Tag: Wine

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#52Drinks52Weeks – Vermouth

Vermouths are fortified + aromatised wines that are flavoured with herbs/ citrus/ flowers/ wormwood, sweetened with sugar or caramel and spiked with grape spirit or brandy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is0TfJRsm9U

The drink was originally marketed as a medicinal drink. Now, it has evolved to became a celebrated aperitif, served on its own.

ORIGINS

Some believe its origins can be traced to China in the 1250-1000BC, while some pin it to Ancient Greece. It was definitely used under the Roman Empire across Europe. What we know for sure was that Wormwood is the key ingredient in making of one, as in Absinthe, and the name comes from Germany where it is called Wermuth, which the French took over as Vermouth.

Wormwood’s bitter reputation is found in writings in 1552BC in Egypt where it was recommended for everything from childbirth to the most chronic illnesses. In 1789, it became the chief component of Absinthe, and soon after wormwood was blamed for causing hallucinogens and causing madness, even death. It was, thus, banned and not revived till 1988 when studies showed that all Wormwood added was the green tinge, aromas and flavour as it didn’t have enough of that crazy compound Thujol. So, all the mad antics were purely due to excess consumption of a highly potent spirit.

RECIPE

Wine with wormwood and other spices.

As it progressed, more additions were made. Now, more than maceration (like brewing tea with loose leaves), infusion is used. In infusion, the spirit is distilled through a basket of botanicals suspended inside a still, above the liquid. It is heated and as the vapour passes through the botanicals the flavours are extracted, resulting in a flavoursome distillate.

To make a vermouth, on the base of white wine, add this flavoured distillate, and sugar, and finally spike it with grape spirit.

STYLES OF VERMOUTH

There are various styles of vermouths – From Extra Dry, Dry, Semi-Dry, Semi-Sweet, to Sweet

They are all white wine based. White Vermouths are dry while the Reds are sweet. Contrary to common beliefs, the colour in sweet vermouths is not from the base (red) wine, but addition of caramel, which can be upto 120-130 grams per litre.

However, there are always some mad winemakers determined to prove every definition wrong.

ORIGINS OF MODERN VERMOUTHS

Modern Vermouths we know of today, came in 19th CE. The origin can be traced back to Turin, in Italy, home to Barolo, Barbaresco, truffles, and Nutella + Ferro Rocher.

Cross the Alps in to the French regions and Chambery + Marseilles is the hub there. 

The connection you ask? Both came under the Kingdom of Savoy in those times. 

Came to Barcelona with the influx of Italian immigrants at the start of 20th CE

Carpano was the first commercial one in 1786, a sweet one, formulating a secret recipe with vanilla added, called the Antica Formula. The recipe also called for dark and rich flavours like cocoa, wine, spice, toffee, herbs, etc, all intermingling with a slightly bitter edge. And then came Noilly Prat in France, the dry styled one in 1813. 

VERMOUTHS IN COCKTAILS

Its use as a medicine ended in the 18CE with the advent of the cocktail era in the 19CE.

And soon in classic cocktails like Rob Roy, Manhattan, Negroni, etc. And one movie that has always been the messenger of vermouth-based cocktails is James Bond and its Martinis, even though off-late he might have moved to a rather suave Chateau Angelus or a casual Heineken.

Bond asked for 3 measure of Gordons, 1 of vodka and half of Kina Lillet. Lillet is a wine based aperitif from France with citrus-based liqueurs added and oak-aged. Kina comes from the fact that in the original recipe cinchona bark was used hence it was called a tonic wine. Since 1986, Kina has been replaced with a Blanc.

Bond admits that he never has more than one drink before dinner but likes it to be large and very strong and confesses to hating small portions.

VERMOUTH: A DRINK UNTO ITSELF

Not just a cocktail ingredient, Vermouths are not a drink unto its own – Vermouth + flavoured soda/tonic is a new trend. However, beware. Store it like a white wine, not on display at a bar – it’ll last a couple of weeks at best, unlike a spirit. To get best results, buy smaller bottles, big is not always better

But what about producing Vermouth in india?? We make good wines, commendable grape spirits, sugar is our favourite drug, and we have a library of herbs, spices, tropical fruits, florals, and more, thanks to our location on the SPICE ROUTE, why not make our own in India.

TAKE 5

  1. Buy smaller bottles.
  2. Always keep refrigerated. Always taste your vermouth before using them.
  3. They change flavours as they age, they are wines after all
  4. If you can drink it by itself, its a good vermouth
  5. Small batch – big flavours
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Blog Conversations

Conversations with Indulge – Abhas Saxena

Abhas has been in the world of wines since over a decade and has served in various aspects of the wine industry but hotels/restaurants remain the major one. He is a Certified Sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers (among the first ones to have done it while working in India) and, more importantly, was the winner of the 10th Indian Sommelier Championship. Abhas has worked as the Chef Sommelier for a large hotel chain in India and has a deep understanding of the trade in the country. In his free time he is also an air-guitarist, rock and roll enthusiast, comics and cartoons buff, a lockdown chef (for now) and, the most daunting role of all, being BFF to hia still-not-a-year old daughter. 

How did you enter the world of wines and what inspired you?

