Indian food and wine

Sorry folks, I am taking a break.

2010-07-03T03:34:00.001-07:00

Geoffrey’s, Centrestage Mall, Noida – The good pub

2010-03-19T20:07:00.000-07:00

Yes, Geoffrey’s indeed is a good pub. But not great; though quite clearly it has potential to be one.

The first impression

Okay, so I was there last evening for a casual eating and drinking experience with my lovely wife. First the décor: The brass bars, both inside and outside, shined well. The mahogany shade of the world around was pleasing, but the lighting too low, I thought. In fact, so low that when I couldn’t even read the menu card and the steward couldn’t place my need to read one very important, I requested for a change of table in one of the corners which was slightly better lit. The stained glasses lamps hanging over some of the tables and the clay models gave a near authentic, engrezi feel. Another thing, in their effort – perhaps! – to be more phoren than they should, I think, the music played was relatively unknown and tad bit louder.

The service

That said let me come to the service, which at the very outset I must say was fast and good (so what if the guys serving had difficulty in understating English very well). I chose to speak in Hindi, to avoid any confusion. It worked well. We chose all vegetarian during the course of the evening. Though I am a non-believing-non-practicing Hindu but out of respect for my dear wife who doesn’t eat non-vegetarian food during the nine auspicious days of navratras presently underway, I gave in to the duties of a good, tolerant husband.

What we ate and drank

Okay, along with the two bottles of Foster’s beer (Rs. 195), we first sampled the tomato and herbed olive bruschetta (Rs. 195) listed as a starter (pictured above). The bread, on which the olives, tomatoes and basil were baked, under a generous layer of mozzarella cheese, was average. The saltiness of the olive preservative was all too prevalent and that made this good preparation seem like just about okay. Plus, perhaps, it could have been a shade more garlicky.

Next we graduated to cottage cheese peperonota (Rs. 295) which both of us found to be truly amazing (pictured above). The roundels of paneer (three of them glued together with heavenly herbs and flavorings) were served in a bed of flavorful and warm Italian peperonata sauce, crunchy vegetables and aromatic yellow rice. Our stomachs were full, so we gave a rather impressive looking list of things sweet a slip. Total cost, a mere Rs. 845, including all taxes and service charges.

Recommendations

A must visit when time is irrelevant and darkness really a necessity. Good, economic place to hang out for longer durations if one has the capacity to adapt to the loud music. Average meal for two with beer: Rs. 800-1200. Cost wise, it is truly a steal.

Kulpreet is now also the Wine blogging expert for Chef at Large

Well, I am truly privileged to be an expert wine blogger on Chef at Large. It is a wonderful community of experts and enthusiasts, a forum really, to put across views ranging from the most serious, to the most casual of experiences, fantasies, information and knowledge. It is a highly interactive medium and I already have some of the articles put up there. Take a look from here.

Size zero and wine

2010-03-15T05:06:00.000-07:00

Ever since the bug to be fashionably size zero has bitten the fairer sex from the Indian subcontinent– thanks to the filmi models who helped spew the craze through gossip magazines – I think the revelation that wine drinking can actually help attain this widely deceptive target has been received with loud applause. Not just the younger lot (they never grow old as we all know, and never dispute), but the next door aunties too are now likely to be seen shopping their wines.

Though Catherine Collins, dietician and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association, who went public with the wine and weight loss news this past week said: "It would be a mistake to think that drinking alcohol helps you lose weight," but the fact that the study was conducted over a period of 13 years and the sample size included well over 19000 women, it would be difficult for anyone to keep the relation between wine and weight loss disassociated.

So, without any further delay, join me in welcoming the fairer gang to the world of wines. Cheers!

Wine news, Jan 2010

2010-01-29T21:30:00.000-08:00

Its still January, so I guess I qualify to wish all a very happy new year. 2009, for me, has been an extremely busy year as I struggled to juggle my job, my passion for good food, wine and travel, my family and of course, my writing. 2010, looks better. So far so good.

Lets straight get to the world of Wines. A lot has been happening to it, not just around us here in India but all over the world. Reasons are pretty predictable: recession, environment, new players, new consumers etc. Listed below are issues that have been making news.

Its hard to sell expensive wines as consumers opt for cheaper ones
Consumers, not just in the United states but all across the wine drinking world are opting for cheaper wines. So, while on the one hand the wine sales of wines priced above 15 $ is on a downward slide, the cheaper ones in the range of 6 $ or less are on upswing. Further, according to winery consultant Gomberg & Fredrikson, California global wine shipments dropped for the first time in 16 years during 2009, driven down by the worldwide recession in general and sales declines in the United Kingdom in particular. Shipments fell 1.6 percent in the first 11 months of the year to 236 million cases. Read more here.

Angrezi sparkling wines beat the French Champagne

The south of England might be sharing similar geology and soils as that of the Champagne region of France, but the countries haven't exactly been fond of each other in the past. And in wines, Champagne was always heads and shoulders above the English. Not any longer guys. Sample this: Nyetimber's Classic Cuvée 2003 (made in Sussex, England) has been crowned Champion of Worldwide Sparkling Wines in the competition run by Italy's wine magazine Euposia. Telegraph has more here.

World record size 'Ice Wine' bottle in China

First some information: What is Ice wine, you may ask? I agree it is not too popular here in India. Well, it is a variety of dessert wine made from frozen grapes while still on the vine. When the frozen grapes are pressed it results in a smaller amount of more concentrated, very sweet wine. This - the record - happened just yesterday in Shenyang, the provincial capital of Liaoning in China. And the record: The bottle contains nearly 1850-liters of wine, four times the previous world record holder, which contains 490-liters. Read more from here.

‘Grover Viognier’ – A good white table wine for Indian food and Kachori Jodhpuree – a delightful place in West Delhi

2009-12-19T20:16:00.000-08:00

‘Grover Viognier’ – A good white table wine for Indian food

‘Grover Viognier’ is a white wine that has been made from a blend of Viognier and Clairette grapes. Since Viognier is known for its fruit and floral aromas, and high acid, the Clairette helps to douse the latter – and does it pretty well too. But still, served at about 6-8 Degrees, the wine is surprisingly crisp. A mouthful of exploding fruit and a hint of peach and honey makes it an ideal choice for mildly spicy Indian food. I paired it with chicken curry, rice and simple home made creamy black lentils. This is one table wine (with a screw top) that one must keep handy at home. It is sure to brighten up a lazy Sunday evening.

Cost (Delhi)
INR 440 for 750 ml
INR 230 for 375 ml

Kachori Jodhpuree – a delightful place in West Delhi

This is one good Rajasthani ‘snack and food’ joint everyone must make an effort to visit.

I discovered it quite by accident. The place has a capacity to seat about forty people and the host is a wonderful guy. Only when he told me that the original place (by the same name) existed in Pitampura, did I recall having read about it. And when he showed the newspaper cuttings of many reputed English dailies I was clearer. I sure had wanted to come to this place, but stuck mostly in Central Delhi and Eastern (where I live) it didn’t happen, until that moment, last week. But why did you leave from that location, I asked him. Rent, he said. I pictured the rest: the owner of the place from where he operated must have asked for more money when he started to do well. Kill the duck that lays the golden eggs, to get all ay once. He said, he didn’t get enough time to look for a proper place and therefore landed at the present location. Tucked slightly out of sight, a little behind the service lane that runs parallel to the Tilak Nagar metro station, the place needs a little bit of finding to do. But what the hell, for good food, it is all fair. Trust me on this one: The kachoris taste great. I tried the Aaloo piyaz (Potatao and Onion), Lahsun (Garlic) and Mava (a sweet made of thickened milk and flavoured) ones. Served without any accompaniment (he insists, none is necessary, as the accompaniment has been added before cooking) the kachoris are worth ducking straight into. Medium spiced, the crispiness and the softness that is rare to find (but is absolutely necessary) are all there. So, next time when you are around, please go find the place and enjoy.

Average cost for one: INR 50
(Non alcoholic beverages at MRP).

Hong Kong overtakes London, the Tuscan wine fraud, and Wine tastes better in Red and Blue rooms

2009-12-15T07:27:00.000-08:00

Up Up Hong Kong! Up Up Asia!

Here's the good news: Hong Kong has overtaken London as the second-biggest wine-auction market after New York. The Hong Kong Wine & Spirits Industry Coalition successfully lobbied the government to lift all wine taxes, it has been reported, because many auction buyers in New York and London are Chinese. 'Removing the tax barrier has brought the wine market closer to the local economy,' said a statement. Read the full article from here.

The Tuscan wine on your table might be a fake

Questa è spazzatura! It is difficult to believe. But sadly it is true. As per reports, around 10 million liters of Tuscan wine is suspected of having been illegally blended. 17 people and 42 companies are currently under investigation for falsifying public documents with the intent to commit fraud. This investigation apparently extends beyond Tuscany, with producers in Abruzzo, Trentino, Piedmont, Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna suspected of having been involved. Read Eric Asimov's article from the New York times from here for more.

Wine tastes better in Red and Blue rooms

Wow! While red signifies passion, blue shows excesses. No wonder then if you are sitting in a room with plenty of these colors, chances are, you are likely to sample your wine better. German researchers found that people who sipped wine in a room with red or blue background lighting thought their wine tasted better than people who sat in rooms with white or green background lighting. Read more...

Sula Brut - sings a song on the Indian palate

2009-11-22T01:12:00.000-08:00

Sula Brut is a sparkling wine, made in the 'methode Champenoise' style. The bottle, with a nice and straight label, suggests so. First impression: The bottle label may perhaps be made a little colourful for us Indians, since we like almost always, an overdose of colour, particularly when it comes to celebrations - and hardly anyone here in India can figure out any other occasion to use a champagne. Now coming to the traditional method of wine making, methode Champenoise, we all know that this is a style where a secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle that gets the beautiful bubbles.

Sula Brut is dry, and when served at about 6 degrees, I found it to be crisp. I paired it last evening with chicken Awadhi gravy and Nan, chicken tandoori tikka (which was slightly spicy) and some home fried vegetable cutlets and vegetable biryani loaded with the winter vegetables, carrot, peas, cauliflower and all. First impression: The aroma is floral, with mineral undertones. The creamy taste the website also suggests greets you perfectly. The blend is smooth on the palate and the bubbles are strong enough in their ability to playfully tingle. Great wine overall, for Indian food. Priced well too. In Delhi a bottle costs just Rs. 560. (At Rs. 480, Sula Seco is a good, everyday sparking wine that is sweeter, and also cheaper)

Ruby Tuesday

2009-11-20T23:44:00.000-08:00

Chicken comes fast and easy, at Ruby Tuesday

Having missed my lunch, I recently landed up at at Rajouri garden in West Delhi. It was well past three in the afternoon and the taste buds were crying hoarse for something good. Ruby's Tuesday happened to be nearby at that moment and I just grabbed the opportunity.

After the broccoli and cheese soup (Rs 175), which was hot and the right kind of thick and slurpy, I ordered chicken Fresco (Rs 400) and beer. Yes, the happy hour got me a pint free. Here, I would like to record that Ruby Tuesday happy hours can be a little confusing as sometimes it is a free drink when one orders two, and at others, it is just order one and get one for free. The management needs to take a hard look at their policy - whatever they decide it should be consistent.

Served in under ten minutes, the dish was mind blowingly good with a generous helping of the mashed potatoes, nice and crunchy vegetables and real soft and flavourful chicken. The lemon-butter sauce poured over the chicken was truly amazing. Here's wishing the restaurant chain all the very best in India. From what I can see, ever since they got in here in the year 200o there has been only way movement - forward :))

The future of wine competitions and Indian wines in India

2009-11-14T22:57:00.000-08:00

Wine competitions: Do we really need these?

In Lewis Carroll's 'Alice's adventure in Wonderland', Dodo said: Everybody has won and all must have prizes.

I have frankly been puzzled by these so called Wine competitions happening around us all the time. Though the competition fever is yet to catch up here in India, I have seen a few venturing into the business recently. Yes, that is what it is: Business! Picture this: According to a study, on an average, such competitions add about 7 % to the selling prize of the wines in the US, where, one million dollars are spent each year as entry fees for the wine competitions. It indeed is Business, you will agree.

There is a nice article in today's Wall street Journal that successfully bares a few myths in the world of wine competitions. It is a must read... Click here. And as consumers, watch out!

Disclaimer: Sorry, friends from the industry (those with a tilt towards these competitions).

Indian wines set to rule India

Wine growing regions of India are marked in the map above

As per a recent RNCOS report, the India wines have been fore-casted to continue their dominance over the Indian wine sales from 2009 through to 2012. I wouldn't call this a good sign. But I wish to say a few things clearly here. The across-the-borders companies will have to make a better effort at finding the right partnerships here in India and do better promotions. The India costumer, after all, is very different than the ones elsewhere and wine drinking is something that has started to appeal the common Indians just about now. Read the snippets of the report from here. The 45 pages report is also available for sale for 800 USD, for the industry.

Wine, girlfriends, Hong Kong and the Titanic

2009-09-27T21:48:00.000-07:00

Girlfriend wants less alcohol wine? Give it!

So this is it. Your girlfriend has been clear in her demand: She wants a low alcohol wine. Fair enough! Its easy. Just buy one with good alcohol and dilute with water. In Europe it is illegal. I am not too sure how it is in India, though at the face of it it looks illegal. But wherever you might be, that illegal business is only for the producers, right? No one can stop you from doing this at home or in a pub. Result: Wine gets lower on alcohol with the favourite flavours remain intact. Read this one from guardian.co.uk from more.

Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival 2009

The ten day Hong Kong wine and dine festival kicks off from Oct 30. The event, like previous years, has been organised by the Hong Kong tourism department and is a sure way of getting to sample the best of wines at all locations in the exotic Hong Kong - have it while on a cruise, in a restaurant or at the heights. Read more from here.

Staying alive!

