burgeoning market for Indian single malts are now going past cask finishing. For instance, Indri Single Malt rests their distillates in ex-Bordeaux casks for the better part of a decade. “Through this, Indri offers something different. The dark and red fruit tones, hints of pepper, and honeyed sweetness lends a unique profile and texture to the liquid”, explains Prabhkaran Hundal, GM Sales & Marketing at the brand. Whiskies are a quirky proposition in India where consumers are annoyingly brand loyal and seldom venture beyond familiar labels. However, there’s been an interesting change over the past years: “Consumers now do understand and appreciate the use of different barrels and what uniqueness it lends to the liquid, to a certain extent. But this patronage is limited to the few who are well travelled and have learned to experiment”, adds Hundal. For instance, as sommelier, I can imagine the value that a Tempranillo’s Crianza can add to a rather astute whisky, bringing in a nerve of refreshing citrus, breaking the monotony of overt concentration from years of ageing, a burst of ripe red fruits, and a cola playfulness. All this from simply letting the two marry for a couple of months. This exchange hasn’t been one way, wines are being also being aged in whisky barrels now. Jacob’s Creek’s Double Barrel Shiraz, Agitator’s Bourbon Barrel Cabernet Sauvignon are just a few examples.

Indri - Indian Single Malt

TO SOBER PURSUITS

Sula Vineyards have enjoyed an interesting tryst with Paul & Mike chocolate and then with Blue Tokai coffee roasters to create some sober pursuits as well. The barrels in which they rest their best produce— Rasa Shiraz, Rasa Zinfandel and Dindori Shiraz—were put to good use. Once the wine was racked out, they were filled with 100 kilos of beans and xinterim. These were then roasted and shipped out as a limited release batch. The legendary winemaker Robert Mondavi reportedly believed morning coffee needed cream, sugar, and a generous splash of red wine. Sula and Blue Tokai have made it happen for their domestic audience. “The tannic grip, spicy lift, and an undeniable burst of red fruits made the coffee simply un- putdownable”, says Gregoire Verdin, Brand Ambassador, Sula Vineyards. And now we hear more roasters are being added to the lineup. For the most civilised drink that’s helped forge our civilisation, there’s a lot more that wines can still contribute. Like the Avengers, it’s only adding more to its brigade, empowering them further, and keeping patrons enticed, and excited for the next one. Much like other drinks need wines to up their offerings, wine needs them to break their monotony as well. And in this happy marriage, we the drinkers are the biggest gainers.

Paul and Mike X Sula
Blue Tokai X Sula Barrel Aged Blend

First published on India Today Spice, December 2022

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The Rapid Rise Of Sangiovese (In India)

Sangiovese
Sangiovese

Once the Sangiovese bug bites you, it’s hard to get rid of it. The surge in its popularity in the past few decades, through the reinvention and rampant rise of Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, is a clear indication that the bug is spreading, a bug that we’d nobly accept. India has been growing and making exemplary Sangiovese wines for a decade and a half now, and the train of their success is gaining unprecedented speed. 

The Tuscan superstar rose like a phoenix in the early 1980s. Earlier, its reputation was that of a jug-wine, served at trattorias and cafes by the litre, a touristy picnic wine sold in straw-wrapped flasks, a sporty, funky, spritzy nectar that you’d drink, regret, and forget. It’s only after new age Italian winemakers embraced modern winemaking techniques that Sangiovese rebuilt itself from the ashes of the past mistakes and ignorance of handling it with intent. The use of barriques, blending it with international varieties, careful clonal + site selection, aiming for low yields, all aided in making it not just the top varietal from Tuscany, but a dominant Italian superstar. And that’s earned it its travelling rights to Australia, California, South America, and India.

India’s love story with Sangiovese began in 2006 when Yatin Patil, founder of Reveilo Wines, planted the first cuttings from Italy. “We studied the climate, temperatures, soils, and cycles of our plots based on which our Italian winemaker suggested a few varieties. Sangiovese was one of them, and since it has been amongst my favourites too, we had to plant it”, says Yatin. Fratelli Vineyards followed suit and planted the varietal in Akluj in 2007. Alessio Secci, co-founder and winemaker says “our reason was simple, it’s the grape of Tuscany, and Late Piero Masi hailing from Chianti Classico has famed expertise over the varietal. Even if there was no certainty of quality, we were keen on trying it. Piero found the terroir of Akluj similar to Montalcino, it’s at an elevation of 650meters, lacks ocean influence but has identical soil and climatic conditions, it can take heat, is water resistant, which works for our vineyards”. And in that sense, Sangiovese is easily the most obliging grape. It mirrors where and how it was grown, delivering fun, juicy, wines to complex, age-worthy reds given its handling, something that’s turned around its fate in Tuscany.

Hampi Hills based KRSMA Wines also toyed with the varietal. Their varietal Sangiovese, introduced in 2012, soon became one of their most loved expressions. It took me by surprise when I noticed it in American-based Esquire’s Master Sommelier series ‘Uncorked’ as the wine that completely throws off all the tasters in a blind tasting, and further surprises them about its quality and Indian origins. Uma Chigurupati, founder and viticulturist at KRSMA says “Sangiovese is a popular grape, it doesn’t need introduction, and is easily acceptable by consumers. For us, alongside Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese was amongst our first choices as it works well in Indian conditions. It shows the minerality of our region exceptionally well. However, given our drought-prone vineyards, Sangiovese had to be uprooted and isn’t in production for now”.

Indian winemakers have also been successful with balancing Sangiovese, which often even Chianti producers struggle with. Sangiovese means the ‘Blood of Jove’ and I’m confident it’d be deep and thick. It enjoys high acidity and tannins but delivers a fugitive colour. With focused site and clonal selection, some additional TLC, and unhindered warmth Indian vineyards enjoy, India packed Sangiovese’s biggest sorrows away. “Sangiovese is a light variety and tends to oxidise easily, unless there are high tannins. To get good colour from Sangiovese is difficult. Surprisingly, we got it, sent it to Italy, and they were surprised”, recalls Yatin. “Sangiovese in India develops thicker skin, thus delivering high colour and tannins. We need to take care of the heat it gets in the vineyards otherwise it can lose its beautiful aromas”, Alessio adds

Yet, if you don’t achieve great colour, Sangiovese makes worthy rose wines. Alessio says, “Our MS Rose is a 100% Sangiovese showcasing the vineyard’s expression. Very little work is done on them in the winery. It uses fruit from our own vineyards, and we intently made it in a refreshing, fruit-floral forward style. We must’ve done something right that it stands tall as the most awarded rose from India”. Fratelli is the sole Sangiovese-based rose maker in India. However, Yatin and Manjunath V, VP viticulture at Grover Zampa, agree with him on making brilliant roses with the varietal.

No other winery has exploited a varietal the way Fratelli has exploited Sangiovese. And so they should, with their Italian-accented wines and Piero-Alessio duo’s experience. They produce five variants, from a unique Sangiovese Bianco to their iconic Sette. “No doubt we have the most expertise of Sangiovese in India. And the five styles show both, what we know, and Sangiovese’s versatility”. Late Kapil Sekhri, cofounder of Fratelli, was presented a white Sangiovese by a producer in San Gimignano, Italy, inspiring him to make one in India. Grapes are harvested early for high acidity and put through a usual white wine process. You have to try it to understand it. I admire this wine and highly recommend decanting it before relishing it. It’s amongst the most dynamic white wines from India, leave it in the cellar for a few years and it’ll develop smoky, crusty, complex notes like a decent Chablis! Their classic Sangiovese is inspired from Chianti Classico style, made to show varietal characters, haunting aromas, and its signature ‘black tea tannins’. MS Rose stands for its commendable balance of freshness and complexity. The MS Red is a blend of 75% Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc, and Shiraz. Even though it sees no oak, Alessio shares that it was made to replicate a Chianti Classico Riserva, and it shows complexity, homogenisation from supporting varietals, and charm that only grows with its age. And then there’s the crown jewel, Sette. Its success can be gauged from its soaring demand – from 5000 bottles in the first vintage to 80,000 bottles now – all this while maintaining the quality it’s known for. “Finding balance in the vineyard, identifying the right parcels, and selective harvest is tricky, but that’s what makes a Sette”, Alessio adds. Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese are fermented and aged separately, and then blended to show vintage’s influences. It rests for at least 12 months in barrels, additional 3 month in tanks after blending, and 3 months in the bottle before it reaches the shelves. “Without Sangiovese there’s no Sette”, Alessio declares.