I got into wines while I was pursuing my graduation. I never intended to go through with Hotel Management while growing up but when I joined a hotel school, I was quite certain that hotels was not my calling. Coming from Gujarat, I found the subject quite amusing and thought to myself that it could be a good option. I enjoyed the occasional tipples back in college so I figured might as well follow a career path where in I could ‘enjoy’ the job. All things led to me networking with the industry front-runners at the time. Eventually I got a break with Wine Society of India and then with Indulge. While working the ropes, I figured that working with wines was just not something I enjoyed but was rather a passion project for me. I eventually joined hotels (against my initial thought of never working in hotels) and started working with the Taj group. That was where my love affair with wines got as serious as it could. The more opportunities I got to learn, the more I understood about the subject, not just being about a beverage but a way of life wherein you get to study cultures/history/geography and so much more. That’s just how I figured that this was the rabbit hole I want to check the depth of.

Apart from wines what is the one thing you really want to introduce Indian guests to?

Having done some reading about the history of alcohol in India, it is amusing to know the kind of beverages we have made all along. They somehow have never become as popular or been considered discerning enough. I believe our homegrown local beverages like Mahua, Feni, Kesar Kasturi and many more if not straight up then maybe mixed in cocktails would be a refreshing change for connoisseurs. 

How has winning the Indian Sommelier Championship changed your life?

#Indsommchamp has been a fabulous experience for me. I got the chance to visit South Africa ,a country I had on my bucket list for a long time. But more than winning the competition I think the entire process of the competition where you see the industry coming together to celebrate the work we do and to supporting passions that people live is very rewarding. 

Given a chance to serve your favourite actor/ musician a wine, who would that be and what wine would it be?

This is a tough one. I would wanna’ have a wine encounter with Will Smith. I wonder if he would enjoy some late harvest wines from India...

What is the best thing about luxury hotels in India that can inspire the world?

Luxury hotels in India are unlike in other parts of the world. Our hotels are fairly people driven and are known for warmth over opulence (and we are known for our opulence extensively). I believe that Indian hospitality is the perfect mix of what money can buy and what it can’t. 

What is the most unique food and wine pairing you have seen/experienced?

The most unique pairing in my opinion is to match comfort food from various regional cuisines of India with not just wine. Like a Vada Pav with a Gruner Veltiner or Rajma Chawal with Rauchbier or Mysore Masala Dosa with a Champagne Cocktail. We don’t have it in our culture to enjoy food and alco-bev as a gastronomic experience. To perhaps promote that would be unique. 

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

I usually prefer to go with a lager or a half decent Scotch depending on weather and the company.

What qualities do you want a perfect manager to have?

A perfect manager first of all needs to be a people’s person (Both, for the team and the guests alike). Over and above that, I believe strongly that today anyone calling themselves a food and beverage professional must understand that a ‘professional’ of any field is considered to be better than the layman. So for a food and beverage professionals, they must be better than anyone in their know-how of their field. With the world travelling so often and internet giving access to information so easily it becomes difficult to be on top of the game. I guess this is where the game changer lies in becoming a better food and beverage professional and standing out in a crowd.

Apart from mastering wines, what other skills must a sommelier possess?

Sommellerie today is not just about wine but being a toastmaster/bon vivant/a story teller/jack of all trades. Just like kids today are going through courses that will give them jobs that don’t exist today, sommeliers are interacting with people from professions that they wouldnt have known to exist otherwise. To be able to connect with people from all walks of life, to be able to converse with people about their liking without being a master of the subject is what sommeliers today need to do. The skills required by a sommelier today are not just limited to them being beverage geeks or having outstanding taste buds but for a restaurant to use a sommelier well, the sommelier should to be able to sell. It’s just a matter of what to whom. 

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Blog TippleTalk

#TippleTalk – Terroirist

The title of this story isn’t a typo and nor is it intentionally misspelt. The word derives from Terroir, the word that has been at the root of all French wine marketing and consequently adopted worldwide, the one word which can create hierarchy and ranks in any wine region, and that one word which is most hated and misunderstood than any other commonly deployed wine term. Terroir, fact or myth, is a question that is asked time and again and each time the popular vote veers to one end of the spectrum before, like a pendulum, it comes swinging right back.

Terroir – term used to describe the environmental factors that affect a crop’s phenotype, including unique environment contexts, farming practices and a crop’s specific growth habitat.

So let’s get this out of the way first: what exactly is Terroir? Is it an actual entity with a lucid definition or more so an intangible causative concept that can only exist as a paradigm to help explain the effect on the final product viz. wine? Well, it is a bit of both really.

Terroir is the summation of all factors natural and controllable, from climate and geography to the winemaker’s skills, that combine in the creation of a wine. Whether the resulting wine is good or bad, or more aptly, liked or not so much, it’s Terroir-stamp is what defines it.

When the soils of Burgundy were mapped and demarcated as Grand and Premier Cru, the research into the ground and the soil types was indeed, pun intended, in-depth. Not just this, the angle of sunlight as also the amount received, the wind balance, the general topography and other geographical factors, all were taken into account before a soil was merited with one of these high ranks. Then the winemakers were given the grounds to do what they did best. Terroir, in this case, was the land and the climate.