The wreck of the TITANIC holds the oldest wine cellar in the world and it has been reported that despite the depth and wreckage, the bottles are still intact. Isn't that a good enough reason to keep the hopes alive.

Cocaine in Wine , one million dollar wine book and A better cork to challenge the screw tops

2009-08-11T20:11:00.000-07:00

Cocaine in wine bottles? Yes, it is true

The discovery of liquid cocaine in bottles of Bodegas Kohlberg wine has shocked the owners of the 40-year-old winery in southern Bolivia. Now Bolivia has a cult reputation for its 'high altitude' wines but the country is also the world's third-largest producer of cocaine, and the third biggest supplier to the US after Colombia and Venezuela. Read on to find out more from here...

A wine book for One million dollars

This is not a joke. But, one million USD, you might say? Yes, that is the price announced for a book on wine. It will weigh 30 Kgs. Published by Kraken Opus, which has previously launched extravagant works on fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, Indian cricket ace Sachin Tendulkar and Argentine footballer Diego Maradona, it will be released in spring next year. Read on...

Cork giant Amorim launches an affordable and better Cork

With sales of screwcaps and synthetic corks estimated to have reached 6.5bn closures annually, the producer aims to win back customers in the high-volume market with its Acquamark cork. It has been reported that the new cork is a one-piece natural cork sealed with a water-based sealant rather than the solvent based-product traditionally used by cork manufacturers. Let's see how will this reverse the tilt from the favour of the synthetic closures.

No Bed, but breakfast choices in Delhi, by Kulpreet Yadav

2009-08-10T19:17:00.000-07:00

If you have a bed in Delhi, the next thing that you need is a good breakfast. And if you are like me, who believes in filling up good and nice right at the start of the day, I might have some interesting options to share. Let's begin this exercise with Lutyen's Delhi.

I won't say I have tried all the options (it can take awfully long time and mornings are usually spent in the confines of our office spaces, whether or not we like it), but have tried quite a few in the past few years. My recommendations for good breakfast options are:

The All American Diner, Lodhi road, New Delhi

Located at Habitat centre on Lodhi road, it is easily accessible from all sides of Central Delhi. Since there is plenty of parking at two levels in the Habitat centre, as well as outside, it becomes a good and easy choice. Plus, it is also an excuse for joining the events that takes place here all the time. Theatre lovers, writers, poets, painters, photographers and all kinds of people who have something to do with art can be seen here huddled togather. Obviously, I spend a lot of time here, just like many of you guys who are reading this.

Lets get started. The place has an authentic American cafe feel. But this is part expected. So you have beans and meat cans kept over one another in one corner, there are advertisements of cola and oats in the other, and there are pistols ads too of the wild west times. Beretta and its ilk. Interesting is to see Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe pictures, with hour and minute sticks emerging out of their stomachs indicating time of the day and two legs moving to and fro in place of a pendulum. Okay so the place is American and it shows. The sofas are blood red and the back rest goes well beyond your head.

Lets get to the food now. This is the best place to have eggs, bacon, sausages, hot dogs and of course beer. I like to have my beer (Foster's pint here is Rs 110) early in the day. So this last time when I went I chose a Pancake combo breakfast (Rs 185) with beer. The egg was soft and cuddly (it wobbled as I moved about, playing with it for a while in the beginning), the pancakes were soft too and the sausages were flavourful and short of being chewy. The tomato was stuffed with a heavenly dose of cheese and seasonings and the cutlet nice and crunchy at the outside and creamy inside.

Chonas, Khan market, New Delhi

Chonas has two branches in Khan market, the most expensive market in India (and ranked 24 in the world). I chose the older one which faces the main road. This time I was visiting the place after a year or so and was the confident that they must have renovated. The place did look well kept in the first look, but I noticed the same green leather chairs and sofas in the same state with dismay. Little teary, little shabby, the chairs sent a slight judder down the spine. I did well to ignore it and ordered Char grilled chicken (Rs 395). It came after about fifteen minutes until which I chilled myself with a beer ( Tuborg Rs 180). The dish was good. Rather great. That is the high point of Chonas. It never disappoints. The chicken was succulent, the vegetables juicy and crunchy at the same time and the bread warm and soft. Something peculiar happened in the end. One of the staff along with the manager emerged with a rubber tube and headed in my direction. For a moment I was scared. Are these guys going to give me a bath or something. I resisted smelling my armpit but was sure David Beckham (the deo that I use) was very much there. Thankfully it wasn't meant for me. They took it all the way out of the door. I asked the manager the need for the adventure and he said it was the 'water problem'. Wow! (See picture below) That said, the place still is a must visit for good food and beer or wine (Sula in a glass is priced at just 200, red or white).

Restaurant review, The Terrace Restaurant, Leela, Kovalam, Kerela

2009-08-04T10:18:00.000-07:00

We went to the restaurant for Dinner. First we settled at the poolside but soon shifted inside the plush restaurant as it was hot and humid. Like all five star restaurants that are doing well in terms of occupancy, the place was expectedly crowded.

I decided to overlook the Indian travelers who at places like this tend to talk more and eat less. Someone stepped on my wife’s feet and dropped a fork. It didn’t miss her and she was all red, understandably. We started with some beer (Rs 250) to cool ourselves.

Oops... I think, too much beer. I woke up late to the idea of a picture

It made sense and help drown the noise. The meal that we ordered was mixed and consisted of Penne with tuna, basil, red peppers and tomato basil sauce (Rs 450), Fish and chips (Rs 250) and Primavera Pizza (350). The Penne was Succulent, tangy and right amount chewy. Though high on flavour it lacked the tuna’s overpowering presence. Overall, a big on size platter. The Fish and chips were both nice with a crisp outer layer but soft white, juicy inside. These tasted heavenly with beer. Now the Pizza like a true wood char fired, was thin crust Neapolitan Italian style. It looked nice and done from the outside with a generous sprinkle of chunky mushrooms and veggies that tasted fresh, with their springy juices intact.

Verdict 9/10

Restaurant review, Ariya Nivas Restaurant, Trivendrum

Located in Trivendrum, the capital city of Kerela in South India, this is an awesome restaurant for herbivores. Those looking for authentic local cuisine – I mean that right kind of flavour that makes it so – this place is for you. A stone’s throw from the Railway station, the restaurant sits atop the first floor of the hotel with the same name and its signboard can’t be missed.

We hit this place on the recommendation of a city guide and just loved the food. It was lunch time when we arrived. While my wife asked for the Kerela meal (unlimited at Rs 90/), my daughters with their bored expression ordered Ghee Idly (baby idlis at Rs 30/) and I took the waiter’s recommendation and settled for Chapatti Korma (Rs 30/).

Here’s how we felt: Authentic, flavour intensive, complete with the perfect coconut’s fine shreds, the rasam and all other dishes were balanced nicely in tanginess and spice. The pudding, Payasam, was truly out of the world. In fact, the best had ever.

As for the kids, the Baby idlis’ size amazed them and they ended up having more than they are used to. Perfectly fluffed, non-sticky… chutney was great.

The Korma, I discovered without much fancy was in fact Rajma or the Kidney Beans. Rajma, though hardened by extra coking, probably, were powdery from the inside. That said, somehow the whole combination was somewhat tasty.

Verdict: 8/10

Wine blogger's conference - an idea to get the best of neo wine writers together

2009-07-28T19:30:00.000-07:00

Wine Blogger's conference - Can we have one in India too?

Well, this idea came to me today morning. I was shaving and the thought caught me suddenly. There are a handful of wine writers in India today. And there are a lot of youngsters in India who depend on the web for their daily uptake of knowledge and entertainment. The subject they explore many a times is wine. I have myself experienced it on my four year old wine blog.

So, I thought, why don't we put the two together. Okay, the obvious question some might still ask is - how will the initiative help the Indian wine scene? Let me see upto what extent this can be addressed. One, it will get the wine writers together at the same place for sure. Ideas will be shared, as well as experiences, both good and bad. Two, the wine culture will help spread because many of us will write about it too and tomorrow's wine connoisseurs will get to read it. Three, the industry will benefit as the wine awareness spreads. Four, and this is the best one, it sure will be fun.

Fine, so I came back to my comp. and took a peep in the www. Yes, sure enough wine bloggers meet has been happening at places for some time now and there is a lot to learn from them. Now you tell me can we in India be far behind? Here's the one that was the most recent.

Its titled, Wine Bloggers Conference 2009, Day 2: Wine country immersion was hard work, but someone had to do it , and it begins like this. Day two of the Wine Bloggers Conference was all about immersion into the surrounding Napa Valley and tasting a broad selection of wines… often paired with delicious cheeses and meals. The day kicked off at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) with an entertaining welcome address by Charles E. Henning, managing director of the CIA at Greystone on the goals of the CIA and its relevance to wine writers. Sprinkled amongst the presentation on the initiatives and growth of the CIA, was interesting factoids such as, “Did you know the Culinary Institute of America started to use the acronym ‘CIA’ about 60 months prior to the other well-known institution that also uses this acronym?” Read more...

Delhi, we are home now

Subhash Arora knows the Indian wine scene like the back of his hand. I have always admired him for his candid and well balanced writings about the growing wine culture in India. He has done a lot for the promotion of this culture. So, it was nice to see the editorial on his website, the Indian wine academy, the other day. In the Editorial titled 'Ab Dilli Door Nahin- Delhi Not Far Now', he says, the wine scenario in India seems to have suddenly changed for the better overnight with the Maharashtra government making two major concessions in the taxes last week, making the mood upbeat like that in the Bombay Stock Exchange when the UPA government was returned to power in May. Read more...

Sbarro, Winston Churchill and an outrageous experience

2009-07-22T08:13:00.000-07:00

Winston Churchill famously said in 1974, “Take away this pudding – it has no theme.” Well, for Sbarro, the fancy new fast food chain import in India, I would like to say, much in the similar vein, “Take away this chain – it has no integrity. Now watch the story: First I get a pizza that smells foul, next I get a soft drink that looks suspicious, still next I pay for the whole Goddamn meal without any sense of regret from the staff, and finally – this will surely prove the point – I make a complaint to the company and it just plain ignores it. Let me share what happened and you will see for yourself that my Churchill adaptation makes sense. Reproduced below is the unanswered mail.

Hello there!

I had a horrible experience today at the Sbarro, EDM Mall. I had bought a Sicilian tomato onion pizza, a garlic roll and a Pepsi (Bill no 13100, user id Ranjeet, 19 July 07, 1254 Hrs).

The soft drink was given in a disposable glass. I asked for the bottle as the glass was brought from inside, but the staff did not agree. I gave the soft drink back and bought one from the adjoining MacDonald.

Next, I found that the pizza had foul smell. On closer examination, I noticed that the tomatoes had gone rotten. I took it back and was surprised to find the staff not bothered. They just put it aside. I was so disgusted that I asked them to check the item. They mumbled something offensive and I realized it was no point waiting there. I left whatever remained of the garlic roll and went to another restaurant to have my meal.

Resveratrol pills? Can these replace the good old glass of red wine?

2009-07-12T20:17:00.000-07:00

In August 2003, when scientists first revealed the life-extending powers of trans-3,4,'5-trihydroxystilbene-- also known as resveratrol -- its earthly form had all the allure of an apple in the garden of Eden. I too wrote about this a few posts ago; I am sure few will be able to recall.

Anyway, it is interesting to know upto what extent the human minds can travel to make profits. Says Melissa Healy in the today's Los Angles times, " Ruby red, delicately fragrant, shapely in a rounded nest of glass, red wine can deliver as much as 1.5 milligrams of the plant compound resveratrol per four-ounce serving. At concentrations present in a person's blood after two glasses of red wine, resveratrol has been found to suppress the formation of blood clots and boost the efficiency of immune system cells. Click here to read the complete article.

Chile finds better investors

Chile - what a versatile country and ever more versatile people - is attracting more and more investors in these times of economic slowdown. I understand, foreign investors are becoming increasingly interested in Chilean wineries. This is due to a combination of increased demand for Chilean Carménère and Saugivnon Blanc, and the global economic downturn, says Decanter dot com. Read from here.

Delhi's restaurants to get star rated and Hong Kong better market for fine wines than London

2009-07-02T06:25:00.000-07:00

Delhi restaurants to get star ratings!

Wow! Double Wow, Wow! I think this is a great news. Just before the Commonwealth games kicks off next year, our own Delhi standalone restaurants will be star rated. From 1 to 5. The initiative comes form CII and Food Safety and security of India. First phase will cover 886 restaurants in Central Delhi. Will we get to eat at a five star Dhaba? That remains to be seen. Hindustan times has covered the story on it's today's HT City.

By the way, talking about ratings of Restaurants, the most popular being the Michelin 1 to 3 stars in Europe and 1 to 5 Mobil stars and Diamond ratings in the US, we Indians have been largely judging the restaurants by food reviews on popular sites, magazines and newspapers. Or plain simple word of mouth. I go to a place, gets treated well, love the food and the experience and recommend to a close friend. That kind of stuff. Now this one is getting a little technical. All for a better evaluation. The judging process will be based on hygiene, ambience, service and quality of raw material used, I hear. Here is wishing the adventure best of luck.

Fine+Rare Wines moves into Hong Kong

F+R claims the Hong Kong branch has the potential to outperform its London office, with the Far East market already accounting for more than half of its trade. If you have followed my last post regarding Asians running away with all the vintage wines in my previous post, you will agree that this is a natural progression. Read the Decanter.com article from here.

Asians loot the Sotheby's auction

2009-06-29T07:40:00.000-07:00

Well, it might not the best way to describe a bumper buying spree, but hey, what the hell, most Indians at least will be able to relate to the emotion. Loot is popularly used in north Indian shops where the selling price is rock bottom and the quality acceptable. So, folks don't get me otherwise. What I simply arriving at is some good buying by Asains in the Sotheby's auction.