So with all these varied styles, what does the future hold for Sangiovese, what would we present to the world as our expression of the varietal? There’s some consensus on that amongst winemakers. Manjunath says, “making a 100% Sangiovese is difficult, rose wines are good, blends are better”. Grover Zampa recently released their super premium range called Signet. Amongst them, a five variety blend called Signet Spectrum features Sangiovese as well. Yatin also agrees, “We tried barrel fermenting our Sangiovese, but couldn’t agree with it at the time. Sangiovese, as shown by the Italians, can grow into a premium range like Brunello di Montalcino and Chiantis, However, it needs blending”. Alessio too concurs, “the Sette style, blended and aged, has the maximum potential. It promises approachability, drinkability, complexity, and age-worthiness that all great wines have. It’s the future grape for premium quality wines in India.”

There’s more promise in the varietal than just this. My most preferred wine from Fratelli’s arsenal was the now defunct Vitae Sangiovese, a single vineyard, varietal Sangiovese, made in a Burgundian Pinot Noir style. It was light, pale coloured beauty, that arrested your attention from the first sniff, displayed mouthwatering acidity, supple tannins, with a burst of red berry flavours. “It was the right wine at the wrong time”, Alessio remembers with a smile. He shares he hasn’t given up on that wine yet and will attempt at reviving it sometime in the future. Alessio also shares the one style that hasn’t been tried but he would definitely try soon is a dessert wine. ‘Occhio de Pernicie’ is an Italian red sweet wine made much like a vin santo where grapes are dried and fermented in barrels, and left to age for a minimum of 6 years. Ageing a sweet wine in India for over half a decade is unheard of but a red sweet wine would be delicious, I say let’s do it Alessio! 

The Chigurupatis at KRSMA also indicate reviving the varietal in their vineyards. Reveilo hasn’t yet produced a blended wine but at my last visit to their winery I was offered a surprise, a glass of wine still in its nascent phase. It was definitely a blended wine and I would’ve happily packed a few bottles. Is there a premium blended wine coming from their arsenal soon? We’ll wait and watch. Manjunath wouldn’t reveal much but from experience I can confidently say once Grover Zampa adopts a variety they thoroughly study it. Now that Sangiovese has made it to their super premium range, we’ll definitely see more of it from them. 

From an abject failure to a revival driven by high ambition and extreme seriousness, Sangiovese has risen like a no other Italian varietal has, and it now stands amongst Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Nebbiolo, Merlot, as a global classic. As Oz Clark puts it, “Sangiovese shows real class imbued with Florentine arrogance and austere haughty beauty that makes no effort to seduce, demanding you to make efforts to understand it”. It’s a wine for someone who finds pleasure in pain, the pain to understand the variety, treat it with care, mould it with intent, marry it with a good partner, and let it age into a wise soul before judging it for its true character. If you have the patience, Sangiovese is the one for you.

First published in Sommelier India Wine Magazine, October 2022

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14  Indian Wines That Get Better with Age

There are some great cellar-worthy local wines in the market. Know which ones to buy, and how long you should pack them away

The rules of the wine world don’t apply to India. We’re off the grape belt, don’t have the most congenial climate for winemaking, not all classic varietals work here, and the industry is too young to be defined by wine styles and appellations. Against all these odds, Indian wines have flourished, built a fast-growing local market, earned international acclaim, and awards by the dozens. These are all a testament to them being on the right path. And I’d go an extra mile to say we’re at the cusp of the golden era of Indian wines. The best of the local wineries, who persevered through the tough early days, now boast of the prowess of at least a decade and a half of harvests under their belts. Not a surprise, then that we’re churning out many high-quality wines that deserve a special occasion to be uncorked. 

What is a cellar-worthy wine? 96% of all wines made around the globe are meant to be drunk within six months of their production, called ‘quaffable’ wines. Winemakers prepare their nectars and release them within six months with the understanding that it will be drunk before the year is out. This rest of the 4% of world’s wines go into the cellar to be aged and enjoyed after time unleashes its magic in them. It takes a few birthdays for these wines to mature and are best drunk after a half a decade or more.

The grapes that go into their making are cultivated with much scientific care, discerningly picked, and turned into wine using special treatment. The wine is aged in a controlled environment,  dressed up in the best of bottles and packaging, and of course sold at a huge premium to the quaffable variety. They’re often called reserve wines. In the new world (in wine terminology old world refers to European countries) like New Zealand, Australia, Chile, and India, that word holds very little value because of a lack of wine specific regulation. In European countries there is a long checklist of conditions before wines can be given the title.

Cellar-worthy wines are the ones to be stored in your wine fridge or at the back of your wardrobe and forgotten for a few years or sometimes even a decade. How do you decide that? Well, either the winery will tell you, or you’ll have to take a bet. Even better, ask your sommelier friend, that’s me! Most times the wineries age these wines themselves and release them at their peak. But on many occasions the wines  are released early and the buyer has to do the ageing. While the former has a guarantee of being well-kept, it comes at a high cost, a rarity value, and limited supply. In the case of the latter however, the wine is much cheaper since you don’t pay for storage and care. You can buy a full case and stack it in your personal cellar, and take a chance on its maturity by uncorking one every other year.

Over the years I have found Indian reserve wines an excellent value for money proposition. It is a worthy entrant in your cellar, and if you’re new to this game, they should be your new best pals.

Here’s a cheat sheet of Indian reserve wines that are worth buying now.

Grover Zampa Vineyards Chene Grand Reserve Tempranillo

The first still-produced reserve red wine in the country with the La Reserve label, Grover Zampa’s   Chene is a blend of the Spanish varietal Tempranillo and Shiraz. Chene, meaning oak, indicates the dominant tone it picks during prolonged barrel ageing in premium French barriques (225 litre barrels). Tempranillo dominates the flavour while Shiraz fills it with tannins, provides the structure, the dark shade and the spicy flavour, making it an intriguing drop for a developed palate. Half a decade of ageing after its release is mandated.

Rs 2000 in Karnataka, Rs 2200 in Maharashtra

Grover Zampa Vineyards Chene Grand Reserve Chardonnay

A fairer sibling of Grover Zampa’s successful red, this wine is  barrel-fermented before being aged. The flavour is a delicate balance between white and yellow tropical stoned fruits, nuts, spice, gripping oak, and refreshing citrus acidity that washes the palate as it leaves and prepares for the next sip. This wine can be uncorked, if needed, from an early age and  relished with fish and mild Indian preparations. But ideally should be left in the cellar for upto 5-7 years.

Rs 2000 in Karnataka, Rs 2200 in Maharashtra, Rs 2220 in Delhi

York Vineyards Arros

Handcrafted by the talented Aussie-trained winemaker Kailash Gurnani, its early renditions that I tasted felt like ‘Bordeaux Cabernet meets Aussie Shiraz’. Over the years, the blends have changed but the quality has remained top class. The yet-to-be-released 2020 Arros is a pure Shiraz, and probably the best so far. Pick a few bottles, uncork some and relish with a good meaty dish, and let the rest sit for a worthy occasion. I recently uncorked the 2012, which was excellent with the potential to get better if aged a few more years.