Art depicting monks practicing viticulture

But then in Bordeaux, Napoleon’s decree to decide the best wines didn’t consider anything as elaborate. Instead he went by the average selling price of the previous decade, the logic being if it fetched a higher price it must have been of a higher quality. And with this yardstick he carved up the Chateaux of Bordeaux and this classification chart, which ranked these houses from 1st to 5th growth, still pretty much decides how much a wine sells for every year. Terroir in this case then is the people who made the wine as also who marketed it.

So terroir does exist, even if only in the minds of the old-school die-hard romantics, but like all romances, it needs to be nurtured before it can be understood. Like religion, belief leads to conviction and both can only come from within. That said, it would be impossible to taste Sauvignon-based Loire origin Pouilly-Fumé next to a Burgundian Chardonnay-centric Pouilly-Fuissé and argue that they are identical!

But what about the New World. Does California have any way of exploiting this term? Can Australia tout Barossa to be Terroir for Shiraz just like Coonawarra is for Cabernet? Or how about India; do we get to command a higher price for Hampi Hills or Nandi Valley over Nashik which doesn’t have as great a climate and setting as the former two?

Iconic Rober Mondavi vineyard in Oakville, CA

Maybe not just yet but maybe with time this idea will take root. As the decades roll by even the New World is realising the value of planting certain grapes in certain soils. Winemakers as they come to grips with their piece of land and sunshine are learning how to harness both better thereby making more focused wines.

Many a journalist today mocks Terroir as a concept entirely and will scoff at the very mention of it. The fault lies in believing that it’s a superlative term. Rather, it is a uniqueness that every region enjoys and yet no two regions can ever identically share. This is what makes Terroir a noble idea but one that needs to be exploited right, not just by the marketeers but also by those who do the actual work, the grape-growers and the winemakers.

One thing to watch out for is the marketing-commerce balance when one adopts the Terroir route: preaching the Terroir sermon may drive demand but it can’t grow output as yield is always limited by the very definition of this concept. So the more a winery flashes the Terroir the lesser will be its chances to scale production with the times. This is why the great wines of the world may increase in prices as the demand for them swells but supplies can never match up.

In the end, wine is a natural beverage. So the only way to enhance what we get from nature is not by snatching it but by cajoling it out gently. To extract what nature gives forth willingly and to do this, we must understand the elements that surround us, make up our micro-ecosystem. And once that is conquered sufficiently, the winemaker needs to understand his grapes and learn to use them to the best of their capacities. With each vintage it isn’t the wine that improves but rather the winemaker’s understanding of his own winemaking sensibilities.

So on that note, next time you pick up a glass, do pause a moment to wonder if you buy into this concept or not; whether you are, deep-down, an essential Terroirist.

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Blog Conversations

Conversations With Indulge – Devati Basumallick

Devati started as a STEP associate with the Oberoi Group of Hotels and Resorts in 2012. Post which she completed the management training at the Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development, specialising in Food and Beverage, training across hotels in Gurgaon, Jaipur, Bombay and Delhi. Her first job was at the Oberoi Bengaluru as a Bar and Beverage Manager there she worked for a little over 2 years. Currently Devati is the Brand head at Krsma Estates Wines, based out of Bangalore. 

What is the one thing you love about Indian wines the most?

Actually, there are two things I love about Indian wines – one, variety. Compared to an established international winemaking country, the Indian wine selection may be limited, but it is a charming work in progress. There is something for everyone – be it a novice Indian wine drinker looking to explore his palate of choice, to the more serious Indian wine connoisseur. Indian winemakers are experimenting with different styles and dare I say, succeeding with them. From sparklings to stills in all colours of wine, from barrel ageing and fermenting techniques to late harvests and passerilage, the Indian wine palette is quite colourful and vibrant. 

Secondly, the exciting pairing possibilities that Indian wine provides, with Indian cuisine. Owing to the balance of fruit, tannins and structure in Indian wines, they seem to be quite a near-perfect match to the plethora of flavours that Indian cuisine has to offer. My favourite pair (not for the faint hearted, quite literally) is Bhapa Ilisher Paturi (steamed Hilsa) with a chilled glass (or bottle, won’t mind either) of Grover Zampa Vijay Amritraj Reserve Viognier!

Regardless of costs, what makes a good wine?

A Visionary. And a Winemaker. Or best – both, in one!

Yes, you do need great grapes to make great wines, and nature has to ultimately play the most important part here, but what translates this into fine wine is the art of winemaking itself. The ideology of the winemaker (or the founder of the winery) is something that will decide how the wine continues to evolve and remain a legacy favoured by many; much after the winemaker himself is gone. It is the winemaker’s vision for that wine, coupled with his way and skill of reflecting the truest expression of the grapes into your glass that will turn it into a fine, and an iconic wine. Hence, to consult an iconic winemaker for your winery, you definitely need to disregard the ‘cost’ factor!

How has winning the Indian Sommelier Championship changed your life?

In one word (or two) – 180 degrees.