As per Reuters, Asian vintage lovers helped boost auction house Sotheby's wine sales so far this year to $19.2 million, far exceeding estimates and defying the downturn. Some 97 percent of all lots at the nine wine auctions held in the first half of the year were sold at prices that far surpassed the top-end estimate of $14.6 million for the sales, Sotheby's said in a statement. Read the complete story from here.

Wine necklace? Anyone?

You guys are not going to believe this one. Someone has come up with this crazy competition: Would you or would you not like to wear a wine necklace? Now this one comes at a cost guys. In all probabilities the necklace is going to block that wonderful view of the... you know what... the cleavage of course. So, I am sure which way the guys votes are going to swing. But can't be sure of the fairer sex. Hunch feeling: They are going to reject the idea. What do you think?

Still hanging out. Go check this one out here. And yes, do read the comments and take a second to drop one.

Wine and food pairing on ipod touch, iphone and blackberry

2009-06-23T08:25:00.000-07:00

Wow! I can almost hear you! Yes, this is true!

Hey Guys, wherever in this global village you are chilling out, there is no better way to figure out 'wine and food pairing' than from your cell phone. Yes! All you got to do is a simple download. So if you are hanging out with your girlfriend and can't proffer which wine will go best with the dish she wishes to sample, an innocuous-enough visit to the restroom can throw up a lot of ideas. You just have to check your cell. That is all it takes. Isn't the world getting smarter? And drinking wine getting simpler? Let's see how this happens...

Which pairs best with soft cheeses like brie and camembert: red or white wine? What about harder, more mature cheeses such as cheddar and parmesan? Which cheeses will please those who prefer a beer or cocktail to wine?

Now it's fast and easy for you to find drink matches for 219 cheeses, plus thousands more pairings for appetizers, main courses and dessert in this comprehensive food and drink mobile application. The new Drinks Matcher from Nat Decants is available now for your smartphone. It's like having a personal sommelier and a bartender at your side.

Natalie MacLean, creator of Nat Decants, the wine web site at http://www.nataliemaclean.com/, has teamed up with the software developer bitHeads to create an application that works on your iPhone, iPod Touch, BlackBerry Bold and BlackBerry Curve.

"Wine and cheese is a classic for entertaining: delicious and simple to prepare," MacLean explains. "But we're all busy, so we don't have time to spend researching information online. We want to do a quick search while we browse in the liquor store or order from a restaurant menu."

You just choose a match on your mobile device and then you can find the top drink picks either in your local liquor store or on the restaurant menu. Unlike MacLean's popular pairing widget on her web site, this new tool doesn't require a connection to the Internet and so can be used in remote locations.

"There are two trends that are exploding in popularity now: interest in food and wine, and the convenience of mobile apps," says MacLean. "That makes the Nat Decants Drinks Matcher a natural fit-like Stilton and port. As a wine-loving geek, I love finding ways for new technology to help us savour all of life's pleasures, wherever we are."

Nat Decants Drinks Matcher Features:
- Start with either a drink or a dish
- Choose Bubbly, White, Red, Rosé, Dessert
- Pair beer, spirits, cocktails, liquor, coffee, tea
- Select from 292 grapes, wines and blends
- 219 cheeses and cheese dishes
- 61 pasta dishes, 118 vegetarian & salads
- 57 chicken, 59 beef, 41 pork, 112 seafood
- 27 types of pizza plus other take-out favorites
- 48 herbs, spices and sauces
- 94 Asian, Indian and Chinese dishes
- 123 types of chocolate and desserts
- More than 380,000 pairings, with new ones added daily

The Nat Decants Drinks Matcher is only $2.99 and you can download it in two minutes from the online stores for iPhone or BlackBerry.

For Apple's iPhone App Store, visit:
http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/?itmsUrl=itms%3A%2F%2Fax.itunes.apple.com%2FWebObjects%2FMZStore.woa%2Fwa%2FviewSoftware%3Fid%3D318967153%26mt%3D8%26ign-mscache%3D1

For the BlackBerry App World, visit:
www.nataliemaclean.com/blackberry

Cheers folks!
Kulpreet Yadav

The Mid Summer wine jottings… by Kulpreet Yadav

2009-06-16T04:05:00.000-07:00

The Mid Summer wine jottings…

Kulpreet Yadav

Did someone say June is the wickedest Indian month? Nobody did, I think. It’s just the weather silly, the inner voice admonished. Now I get it, why is it so difficult to get past the mood and enjoy a glass of wine? But not to worry, I have a survival strategy – how not to feel exhausted after a friendly wine encounter.

The Small town wine puzzle

The idea of drinking wine is so overwhelmingly submerged under drink-and-get-drunk on whisky and rum concept that rural India, and the India that thrives in the narrow lanes of old smaller cities, will certainly require more than inconspicuous advertisements in obscure magazines. Just last week, in a small town called Alwar in Rajasthan, about 160 kms south west of capital Delhi, a group of youngsters I was partying with, reconfirmed my fears. Wine? Yes, we all love wine like whisky, rum, vodka and beer. But as rebellious young generation of these times, they declared with a sense of firm pride that they preferred vodka over whisky or rum. I am talking about wine, I insisted. So are we, they stared at me, baffled. For next fifteen minutes I sang my usual what-is-wine-and-how-to-drink song in front of their combined bored expressions. And at the end of it, perhaps out of respect since I was a guest from faraway Delhi, they offered to talk about cricket. Yes, the T20 series you mean. I too was happy to run away from the fact. Or rather, run towards it – what is wine for most Indians?

The Thinking Cap

Yes, later I put it on. It was morning time and having walked three kilometers with my Dad, I was sipping tea in the lawns of my ancestral home, waiting for the first rays of sun to catch the old and rugged Aravali Mountains that run across my house in its unhurried existence. It was six-thirty and the discussion rang fresh as a squirrel ran past me and a peacock perched on the terrace looking south anxious to sight any signs of rains, his feathers partially raised in anticipation. The fact hit me easy – Wine – despite all the tall claims is only fancied in a few metros. Here too in five star gatherings or experimental and impulsive trials at showy diner restaurants. Unless the industry realizes the need to educate the people about it, I feel it will remain submerged. My only hope, industry bigwigs see it this way.

Dry Heat Tests Wine Lovers

Summer can be a tough season to consume alcoholic beverages. Only water makes most sense. But how does one overcome the weather hurdle and enjoy a glass of wine? I thought along these lines this past fortnight as I braved the weather and enjoyed my wines. Frankly, I am an outdoor person. I love long walks in Delhi gardens lined with green trees, love window shopping with my wife or just strolling and loitering in the streets allowing the city to get under my skin. At such times my senses are always alert. I observe people and places and take a lot of pictures. For me a moment it exists at that moment is precious. It will be forgotten unless someone captures it. And not many seem to be bothered. I freeze a lot of these in my camera. Anyway, let me get back to wine. Dry wines that sparkle and have a tangy feel with accompanying effervescence, both in sight and feel on the palate, sure helps to put the summer lethargy away. It also allows indulgence in slightly greasy food which otherwise senses detest. Result, a more than generous consumption and a good night sleep. Zinfandel Rose, Sauvignon Blanc and Moscato are my best pick for the summer season. Reds, mostly, tend to be heavy are best avoided. In any case, should your choices vary, remember not to overindulge. For slight overdoing might do quite the opposite, making you overeat and feel exhausted.

Summer Wine in my head

2009-05-22T07:15:00.000-07:00

Poetry is devil's wine.

St. Augustine

Amaltas is sprouting like yellow fire
Everywhere
But the whole city is hot
Silly as a dry-story plot
And we humans
Are sweating and cursing
Wet and leaking
Damn this summer!
It seems to go on forever
I don’t need no more of it
Wine makes less sense
Food, nonsense
And the grass is dead
Birds breathless
Trees weep undressed

Tomorrow, I imagine
Will be cool
And the weather not such a fool
When the Birds will entice
Cats will run to catch the mice
Trees will sway
Horrors of heat, faraway

I think I have made enough room
To drown the doom
Where is my wine?
Let’s just forget the weather
Where is my wine?
Let’s once again start living
Where is my wine?
Someone get it for me…
Someone…
Please…

Indian Summer, Salads and Wines

2009-04-18T21:59:00.000-07:00

The article below was first published by Sommelier India, India's leading wine magazine. Click here to go through the article directly from the website, or just scroll down. Thanks!

Summer, Salads and Wines

April is the cruelest month, breeding

Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing

Memory and desire, stirring

Dull roots with spring rain

Said, T.S. Eliot in ‘The Waste Land’ (1922). But for us here in India, April already seems like middle of summer. Spring of 2009 is history and summer is right here at our doorsteps.

As the weather is getting balmier by the day and the spirit freer, it is time to see our wines with a whole new perspective. I am sure by now you must have figured it out that those lovely woolens you wore these past few months had actually served sinisterly only to hide accumulated layers of flab. Okay, maybe in some cases a little less than the others. But, in fact, those coats, jackets and pullovers had hidden our indulgences not just from the eyes of those who looked at us, but also from us ourselves. What a pity, many now can’t fit in the summer clothes we adored so much last summer.

That said, isn’t it right to suddenly become calorie conscious and choose to go for lighter food options, like salads? But what about our romance with wines? Since dieting does not necessarily mean we should stay away from our favorite indulgences, why stay away from wines. Fair enough! I am sure by now you must have been able to see the point.

Salad dressings and wine

Let’s talk about ‘Salads and Wines’: Sounds exciting, isn’t it? But, believe me, it can actually be quite a challenge. Mainly because, in most cases the dressing in salads can be too overwhelming even for the most robust of the wines: Vinegar being the worst culprit of all. Pairing with a salad that has been drenched with Vinaigrette is actually a big no-no. One way to go about is to make the dressing milder. Replace vinegar with the Balsamic or rice wine. Better still replace vinegar with lime juice or any other fruit squash concentrate. Even better, a splash of your favourite wine also can work very well too.

Indian salads and wine

Coming to the Indian way of eating salads, where it is the accompaniment of the main course, it seems far too easier. But is it? A mouthful of salad serves, in most cases, as a good way of cleansing the mouth in-between chicken, fish or paneer (Cottage cheese). Also, for us Indians, the salad dressing concept is fairly simpler. A gentle squeeze of lime or a herb paste in most cases peps up to the required degree. That brings us to Sambals that many of us here in India or elsewhere, particularly the Far East, like to add to our portion of sautéed or boiled vegetables. Since Sambals are preferably added to partially cooked vegetables where the juices have concentrated in the chunks of cut raw seasonal vegetables to make these sweeter, it goes well with wines with good herbal notes, like Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. Yogurt is another base on which many of the Indian salads are built. But sadly, wine and yogurt also doesn’t go well. That leaves us with overpoweringly-smitten-with chili type of Indian salads. Now, chili and tannins also are difficult to pair. If you must, try merlot or Pinot Noir. So, I am sure by now you must be able to see the restrictions.

Simple thumb rules…

Follow these simple rules of the thumb when you decide to pair home made salad or even a salad from a salad bar.

Raw greens vegetables - Zinfandel or Syrah. Syrah from warmer areas posses mellower flavours like plum and pepper that goes well with vegetables. Similarly, in Zin from warmer areas too the blackberry, pepper and anise notes sing well with the crunchiness of raw vegetables.

Vegetables - Roasted vegetables with Zinfandel or barrel-aged Sauvignon Blanc. Grilled vegetables certainly with Chardonnay with woody flavors and Mushrooms with a Pinot Noir.

Fruits – Since most fruit flavors are present in the wines we drink we just need to get the two together. We know that pear, melon and tropical fruit flavors are common in Riesling, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Ripe berries, plum, tomatoes and cherries dominate many Pinot Noirs and Beaujolais. Grenache for nuts due to its black currant and blackberries flavors.

Cheese - Wine and cheese have always been married in an eternal bliss. It’s easy to see why – milk proteins in cheeses brave the tannins and acidity turning the pair friendlier. Dry aged cheeses, like Parmesan or Asiago, with their toasty and silky flavors go well with barrel-fermented and aged Chardonnays. Blue cheese pairs well with sweet wines.

Grilled meats and tikkas and kebabs – Barolo, Chianti classico, Riesling or full bodied syrah. Barolo, the robust king of wines, allows its excessive tannic character to rub well on the meat chunks in a manner that it comes across softer on the palate. Chianti for its right robustness and acidity cuts across nicely with meats and tikkas. Dry Riesling for its acidity and strong flavours goes well with spiced up kebabs and tikkas.

February Wine Diary...

2009-02-17T20:10:00.000-08:00

Vikram Seth at the Jaipur Lit fest 2009

Nothing can be more intoxicating than the human mind. No drug, no alcohol, and as the Americans say, no nothing, can beat its potency. But the Indians don’t seem to know that, yet. Demonstrated by the media, intoxicated with their own beliefs, the Hindi scribes nailed the poor Indian in Vikram Seth recently. Reason: The poor soul chatted with a group of enthusiastic college goers during the annual Lit fest jamboree at Jaipur a few weeks ago. He was also drinking wine. And the very next morning, the local Hindi newspapers painted him as a social villain. One even called me up from my hometown, Alwar, about 150 km north of Jaipur. I think it would be a good achievement if someone helps these guys, drunk with their own wayward social policing and custodian of Indian values, see the changing Indian more clearly. I pray Vikram emerges from the shock soon. And return more often to make such social overhauls.

Organic wines and us Indians

There is a whole lot of confusion going around about which food is organic and which is not. Same applies to wines as well. I have tried to demystify some of it by doing a research. Read my article from here. Significant findings are, there is no such rule in India that compels the producers to notify the presence of Sulphites in the wines (the main source of that ugly morning hangover). With the recently formed National Wine Board let’s hope this input gets attention and the regulations become stricter. There are other issues as well. But for that I recommend that you go through the complete article.