Rs 1400 in Maharashtra

Sula Vineyards Rasa Cabernet Sauvignon

Rasa made big waves recently with a minimalist new label, a departure from the earlier big and bright smiling sun. The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is a discerning drop which if aged for 5-6 years can turn into a gastronomic delight. It has the tannins and the acidity to match the astute structure, and will surprise you with its primary flavours even after a decade.

Rs 1850 in Maharashtra, Rs 2450 in Delhi

Sula Vineyards Rasa Zinfandel

An underdog amongst prime contenders for the finest red in the country, Rasa Zinfandel  surprises you every time you uncork it. It has ripe and gritty tannins, refreshing acidity, and brilliant notes of dark and red fruits making it a great pairing partner for a varied fare. Given those strong  tannins, it is best cellared and forgotten about for at least 5 to 7 years. Goes well with a good steak, a meaty stew, or a rustic Indian mutton.

Rs1510 in Maharashtra, Rs 1440 in Delhi

Fratelli Vineyards Sette

Since its entry in the  late 2000s, Sette has been synonymous with cellar-worthy reds. I’ve travelled with the wine to present it at several international tastings only for the crew to be left astonished that it was a ‘desi’ and not an Italian Super Tuscan. With the blends changing every year, as destined by nature, Sette’s library of vintages also make it a collectible. Depending on the vintage the wine can easily stand the test of time over a decade, I’m still holding on to my 2009!

Rs 2000 in Karnataka & Maharashtra

KRSMA Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

The only winery in the Hampi Hills, KRSMA enjoys a cult following and a ‘pick at sight’ sort of respect. Cabernet Sauvignon was the first red wine release from the boutique house and has remained their top gem. The 2012 was a fantastic vintage but it’s the 2016 that shows the perseverance of the family when it changed its personality from a restrained Bordeaux style to a lavish, fruit-forward, structured Californian style. No matter what the vintage, currently 2017 is on offer, cellar and relish it not before its 10th birthday. It’s a wine whose uncorking is an occasion in itself!

Rs 2000 in Bengaluru, Rs 2660 in Hyderabad, Rs 1900 in Goa

Reveilo Wines Reserve Chardonnay

Never was Chardonnay barrel-fermented in India until Reveilo showed the way, back in 2006. Many big names weren’t even born then! It could easily be touted as the first (proper) ‘reserve’ white wine in the country, and for me it represents the epitome of quality winemaking. There’s fruit, there’s crunch, a pleasant citrus acidity, an oaky lift, a touch of tannins, and a pleasing buttery finish. It is a culmination that any discerning palate would relish. A must have in every cellar! Age it for at least two years though.

Rs 1395 in Maharashtra

Reveilo Wines Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

The darker sibling of the same label, Reveilo’s Cabernet Sauvignon is  a collector’s delight. Unlike the white it is not barrel fermented, but it sits in the barrel for a year before being bottled, further aged, and released on the shelves. Worth ageing for at least five years, or maybe longer. Once it wakes from slumber it dances on the palate, captures your attention with every sip, and takes centerstage at the discussion table. A well seasoned lamb rack with mint sauce or a Rogan Josh and rice with this beauty is a match made in heaven.

Rs 1495 in Maharashtra

Vallonne Vineyards Anokhee Cabernet Sauvignon

Anokhee is the top label from the family-owned boutique Vallonne Vineyards, and thus demands top price too. It sells out faster than any other label and is rarely ever available on the shelves. A special journey to the winery just to score a few bottles is completely worth it. The Anokhee Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys the reputation of being the only Indian wine listed at Waitrose, London. It’s rare that you’ll find it on the shelves, but if you do, I’d suggest buying  a case and ceiling it in your cellar for at least a decade. It is easily among the most ageing-worthy red in the country right now, lay it down for easily a decade.

Rs 2700 in Maharashtra

Vallonne Vineyards Anokhee Syrah

While their Cabernet Sauvignon is highly celebrated, I’d bet on their Syrah’s future, especially the 2020 vintage. It’s a pick from various vineyards, and blended to create the harmony their previous vintages haven’t enjoyed. Syrah is the softer version of the in-your-face gritty, punching, boastful Shiraz. It is not  oak-heavy, but fruity, floral, juicy, and astute. I scored a few bottles signed by their shy winemaker on my last visit to Nashik. It will sit in my cellar for at least seven years before I uncork and relish its unique personality.

Rs 2700 in Maharashtra

Fratelli Vineyards JCB 47 Brut Sparkling

A Fratelli collab with  French vintner  Jean Claude Boisset, whose company runs 28 wineries in California, Canada and France, this single vineyard bubbly is an ode to the year of  India’s independence. A pure Chardonnay, the base wine is barrel-fermented before being bottle fermented, released not before its second birthday. Sparkling wines  get better and more  complex with age, gaining minerality and nuttiness  that go well  with mushrooms, truffles, fatty fish, and seafood. It is aged at least for a year before being bottled, I would recommend a further 4 to 6 years in your cellar for peak maturity.

 Rs 3500 in Karnataka & Maharashtra

Reveilo Late Harvest Chenin Blanc & Vallonne Vin de Passerillage

Sweet wines  haven’t yet received the regard and praise they deserve, in India. Reveilo’s Late Harvest Chenin Blanc and Vallonne’s Vin de Passerillage are among those that come up tops at  blind tastings across the country. While Reveilo’s LHCB is honeyed, tart, furry, and tropical notes driven, Vallonne’s VDP is floral, limey, and golden raisin driven. They are  both vivacious in their youth, but definitely worth cellaring from a couple of years to over a decade. Reveilo’s LHCB is easily available, but Vallonne hasn’t produced their  dessert wine since 2017, and we don’t know when they will. So if you spot them, grab them, and hide them at the back of your cellar.

Reveilo LHCB – Rs 895 (375ml), Vallonne VDP – Rs 1500 (375ml), both in Maharashtra

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Spreading Sweetness and Light

All about Mead. The new dessert wine that’s made of honey and produced environmentally. Gagan Sharma tastes it and is delighted

India’s relationship with honey is similar to that of having an undercover agent in the family. You know them, have grown up with them, but do you really know them? In December 2019, a report claimed the majority of Indian honeys were fake, adulterated, or chemically tweaked. It kindled a conversation about understanding them better. For an oenophile, there’s more to honey than just adding it to their breakfast spreads, in desserts, or in cocktails. There’s also mead, an ancient fermented alcoholic beverage gifted by the Indians to the world, which has been on the rise since its return in a nouveau, polished avatar about five years ago. And amongst its flag-bearers is Arka, an exotic dessert drink from Maharashtra.

Priyanka Save, a mechanical engineer by profession, was producing Fruzzante where she, along with Canadian fruit winemaker, Dominic Rivard, turned fruits into sincerely crafted fizzy alcoholic drinks. Based out of Bordi at the northern tip of Maharashtra, Fruzzante is the world’s first Chikoo (mudapple) winery that also produces drinks with starfruit, pineapple, orange, mango, and strawberry. On one of his visits in 2017, Dominic caught a cold, and to soothe his itchy throat, Priyanka gave him a remedial concoction of warm water, spices, ginger, and honey. Dominic of course loved it, and enquired if it could be infused in their sparkling chikoo drink. This was enough for Priyanka to put her mad scientist hat on and begin experiments around fermenting honey. She has forever been passionate about showcasing the brilliant natural offering of her region and this was her unprecedented chance to bring glory to the neighbouring Palghar tribal belt, whose golden nectar she’s been relishing since childhood. She jumped on the wagon, and a few months later, with assistance from Canadian mead-expert, Jay Hildybrant, Arka was born.