I believe that my love for wines & spirits only grew from there, and then, there was no looking back. It was the tip of the iceberg, but overtly vast enough for one to realise the level of skill, knowledge and precision that is required for an Indian beverage professional to compete at an International level. Winning the championship opened many doors for me – right from confidence and skill to talk about wines & spirits, be opinionated rationally, pursue certifications in wine studies, to more importantly, creating a wine space back at work (then) at the Oberoi, Bangalore where I was hosting wine tastings for guests and beverage training programmes for the staff. Through the competition, I also had the opportunity to visit South Africa and tour the winelands of the Cape. It was an experience that will forever stay with me, rich in knowledge, culture, lots of good (read: great) food and amazing (read: exceptional) wine, and visuals of the picturesque wine country! For all of this and more – there is solely the ISC to credit, which is the only platform in the country currently that gives such great exposure to aspiring sommeliers.

If given an opportunity to serve your wines to your favourite celebrity, which wine would you serve and to whom?

This is a tough one, I’d probably want a table (of 4, or 6?) of all my favourite celebrities together and serve them each a bottle (or more…) of wine! However, I think I will bring it down to two – George Clooney and Hugh Grant. I would start by serving a bottle of 1961 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut followed by a 1960 Penfolds Grange Bin 95 Shiraz. My choice is based on the similarities between the wines and their respective personalities – vintage, iconic, expressive and most importantly, timeless. They seem to age like fine wine! The vintage years are also the respective years they were born. And oh! Did I mention that both (the wine and the two men here) seem to come in extremely attractive packaging?!

Is there a grape or wine you don’t like?

I haven’t tasted as many styles to rule out a single grape, but I generally wouldn’t prefer still or sparkling wines laced with excessive amounts of cloying, residual sugar.

How are you planning to glorify Indian wines on an international turf?

Two things that come to my mind instantly, first, from a brand perspective – exploring and promoting wine tourism. India is a hot spot for international tourists and this opportunity can be aligned with turning vineyard locations into exciting wine tourism experiences, coupled with showcasing Indian wines as a part of the entire event. At Krsma Estates, I am currently working towards exploring this possibility in the near future, however there are a few such established programmes already, like the Sula Fest.

Second, from a beverage professional’s perspective – to train the F&B staff, aspiring beverage professionals, make them taste and develop an interest towards home-grown produce, and help them drive the Indian wine culture in their respective restaurant programmes. They need to believe in it to sell it to Indian and International consumers alike– sounds like a small step towards a big change, but a darn important step it is then!

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

I guess I’m a mood-based drinker, considering the many moods we find ourselves in pretty much every day! If I’m in a happy mood, it’s going to be rounds of G&Ts! Else, a glass of comforting red wine to lift the spirits. And if despite a busy day I’m feeling extra creative, I may even fix myself a cocktail – anything refreshing with Gin or Vodka! Also there are legit no-mood days, like when you aren’t really in any mood, these days are for another staple favourite – Rum and Coke!

How important is it for a sommelier to visit a vineyard?

I can tell you this – It is extremely important for a sommelier to visit the source not once or twice, but at every given opportunity. You may learn as much as you want to from books, the internet and so on, but walking through a vineyard and tasting the wines, watching the grapes grow, understanding the soil and learning from growers, winemakers and proprietors is a game changer.

From my experience – I had read all about South African vineyards, drawn out maps to learn about the regions, but once I was there, driving through the vineyards and visiting every major wine house I had studied about – that is a richer learning experience that will forever stay with me, so

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Personalities Blog

Conversations With Indulge – Pratik Angre

Pratik Angre is known sommelier on the Mumbai circuit. From IHM Mumbai, to Taj Hotels in Pune and then to Mumbai, to making his way to chain of restaurants with Massive Restaurants, to taking over the Beverage Management role at Gauri Devidayal’s enterprise, he has worn many hats. He’s been the winner at the coveted Indian Sommelier Championship, and travelled to Austria representing the motherland.

Team INDULGE learns about the journey, experiences, and his management fundamentals…

What’s your favourite memory of serving a wine?

It was when I knew nothing about wine except for serving it.

We had a long stayer guest at Taj Blue Diamond, Pune in 2014. I was the Bar Manager then. Accompanied with his wife, he ordered a bottle of Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon. I opened the wine and served it, and then put it in a decanter and left it on the table (that is all I knew at the time). They finished the bottle and asked for one more and I repeated the service sequence. After a while the guest called me and asked how do I buy my wine? He asked if same vintages are bought or different ones. Luckily, I knew what vintage meant at that time. I said I just place the order to purchase and asked him what was his concern. He said “I didn’t see the year on the previous wine bottle (I did not announce the wine at that time) but I think this one is a different year than the last one.”  Now for someone who did not know much about wines I was curious, confused, and out of words. I straight up asked him how could he actually tell the difference between two years? He said he could because he drinks wine regularly and had visited the Cakebread Cellars in Napa Valley, U.S.

It was because of this day I started to have an extra curiosity in wines, and started reading about it a lot. I also had asked the guest what to do if I wanted to learn more about wine. This would be my favourite memory as the guest and I keep meeting every year as he travels to Mumbai often and it was this day that led me to be a Sommelier.

You’re managing the beverage programs at The Table, Miss T, and have worked with the Taj Group before. How do you design a rockstar wine program for a chain?

I think the most important thing to do when thinking of a wine program is what type of clientele does the restaurant attract and / or what clientele would you want to attract (if it’s a new restaurant). 