The Oberoi, New Delhi Patisserie and Delicatessen

Last week, having read about it in the newspapers it was finally on the advice of a close friend that I decided to visit the newly opened Patisserie and Deli at the Oberoi, New Delhi. And just I had expected, it turned out to be a delightful experience. Spread over 4000 feet, a very knowledge and friendly staff offer Deli style meats, cheeses, breads, pastries, tea and wine. You can choose wines (all imported) by the glass from upwards 500 INR or savour the flavoured teas. I picked up some Salami Milano (Rs 1688 per Kg) and Chicken ham ( Rs 2888 per Kg). In cheese, I bought Port Salute France (Rs 190 per 100 gms). With an ambience that is truly world class, we Indians can now finally buy our favourite foodstuff without traveling abroad. Full marks.

Wine and chocolates this Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T02:11:00.000-08:00

Valentine's day sure doesn't give too much of a room to experiment ( most people are scared of a disaster at such times), but what is life without a bit of an adventure.

So, this time around, think of pairing chocolates with wine with your beloved in company. It is actually quite simple, if you follow a few thumb rules. Read my article published by SommelierIndia by clicking here.

By the way, apart from the roses, I have picked up a bottle of Chianti Riserva 2001, for the evening. More on that soon. Shh... Got to go now. It is an important day today.

Right Wine Glasses – a dire necessity or a snob’s habitual escape:

2009-01-07T23:50:00.000-08:00

Well, for the most nascent of wine drinkers – those who have just started taking their wine drinking more seriously – this seems to be the most apt riddle. Something that keeps them confused more than anything else. But, is there any worth, really, in the question? Now, until, the right education is spread and shared, the darkness will continue to envelope the experience, in turn making the whole process of drinking wine less appealing than what it can be. In short, the right talking seems to be the need of the hour. Let’s today talk a bit about wine glasses.

What really is a wine glass?

A wine glass is a type of glass (with stem) that is used to drink wine. It has three parts: the bowl, stem, and the foot. Different types of glasses are used to drink different types of wines. The most common types are: Red wine glasses, white wine glass, Champagne flutes (the 1920s flat Champagne has long become obsolete as it can’t really hold the bubbles for a long time) and the sherry Copita glass. According to the international organization of standardization (ISO), the wine glasses have been categorized in capacities of 120, 210, 300 or 410 ml and described as, “ The tasting glass consists of a cup (an "elongated egg") supported by a stem resting on a base. The opening of the cup is narrower than the convex part so as to concentrate the bouquet".

The basic uses of the different parts of the wine glass

While the shape of the bowl is essential to allow an uninterrupted and clear view of the contents for the drinker to appreciate, the stem is to allow holding it comfortably so that the temperature of the wine is not affected by human heat. The holding by the stem also affords the most excited of sounds while clinking. The foot, off course, is to allow the glass to stand steadily when kept on a table.

Shapes of wine glasses

The shape of the glass is a very important aspect that needs to be understood. The right shape that tapers to the top allows the concentration of the flavor and aroma (called as the bouquet) which enhances the experience of the wine as the glass is taken for the final inhalation before drinking it. The stem prevents fingerprints from smudging the glass as it is held. Still, bottom-line is one can drink the wine from any shape and size of the glass, if he so enjoys. Because after all the whole idea is to enhance the experience. The means can always be different as long as the end result is met.

Types of wine glasses

Basically wine glasses are divided into three types: red wine glasses, white wine glasses, and champagne flutes.

Red wine glasses (see picture above) have a wider bowl that affords the wine enough space to breathe as it is consumed. While the Bordeaux glass is tall with a broad bowl, and is used for full-bodied red wines like Merlot or Cabernet, the Burgundy glass is even broader so that more delicate red wines such as Pinot Noir can be enjoyed and appreciated. This style of glass directs wine to the tip of the tongue. Both glasses direct the wines to different regions: the former to the back of the tongue and the latter to the tip of the tongue.

White wine glasses (picture above), on the other hand, are usually narrower. Because it is narrow, it allows the wine’s temperature to keep itself chilled for a longer time.

A champagne flute (picture above) possesses a long stem, with a narrow bowl sitting on the top. Like white wine glasses, since the temperature at which the champagne is drunk is important, the glass is so designed to help prevent the heat to escape. The bowl also ensures that the effervescence stays for a longer period.

A sherry glass ( picture above) is used for serving fortified drinks like sherry, port, aperitifs and certain types of liqueurs that are high in alcoholic content and are more aromatic. Since these wines are drunk in smaller quantities the sherry glass holds about 120 ml of volume.

So folks, with this basic knowledge, it will hopefully now not be too difficult to figure out how to select the right glass. Here’s saying cheers!

Wine news, year end 2008...

2008-12-30T19:18:00.000-08:00

Indian stores to soon stock wines

Departmental stores in various states to stock wine soon: Well, we have been hearing this for some time now, but still, somehow seems a log way off. Not any more. According to Economic times, wine bottles some find place in the racks of the departmental stores very soon. Quoting a source in the ministry of food processing the news article has indicated similar concession as is applicable to the beer in a few states. So, wahty are you wating for, let us usher in the new yaer 2009 with wine-cheer. Read the article from here...

Fizz and chesses, a bubbly combination that goes well all the times

How does one pair wine and cheeses during lunch or the start of a dinner? Well, according to a Houston based sommelier, Evan Turner, a sprightly alternative in cheese-and-wine pairings is a lot of bubbles. Yes, champagne at any stage of meals can be an excitingly paired with different cheeses. Read the article from here...

Red wine and quality of life

Now, this certainly qualifies to be good news for all you red wine lovers. According to a study concluded by researchers from the National Institute on Aging and Harvard Medical School, and published in Cell Metabolism, a phytochemical believed to be responsible for the life-extending benefits of red wine, may actually be responsible for improving quality of life for the elderly. Read from here...

Anonymous Unplugged! The future of songs...

2008-12-24T04:15:00.000-08:00

One of my very close friends, who refuses to be known, has just launched a music album of his own. So not surprising that the album is called ‘Anonymous unplugged’. Not because he is my friend that I am talking about this, but it is purely because I haven’t been more moved and entertained by any other for a long time. 'Words and voice' and 'instruments and music' all combine to take the listner to another level of existence. In short, the songs will prepare you to take on the world, in a 'smarter mood'. And keep you that way for a long time to come.

The songs can be just heard, downloaded at just 20 Rupees per song or the album can be ordered online for a mere 150. This guy is going places, I know. You go and figure it out by clicking here… And since he too is a lover of good wines, I thought I must talk about his venture on this page.

IFE 2008, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi

2008-12-22T19:35:00.000-08:00

IFE 2008, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi

To the best of my understanding, IFE 2008 conducted at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from 2 to 4 Dec seemed, certainly, less vibrant and sparsely attended than the last year. “Where are the people?” A Frenchman complained to me on the second day. Despite Inter Ads Montgomery (India) Pvt Ltd’s claims that the wine sector is growing at 30 per cent per annum and the food and processing industry holds 32 per cent share in the food and industry pie, the attendees were slim and the faces of most at the counters, anxious. But then, I understand, there was a face saving crowd on the final day and many deals were indeed agreed to, if not really signed.

Events Galore…

There were, off course, many interesting events thrown in. This, so that the bridge could be walked by all, and the cultural and other perceived distances overcome, besides breaking the formality in an informal ambience. And all this, nicely wrapped in layers of education and experience that most shared. There was the Sommelier championship by Magandeep Singh, a TV Host and a popular Indian voice ‘about wine and its methods for Indians’. Then there were business lounges and guided wine tastings at secluded tasting pavilions. Finally, I was lucky enough to be a part of an Australian and New Zealand wine tasting session at the live theater. Being a great fan of the wines from the Kangaroo and the Kiwi land, I enjoyed thoroughly as my friend Subhash Arora and wine producers talked about their wines. This with Tandoori Fish… This with Mutton Korma, This with Dal Makhani… Everyone seemed to suggest that their wines go very well with Indian food. That’s a lot of change to accept, but I agree with them. For, in the first place, I never quite disagreed that Indian food goes well with wines. I still hold my belief dear – that the Indian food, prepared properly with the masalas balanced, pairs well with many wines.

Masala Wines and ‘Taylor and Shroff’

Last year’s experience (read article from here) found redoubled resonance. It was nice to learn that Nainaz, the vivacious and truly enterprising young girl-MD, was not only able to recall my last visit to her stall last year but also impressed by my article. She, in fact, provided a link from her company’s website. Standing at her stall, I was bowled over by Nainaz’s and her parent’s (I understand) warm hospitality and cordially guided tasting of their wines – Ginger, Cherry, Apricot, Red and White. I loved all of them. I feel this company is indeed slated for a vertical takeoff. It is a gut feeling I would like to record. REASON: My sense of taste and the commitment of the people behind this wonderful venture. Then, there is this typically Indian taste that prefers sweets in all forms. And if it comes in the form of wines, spiced up with more alcohol, it takes them on their favourite ride. All these are sure indicators of the direction this company is headed for. Best wishes!

Get improved brain performance – Drink wine & tea and Chocolate

Well, with Christmas around the corner, can any news be half as good. According to a team from Oxford’s Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics and one from Norway, chocolate, wine and tea enhance cognitive performance. Reason: These contain flavonoids (chocolate, wine, and tea). Tested in 2,031 older people (aged between 70 and 74) the participants were asked to fill in information about their habitual food intake who later underwent a battery of cognitive tests. Those who consumed chocolate, wine, or tea had significantly better mean test scores and lower prevalence of poor cognitive performance than those who did not. The team reported their findings in the Journal of Nutrition. Wow! Read the complete article from here.

Dessert wines and winter – A perfect time for the sweet addiction...

2008-12-10T07:23:00.000-08:00

I think winter is the best time to share good food and great wines. And Dessert wines during winters are, off course, an obvious choice. Read my article in Sommelier India mag by clicking here or just scroll down for more...

Come November and the entire north (and most parts of East India too) gets into an affectionate winter hug, while other parts in the south run amok not vary of the heat any longer. It is that time of the year when ambition is ripe with romantic escapades; the heart is aflutter with festive excitement, and the mouth, off course, salivates just at the thought of good food and great wines. Then there are Christmas and the New Year sitting pretty just round the corner to take one through yet another year, drenched up to the brim in their signature revelry and promise.

Now, to choose the right type of Wine to ward off that shiver without taking the charm of the winter away is one of the most interesting challenges this time of the year. So, on that note folks, can I recommend Dessert wine as an opportune escapade, in sync with all the sweet-everything eating options? Makes sense, isn’t it?

Allow me the pleasure to take you all through my simple chronicle. Dessert wines, though a tad bit expensive, are indeed one of the most pleasurable of options according to the season. Consumed in small measures (2/3 ounces) these are served chilled and almost kissed during adventurous licks, through glasses held close to the hearts. In France, some of the best dessert wines are produced in Alsace, Barsac, Sauternes, or the Anjou-Saumur. The Ice wines of Austria or Germany or Canada and late harvest wines from California and New York State are popular too. Hungary's great dessert wine, Tokay Aszu (Tokay is a method of using scoops of raisins while making wine to achieve a desirable level of sweetness), is another of those fascinating desert wines among some of the connoisseurs I have met. In sweetness, dessert wines vary from being light to almost honey sweet. Methods of reaching this sweetness vary from producer to producer. Late harvest, while the grapes make more sugar within while still on the vines in the growing heat; Botrytis, to allow the fungal rot to sweeten; and freezing the grapes are some of the usual methods.

Now comes the real challenge: How to pair the wines with food? Rule of the thumb: the wines should always be sweeter than the dessert, or at least somewhere there. Since our Indian desserts can tend to be quite sweet, right pairing indeed is a challenge. You can follow my advice here. When pairing sponge white Rossogollas with a dessert wine, ask for the syrup to be drained before serving. At the table, allow yourself a smart squeeze with the spoon. Asking the chef to go easy on sugar during indulgences like kheer, Rabri or Carrot Halwa is definitely not too aggressive sounding, if you believe me. My Co brother, just last week got me to sample Moscato D'Asti from the Asti Region of northwest Italy. Medium in alcohol, it paired fascinatingly well with the squeezed rusgullas bursting in the mouth with wondrous pear and Apricots notes, impossible to miss. So folks, allow some adventure and follow Mary, Queen of Scots in her 1619 saying, “In my end is the beginning”, and drink smartly. Cheers!

Wine news from around the world...

2008-11-14T19:06:00.000-08:00

Salman Rushdie was quoted in the Guardian in 1990, " What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist". Well, to the best of mind if Goodbody Fitness and center, in collaboration with Prestige Wine imports is combining their weekend Yoga session at their center at Dallas with some Sicilian wines, I don't really see enough sense for people to react so offensively. After all, he is charging money for the experiment and if people are ready to take the ride, so be it. Read the article and the comments by clicking here...

Oz Clarke is the greatest Wine Critic in the UK

According to a yet another public poll, Oz Clarke has been declared as the most recognized and famous wine critic in the United Kingdom. Though I did not get to poll in that initiative, I happily wish to record him as my favorite choice too. Straight in his opinion, original in his reviews and tasting notes and candid in his writings, Oz has been fascinating and enthralling readers all over the world ever since he stashed that mike away in 1984 to trade his earlier career of a ‘singer and an actor’ with that of a wine writer and a television presenter. Read the complete article from here.

snapshots from Portuguese wine tasting event in Delhi 10th Nov

2008-11-12T22:18:00.000-08:00

It was just lovely being at the Portuguese Wine tasting event organized by Vinportugal and Indian Wine Academy in New Delhi on the 10th of this month.

Seventeen producers participated in the event and I was thrilled tasting some great wines. Traditional wine making techniques, economical pricing and interesting native grapes, along with a wine range of micro-climate types giving way to a vibrant and diverse terroir, Portuguese wines have always been preferred by connoisseurs all over the world. Ranked sixth in the world in Wine production, the Portuguese wines are relatively unknown to the Indians. I am sure this wonderful initiative, which was kick-started here in Delhi and then continued at Mumbai and Goa all in a space of few days, will help this wonderful wine making nation spread its wings here in India as well.