Priyanka says, “honey and mead find mentions in the vedas, they were consumed by the Pandavas, by royalties, and dignitaries. A lot of inspiration for Arka came from those periods. Honey is an extract of flowers, and Arka is the ancient Sanskrit term for that. We understand people relating honey to luxury & sweetness and that’s what we wanted to put in the bottle. Also, we knew it could later be exported, hence the bottle and the label had to bring in Indian elements like the stamp, elephants, etc”. While at it, Priyanka shares ‘Madhu’ was amongst the initially proposed names, a common Hindi moniker for honey. However, Maharashtra’s excise policy prohibits any alcohol being named after a woman’s name! Though stupid and funny enough a rule, I reckon ‘Arka’ aptly exhibits the philosophy of the drink.

When I tasted Arka from its first 2500-bottles batch I was pleasantly surprised. It was aromatic, perfumed, had surprisingly refreshing acidity, a pleasing furriness on the plate, and wasn’t cloying at all. It was something that could be relished often, than be held on to like a botrytised Semillon from South Africa or Australia, or an expensive, occasion-worthy Sauternes. The honey is sourced by the tribals inhabitant of the forests where flowers grow wildly, which moved Priyanka to christening it as ‘wildflower honey’, against multifloral as it’s generally called. Water is also sourced from the nearby stream that provides yeast essential nutrients to work. Unlike wines, where yeast is rendered inactive by dropping the fermentation temperature or adding sulphites, with Arka fermentation is arrested by adding more honey, suppressing the yeast than killing it. This not only sweetens the drink, it also helps retain the honey’s original character that blossoms even more with aeration. The honey is organic, sourced from the wild as it’s supposed to be, mixed with naturally sourced water, no sulphites, no killing of the yeast, Arka is the true ‘arka’ of nature we say!




Arka, described as a wildflower honey comes in a distinctive bottle with a special cork and is imbued with several botanicals

At my first tasting, my instant reaction wasn’t just wow! such a delicious drink, instead it was wow! so much can be done with this drink. You see with dessert wines the idea is to capture the grape’s varietal character, and no flavour additions are permitted. However with meads, there’re no restrictions. Honey being a strong character even if fermented dry retains its sweet flavours, to which a plethora of botanicals can be added. Priyanka knew this from the start. Being an oenophile herself, she allures the mouthfeel of oak and tannins in a well-made red wine. Wanting to duplicate that she started toying with flavours and rose petals came in as a natural progression. They’re considered regal, a symbol of romance, the utmost sign of purity in Indian mythology, and it fitted precisely in Arka’s philosophy. Dried rose petals added that furriness, the grip, and gave it a commendable body that any discerning wine would be lauded for. We tasted it straight from the tanks at the winery in March last year. From the first whiff it arrests you like a cruel mistress and doesn’t let your attention waiver. It comes capsulated with a special cork that allows the mead to breathe and live until it’s consumed, and then it becomes a memory.

After Rose Arka, the team went tad loco and playing with flavours became an obsession. Priyanka found herself naturally drawn to the Palghar belt again, this time for the Konkan Bahadoli Jamun berries. Priyanka confidently says “we look for ingredients that impart flavours, and are close to Indian hearts. Who hasn’t enjoyed these dark, gummy, juicy, teeth-staining berries?”. Rightly so. These local berries have a thin skin that doesn’t allow the drink to get too dark or tannic, but impart enough to be treated like a red wine. Jamuns are deseeded, pulped, and added to the base Arka mead before being sweetened. Much like a wine, it’s then rested in ex-wine neutral oak barrels for about 3 months before returning to the tank for stabilisation, bottling, and shipping off. 

Rose Arka is a dessert mead flavoured with dried rose petals

Experiments continue, and now Arka will soon have two more cousins. The next one is a limited release batch in collaboration with chef Varun Inamdar. Apart from being a super-talented chef he’s also uber passionate about chocolates, and can single-handedly be deemed responsible for driving Priyanka to set trails with them. South Indian cacao nibs are lightly roasted before being infused in the base of the original Arka mead for about a week before being sweetened, rested, and released. The one after that will fill the bottle with single origin honey from Vidarbha region and famed Nagpuri oranges. That’s a combo that can’t go wrong, right? But, this one may be at least a year’s wait, and knowing Priyanka’ perfectionism, it may even be longer, so we shouldn’t get excited just yet. After all, there’s so much to come after that…

Meads are gluten free, guilt free, and way more versatile than what we have put on the shelves in this short span of five years. They’ve definitely excited us and made us look at our alcobevs in a different light, an environmentally and consciously driven light. Fruzzante brought glory to many Geographical Indication tagged fruits, and now with Arka that family is set only to grow further. What Arka does is it brings along a better understanding of honey, meads, our agricultural richness, and commends the efforts of the families behind the nectars. It’s a celebration of Indian ethos, the rich cultural heritage, and our senses. And if you’re still not convinced, remember what Einstein said – the day bees die humans will have only four years to live. With every sip of Arka you’ll make the earth breathe and be a more sustainable place to be at. It’s the essence worth having.

Arka MRPs – MH + Goa 

Rose – INR1095

Original & Jamun – INR1050

By April it would be available in Rajasthan Delhi & Punjab, prices will vary

 

First Published in Sommelier India Wine Magazine, 2022

 

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New Visual Identity Reflects Confidence

How do you know Indian wines are marching ahead with confidence and pride? It’s when the biggest producer makes an identity revamp, and departs from their mascot, that too for their top liquids. It’s not only a courageous statement of individuality, but also India’s proclamation of its induction in the serious winemaking society. The big bright sun smiling across Sula’s label has been synonymous with many Indian’s first encounter with wines. Their classic range has been the benchmark for relishable & reliable wines in the nation. Their top brass, however, is now nonchalantly moving away from this nostalgic grip. First The Source, and now with the new vintage release of RASA, Sula is humbly retiring from the guidance of that sun. Their new visuals are effortlessly modern-contemporary, sleek, and minimalistic, displaying the elegance and class the bottle encapsulates.

Disseminating Wine Education

From their beginnings in 1998, the giant Sun has brought promise of quality, consistency, and vivaciousness. Now, neither the Sun, nor the family’s name is to be seen on the top labels anymore! Rasa is Sula’s celebration of craftsmanship and its best vineyard sites. It now carries a neat white label displaying only the essentials – name, vintage, varietal, and Nashik, India. And it is not just the efforts being put in reconstructing the label, but also what they hold. There has been a massive technical study and altered barrel regimen that has gone into crafting the blends. And to exhibit that, Sula hosted the first of what will be an annual affair now; its maiden Monsoon Tasting with a select few sommeliers. In a two-day rendezvous between their winemakers and the invited professionals, Sula hosted several masterclasses to make professionals experience the subtle nuances that make the final blend. The exercise did put the professionals in the winemaker’s shoes; getting engaged in tasting raw liquids from tanks, different barrels and oak styles, and more. In a first for most, the winemaking brigade gave the guests the work of blending their own cuvee, which was as educational as it was fun.

Reflecting Confidence on the Product

Now if someone asks, is it a gamble for Sula? Have they made the label too simple? I’d believe otherwise. India is picking up accolades across the globe at reputed international competition purely for its quality. Till that remains unchanged, all doubts are unwanted. Reading Sula’s name on the bottle is definitely assuring, but even more is their self-confidence in their liquids that stands out, sans the branding support. 

Fratelli has rebranded and so has the international powerhouse of Chandon. Changing their visual identity is always challenging and a risky task. But with a global agreement in India’s produce, it seems more assured. At the same time, a commanding message to the denizens, to look beyond the label.