There is no point in keeping wines which may have a great name in the world but does not suit the clientele dining at the restaurant. Also, just selecting and listing wines on the menu isn’t called a wine program. There has to be staff training, activities around wine and most important different styles of wine offerings apart from the ones listed or around the ones listed.

At Massive Restaurants, we had done a Rose wine activation across 15 restaurants with 7 different types of Rose wine by the glass to make people taste different styles. At The Table, we had a Pinot Noir week where we had 6 Pinots by the glass, from different regions . We have had Spanish wines, Tuscan wines, and Bordeaux wines by the glass, which generally are served only by the bottle. We also had a masterclass for our guests during such activations. Also, our entire staff tastes all the wines before we roll them out in an activation. Staff trainings are very important as the wines do not sell by themselves.

A good wine program comes down to what can be offered to the customer that keeps them and the staff engaged.

How has winning the Indian Sommelier Championship (ISC) changed your life?

Not only winning, even participating in the competition (I had participated in the two years before I won), made me realise how vast the wines & beverages industry is. And how our country does not have this in its culture. I saw how many more people require this exposure and training as there is a big need for wine professionals.

In fact, I got my first job as a sommelier after winning the competition. There were only 3 sommelier positions in Mumbai. Not many hotels or restaurants had the concept of a sommelier in 2016.

I had the opportunity to travel to Vienna, through the competition, and interacted with sommeliers, winemakers, writers, and attained more knowledge on how they drive the wine culture in their countries. When I returned, I joined a group where we came together for wine tastings which made people realise the importance of it. I was even invited to wine tastings, wine related events, also to judge wine competitions. This gave me a different kind exposure and helped me grow in my learning, enabling me to share more with my colleagues and others. 

It was not that one moment of winning but everything that unfolded after, seeing the different layers of the industry and realising that the essence of a sommelier lies in constant learning. This competition has given rise to more individuals being interested in the wine industry and provides a platform every year for sommeliers like me to give something back and provide a little bit more of what we have learned.

What is one off-work routine you stand by?

Going for a run or a swim. I think doing these things makes your mind fresh and active.

What’s the biggest myth about drinking wine?  

The biggest myth about drinking wine is the question – ‘Which is the best wine?’. I believe that if a person enjoys a particular wine, that is their best. People should go and just explore, and not look at it as a serious or intimidating task. Go buy and try a new wine with your friends, and if you don’t like it at least you know which one not to buy next time. The best wine is the one you share and truly enjoy in the company of your loved ones. 

If given a free ticket, which wine region you want to travel to?

California would definitely be the first location to come to mind. I love Californian wines and I have been obsessed with California since my teens, because of the 80s & 90s rock bands. I feel that California is becoming a very progressive wine region by making different styles of wine and experimenting with grape varieties. It holds a lot of history – the Judgement of Paris, 1976, a historic event when Californian wines beat French wine in a blind tasting which brought them on the world map. Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, Russian River Valley Pinot Noir & Fume Blanc styles are my favourite.  

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

Its always been Old Monk and Coke (mostly because I can afford it). More recently it has been Mezcal and Tequila that has caught my interest. I also try using different flavoured tonics. Mezcal with Grapefruit and Tequila with Elderflower is what I feel goes well together.

What is your advice to young professionals seeking a career in this field?

If you are borderline crazy, welcome to the F&B industry! Jokes apart, there needs to be passion and obsession for your work and knowledge as there is no grey area. You need to dive in and keep learning, because the more you learn the more you realise how much you do not know. Stay hungry for knowledge, always! 

Apart from mastering wines, what other skills must a sommelier possess?

A sommelier’s skill set is not only restricted to mastering wines, but also to possess a complete knowledge of all foods and beverages in general. The most important skill a sommelier should have is people skills, to be able to share stories with guests and be able to perceive the guest’s choice through conversation, and also to be able to share his knowledge and ideas on wines with his colleagues.

Lastly, a sommelier should build trust with guests, and also bring in some humour.  

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Blog TippleTalk

#TippleTalk – Ethics of Respekt

Everything in nature lives by give and take – Goethe

‘Respekt’ is Biodynamic viticulture association formed by Austrian winemakers.

This simple yet deep sentence forms part of the core beliefs of the Respekt group, a collection of winemakers, all Austrian (for now), who wished to depart from the more conventional ways of winemaking and shift focus back to Mother Nature.

I cant resist asking people as to what does it mean to be Biodynamic, and how much ‘more’ is it over Organic? My idea is not to taunt winemakers or to see if they really understand their cosmic cycles but to merely and actually understand if all the hype is actually worth the talk time we are all currently generously allowing it?

I always have a confusion with BioDynamic (BD) producers, for I’ve so far never met a bad BD winemaker. All the people who I know converted to BD style of winemaking were making great wines in the first place. So the chicken-egg question that I always have in my head is, “Are you a good winemaker who also happens to be BD or was it BD that made your wines so good?” Self-fulfilling prophecy? A bit of a ad-hoc-ergo-propter-hoc philosophical dilemma for your morning breakfast!? Moving on…

Biodynamics is a form of organic agriculture based on the ideas of the Austrian philosopher, Rudolph Steiner

As Dr. Josef Mantlerhof (who is not a part of this group), an organic producer, shared, “Bio-dynamic is organic to a large part, and then it makes a leeway to allow for balancing of energies, of ensuring a more holistic harmony with all the elements that surround us and are hence a part of us.” (On a separate note, he also had a nice quote to share about ‘natural wines,’ that other buzz word which almost seems to imply that other wines are ‘un-natural’ and it was this, “Well, if you as a consumer are ready to accept a different taste of a wine, especially for wines that you have known to taste a certain way, then by all means go ahead. Sherry is a wine with a particular taste, so natural wines too can exist, provided the consumer is aware.”)