Oi Portugal! Todo o melhor aqui na Índia... ( Hi Portugal! All the best here in India...)

I

Wine news that matters...

2008-10-31T01:54:00.000-07:00

If you know the flavor of food, you know your Wine…

Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, authors of "The Flavor Bible" and "What to Drink With What You Eat," who write regularly for the Washington Post on wine and food parings brought out a delightfully fresh article on the ‘food and wine parings’, that even included Indian dishes. It did make for a good feeling, as my advocacy of ‘Zinfandel with Indian food’ found a noteworthy resonance there. Gewuerztraminer , as all of us already know for being the most notable with strong and aromatic flavours of lychees and passion fruit perfected by nature for Indian food, was another wine recommended.

They say, “Loud" flavors -- hot, spicy and/or acidic -- can be tricky to pair with wine. There's no faster way to obliterate the nuances of a wine than to serve it with a dish whose flavors will jump out and make those subtleties disappear. Still, there's no reason to let such potential peril spook you. Here are some guidelines to make the matches work. Read the complete article from here…

Wines can cause Parkinson

The amount of metal ions present in the Wines can, instead of doing you any good, may actually make you a potential candidate for Parkinson later in life or any such neurological disorder. Chemistry Central Journal quoting Bimolecular scientist Dr. Declan P. Naughton of the Kingston University in London, who used a risk assessment called the target hazard quotient (THQ) on wines from 16 different countries to determine which ones are the safest, has stated recently that the besides the wines from Argentina, Brazil and Italy others were conclusively higher than the allowed limit of 1. In fact the value varied from 50 to 100 and at 300, was astronomically higher in the samples of the Slovakian and Hungarian wines. So what next: Health practitioners are advocating that the amount of heavy metal ions should be stated clearly on the labels of the wines.

Advertising Wines on the Internet

The French health minister might have given a go ahead to the Evin law that permits wine companies to use internet for advertisement purposes despite the activists putting up demonstrations but I think here in India we need to make up our mind on this issue early. Anyway, here the brewers have been using innovative methods to get around the ban, sometimes promoting even non-alcoholic drinks with near-identical labels akin to the alcoholic ones. It’s about time someone woke up. Read the article form here.

‘Wine Society of India’ arrives in the Indian capital

2008-10-15T02:33:00.000-07:00

Past and present - an interesting contrast, or a new beginning

Silently speaking for itself, like a good bottle of wine, The ‘Wine Society of India’ established its tender feet right in the lap of Lutyen’s Delhi on the 10^th of this month when it announced its arrival from the ballroom of Imperial hotel amidst a specially organized wine tasting experience for the wine enthusiasts of the city. It was, intriguingly, the same ballroom which decades earlier had been a witness to the mixing of the British rulers and the Indian aristocracy. And, also to mention, this was the same hotel where Gandhi, along with Jinnah and Nehru, had discussed the plans of the Indian independence with Lord Mountbatten. One couldn’t help but draw an uncanny comparison between the past and the present – the past which hung from the walls of the hotel as a gentle reminder of a not so gentle past, and the future which now aspires to acclimatize the Indians to the globally acquired culture called wine. I was there to watch the happening from a far away corner, like a child watching the making of his favorite movie. There were about two hundred more such people like me, equally at ease and equally excited.

Shimla to Delhi for the Sake of Good Wine

Earlier during the day when I had woken up at 0600 hrs in a faraway Shimla hotel, I sure had been excited. For everything seemed to be perfectly going as per plan.

Scheduled to arrive in Delhi at 1500 Hrs, I knew I had the luxury of a few hours rest before I, along with my wife, could arrive at the Ballroom of the Imperial to witness – and participate – in the launch of the Wine Society of India’s Delhi chapter. But, it was not going to be such easy an aspiration, I was to learn later.

Our Tata Safari broke down near Kalka as soon as we bid farewell to the cool mountains hula-looping down the hills to the heat and dust of the plains. The highway help assured a speedier rectification but that set us backwards by a few hours and in the end we could make it to my brother in law’s house in West Delhi only at 1830. Now, going further east to my house, cutting across the evening’s crawl of Delhi traffic would have meant missing the event altogether. Therefore appreciating the sense of decision of my b.i.l I decided to try his clothes.

Adventurous arrival…

As the adage goes, there is no such thing as wrong clothes, only the wrong weather. Perhaps, you will pardon my mild twist – there is no such thing as wrong clothes, only the wrong eyes watching you. I arrived at 1925 at Cannaught Place by metro flying at a magical speed wearing someone else’s clothes. Ten minutes later I was talking to David Banford, one of the directors of the WSI. Minutes later I was listening to him talking from the podium to the nodding faces of about two hundred wine enthusiasts, many of them standing without any elbow room to hear him. Clearly, the number of attendees had exceeded the expectations of WSI – and quite frankly, of mine too. Listening to David as he, in a candid sort of a way, went on to describe the mission of the WSI, I soon became oblivious of the ill fitting clothes I was wearing. Mildly humourous in his speech he sure ensured that the cheer on the faces of the listeners stayed that way. I too spread my cheeks.

Pumping Hands with the Master

That's me with Steven Spurrier

Steven Spurrier, the chairman of the board of Wine advisors and an established authority on wine held in awe by the entire wine drinking community, formally spoke about his experience after a brief introduction. He ended his speech with the benefits of wine drinking – a statement that brought an obvious wave of cheer and bright smiles on the glittering faces of the beautiful ladies and the suave faces of the attitude clad Delhi men partnering them. I spread my cheeks even wider. Later when I met Steven and shared my secret desire of becoming one of the better known wine writers on this side of the world with a possible recognition from the coveted ‘circle of wine writers’ of which he is the chairman, he promised his support. My fingers remain crossed in the interim.

The Free Stroll…

Picking up my glass I strolled along with the excited crowd and sampled the eight wines in-between meeting friends and making few. It took me about one and half hour. Time really flew, but the stopping at the sponsors counters and my favorite magazine, Sommelier India, besides other wine accessories too was very informative indeed. In-between I also, as was intended by the host, allowed myself the luxury of stepping out in the balcony to sample the Pink Elephant from Portugal. See the tasting notes at the end.

Thanks WSI!

At this stage it would perhaps be only fair for me to record my overall experience about the entire event purely from a critic’s point of view. I think any amount of praise for the WSI to conduct this delightfully managed experience of wine tasting would be an understatement. David, Kris and their entire team must have worked really hard to ensure even the minutest of the details were looked into. Frankly, I tried to but could not find any flaws. Great work WSI! Welcome to the historically addictive, creatively conscious and fashionably aware mega city of Delhi that drinks the maximum amount of wine in India.

The Wines that I liked

Since genius is what all the wines truly are in their natural form, with or without the love of the maker, I usually go by my instinct when it comes to segregate the good ones from the better ones. So, as always, I kissed and talked to each of the wines I sampled. Without taking anything away from the wines I have not included below, let me record my comments about those ones which talked back real soft and nice to me.

Warerford Estate Kevin Arnold Shriaz 2003 – South Africa paired with Cadbury’s dark chocolate was roast and spicy with a hint of a spicy amalgam that left a mysterious aftertaste.

Anakena Sauvignon Blanc 2005 – Chile, from Rapel valley (in Central valley, Chile) is made with 100 % Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Crisp and flavourful, it left a thoughtful trail of lingering fruitiness.

Bouchard Aine and Fils Bourgogne Chardonnay 2006 – France, was dry but bustling with flavours of citrus and honey and is a sure winner with chicken, fish or mushrooms.

Pink Elephant Rosé 2006 – Portugal – just the name spelt the magic and add to that my weakness for the Rosé wines, I loved this one. Perhaps, most suited for Indian food, it was full of flavours of fruit and flowers not surprising as the grapes are exposed much longer to the sun. Great with fried fish, tandoori dishes and hot Indian style pizzas.

In the end, I would like to record that though I am usually in-principle in agreement with British historian, Gerald Brenan, who spent most of his time in Spain, when he said that “We are closer to the ants than to the butterflies. Very few people can endure much leisure”, but a membership with the WSI that affords one the luxury of living sure-moments-in-leisure as the experts selected wines get door delivered as a cost that is lower that the supermarket I feel butterfly-ish. So, here is a special cheer to a future of better wines and better times with WSI.

Red Wine and Good Health – The Fight Goes On…

2008-10-03T19:58:00.000-07:00

Red Wine and Sperm Count

This certainly qualifies to be truly a wacky finding. For it got many of us guys frightened. Can it be true, one of my friends from Bangalore called to ask? One blogger screamed on his tiny web space, 'I knew this all along guys.' I too had a scary dream last night. Well, the last one is just a joke. I think I have dragged the absurdity a little too far already. Wine drinkers would agree I am sure. But now that the proverbial cat has been placed out of the bag, let us try to get under the topic and see what it really means.

For the facts, a Medical Research study, in Cambridge has found that red wine, along with brazil nuts, peanuts, brown ale etc all contain phytoestrogens. Now these, according to Researcher Gunter Kuhnle, mimic the female sex hormone oestrogen, and are reportedly responsible for lowering the sperm count. Sounds scary, isn’t it? What next, you might ask. Well, he says and I quote, "The data we have collected has enabled us to put together an accurate table of which foods contain the highest levels of phytoestrogens, so we can look at the effect of long-term exposure, and work out what the safe levels are likely to be for humans." Unquote. While the new Scientist magazine has reported that the findings and studies of phytoestrogens are "muddled", I still think the doubt it has generated is enough to make us keep our fingers crossed. Or, better still, I think it about time we start mumbling the Neil Diamond’s original 1968 number where the singer finds drinking red wine as the only way to bury the pain of a lost love…

Red, red wine
Go to my head
Make me forget that I

Still need her so…

But hey, don’t take the study too seriously, because there is a silver lining along the darkish cloud. The fine print says – if drunk in copious quantity. And we drink responsibly, don’t we?

Does it Really Bust that Bad Cholesterol?

French Paradox apart, authenticated claims suggest a small measure keeps a tab on the LDL (bad cholesterol), by raising the level of Good cholesterol (or the HDL). Now, who the hell is bothered about things like cholesterol; it affects only the oldies, many argue. I call that urban Indian innocence because it is so far away from truth! Well, for the record, there are many other ways to increase HDL like exercising and eating the right amount of fruits and vegetables or even drinking just plain grape juice. But are these easy? Well, it is for you to decide. Resveratrol is another of those much talked about substances that reduces the stickiness of the blood platelets and their chances of clogging in the arteries gets substantially reduced, keeping cardiac troubles away.

Playfully Nipping Woes Right in the Bud:

Says experts, not the freak tantriks or the naysayers who are busy professing end of world at the drop of the hat. While predicting the global health may have its own share of challenges but not many disagree to the benefits of a small glass of wine each day. Romance aside, drunk in solitariness, it blurs the loss of a company, at the same time blessing you with the goodness of a generous dose of health benefits. Studies have also indicated that the right dosage boosts immunity, builds bones, fights salmonella that causes food poisoning and keeps the ovarian woes of women away. Wow!

And the icing on the cake is the metabolism that it helps increase which gets all of us up from that couch or the chair while we happily agree to negotiate exited steps with our partners or commit some other adventurous existential play. But how much is the right quantity? Good question! According to published world standards, for males 6-8 ounces and for women about four ounces of wine is the recommended quantity. But remember, most Indian men and women are of much smaller frame. So don’t forget to depress these figures by about ten percent or so.

Which is ruddier: Red of the Wine or the Red of Passion?

Or, the Red of ‘the day after’ – the day after a nuclear attack. There are, in fact, many reds around. According to me, red is the most courageous colour that serves to recall the strongest of emotions. Red is the colour of passion. It ignites some of the wildest and the squashiest of human emotions and helps the racial proliferation, by enticing people to commit the most primal of the corporeal bindings. Does this sound like an exaggeration? Okay, give red wine a fair chance when you plan a romantic dinner next time. Anyway, less said, red wine indeed symbolizes romance and intimacy. No one disagrees to that.

But then, red is also the colour of danger. So will it be fair for us to conclude that romance is that red herring which gets an ambitious angler fishing in dangerous waters. No, I would reckon, though some seem too committed to push its popularity the wrong way. Regardless, red wine, known for its chemical compound called reservatrol, as I have said earlier, has always been known for its pro-health benefits. Cancer busting properties are probably all too well known.

What came as a true surprise was that the chemical can also protect the humans for nuclear radiation. Now, does this means that in case of a nuclear holocaust, you can survive by drinking red wine and keep those dreadful radiation exposure effects at bay. If, Researchers, led by the University of Pittsburgh's School of Medicine, are to be believed the answer could be a yes. It seems that the researchers have found that red wine when combined with the chemical acetyl and administered before radiation exposure protects the cells and help prevent death of the mice. Though humans might be no mice, but they sure love red wine, both for its colour and for that gentle hue of intrigue it brings to the evening’s pleasantness. I think it is about time we request the 67 year old New Yorker, Neil Diamond, to pen down another song about red wine, but this time around for the closeness it can bring to a distant love.

Kulpreet Yadav (wiki link here) is an International Author, Wine enthusiast, Wine Commentator and a Freelance Wine Writer based at New Delhi, India.
URL: www.indian-wine.blogspot.com

Zinzi White by UB – a Guileless Review & Tasting notes

2008-09-29T04:21:00.000-07:00

Zinzi White by UB – a Guileless Review & Tasting notes...

When I unscrewed the Zinzi white wine from UB group a few days ago, I had this unusual feeling of familiarity. Known for its impeccable quality standards, the UB group has never failed to impress both the aficionados and amateurs alike. ‘Kingfisher’, one of the most visible of Indian beers, has been an unmatched partner at almost all parties. So, Zinzi, for me, poured itself well in the glasses, riding high on expectations. And that is where it actually failed to cast a sweeping spell. That apart, on its own standing, without the remindful Indian tab, I still reckon it is a reasonably good wine that will fine-tune itself, I am sure, with time and adapt well to the unaccustomed Indian taste. Priced at Rs 270 (including excise at Mumbai), it qualifies to be a sane table wine for everyday use.