First published in Spiritz.in,2022

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Articles Honey Mead

Alco-bev trend: To bee or not to bee

Mead is reclaiming its hallowed roots, promising not just a flavourful, spirited alternative, but it weighs in on the sustainability narrative too.

Arkä Honey Dessert

If Adam and Eve were to put down the apple and pick up a drink instead, it could only be mead. The teetotaller Einstein once prophesised that the day bees die, humans will have only four years to live. Then, could he have possibly been drinking something else? And it was only mead that ensured Pandavas survived their exile in the pitiless rugged wilderness. The oldest beverage known to mankind is now making waves in India too; its birthplace, where it all began. Yet, it’s still under covers, waiting to be unveiled and deciphered. 

 Mead is nature taking the bees’ work and turning it into another discerning gem. Honey is fermented producing 4-16 per cent abv with varied sweetness and fizziness, to which further flavours can be added. Traditionally, these were either fruits or spices, adding to the medicinal, antibacterial, antioxidant values of alcohol in the first place, hence the expression ‘davaa daaru’! Honey in itself is a soother and the loosely grouped term ‘madhu’ has represented alcoholic beverages in India since the Vedas, thus bars were christened ‘madhushala’, inspiring poets likes Ghalib and Harivansh Rai Bacchhan. Our alco-bevs have revolved around honey, so has our civilisation, toting honey as the only antidote to all deadly pandemics, apparently. And as with all things old; traditions revisit as a second coming. So also with meads which is being resurrected with glory and passion.

Old Wine in a new Bottle?

Moonshine Meadery’s recent quirky stint at Shark Tank India kindled countless conversations. The Indian gin craze and meads approximately began at the same time, circa early 2018. While gins have created a revolution, half a decade on meads are yet to be completely decoded. Something as rudimentary as setting it as a category in itself has been a task. Though it comes in a pint bottle and our excise lists it as wine, you’ll see #MeadIsNotBeer trending on Instagram, which, let’s agree, is the ultimate socially-befitting court of decision!

Mead to Order

Many urban warriors are reviving the art of beekeeping now. Rohan Rehani, Moonshine Meadery’s co-founder, quit engineering, and mastered the art through a professional qualitification. And in the hunt for the most sustainable, purest, and varietal honeys they’ve setup their own namesake honey brand. Is it really the purest though? Well, here’s a true story. I was born allergic to honey, a reaction so strong that a teaspoon would land me in an ICU. Until I visited Moonshine and dared tasting their varietal honeys, and buying 8 kg over the following weeks. Turns out, I was allergic to fake honey (or foney as we call it now), and had never experienced the real stuff!

Why the move to meads?

 

Unlike beers, (most) wines, and spirits, meads are gluten free, and low on calories too, taking away the guilt of nursing a beer-belly or chubby cheeks. Unlike the stubbornness of the universally written rules around Witbiers, Hefeweizens and wines, meads have no limitations of style, sweetness, and what goes in it, minus water and honey of course. “There’s a dearth of flavourful beverages in the country. We bring in a cultural nostalgia too working with flavours like Bhoot Jholakia chillies, coffee and jasmine that’s very southern, mangoes and pineapples that we’ve grown-up with, Kokum that every Maharashtraian-Goan house has, etc”, says Nitin Vishwas, Moonshine’s co-founder. Priyanka Save, co-founder of Arka Honey Dessert too has brought rose petals, jamun, orange, and cocoa to the spectrum. 

What sets mead apart

Apart from the playfulness, no-expiry tag, and versatility, it’s their ability to make Earth a better place. Bees add immense value to the environment, making it more sustainable, productive, and supportive. Dr. Yoginee Budhkar of Cerana Meads shares “if it wasn’t for bees, humans can’t use pollen anyway. Bees do the work for us. Not just segregating wet and dry garbage, and avoiding plastic straws, drinking mead is a delicious way of supporting the environment and making better choices.”

Moonshine Meadery

As I write this just after Women’s Day, Save makes a powerful statement with “the queen bee is rising”. The recent release of Jack Daniels Honey and Patrons’s Honey Tequila is a global statement that it most definitely is. “Meads and honey-accented drinks are a cool bridge between the childhood favourite cola and sharbet and the bitter-toned wines and beers. And in the Indian weather, a light, flavoursome, guilt-free drink makes the perfect fit”, adds Vishwas. Options vary from the dry and fruity meads from Moonshine to the Spiced Yule from Cerana and the ‘pressed and blessed’ dessert nectars from Arka. We hear more are on their way. 

Cerana Meads
What’ll make 2022 the golden year for meads?

Unlike in beers, honey is in limited supply and can’t be over produced. In the last decade and a half, producers have refined their offerings from their liquids, to labels, storytelling, and styles, gathering evidence from market demand and aspirations. Finally, they seem to have garnered enough confidence to toy and flirt with hues and flavor profiles with unabashed gallantry and flair. What Bira did for beers in India—providing an alternative to mass-produced chemical-induced lagers—meads will do for a bigger spectrum of the menu. And let’s be honest, we’ve also been spoilt for choice; it’s rare to go to the liquor store and return without picking a few new labels. FOMO is for real.

No matter what your motivation or inspiration that drives you to mead—a new drink, flavourful offering, sustainability, environmentalism, or guilt-free drinking—it’s here to stay. And as Einstein urged: Keep the bees alive if you want to indulge in good choices. Translation? Drink meads and make earth great again. 

 

First published in India Today Spice March,2022

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Articles Spirits TippleTalk Trade

7 Craft Gins For The Discerning Indian

Our list of homegrown gins that signal the start of…

The gin craze in the country is widely believed to have started in 2017 with the launch of  Greater Than by Nao Spirits, India’s first legit craft gin. It sparked a wave of launches of locally made gins, with more than a dozen of them now jostling for space on the shelves in the local alcohol store.

As it invariably happens, tastes evolve, and gin enthusiasts are currently looking for something different and refined. Indian gin distillers are responding with innovative manufacturing processes, better botanicals and never-seen-before ingredients, sourced indigenously and from abroad.

Many of them have launched (or are ready to launch) the second(and in some cases second and third) variations of their flagship brands. Here’s our list of gins for the discerning Indian drinker:

Greater Than X Sleepy Owl – No Sleep Gin

No Sleep Gin

Juniper Bomb was their first limited release gin which left bartenders and gin enthusiasts equally excited. And now that the consumer has become more discerning, Nao Spirits has a new gin that will help you even beat sleep. Ah, stay awake so you can drink more, brilliant idea, I say! The country’s first coffee-infused gin, No Sleep brings together India’s two fastest-growing beverages – gin and coffee – to create an exciting mix. It is devoid of any added colour, flavour, sugars, or extracts.

The gin distillates are infused with Sleepy Owl’s cold brew resulting in a bold coffee aroma complemented by the crispness of GT. Drink it as GinTo with a slice of orange, a Negroni (with Disaronno), or even an espresso martini; the choices are endless. I like to sip it just neat.

Rs 1000 in Goa, Rs 1850 in Mumbai

Pumori Ascent Barrel Aged Gin

Pumori Ascent Barrel Aged Gin

The good people behind Pumori gin, Woodburns whisky, & Segredo Aldeia rums at Fullarton Distilleries are soon launching the country’s first barrel-aged gin. It’ll boast of 12 carefully selected botanicals distilled in small 200-litres tanks that allow the distiller to keep a close watch on the process.

It is then aged for about a year in American oak whisky barrels before being bottled. The gin’s personality gleams with the character of the local Himalayan juniper—  rustic, woody, with a feel of an early morning forest walk in the mountains.