But back to our lovely tasting, there were 15 top producers, and yet they were top even before BD became a part of their philosophy and they are further reinstated as a “The Best of…” compilation of Austrian wines. they shared slides with information as wines were poured out for tasting. I am not a big fan of tasting notes so please disregard my ramblings that follow but do make a note of the houses mentioned. They are definitely something to try out.

But first, a few salient points about Respekt. Think of them as their core philosophy.

Quality

Not just of wine and soil, but also of employees, families, partners, customers.” Happiness all around is a good sentiment, as I gathered. Happy people make happy wines, they might even sing to the vines.

Agriculture : Ongoing Observation

Cow horns are stuffed with manure compost and buried into the ground all through the winter, then later excavated.

Research to understand nature and her systems. Healthy soils. Biodiversity. Target is individuality of expression.” Another slide said, “Soil should provide all around the year; something man has intervened in and made the soil forget.” While this may exist as common sense in any form of winemaking, we often don’t realize just how dependent we make our vineyards by spraying and treating problems chemically. The whole idea of biodynamic isn’t a conversion overnight but to nurture the vineyard back to self-sustainable health.

Sensory: Unique And Vibrant Wines

Complexity through moderate alcohol. Balanced with longevity.” I thought moderate alcohol was a great point; what’s the point of opening a bottle that knocks you out flat in half a glass! Balance maybe possible even at 17% alcohol but the average consumer is looking for something less heady. 

Quality: Respekt-Symbol. 100% bio.

There exist, of course, other bodies to give you a BD certification but as Fred Loimer said, “If BD is all about bio-diversity then think of us also as diversifying to bring a healthy variety to the system.” The group has worked closely since a few years and it is this closeness that led to the formation of the Respekt.

Outside of this event, I also got some dope on “Soft pruning” from Fred Loimer, which is a technique that can be applied to Spur or Cane trained vines and the basic principle is to NOT cut any wood of 3 years of older as the vine isn’t able to entirely heal from such wounds and ends up drying up within. That said, it works well and still helps retain the compactness of a vine.

RESPEKT GROUP

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Blog Videos

#52Drinks52Weeks – Sauvignon Blanc Day

Happy Birthday Sauvignon Blanc!!

It’s the International Sauvignon Blanc Day and the two baldies, Sommelier Gagan SHARMA and Magandeep SINGH, can’t decide which way their argument is going to go. While one loves the varietal, that was born in the wilderness of Loire Valley in France, the other sees it quite jacketed and dimensional, be it from Bordeaux, Marlborough, California, Chile, or even India. Love it or hate it, see what the outcome it while they also taste a Sancerre Blanc and one from India.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3l5OR508Bc
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Blog TippleTalk

#TippleTalk – Remauge

Imagine yourself in the 1600s. Shahjahan has just completed CONSTRUCTING the magnificent Taj Mahal. Doesn’t that call for a toast? What’s better to pop open than a bottle of bubbly. But, here’s a problem. It’ll be cloudy, rustic, murky, and full of sediments? How’d you make it look like the modern day bubbly then?

Would you appreciate if your glass of Champagne was murky, unclean, and had shard of yeasts floating in it? Probably thats what ticked off Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin, and she took upon self to clean all Champagnes there after. 

Painting depicting Dom Perignon practicing winemaking


Earliest evidences of (bottle-fermented) sparkling wines were found in Limoux, France. Made by Benedictine monks in Abbey of Saint-Hilaire, near Carcassonne in 1531. Whereas, Dom Perignon made the champagne in 1693. Within a few centuries, these techniques were passed on to Spain, Germany, and other countries. Locally they were called Cava and Sekt, respectively. However, the question remains how did bubbles reach the bottle in the first place? 

Earlier it was difficult for winemakers to remove yeast sediments from the bottle

Wines were ready in winters and bottled soon after. The yeast couldn’t stand the jittering cold and paused its workings. There was still some unfermented sugars in the bottle though. With the onset of summers, and the rising temperatures, yeast regained its workings, feasting on the sugars, and creating additional alcohol and bubbles. Voila! Upon opening these bottles, a surprise awaited. A gentle fizz was to be encountered. This was called the Ancestral Method of sparkling wines production, and that’s how Blanquette de Limoux is still produced.

A new change arrived in the Champagne region in 1801. Jean-Antoine Chaptal and Andre Francois mastered the science of secondary fermentation. But they couldn’t really figure the art of removing the dead yeast floating in the bottles. There comes in Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin aka Veuve Cliquot. In 1815, she created the process of clarify sparkling wines, called remuage. Prior to this, the task was unsophisticated, and wine were left cloudy and unclean. 