Made with a blend where Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc dominate the brew in a 8:2 ratio, the wine is light-bodied with a hint of sweetness (though it is rather known to be more dry if grown in non-tropical regions). A mild burst of flavours that hesitates as you swirl in the glass but explode fairly well on the palate in the end. The usual high acid of Chenin Blanc is well balanced by the sweetness. It is crisp, refreshing but tends to be rather too dull on the palate. I wonder how it would have tasted if it was fruit intensive. The flavor has a dominant possessiveness of lemon-grass and some weed that keeps you guessing and won’t allow for an early dismissal. Overall, a good (but not great) wine. Rating: 7 /10.

Robert Goldstein – The Sting, or a Sting in the Tail?

Robert Goldstein, after declaring that he won an award for excellence from the Wine Spectator magazine by conning them with fictitious details, has set a war of words in the dispute-hungry blogosphere and wine circles. His argument, with which he went public on the 19th of August while presenting the sticky subject ‘Are expensive wine better?’ at the American association of Wine Economists in Portland, and the consequent Spectator Magazine’s retaliatory response the very next day, sure has provided a lot of fodder to the dulled and bored wine-addicted-old-boys-and-young-girls, intellectually seeking some really slick and gluey argument for supper for the next few months. Vir Sangvi got us Indians also onboard last Sunday. Read my full article on Sommelier India by clicking from here...

The Wine Society of India plans to launch in Delhi soon

2008-09-08T19:59:00.000-07:00

To my right is David Banford and left, Kris Engle of the Wine Society of India

Some of the thoughtfully created wine lessons for the enthusiasts and members of the society

Wine society of India is like that true friend who desperately wants you to get the learning right, right from the word go - seen that way I think it is doing a good job making the Indians befriend the wine culture. Located at Mumbai, the society already has more than three thousand members within three years of it's setting foot in India. First Mumbai, then Bangalore, and now the capital, New Delhi. At the Imperial Hotel, New Delhi, the Wine society of India will be declaring its arrival with much fanfare on October the 10th. Having been invited for the function, I can hardly wait.

On the eve of their arrival in Delhi, it was a real good opportunity for me to meet up with David Banford and Kris Engle at the Imperial last Saturday. It was in fact a truly educating experience. With decades of expertise under their belts, carried forward from the days of The Wine Society of America (Since been bought by a Californian company I was told) with which they have been associated, and the willingness of the Indians now - at last - ready to hug the ancient culture, both sure were upbeat with the prospect of making good success. Listening to their ambitions plans ( media, restaurants, clubs, airport lounge mags, free memberships, banks etc), I have little doubt of their continual success. I take this opportunity to record by best wishes to a truly wonderful initiative.

Vir Sanghvi’s ‘The Great Wine Scan'

For those of us who woke up last Sunday to the scam-impregnated Vir Sanghvi’s article titled ‘the great wine scan’ in the Weekly magazine of Hindustan Times called Brunch, it sure must have felt like a rip-off. But believe me, far from it, any wine promotion exercise, like the Wine spectator awards talked about in the article for example, is solely intended to allow the human interest in the subject to blossom, for the overall benefit of the industry than anything else. In fact, most literary awards too, do the same. You send in your copy, with an entrance fee, and get reward in most cases. It is something similar to a college social get-together where everyone who participates gets a prize.

I disagree with Mr Vir. He has sadly missed the point. By the way, going by awards, what happens in the music industry, film industry, media awards for that matter, housie game gifts, HT first-to-call prize etc, all fall in the same league? I think the premise of an award is to recognize an effort. And if someone has taken the pain to send in his entry and paid the paltry fees indicates his is seriousness and passion about what his doing. That said, the write-up must have made a clever impact on most Indians who are not much aware of the wine industry. And in that way, he has unknowingly done a great service to the nascent industry that is trying its best to emerge from the spawn it has sustained itself in since many decades. So, hey Mr Vir, thanks and cheers!

French Wine harvest down by five percent - AFP

French wine authorities predicted Tuesday that this year's harvest will be smaller than the previous one due to poor weather and fewer vineyards. Production is expected to reach 43.6 million hectolitres, close to five percent less than last year's 46.54 million hectolitres, which was already considered lower than average, according to the national agricultural body Viniflhor. Read the complete AFP article from here...

2008-08-21T20:43:00.000-07:00

More to the Indians and wine…

They're a nation of beer and whisky drinkers, but wine is fast becoming the tipple of choice for India's growing ranks of young, affluent professionals who are quaffing down vintages and boosting the local industry, says Joshua Brown of Reuters. Read the complete article from here.

Just the other day, I was at the famous Khan market in Lutyen’s Delhi – the one of the few places you can see bureaucrats and diplomats hobnobbing with each other to pick the right kind of meat, cakes, lamp shades, wine or dry fruits – to pick up a few oriental lilies to upswing up the mood of my wife. I do this many times when I feel that the world is weighing heavy on the relationship. And it helps, on target every time. But as it usually is I couldn’t just help wandering to the wine shop. As many of you who frequent the up market shopping area must have seen, it is one of the few shops that allow the shopper to self serve. And has a pretty decent collection of wines – both Indian and imported. I monitored the purchase of ten shoppers and found at least four of them to buy wines, a few in addition to Whiskey and beer, the favourite Indian poison, as Joshua also agrees in his write up. I am sure the statistics of 5 ml consumption per capita will surely be a thing of the past soon.

Wine Fridge: There is only one Indian company that is selling wine cellar for the Indian consumers. Why not a normal fridge, my friend argued yesterday. Well, one, it is only opened and closed when you need a wine, thereby ensuring the correctness of the temperature. The other, till the time cork is still around drastic changes in temperature can can cause the bottle contents to expand and shrink. Air then passes through the gap between the cork and bottle and in time, the cork may be pushed out slightly and air may get in to oxidise the wine or worse, bacteria could enter and attack the wine turning it into vinegar. Read more from here.

Wine-tablet to fight cancer

2008-08-11T20:10:00.000-07:00

Wine in a tablet form to fight cancer?

All of us already know that the Red wine is a rich source of biologically active photochemical – chemical found in almost all plants. Particular compounds called polyphenols found in red wine – such as catechins and resveratrol – are thought to have anti oxidant or anti cancer properties. Sure! But did you guys reckon that we might soon have wine in a tablet form to fight cancer. If the researcher’s claims are to be believed then the D day is about half a decade away. Read the Times of Indian news item from here. Read some more...

By the way folks, Sommelier India published my article titled Indianisation of Wine and pairing ideas. Click here and may comment if you like.

Electronic tongue for wine tasting?

You are not going to believe this, but it is true. An electronic "tongue" recently unveiled by scientists at Barcelona's Institute for Microelectronics is capable of identifying different wines, and may be used as a new weapon in the battle against wine fraud according to a study published last week in the Royal Society of Chemistry's journal , The Analyst. Read more here...

To screw or not to screw? The debate is once again kicking up a storm

2008-07-02T21:20:00.000-07:00

To screw or not to screw? The debate is once again kicking up a storm

Wine bottles with the screw caps on

The hottest topic in the world of wine today isn't about vintages, varietals or ‘wine and food’ pairing. The screw has once again fallen over the wine counter. Reason: The latest issue of the decanter magazine that has given the screw cap argument frontal space yet again.

A chair made out of popped away wine bottle corks

For me, I think this is an interesting time to pen down personal views on the subject. Indians, mostly, like to believe that if a wine has been screw capped it isn’t good or expensive. The reasons are many: Old age myths, foreign supplies brought by Indians with slender knowledge but still boastful, lack of education, absence of worthwhile articles on the subject in the media etc.

The beautiful cork

Let me start from the beginning. The cork has been around for about 400 odd years but the screw cap is a relatively new phenomenon. So, in a way it is the old Vs new fight. Two, some still believe that the wine needs more oxygen to mature as it is laid to rest before consuming. The screw cap advocators say the opposite: Almost the entire process is completed before bottling. Another reason that the screw cap guys run away from the cork is due to the fear of the infamous cork taint. It is something to do with a chemical stuff nick named TCA (or 2,4,6-trichloroanisole). But interestingly DIAM cork has done away with the fearful substance and now the cork guys are once again breathing fire and swearing a better future to each other. I think this fight is going to last a really long time. Read more here if you are keen.

By the way, when I polled yesterday online on the decanter magazine's website, this was the result that I got:

Are screw capped wines the way forward?

Yes, definitely
39%

Only for young, fresh wines
50%

No way - corks rule
11%

Whichever way the fight goes, let us all salute both sides for their passion and say Cheers. Join me fellas!

Indian ‘food and wine’ dilemma – Is it really the beginning of an old question?

2008-06-30T21:24:00.000-07:00

For many in the developing world, drinking wine is a complicated process. For most here in India, the complication borders on being even scary due to the sheer expanse of the perceived fears about its mismatch with Indian food. This keeps many away, besides being unusually judgmental, while considering a wine trial. Simply put: People are skeptical that the culture is only western and incapable of indianisation. But this is fast becoming history, particularly in most of the so called tier one Indian cities. And others too are not far behind.

Some might even argue that the stickiness bordering the Indian food and wine issue is still very much intact, but there are many others who have long since shunned the dilemma. I belong to the latter. And I have no dearth of like-minded friends in media, wine enthusiasts and wine educationists who are outspokenly on my side. They are doing their bit, clearing clouds of misunderstanding, reaching to the conscious of people with the right kind of advice. For me this journey of educating people must continue.

The bhite bhine (white wine) and Rhed bhine (Red wine)

Sticking to the debate about matching Indian food with wine that is fast becoming the favorite topic of discussion at restaurants let me try and piece together my experience. The amount of willingness that I have noticed off late, quite frankly, has surprised me. Here is why… you go to a neighbourhood just-opened-restaurant in Delhi suburbs (where I live) and the steward, complete with a smile and that slight bow, begins with suggesting a wine. This when you are thinking about beer… Fish and Chicken bith bhite bhine (with white wine) and mutton bith rhed bhine (with red wine), sir. Who gave you this idea? You ask, startled? And the manager appears who assures you that the man is right and repeats the same sommelier advice, but with a better pronunciation. It’s pretty much the same at most of the diner restaurants where the cost of a meal for two is upwards of INR 1500 (USD 38 Approx).

Is Mark Twain’s statement really wrong when applied to Indian wine scene?

So let the fact be told: Mark Twain, for once, was wrong when he famously popularized the Benjamin Disraeli semi-ironic statement that there are three types of lies: lies, dammed lies and statistics. For, in the case of the Indian wine consumption, it is not just the statistics that are swelling; the lifestyle too is fast adapting and evolving itself around the world of this new found fascination called wine. The Indians may not be still fully prepared to love the culture like they love their Hindi cinema or Indian food, but hey they seem damn serious about it. And the wave is spreading to the untouched before areas. Don’t still believe me, try going to any of the restaurants and ask for their wine menu and a surprise awaits you in the form of variety, and cost. Racks are full with Indian wines that are laid neatly across the imported ones, dressed up in trendy stickers and labels.

Indian food and wine pairing: Is it really mumbo-jumbo of opinions?

Matching food with fine has always been a topic of much debate and discussions even in regions where wine has been consumed for centuries. It is just that the Indian boys and girls are now waking up to it. And in India, due to the staggering variance in the types of cuisine from region to region, the exercise is seemingly more arduous. Add to that the vast difference between home cooked food and the one served at the restaurants. Then there is this street food, now fashionably attired and dressed up on pristine white plates and given fancy names. These are some of the factors which, I feel, sometimes end up confusing the foodie to an extent that a shot of vodka or a beer looks simpler and with much lees fuss. How long before we tumble across this tiny tumble block is then anybody’s guess?

While time, as always, remains the best hope to demystify all the life’s problems, the complexity, I am sure, will get drowned to a large extent soon enough. Until then, let me proffer my take but with a disclaimer that these are original and work for me and my friends and family, and may not work exactly the same way with others. If latter is the case, be rest assured that you are right, because wine, after all, is the experience of enhancing the pleasure of food and mood.

The prescription…

1. Kebabs, Kormas and Aromatic Biryanis - Medium to full bodied Shiraz, Medium bodied Sauvignon Blanc, full bodied Merlot or Sweet Rose

2. Chicken Tikka, Sheekh kebabs and Rumali rotis – Semi sweet Riesling, Sweet Rose Zinfandel preferably, medium bodied Traminer

3. Vegetable Fritters, Panner dishes, Vegetable koftas and Nan – Sparkling wines, any red or white that is decidedly crisp and fruity with a sharp acid finish.

5. Indian fast food like Momos, Samosas, Pav-bhaji and Vadas - dry and fruity sparkling wines

Kulpreet Yadav, an armed forces officer, is also an author and wine commentator based at New Delhi.

Rose wine - Let us welcome the Pink

2008-06-25T03:41:00.000-07:00

Rose wine

Pink is fast catching the consciousness of the elite not only in the Europe and the Americas but also here in India. Riotous and young, it indeed is the colour of the season said a friend recently from the fashion industry. Pink colour and Rose wine, he added.

Personally, I too like the rose wine. Its balanced astringency, its subtle flavours and the lovely colour afford a worthwhile eating and drinking experience. It is also obviously decidedly low on tannins as the pips and the skin has remained in contact for a lesser time. Generally sneered at by wine connoisseurs, Rose wines have always been revered for their crispness and lightness, particularly during hot weather when it comes as a welcome surprise, making the whole experience refreshing and light on the senses. No wonder then these are increasingly referred to as summer wines.