Price:  TBC, release expected around February

Gin Jiji Darjeeling Dry

Gin Jiji Darjeeling Dry

Boasting a GI tag for its heritage, Darjeeling tea is arguably the best tea globally. Add to that the essence of Himalayan juniper that’s unlike any other in the world, one that can only be foraged and not be cultivated. Gin Jiji is the result. But it is much more than that. It marries Himalayan and Macedonian junipers with a mélange of other Indian botanicals.

You can taste the tannins and mouthfeel of tea, punctuated with the aroma of the botanicals. The subtle spirit is an open canvas when it comes to how it should be consumed — with tonic, garnishes, or any other way you think is right.

Not available in India yet. Keep an eye on the shelves for a surprise.

Perry Road Peru

Perry Road Peru

Teaming up with the culinary greats of Bombay Canteen, Stranger & Sons created India’s first distilled cocktail with pink guavas, aka Peru, as the star. It was launched at the end of 2020 as a  limited edition release. It was a runaway success and now returns for a more extensive nationwide release.

The delicious flavours of fresh perus meet the usual gin botanicals served with a generous dose of chilli-salt mix. Drink it by itself in a coupe/cocktail glass,  over ice, or in a highball with a splash of tonic. Grab a bottle or two when you see it. Even this new edition is a limited release.

Rs 2999 in Mumbai

Spice Trade & Trading Tides

Spice Trade & Trading Tides

These two gins represent the first global collaboration for an Indian gin, a celebration of growing trading links between India and Australia. Spice Trade is the lovechild of Stranger & Sons and the makers of the Aussie Four Pillars gin, part of the latter’s Distillers Series collaboration.

Stranger & Sons provided a select few local botanicals, including Teppal (Goan take on Szechuan pepper), black cardamom, and chillies, to which the Aussies added macadamia, cashews nuts, and lemon myrtle, amongst others, to craft a unique international spirit. To honour the Indian Ocean connecting the two countries, we suggest it be served with a garnish of lime and a pinch of salt.

For Trading Tides, the Aussies sent their basket of botanicals, including lemon myrtle, anise myrtle, and river mint. The Indians added desi mangosteen, kokum, and tamarind, etc. The result is an uber-cool Indian international gin that’s an easy sipper and an effortless charmer. A limited supply of both is expected to hit the shelves soon.

Approx Rs 3500 in Mumbai

Samsara The City of Pink Gin

Samsara The City of Pink Gin

The aromatic Samsara was already a crowd-pleaser, and now a new buddy makes things even more exciting. By introducing India’s first pink gin, Samsara has opened a category that is only bound to grow. Keeping Samsara’s original gin as the base, Aditya Aggarwal and his Goa-based team at Spaceman Spirit Lab have added nuances of rose petals, strawberries, hibiscus, etc., to create an exquisite new gin.

I’d drink it neat and chilled for its aromatic appeal alone. If not straight up, try it with a splash of prosecco or lemonade, which awakens the essences and delivers a perfumed glassful. At 37% abv, it is advisable to have just a single-serve, as long as you can resist the lure of a great gin.

Rs 1800 in Goa 

(Image Sources: Maria Avdeeva (Unsplash), Spaceman Spirits Lab, NAO Spirits, Fullarton Distilleries, High Road Spirits, Stranger & Sons, Four Pillars)

 

First published in MansWorldIndia, February 2022

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Articles Cocktails Conversations Events + Affairs Gastronomy Personalities Spirits TippleTalk Trade Wine in a can Wines

Old Habits Must Give Way To New

The creature of habit has been coerced to crawl out of its den, shuffle, and redefine its praxis. Frequent lockdowns coupled with seating and timing restrictions at sporadically opened restaurants have pinched the imbibers of fine wines. It has moved them to find new environs and ways of buying their favourite labels. Has it initiated a new trend, is it to stay, and does it change the modus operandi for hospitality outlets, enquires sommelier Gagan Sharma.

BUYING LOCALLY

Packed inside, home drinking has gained unprecedented favourability. Stats suggest nearly 30% of people are going to cut back on going out, whether for drinking or other leisure activities. This pessimistic response to the pandemic, however, has favoured the fine wine markets with imposing effects. The affluent, distant from their periodic wine travels, foreign shopping holidays, and luxurious purchases, are noted to be sourcing their tipples locally now. Chintamani Kaigaonkar, the President of the International Wine & Food Society’s Mumbai chapter, has been a renowned hedonist and a collector. “Earlier, we travelled and collected premium wines and brought them back. With the onset of the pandemic, our cellars soon ran dry. We were forced to look at what’s available around us, albeit not being habitual to buying locally. Be it their rather basic collection, concerns with poor retail storage, or uninspiring experience at the stores, this option remained non-existent”, he says. This complete curb on duty-free purchases and inaccessibility to hotels served retailers an unrivalled opportunity which they clutched with both hands and desirably upped their game. The outcome? Better spreads and experiences advocating the potential of retail purchasing. And now, even with the reopening of the previously preferred alternatives, this approach continues to find amity.

“For fine wine drinkers, the idea of MRP was a new learning. Their choicest wines being available at such affordable prices was a revelation. So, the shift and its hearty acceptance came effortlessly”, says Vishal Kadakia, purveyor of fine wines in Mumbai at WinePark. 

While OIV reports a 3% fall in global wine drinking in 2020, there’s been a noticeable move towards wines by the spirits-favouring and beer-guzzling junta. And not just the shift, there’s been premiumisation as well. While Vishal still regards the INR2000-3000 bracket as the sweet spot, Amber Deshmukh who heads wine sales at Mumbai’s affluent Hops & Corks says the INR8000-15000 bracket has seen the maximum growth. “People didn’t know these wines were also available in retail, and now that they do, it’ll be a continuous practice”, he adds. “There’s direct connection with a learned professional, a conversation, honest advocacy of what best suits their liking, and a learning in the process, all of which adds to the experience and enforces confident decision making”, Amber adds. And this personalised experience is the inevitable precursor to inducting someone into the fine wine milieu.

A line-up of top Indian wines. Retail sales of premium wines in India are growing exponentially

JUST A CLICK AWAY

Another blessing in disguise was the allowance of online ordering and home delivery of alcohol in certain parts of the country. Online sales of wines, according to the Nielsen data, increased by around 234% in 2020 in the US, reaching a high of 500% in the peak of April 2020. 

WinePark introduced their online offering, called WineKart, which also includes Indian wines and labels from other imported suppliers. “It has allowed the luxury to choose with all the research and preferences laid out. There’s information on the vineyards, producer & family history, and an easy comparison”, Vishal shares. “It’s now a habit. It’s easy to buy while on-the-go, without any ridiculous markups. With buying directly from the merchant, there’s an assurance of quality, authenticity, and apt storage. Their portals offer enough information on provenance, vintage reports, authoritative ratings, etc”, says Chintamani. Add to that the convenience of delivering them at your doorsteps, that’s enough mollycoddling.

“New people have adopted drinking wines, and are now looking at finding better offerings. They want to learn better and upgrade. People buy when they drink, and they’ve brought everything. We’ve brought those who went to hotels to drink good wines to buy them from retail. It’ll be tough justifying paying such markups at hotels now”, says Vishal confidently. Premium Champagnes have seen a decline, probably since there wasn’t much to celebrate, but Barolo, Napa Cabernets, Amarone della Valpolicella, Bordeaux reds, and Super Tuscans have soared. The most interesting vogue has been the seven-fold rise in Rose wines. “We had one Rose from South Africa, today our selection has grown to approximately 10. Plus, we have Indian Roses on WineKart too”. Now that’s a bent Roses have been waiting for for ages!