It takes Remuer more than ten years of experience to learn the art

Madam Cliquot shifted her dining table to the cellar and put holes in them. Bottles were placed upside down, letting the yeasts settle at the neck. They were occasionally twisted, or ‘riddled’, to move the yeast to the desired position. In approximately six weeks, the dead yeast could be removed. Riddling became a highly skilled craft and the professionals were called remuer or a riddler. They could efficiently operating over 40,000 bottles a day, with exceptional skills and patience that’s rare to find today. 

It was said that to become a qualified riddler, one would take at least ten years of intensive experience. Afterall, the task demanded delicate handling of every bottle, with necessary precision, and unhindered focus. Back then, each bottle was personally supervised. No doubt the practice was considered a style of meditation by the monks.

But then this art was expensive, time consuming, and riddlers became rare an further pricey. After all the price was to be paid by the consumers. And just in the nick of time, came in Gyropalette, an invention by two French vintners, that was first introduced at the house of Cava Codorniu in Spain. It could process over 500 bottles in one go, and duplicate the process of riddling spanning over 6 months, in 48 hours! 

Gyropalette can duplicate the riddling process with more than 500 bottles in one go

For a Champagne house, like Moet & Chandon, producing approximately 28 million bottles a year, a brigade of 700 professionals would be required to execute remauge. And that only when they’ll be working for six weeks straight! 

Being labour-intensive, cost-bearing, and space-hoarding a process, manual remuaging is no longer commercially practiced. Some houses still hold on to this age-old process, but they can be counted. Technology has made our wines cleaner, fresher, and at least better looking. On the other hand, made the hands of ancient craftsmen redundant.

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Blog TippleTalk

Art of Food and Wine Pairing

I don’t know who or when decided that we need someone to tell us what to drink with our meal, but that was pretty much the first sommelier on the planet. Since then, sommeliers have crowded the F&B space, dictating this, decreeing that, some matches being proclaimed heavenly, while others being snubbed.

Food and wine pairing intuitive yet subjective.

Now, here’s the truth: yes, there is an art to pairing food and wine. But it’s an intuitive art. It’s also subjective, which means that it’s alright if two people agree to disagree. There are, however, a few basic cardinal rules and they are listed below. Outside of these, anything that steals your fancy is fair game.

Light wines go with light dishes

Keep in mind the intensity of flavours while matching it with food.

This transcends the veg/non-veg debate. You can have fish with red wine if the preparation is rich enough to require so. Similarly, certain lamb dishes can be had with luscious barrel-fermented and aged white wines. Match intensity of flavours, not colour or principle ingredient.


Nothing is worse than being served a dry wine with sweet dishes.

The old Champenoise (people from Champagne, not people who drink too much Champagne, mostly because there’s nothing like too much Champagne) are much to blame. They keep trying to serve dry (Brut) Champagnes with desserts and ruin both wine and cake for us. The simple rule of thumb: the wine must be comparably sweet with the dish at hand, else the dish will make the wine seem astringent and sour. So avoid a dry wine with a sweet dish, no matter the colour or occasion.

OK, there is one thing worse than the point above and that’s serving a tannic dry wine with sweet dishes. Nothing strips away at the balance and harmony of your palate than being asked to spoon the chocolate mousse with whatever remains of the main course red. If it were up to me, I’d sip through the wine and finish it before ordering dessert.


Sweet wine with a savoury fat-rich dish

Acidity in wines balances greasy element in food

However, can be done. This is because a sweet wine isn’t just about the sugar, but also a lot about the acidity, the crisp tartness that, hidden as it may seem, is what keeps the clawing syrupy aspect of the wine in check. It is this acidity that balances out the greasy element in the dish. Heard of foie gras and Sauternes? Well, this is the principle that guides that classic pairing.


Soups and eggs are best off not being paired

The reasons are simple. Eggs leave an unmistakable smell in the glass (once you eat an egg and sip from a glass) so it ruins the wines bouquet. And with soups, the hot-cold temperature isn’t always a pleasure. Also, as soups shrink from being a legit course to mostly a course-breaker, or a palate cleanser in some cases, there is no need to dedicate an entire glass of wine to it. Either continue the previous wine (from the starter) or serve a wine now to lead into the next course.

The best pairing for a successful evening is the company it is enjoyed with.

Follow these cardinal rules and you will never get it too wrong. And always remember the most important rule of pairing: don’t impose your choices on others. Your likings may not correspond with your guests’. Accommodate for this. The best pairing for a successful evening is the company it is enjoyed with. Don’t lose out on that in the long run.

Written by Magandeep SINGH.
First published in Financial Express.

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Blog TippleTalk

A Sweet Tipple

If there is a devotion Indians show as much as they do to God, cricket, politics, and movies, it’s to all things sweets. In fact, if you’re a true Indian, somewhere in the country or even away, you may even skip a visit to a temple, mosque, or a church but will definitely have a dose of sugar in one way or the other. Be it with our morning cups of coffee or chai, in yogurts with our meals, snack bags we munch on, those sugary drinks, shakes, smoothies, and juices, or just pure sweet and dessert courses that follow after our meals. Call it a deep-rooted connection with our ancestors’ diets that has drilled sugar-intake into our genes or the irresistible appeal of a platter of homemade sweets prepared at every corner of the street, India, in a nutshell, remains a sweet-toothed country. That’s the story generally after our meals. A somewhat equal reverence is enjoyed by the tipples we engage in before a meal. Be it light draws of beer or wine, or a generous pour of whisky on-the-rocks; we love them as they come. However, it’s interesting to see that this is one area that we like sans-sweetness. Quite a contrast you’d say.