There was a time – I guess prevalent till about seventies – when people even in Champagne area of France used to take white wine and add red to it to get their pink wine. Their theory: the heartiness of the red and the light of the white will make for an interesting wine drinking experience. Though no longer in vogue, the predominant view in the people’s consciousness, calling it a sort of cocktail of wines has unfortunately stayed for far too long and it is precisely due to this reason now that the people are able to see the difference, it calls for a cheer. Thanks to some really hard selling by the producers of Spain and France, England and America too have begun to turn around.

So the Decanter Mags news hardly came as a surprise that The Vinho Verde region of Portugal is shifting more and more towards rosé production. Read the complete article here.

Food paring problems with Rose wine? Follow this simple guide.

Wine Seminar at Taj Mansingh, New Delhi, 12 May 2008

2008-06-04T02:27:00.000-07:00

Wines, all Italian, that were tasted at the seminar organised by the Opera (in the order of presentation) are as listed below. Just like when you breathe the air of Italy during a visit, or the people you meet there for the first time, the Italian wines too take a bit of time to get around, but by the time you are through, these befriend you for life.

Opera, which was made possible by the collective efforts of the European Union and the Italian wine producers, did simultaneous events at Mumbai and Gurgaon too. Variety, as they say, is the essence of life. And who can better demonstrate that than the Italian wine producers, known to export about one fifth of the entire world’s wine needs. But some say that the Italians are far too much obsessed with the wide varieties that come from more than 300 zones or the DOCG (DOC). Partly correct. For, variety, as I said before, is the essence of life – and therefore the real reason for the producers to keep the standardization drive far away.

Mr Subhash Arora at the tasting session talking to an enthralled audience adove

Though, I enjoyed all the wines, the Rocca Sveva Amarone Valpolicella
2003, requires special mention for its full bodied and velvety smooth Amarone as characterized by its orange tinged deep red colour. Also its complex aromas of violets, raspberries and mint blossom that were indeed intense and velvety. The wine was, not surprisingly then, awarded the best off the best double gold at London 2007.

That is what a closer introspection looked like

Thanks to the Indian Wine Academy for inviting me to be a part of the wonderful session at the Taj Mansingh, New Delhi on 12 May 2008. Just loved it.

The Italian wines tasted during the tasting session

1) Altemasi Mill. Metodo Classico
Trentino DOC 2000 Cavit

2) Rocca Sveva Soave Classico DOC
2007 Cantina di Soave

3) Vernaccia di S. Gimignano DOCG
2007 Chianti Geografico

4) Volorosso MOntepulciano
D’Abbruzzo DOC 2006 Caviro

5) Volorosso Merlot Friuli Grave DOC
2007 Caviro

6) Bottega Vinai Teroldego Rotaliano
DOC 2006 Cavit

7) Salento IGT Rosso Ettamiano
Cantine Due Palme

8) Salice Salentino Rosso DOC
Selvarossa Riserva Cantine Due Palme

9) Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2002
Chianti Geografico

10) Rocca Sveva Amarone Valpolicella
2003 Cantina di Soave

The Indians Drinking Wine? Are You Serious?

2008-04-28T20:19:00.000-07:00

I am reproducing the article that was recently published by Local Wine events. com, the world's largest food and drink web based calender. Follow the link to read the article from here or just scroll down.

The Indians drinking wine? Are you serious?

Predicting the future of the wine industry in India without crystal gazing or astrology – based purely on primal beliefs, faiths and the gaps in-between.

The economy is in place. The statistics continue to impress. If Finance Minister’s 29 February 2008 budget presented in the Indian parliament is an indication to go by, the Indians will merrily sail through the forthcoming fiscal able to spend even more, and live better. Pay commission for central government employees has just been announced. States are likely to follow suit soon after. And the bonhomie is not restricted, or contained, within the confines of Indian shores alone. Indian’s are fast adapting to a global lifestyle – traveling more, eating different and forging global partnership with a confident vigor. Now, with all the sectors brimming with growth, can the Wine industry be left behind? Whether the existing growth is all that is feasible in the present circumstance? Can something be done to register an instant fillip? Let me take you on a wine day out and let us together figure it out.

Having been in and out of numerous wine events, tasting and dinners, and discussed the future of the Indian wine drinking culture over many narrowed rims of wine bowls with highbrow experts, connoisseurs, magazine editors, promoters and sommeliers, I am at last beginning to see the future picture. But the problem is, though the picture is there, its detailing is blurred in obscurity. It’s like looking at something through the wine glass with legs crawling along the entire inner surface – you see the outline of the object but can’t figure out what it is.

So, in other words, the future picture remains rooted firmly only in our imagination – and therefore each one of us entitled to a different one. This is the real reason why the wine industry – though predicted to sustain its growth of 30% for the next few years – is disillusioned about. And therefore it’s about time we tried to navigate through the pitfalls the industry will have to negotiate in the future. But foremost let us understand Indians and their appreciation about wine, a little better. First, Indians traditionally are accustomed to an alcohol free life. Even if it is consumed in certain areas in the hinterland, it is consumed under a false shielding of rituals or religion and not routinely. Regular consumption is considered a bad habit and the society doesn’t take the existence of such extroverts lightly. That is how it is in the villages, where about two thirds of the population lives, even today. Let us leave them out of the wine-drag for the moment. The middle class in the smaller cities, the future consumers, live in a world where alcohol consumption is only reserved for men, that too during festivals like Diwali and Holi (Thanks to Bollywood, the Indian film industry as it is popularly called, the alcohol drinking culture has been immortalized by a few songs and dance sequences by some of the superstars which Indians fondly like to recreate during such festivals). Here too, the women whose husbands abstain consumption of alcohol, openly flaunt, “My husband doesn’t even touch alcohol”. Both the shine on the confident women’s face and the smile playing on the husband’s lips is an instant fashion statement. On the other hand, the lady whose husband indulges occasionally often sulks and feels challenged, and therefore jealous. In the Indian metros however, including the capital New Delhi, commercial capital Mumbai and other larger of the Indian cities with population over ten million people, the alcohol consuming men, and seldom women, are regarded as equal to the teetotaler ones. But here too, girls still prefer a teetotaler husband and the groom’s parents cannot imagine even in their wildest dreams their daughter-in-law drinking alcohol.

Second, wine as a word to most Indians means anything alcoholic that is not beer. Therefore you find all along the Indian highways and elsewhere either wine shops, selling whiskey, Rum, Vodka and gin etc, or beer shops selling mostly beer spiked with alcohol for the much sought after kick. The understanding of the word wine to mean red, white, rose or sparkling wine is alien to almost ninety-nine percent of the Indians. Recently, at a wine tasting event at a five star hotel in New Delhi, one Californian guy, who said was visiting India to understand the Indian wine culture, narrated an unusual experience. Unusual for him, but most of us knew what was coming. He said, on his way back to Delhi after seeing the famous Taj Mahal he noticed a signboard on the roadside declaring the name of a wine shop. He brought the vehicle he was traveling in, to a screeching halt and entered the premise with much anticipation. But to his horror and disbelief the shop had everything else except wine. I am sure he must have since returned to his native country a much wiser man.

Third, the policy of the government not to allow advertisements to promote the wine industry products is a serous hiccup. Sommeliers, teachers, tasters, connoisseurs, who are all anyway in short supply, only end up meeting each other during the wine promotion events. Unless innovation, eye catching and educating campaign is not carried out by companies and wine promotion institutions in print, electronic and web media, any serious growth will always seem to be just a dream – similar to the picture I was talking about in the beginning.

So, in my opinion the industry should attempt a two pronged strategy – one, to reach to the people and educate them, and two, let them know the health benefits. Robert Joseph, the wine challenge creator, who had successfully conducted the first Indian wine challenge last December during the largest Food and wine event held at New Delhi called IFE 2007, recently shared his view with me and a few other friends. According to him, let there be some more wine challenges like the Indian wine challenge here in India. Let people find out what is good and what is not. Let promoters know what sells and what doesn’t. Let the producers know what is preferred and what is not. In other words, let the people and their tastes and choices related to wine drive the market. And there can be no better way for that than the wine challenges. Magandeep Singh, arguably India’s most renowned sommelier, shared his plan with me recently. Education, he says, holds the key. The hospitality sector and the consumers both needs to be educated. Subhash Arora, a die hard wine promoter and a personal friend of mine, who manages the Delhi Wine Club and also runs the Indian Wine Academy at Delhi, puts it all so easily. We have to get the view across to the people that wine is a healthier indulgence than hard liquor. He too is trying hard. There are many others like him, me included.

Touted as modern day Dorothy Parker, Fran Lebowitz’s comment, appeals most to the present Indian situation at the moment. She had said, “Great people talk about ideas, average people talk about things and small people talk about wine.” There are lots of great people in India (perhaps there always were) and they talk about great ideas now that they are beginning to get richer, also lots of average people taking about things, but hey, where are the Indian small people? Isn’t it a tad bit difficult to imagine that India doesn’t have them? On a more serious note, the Irish writer Robert Louis Stvenson once said, “Wine is bottled poetry”. It is common knowledge that Indians hold poetry and songs very dear and it reflects in their outlook towards life on a daily basis. Now, can someone really remove the bottle that is stuck in-between? Will the industry please stand up and realize this simple fact.

© Kulpreet Yadav 2008
Kulpreet Yadav is an author and wine commenter based at New Delhi.

Indian Wine Challenge(Edition two), Park Hotel, New Delhi

2008-03-03T19:03:00.000-08:00

With Mr Robert Joseph at the Agni bar, Park, New Delhi

Hey guys, this last Friday I was at the Agni bar, Park Hotel, New Delhi, to participate in the launch of the second edition of the Indian Wine challenge. If you recall the first ever Indian wine challenge was organised during 2007 by Robert Joseph of the International wine challenge fame. The results of the first Indian challenge were declared during the IFE event at Pragati Maidan last December. Just a peek into the result: Five Indian wines had won prizes. Good going eh! many had exclaimed, including our overseas producers and promoters friends.

One of the wines tasted during the event

So, there I was at the Agni bar well before the stipulated time eagerly awaiting the official knocking on the door. I must say few people I know can be as knowledgeable and admirable as Robert Joseph. Looking travel weary Robert was one of the first to arrive. I had a long chat with him. As part of the research that I have undertaken ( unfortunately no sponsors here) to unravel the historical bit of the Indian wine drinking culture, I asked him many questions. Much has been said about the Indian wine drinking in the Mughal courts ( if you browse through the numerous tomes available on the Mughal lifestyle you will find many a places where it will be mentioned in detail). Then it is also common knowledge that the Kashmiris used to concoct a grape juice and use it frequently till the nineteenth century when the deadly pylloxera came visiting and ruined the crops. Still further, there are those tribal people in the state of Himachal Pradesh who consume some sort of wine. My interest lies in the old Hindu texts where there is a mention about Indian wine drinking culture. Sadly, he could not proffer any inputs.

One of the significant points that Robert made was the need to have some more wine challenges in India. I think this is a curious thought. I am all for it. I am sure people in the wine business will put their heads together and reason the much discernible seriousness in the proposal. Subhash Arora was in his usual oratory best trying to emphasize the need to promote the wine culture among ordinary Indians. Over many a glasses of wine ( I will write more about the wines tasted separately) we discussed different aspects of wine and business. If one most significant point that I could fathom happened during the event, it was the willing and participative communication of all present, from Reva K Singh to Magandeep Singh and several others.

Overall an educating event that cleared the air about the Indian wine drinking cultute and its future foothold. Thanks to Mr Subhash Arora and the Indian Wine Academy

Diva – The Italian Restaurant

2008-02-13T23:23:00.000-08:00

Diva – The Italian Restaurant

Diva, winner of the 2004 wine spectator award and run by celebrity chef Ritu Dalmia, is one of the finest Italian dining restaurants in New Delhi. That is if we decide to go with the published reviews, unless, Of course, we are prepared to let our own experience teach us a lesson. Or two, because there is sometimes so much of hype and hoopla, and once you sample the dish or just visit the place it all proves to be a drab and you feel like murdering the reviewers. It is for this reason I always think the latter is a good idea – that is to find out for sure. And that is exactly what I did.

But how much home does an Indian palate gets with Italian food – was the real question? Dining last weekend in the dimly lit restaurant located in the M block market of Greater Kailash phase two, I got a firsthand opinion of it. And guess what – the restaurant is exactly what it proclaims to be, and what others think of it, reviewers included.

The warmth of the place, and the one exuded by the smiling hosts, was both calming and held promise for a truly delectable experience. It truly did and enlivened our evening. The open fire, shielded by a look-through glass at one end of the restaurant spelled a distinct mystique. We began with something special scotch, priced Rs 250 for a 30 ml peg and graduated up the ladder to the main course of Pollo Ripieno Con Cipolla a Pere, Con Salsa Di Scinaci (Chicken breast stuffed with caramelized onions, and served with a light Spinach sauce) priced at Rs 470, which we washed down with Sauvignon Blanc, 2004, of Sula vineyard, India, priced at Rs 950. The restaurant also has an exhaustive wine list from Italy, France Chile, US, South Africa and Chile. But as usual, the stringent taxes we burden the foreign wine exporters with, made it a tad bit expensive choice for the Indian in me to choose from.

Meal for two: Without wine, Rs 1500 and with alcoholic beverages, Rs 3000 upwards.

My rating (All out of a maximum of ten chilies):
Location and parking: Six
Ambience: Seven
Hospitality: Eight
Food: Eight
Economics: Seven

Bordeaux is all set to reduce the number of chateaux names

2008-02-04T20:21:00.000-08:00

Bordeaux is all set to reduce the number of chateaux names

For many of us belonging to humbler backgrounds, the area of Bordeaux has always remained an ever-intriguing and perplexing region, though synonymous with fine wines, but with near impossible to remember names. With 7,000 winemakers in the region and over 12,000 chateaux names, each assigning and printing their own individualist names, even the most experienced of the wine enthusiasts were found wanting . But not any longer... For the Federation des Syndicats des Grands Vins de Bordeaux (FGVB) or the Bordeaux wine union, has discovered that the names of the Chateaux was one aspect that had been, in some ways, stopping people from buying the wines of the Region.