ATMANIRBHAR INDULGENCE

Minus the quintessential international styles, fine wine drinkers have graciously turned to Indian offerings. It has been an astonishing revelation not just for them but for common oenophiles. I’ve openly expressed my adulation for Indian produce and how they’ve championed their offerings in the past decade. The pandemic stripped off the facades and allowed simply looking at liquid in the bottle. And voila! The spotlight now also includes finer offerings from the backyard. Sula’s Rasa and The Source, Fratelli’s MS and Jnoon labels, Grover’s La Reserve, Chene, and VA collection were always the leaders. Add to that the niche producers too. KRSMA’s varietal reserve wines, Vallonne’s Viognier, Rose, and Riesling, Reveilo’s reserve wines, and Merlot, and York’s HBlock Chardonnay & Rose bubbly have found commendations from the guardians of fine palates. Their consistent value for money offering and easy accessibility is unparalleled. “Earlier, we would take what was being served at a soirees. Now, trying them on our own, there’s been learning. Indian whites and sparkling wines specially are of superb quality. Exploring them has been a big, pleasant surprise”, boasts Chintamani. 

Sula’s flagship RASA Cabernet Sauvignon in its new avatar
Grover’s La Réserve Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Burgundy

Indian producers have collectively said that their focus has now shifted to retail. Leaders like Sula, Fratelli, and Chandon have even resigned their labels to lure the eyes of a seeking oenophile. While diners may still not go to hotels and pay 3X the mark-up on Indian wines, they’re happy to open one frequently after a busy day of working from home.

A CRY FOR CHANGE

Physiologists say it takes 66 days to change a habit. The lockdown has allowed way more than just that. And it now poses a concern for the hospitality industry. With shrunken take-homes and ample restrictions, they’re still awaiting the pre-pandemic normalcy. “While people are stepping out for beers, cocktails, and meals, wine drinking is still reeling off of the effect”, Vishal notes. Home drinking will continue and so will the online purchasing habits. “I don’t even mind paying a 100% markup on premium Indian wines, but now we realise that on premium wines is absurd. Hotels will have to give us a reason to spend as much”, Chintamani says. 

Once international tourists start pouring, there might be an uptick, but for now fine wine sales at hotel & restaurants will remain low. And to lure the local denizens, hotels will have to restructure. Their offerings will have to become more dynamic and lucrative, more importantly the pricing will have to be aggressive and sensible. The 2X-4X markup strategy will not yield optimum results. Chintamani suggests it’s a good time to introduce corkage, a system where hotels allow guests to carry their own wine and charge a minimal service fee. It’s prevalent in most wine-friendly countries, not in India. If the creature’s habits have changed, so will have to be of those catering to them. 

Most oenophiles graduate to finer nectars eventually. All it takes is a bit of handholding, enlightenment, and favourable trials. With this influx of new enthusiasm in the providers and the consumers, it’s already bridged the gaps and will continue only to get better. A new-age approach is soliciting a change from retailers, tasting rooms, and hotels. And it’s the right time to offer that, for once the creature returns to its den, it’ll take multifold the effort to lure it out again. 

 

First published Sommelier India Wine Magazine, 2022

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Articles Cocktails Conversations Events + Affairs Spirits TippleTalk Trade

Coffee Meets Alcohol: The Best Of Both Worlds

There’s something civilised about drinking a cocktail. And during the lockdown, we needed it more than ever to distract us from the boredom. Another drink that kept us sane and cheery was coffee. I can’t imagine starting my day without a crisp cup of medium roast, pour-over, that’s preferably from an Indian estate. It wasn’t surprising then that someone had the idea of combining these two lifesavers — coffee and alcohol to make one single drink. The most-consumed cocktail during the pandemic was the Espresso Martini!

Over the last decade, the surging popularity of coffee and cocktails have resulted in innovations among vendors and helped us better our appreciation and understanding of these products. Words like craft roasters, single-lot coffees, grinds, roasts, brewing techniques, nitros, AeroPress and pour-overs, have become a part of our vocabulary and changed the way we consume our favourite beverage. A similar change has been underway in the alcohol and cocktail space as well. Mixers, syrups, tonics, craft beer are now part of everyday conversations. 

The coming together of the two fast-growing craft segments have resulted in a new breed of drinks like the Espresso Martini. And it is just the beginning of what is promising to be an excellent future for coffee-accented tipples.

Nitin Vishwas of Moonshine Meadery breaks this phenomenon down. He says the specialty coffee brands have done a ton to educate the consumer. “They’ve been pushing the envelope and making big waves. So have been the craft alcobev producers. It’s only natural for them to come together,” he explains. 

Aman Thadani of Fullerton Distilleries declares that doing something with coffee was always a part of his plan. He sees an overlap in consumers of the two beverages. “Mixing coffee and craft alcobevs isn’t new, and with the craft spirit movement in India growing in confidence, it is only natural for them to try new things,” he says. 

Here we look at a few exciting new products in the market that do a good job of combining coffee with alcohol. 

Malabar Stout

Bira 91 and Blue Tokai joined hands to put an Indian coffee-accented brew on the world map. The limited-release Malabar Stout is a celebration of the coming together of the Indian craft beer movement and the beautiful coffees of South India. The rich, malty stout with a chocolate flavor that India loves gets a power-packed, aromatic, cold brew boost from select south Indian coffee estates. Bira 91 founder Ankur Jain kept coffee at the centre of the recipe while crafting a beer that accentuates its nuances. The result is an outstanding brew that is robust and impressive. It has a creamy feel and a chewy, malty character. The acidity in the cold brew cleans the palate and makes you return for the next sip. (Mumbai: Rs 170, Bengaluru: Rs 130, Noida: Rs 120)

Coffee Mead and The Collab Project X Subko Specialty Coffee

Mead is not beer. It is largely unknown in India though we created and gifted it to the world; think of soma from the Vedas! Pune-based Moonshine Meadery is the pioneer of modern-day mead in India and probably Asia. Besides their traditional mead, which is a fermented honey drink, they have crafted a coffee mead – a combination of the founders’ two first loves. While Nitin Vishwas is a coffee fanatic, Rohan Rehani is not just an enthusiast but he’s also part of the jury at the Indian Aeropress Championship. 

During their home-brewing days, Nitin threw a handful of coffee beans in his traditional mead, and the result was an instant wow! Their friends loved it, and the founders knew they were on to something. The soft, mild taste showed what a good coffee and a well-made mead could do together. Meads are gluten-free, vegan, with honey at its base, and environment friendly — easily amongst the most sustainable drinks. Pair it with coffee, and you have a morally conscious morning in a glass!

Later, when Rahul Reddy of Mumbai-based Subko Specialised Coffee Roasters reached out to them to get one a project together, it led to a ‘collab series’, the results of which are now sold under the brand name ‘The Collab Project X Subko Specialty Coffee’. It was done in a true spirit of cooperation. Rohan’s company aged the raw green coffee beans in a traditional mead and sent it back to Subko. It was dried and roasted there (they even turned part of it into a coffee, which was on the Subko menu for a few days. I was lucky to be in Mumbai at that time and I loved it). The coffee beans were coarse-ground by Subko and returned to Moonshine to be turned into a specialty mead! The result? A concoction with a boastful coffee character and nuanced notes, one that needs time to open up and patience to appreciate. If it were a wine, I would’ve decanted and let it breathe before sipping — not straight from the bottle, but in a wine glass, at room temperature, like how a fine tipple deserves to be had. The current lot is a limited edition of 1000 bottles. But I am told new coffee meads are on their way. (Coffee Mead, Mumbai: Rs 185, Goa: Rs 140; The Collab Project X Subko Specialty Coffee, Mumbai: Rs 240)

Greater Than Coffee Negroni/Gin

No craft spirit wave has been as impressive as the gin revolution in India. Greater Than, from Goa-based Nao Spirits, was among the earliest to innovate in the game with their limited-release Juniper Bomb. Launched in 2017, Greater Than was India’s first craft London Dry Gin, and there is always an expectation from the founders of the company to up their game. With the pandemic pushing everyone indoors, it allowed them to go loco with experiments.