Dessert wines are sweet enough to replace your dessert, hence the name.

Under the umbrella of fine wines, there exists an intriguingly exciting genre – dessert wines. They are the simplest (and at the same time, complex) that a wine can get. These wines can be sweet enough to replace your desserts, and hence the name. Rarely does one witness someone reject tasting these wines, especially in India. Be it at a morning tasting, an evening get-together, or at the dinner table, these are the most-demanded and first ones to vanish off the offering. Concern remain, they may appreciate tasting them but not order them from the wine lists or pick them off the local wine shop shelves.

History of sweet wines began from the Greek and Roman era where grape juice was drawn and stirred with some yeast to initiate fermentation, breakdown of sugar to alcohol. With the lack of much understanding about the process, the wines would remain only partly fermented as the weak yeast would give up soon with dropping winter temperature and increasing alcohol levels and wouldn’t complete the cycle, resulting in a considerable portion of sugar unmoved, thus creating a sticky yet alluring sweet wine. Some of these were so highly regarded that they were reserved only for consumption by the kings’ court and the royal priests. Eventually, they spread out to reach the layman, only at certain marked occasions, and their worth was well understood. Even though the technology has boomed today to fully ferment the sugar but the divine temptation of these sweet drops hasn’t let the wine style become a matter of the past. They are demanded the world around and reserve a considerable portion of the wine lists. Yet, India has turned its back on them and hasn’t welcomed it with arms wide open, the reasons are many.

POST DINNER DRINKS

Dessert wines are not a mid-meal proposition and are best reserved for later

Indians were introduced to the British idea of post-meal indulgence but never received it fully. Be it Cognacs and brandies, digestive liqueurs, or even something as simple as coffee. Lunch is considered a workingman’s meal, thus light, and dinners are almost a gala event. We compensate what we miss out at lunchtime with heavy main courses of rich gravies, curries, and rice, leaving no corner for these post-dinner sips. Dessert wines are not a mid-meal proposition and are best reserved for later. Indian cuisine generally doesn’t allow us that liberty, drawing only a little scope for their presence on our tables.

VARIETY OF INDIAN SWEETS

We love our desserts, don’t we? Be it as light as Sandesh, kheer, basundi, or phirni, to something as heavy as Jalebi, Gulab Jamun, or Khubani ka Meetha, we can polish off the platter in a jiffy. The concern remains with their complexity of styles, sweetness levels, textures, and serving temperatures (especially when served warm). Although there exist wines from light to almost raisin-sweet luscious sticky consistency to match all levels of India sweets, however, the idea of pairing them with something to sip alongside is non-prevalent. Desserts in European/ Western cuisines are generally served cold and classified into three flavour-dominant categories: Heavy: chocolate/coffee-based, moderate: caramel based, light – sugar based, and so are the wines, making it simpler to marry. Indians desserts are a complex chapter, even for Indians, and lack of understanding of the two worlds has inhibited the acceptance of dessert wines here.

HEALTH CONCERNS

A hereditary health concern engrained in our genetics is that of diabetes. If you’re not one yet, the fearful thought of getting there defines what you eat, right! Dessert wines and Ports can have as much as 100 grams of sugar per litre, or even more. This is the same natural sugar found in fruits, called Fructose, but in higher concentration. Though it is healthy but our genetic build-up suggests us to stay away.

CONNOISSEURSHIP

Some of the fine dessert wines are amongst the most expensive wines of the wprld

Wines are a fine beverage, everyone likes to be seen talking about them. A little knowledge about wines and their vocabulary places you in the category of ‘connoisseur’ in your social circle. While some believe sweet wine is just alcohol with sugar, truth is they are never easy to describe. As a general belief, talking about these wines is considered less intelligent. Most vinos embark their wine-drinking experiences with Goan Port-style wines, the sugary red wine that tastes almost angelic when youthful. In social circles, however, they wouldn’t rate it high. Even if that’s your daily poison, they are looked down upon and thus refrained from, holding its sugary sweetness to blame. It’s true, some bad wines are masked with sugar to bring them to a drinkable status, but not all sweet wines stand true to that notion. Historically speaking, three wines were called ‘gods’ wine’, and two amongst them were dessert wines. Amongst these two, one is so prestigious for the country that it’s a part of their national anthem! 

TEMPERATURE AND PORTIONS

Hotels and restaurants fail to educate the consumers about the fact that high sweetness makes the drinkability of dessert wines restricted. Result, 90-100ml is their average service portion, against 150ml of dry wines. Furthermore, as the sugar level escalates the service temperature should be dropped to curb the sticky, clawing mouthfeel the wines can bring.

If not presented at the right temperature, they can potentially taste identical to warm chaashni (rich thick sugar syrup). Throw your dessert wine bottles at the back of the freezers for an hour and pour them out in tiny a portion, that’s liquid bliss!!

First published in Times of India Time N Style in September, 2013