Co-founder Anand Virmani remembers his distillers bringing him a carton of experimental distils, of which coffee-infused ones instantly stood out. Having experimented with pink gins, juniper styles, citruses, and spices, coffee was a no-brainer for Virmani. At their `bar-takeovers’ across the country, during the early marketing days of Greater Than, he had served a signature cocktail of gin, tonic water, and a cold-brew float called ‘No Sleep G&T’. To create a Coffee Negroni, they reached out to coffee maker Sleepy Owl to source medium roast beans from Chikamagalur. The beans were steeped in water for about two days to create a sturdy cold brew, and then, instead of cutting the distillates with demineralised water as is the norm, it was cut with this strong cold brew. The result is a gin mix with no added sugars, colours, or flavours, except for the crisp and bold coffee expression and fruitiness. It can be drunk with a splash of tonic, an espresso martini, or as a cool coffee Negroni. (Goa: Rs 1,000, Bengaluru Rs 2,400, Mumbai Rs 1,850)

Segredo Aldeia Cafe Rum

Gin may have got all the attention these days, but there is as much action on the rum front too. And among the more popular recent launches has been Segredo Aldeia cafe and white rums from Aman Thadani’s Goa-based Fullarton Distilleries, which also makes the Pumori gin. Aman is also a coffee enthusiast, so it was only a matter of time before he began experimenting with a coffee-rum combination. 

Single-origin coffee beans were sourced from South India, dark roasted, and later infused and sweetened with cane sugar. This jaggery spirit was aged in ex-Bourbon casks and mixed with unaged cane spirit made in a rustic Rhum Agricole style. The process gives the resulting alcohol a ton of complexity, making it a fun yet serious spirit. Infusing whole beans provides a mix of coffee, cocoa, and rustic savoury characters. The sweetness makes it easy on the palate. Keep it in the freezer and pour a dram for yourself from time to time. A splash of water unfolds the spirit, opening it to full bloom. Cafe Rum is like a breath of fresh air on the Indian alcohol shelves, boasting of a new age craft distillers’ sense of confidence and the gentle push to the consumers to try something out of the box.  (Goa: Rs 1,650)

All things said, there is no saying how long this coffee-infused alcohol trend will last. According to Vishwas, overcomplicating the drink might cause the consumers to shy away from trying them. The aim should be to bring the nuances of the two craft beverages together in a way that is simple and easy to decipher.

First Published in Mans World India ,2022

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Cognac Legacy: Time-Tested Glory

Where time is a devouring tyrant, one can effortlessly imagine a 300-year old producer being stuck in a time warp and passé traditions. But that’s not the way the story played out for legendary cognac brand, Martell. Armed with the inheritance of a glorious heritage and an enviable savoir faire, Martell has marched into new chapters and territories with undeterred confidence and written many ‘firsts’ for the spirit. It’s a story spread over nations, that of merchants, royalties, wars, and celebrations, without which cognac is incomplete.

Much-Ado about Marell

Englishman Jean Martell travelled from the self-governing territory of Jersey to France and founded his eponymous company on the banks of the Charente in 1715. The true magic of Cognac was only a few decades young when the determined and ambitious Jean invested his fortunes in its soil. Since the 16th CE, Dutch merchants purchased wines from the region to ship back home. The wines would suffer the woes of transportation, turning into vinegar and thus deemed redundant. The innovative producers of the Cognac region began distilling and reducing them to a concentrated form, avoiding spoilage altogether. The Dutch called it Brandwijn, read burnt wine, hence brandy. A century later, the merchants began double distillation, which meant more space on the ships and, well, more monies. Cognac then was already being transported in oak casks, allowing merchants to discover that the taste of the beverage changed when stored in barrels, resulting in an exceptionally smooth dram of repute.

Though Jean started the house, his journey was short lived. After he passed away in 1753, his widow Rachel Martell, together with her children took the company to new heights. Martell went on to become the most sold brandy in England, crossed the Atlantic and docked in the US, and even impressed the Asian markets of Japan and China. Soon these brandies were brandished with newfound nomenclatures. Very Old Superior (VOS), and the further aged Very Old Superior Pale (VSOP) further upped their merit, declaring the coming of cognacs as richer, more profound, and the emblem of excellence. Jean’s great-grandson, Frederic, in 1831, introduced their family’s VSOP which took Martell’s repute and fortunes to even finer realms. But true glory came from England, where despite sanctions on French imports during the continental block, King George III ordered Martell’s VSOP to be exempt and allowed onto British shores! These special orders cemented it as a refined, superlative produce, fit for the kings, whose reach wasn’t bound by worldly politics.

Future proofed

Cognacs were entering a new era of style with handcrafted bottles, carefully selected closures, family’s crests and emblems, and eye-catching branding. With better control on what finally reaches the glass, Martell was to redefine quality, which even today remains its synonym. In 1848, Martell introduced their signature silver and blue coloured labels, which re-instated Martell’s design philosophy of being distinct, minimalist and contemporary. From here on, there was no looking back as Martell’s popularity soared, adding more prestige to its name. From being served at King George V’s coronation, to being presented to Queen Elizabeth II and Emperor of Japan, more and more royalties attached it to their honour and celebratory moments. Even the elite traveller couldn’t resist, sipping fashionably aboard the voyages on the Queen Mary, Concorde, and the Orient Express! Probably this is what helped cognac earn a reputation for being a certain drink for a certain occasion for a certain crowd, but all this rigid categorisation is now changing. 

In the French flag, the blue ribbon denotes the highest class or standard of quality. Martell introduced their first XO Cognac, Cordon Bleu, which has had an unswerving position and respect among connoisseurs. This legendary Cognac blends spirits aged between 10-25 years, often distinguished by its elegant, complexity, and impeccable balance. From the first whiff its bold notes charm you with its confidence and ethereal finesse, the palate delivers luscious fruity aromas smoothly blended with leather, spice, chocolate, and oak. The Cordon Bleu is testament to why this brand is still a leader in its field, recognised for being accessible and easy to sip. It carved its name in history when it was served at the signing of the World War I armistice. How can you not be at peace while holding a snifter?

Lading from the front

Since the beginning, Martell has been the beacon that’s guided the cognac fraternity. Be it marching into uncharged markets, consistently innovating new labels, or hosting the most luxurious galas at their chateaus and palaces. The arc in the Martell XO bottle signifies the family keeping a firm grip on its past while mindfully modernising for the future. Martell has dared to be different and has chosen to walk its own line with class actors and jazz musicians as its ambassadors. And it’s still leading from the front, with the newly introduced Martell Blue Swift, the first-ever cognac VSOP finished in bourbon casks, Martell has inspired producers to think outside the box and break the shackles of being tied down with an image that’s long due for renovation! Who would have thought, but if it was, we expected it from the house of Martell.

Staying alive

In the new world of craft and fast-moving spirits, cognac is an underdog. It may come with a pricey tag, but the value exceeds the price by far. When you sip a Martell, there’s a value of history, of a family that’s worked for generations to preserve the craftsmanship bestowed by legacy and nurtured by constant innovation; the celebrations of terroir, and the patience of letting nature take its course with every precious drop from the still. Away from the stodgy origins of an image that found resonance with grandfathers reading leather-bound Britannicas, rocking to nostalgic music on old chairs next to a fireplace is wearing thin. Cocktails or a simple Cognac and Ginger with a squeeze of lime and a mint sprig for a fresh garnish can be the new sip to redress an old spirit. It’s one of the most versatile and classy dark spirit. It has never shied away from finding room in any setting. Give it a shot, if not anything else, you’ll get a date with royalty, and it may just leave you with an accent!