So the decision: The number now will be under 10000. Lot of relief for the New World connoisseurs but I guess at the cost of some agony for some. Read the complete Decanter News article here.

Les-5 Wine Trade Tasting

2008-01-10T00:53:00.000-08:00

One of the speaker at the event

Les-5 Wine Trade Tasting
At Taj Mahal, New Delhi
Tuesday, 8 January 2008

Yes, as an honorary faculty of the Indian Wine Academy and an active member of the Delhi Wine club, I was at the BRINDCO organised French wine tasting event at the Taj Mansingh hotel, New Delhi, on the 8th of Jan. The event was well attended with several of the famous French wine producing companies showcasing their brands through audio- video presentations. The wines were poured all through their presentation for the connoisseurs and the media people to appreciate it.

That is me with the event in the background.

The atmosphere was punctuated with a lot of quiet – aren’t we the most disciplined, when it comes to doing newer habits – though it did receive a friendly jab or two when on a few occasions the speaker brought a cheer or laughter to the committed stare of the connoisseurs. According to me, the experience set one thing in clear perspective – The Indians are serious about their wine drinking and won’t take any of the process – including tasting – any bit lightly. Augurs well, fellas. I am reproducing the list of some of the wines tasted, along with the provided details.

A random view from the table I sat on

Chateau Pontent-Canet, 5 eme Grand Classe, Pauillac, 1999
Region: Pauillac, Medoc, Bordeaux.
Grape Variety: 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot.
Tasting Notes: Spice and berry aromas follow through to a medium-bodied palate, with fine tannins and a medium finish.
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Chateau Branaire-Durcu, 4 eme Grand Cru Classe, Saint Julien 2002
Region: Saint Julien, Medoc, Bordeaux.
Grape Variety: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot,
1% Cabernet Franc.
Tasting Notes: The successful 2002 exhibits a beautiful, dense ruby/purple colour, a lovely concoction of raspberries, cassis, flowers and licorice in the fragrant aromatics, medium to full body, surprising opulence for a 2002, and soft and supple tannin.
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L’Hospitalet de Gazin, 2nd wine of Chateau Gazin, Grand Vin de Pomerol 2004
Region: Pomerol, Bordeaux.
Grape Variety: 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc.
Tasting Notes: L’Hospital is already showing meaty, earthy notes with hints of truffle. They combine well with red fruit fragrances. Some roasted notes are still developing due to the raising-up in casks.
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Chateau Gazin, Grand Vin de Pomerol 1999
Region: Pomerol, Bordeaux
Grape Variety: 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc.
Tasting Notes: Lightly grilled and subtle notes of wood, a lot of red fruits and cherry stones, animal, leather and fur. Slightly mineral and spicy with cinnamon. Excellent structure with harmonious tannis, fresh and complex, typified and elegant wine.

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Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere Grand Cru Classe, Saint Emilion 2002
Region: Saint Emilion, Bordeaux.
Grape Variety: Merlot 50%, Cabernet Franc 45%, Cabernet Sauvignon 5%.
Tasting Notes: A medium-bodied, up-front, pleasant effort, the 2002 offers herbaceous notes intermixed with cherries, liquorice, fruitcake, and spice box.

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A peekview into the IFE 2007

2007-12-13T22:32:00.000-08:00

Bonjour l'Inde ici nous venons (Hello India here we come)

One of the wines that I liked at the event was the Gigondas 2004 from Enclave des Papes of the Rhone valley. Gigondas vineyards actually lay at the bottom of the Dentelles de Montmirail, a great location in France for a good value wine. The history of Gigondas wine traces back right up to the Romans. The soil is typically red clay and the weather profusely Mediterranean, something which ensures that the wines from the region are robust, aromatic and well-balanced. Gigondas is considered as a known alternative to the expensive Châteauneuf du Pape.

I had brief chat with the export manager of the company Mr Sebastien URBE and here is what he had to say:

1. So, is this the first time you guys are coming to India?

Yes, and we were looking forward to the visit.

2. How do you plan to market your products here in India?

I think we need to be patient here. It is a new area we are entering and we must be watchful. We are prepared to first learn about the market and then come in a big way. We also need to find out the right importers.

I think the answer to the second question made the mood very clear. ‘Patient’ is the right word. I think this is the best strategy which most should be looking to follow. First understand the market, the local people, their tastes and preferences and then go ahead full steam. I must say I was indeed impressed by the conduct and the hospitality of the young exporter and here is wishing him and his company all the very best.

Later I found out from the company’s website that with a production of more than 600000 hectolitres per annum, the Association of the wine growers of l'Enclave des Papes represents today the second potential of the Rhône valley. Read more about the company here.

Wine and diamonds

Another company that completely foxed me in their presentation and immensely original marketing strategy was the Diadema wines from Italy. The wine bottles have real swarovski diamonds as you can see in the picture above. I visited the website of the company after the images remained stuck in my brain on the first evening itself at my home, and was truly impressed. Must see the site here. The company won some medals too which is a good sign and speaks a lot about their products.

Masala wines, anyone?

Taylor and Schroff of UK have concocted something, they feel, will impact the Indian taste buds the right way. So, move over traditional wines and make way for Ginger wine. I spoke with the pretty Company Vice-President (Marketing) Nainaz B Shroff (see the picture) about the grape used but she declined saying it is a company secret. Well blended secret at that. But the wines are, I understand, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Semillion and Viognier. I think there is a lot of originality in the idea (even though their parent company lists the same collection in their catalogue), so it might work. And frankly, I found the wines worth the effort. So here is wishing the company the very best. Their hope that it will go well with oily and spicy Indian food is my hope too. See an interesting newslink here.

Has the Indian Wine industry come off age to take an ambitious leap?

2007-12-10T00:10:00.000-08:00

Has the Indian Wine industry come off age to take an ambitious leap? Or it is still early days?

Indian Wine industry sees a lot in the Mega food and wine event called IFE 2007 conducted at New Delhi from 06 TO 08 Dec 07. Only if the reach was a little better... That apart, the event was grand both in scale and ambition for an industry that is leapfrogging at an amazing 30 – 40 % from its present share of 450 crores.

Just before the inauguration on 06 Dec 07

The IFE India event, organised at Pragati Maidan from 06 – 08 Dec, 07, was an ‘educating and learning’ experience both for the visiting exhibitors and their prospective collaborators from the country. And Indian wine producers, who were also exhibiting their products, made for an amazing medium for the two to meet. To my mind, everyone went away more insightful of the Indian market and the tastes that would make the impact once the products are made available.

I am glad that in the capacity of an ‘honorary Faculty’ of the country’s most dedicated wine learning institution, the Indian Wine Academy ( run by Mr Subhash Arora, easily one of the most learned and vociferous wine gurus in India), I got to witness the opportunity unfolding in front of our eyes. Or shall we say the nose? Because whichever way I look at it in the hindsight – now that the country’s largest wine and food show is behind us – I feel from the exhibition, to the number of visitors, to the interest displayed by all during the event, the event seemed to be executed in a manner we all had hoped. IFE, I think, has done a wonderful job of providing this well organised platform for an industry that is booming at about 30 – 40 % annually. And is thirsty for more.

One of the guided wine tastings in session. Robert Joseph spoke to the enthralled audience.

The hallmark of the event were the ‘guided wine tastings’ organised by the Indian Wine Academy and the giving away of the ‘Indian Wine Challenge awards’. The tastings had an overwhelming response both from the industry pundits and the wine enthusiasts. The tastings were conducted in the order as follows on the first two days of the event:

The Gold winners (pic. above)

1. Italian wines
2. French wines
3. World wines
4. Spanish wines
5. Sherry.

If one area that I found was lacking on the part of the organizers, it was the publicity. Print and electronic publicity was meager. Visibility in the form of hoardings also was negligible. Just one case in point was the article called ‘the rose` picture’ published by HT in their lifestyle section called Splurge on last Saturday that had absolutely no mention of the event. But when one does an event specific only to an industry, it seems prudent that just the experts or the serious players be given access. I am certain this is what the organizers will proffer as the reason. And I feel they will be right in saying this, because when the word did go around to the local people by the third day, we had a crowd that got difficult to manage – Something that forced the exhibitors to run away in panic at least an hour before the stipulated four pm. But notwithstanding that, without the information reaching to the real people (what I mean is the consumers whose taste buds are ready to discover anything the newly filled pockets can buy), I feel the collective ambition of the industry might nosedive. But if we take this learning seriously – which I am sure is the way it will be – there is enough reason to cheer.

One of the French stalls at the event

There is a lot to talk about the event and I am going to take time to do it – over the next half a dozen or so posts. Just like we savour the wine, slowly, but with eyes and nose open – something I sure kept wide open all through the event. So, folks watch out for some more exciting info soon.

Thanksgiving in Delhi

2007-11-19T18:54:00.000-08:00

Ahoy Turducken!

Well, Thanksgiving is round the corner. Though not popular in India, it assumes significance because of the fact that the borders are loosing significance and cross cultural awakening is fast becoming a sound business imperative. Whatever be the reason, there is no greater joy in sharing happiness. And good food and wine. Read more about Thanksgiving here.

Okay, at the moment, allow me to stay away from the meatless day resolution that these Indian NGOs are continuously bombarding me into promising, and take your attention towards a dish that is fast gaining popularity in India. And that is the multiple poultry dish called Turducken. Literally derived out of Tur(key), Duc(k) and (Chic)ken, it is such a freak out dish that not many can ignore its popularity in the subcontinent. See the recipe.

The green Fairy : Has she arrived in India yet

Whether or not Van Gogh had cut his ear under the influence of the Green Fairy (Absinthe), the drink is fast finding place in the bars of Delhi. The reason I think it is about time for me talk more about this fascinating concoction. For I simply love this beautiful drink. Watch this space.

Krug arrives in India

Finally! Give space to the Krug.

A gift set of Krug Grand cuvee Champagne Half bottle 6 bottle case costs 252 Pounds, at the best bargain price.

A special treat, it is considered absolutely worth the price and forms an excellant gift. Established in 1843 by Johann-Joseph Krug, a German immigrant from Mainz on the Rhine, the house is now a part of global luxury brands conglomerate Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH). Krug utilises all three Champagne varieties in their wines, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. However, Chardonnay is the mainstay of the Grande Cuvee and their flagship single vineyard vintage, the Clos du Mesnil is a Blanc de Blancs, a wine style which is made completely from Chardonnay. Read more about it here.

And read about their Indian entry here. So, join me in folding our hands and whispering 'Nameste'. Or shall we say 'accueillir'!

IFE India 6-8 December 2007, New Delhi

2007-10-31T20:17:00.000-07:00

Close to the heels of the India Wine Show - International Exhibition & Conference scheduled from 29th Nov. to 3rd December at Nashik, as I have mentioned in my previous post, the mega wine event IFE India is slated to be held between 6th and 8th December at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. And guess what, the party is only going to get merrier this year with the participants increasing substantially from 16 countries and 160 exhibitors to 20 countries and 250 exhibitors.

I sure will be there. Hope to see some of you guys at the gala event. Read more about the event here.

The Mayonnaise Jar and the Coffee

2007-10-30T01:52:00.000-07:00

I have a habit. It might be pretty much the same as with most of you. Or it may not be. Anyway, I am used to offering a cup of tea or coffee to all the people who visit my office - friends or colleagues. My assistant, impressed by this habit of mine I must say ( if I were to believe what he told me recently), showed me a nice little story. I am reproducing the same below. In a way, and without being tutored, I seem to have been following the correct path.

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle,
when 24 hours in a day are not enough,
remember the mayonnaise jar and the coffee:

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the! sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things -- your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions-- things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

"The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff."

If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. "Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18 holes. There will always be time to clean the house, and fix the disposal.
Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities.

The rest is just sand." One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked," he said. "It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a cup of coffee with a friend."

Wine tasting event, Hotel Grand Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, 7 Sep 07

2007-09-10T20:13:00.000-07:00

The Facade of the Grand

Discussing finer points

With Mohit, Faculty, Indian Wine Academy

Hi Folks,

As a wine enthusiast, it was an honour for me to be at the Grand (Vasant Kunj, New Delhi) last Friday as a special guest of the Indian Wine Academy, New Delhi. See about the academy here.

The wine tasting evening aptly titled ‘A toast to the CIOs’ was meant to be an intermediary escapade for the convention weary CIOs. From five to seven in the evening, I along with the experts from the Indian Wine academy had the pleasure of savouring the following four fine wines that were the part of the wine tasting/experience journey.

Nobilo Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand (White)
Torres Vina Esmeralda DO Catalunya, Spain (White)
Trivento Cabernet Merlot, Argentina (Red)
Mount Pleasant Shiraz, Australia (Red)

Tasting notes of Kulpreet Yadav

Without going into too many details I would like to briefly take these one by one. We washed all of these with some eight varieties of cheese, besides sticks of cherry Tomatoes, olives and some fine quality seasoned bread. Nobilo Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc of New Zealand was light bodied with a zippy tanginess. It had a rather distinct grassiness. And though wine experts often use the phrase "cat's pee on a gooseberry bush" for Sauvignon Blanc, I found its sweetness rather light in abundance. Torres Vina Esmeralda DO Catalunya of Spain, on the other hand, was overwhelmingly fruity with a hint of spice.

In reds, the medium bodied Trivento Cabernet Merlot of Argentina came with a fruity bouquet emboldened by a hint of Plum. And finally, the Mount Pleasant Shiraz of Australia was medium bodied too, with primary flavours of fruits and secondary flavours of rubber and/or leather. I couldn’t place this particular wine and won’t call it a favourite. Perhaps my bias against the Shiraz is due to my passion for the Indian Shiraz.

The flavour wheel

2007-09-05T23:14:00.000-07:00

Recently, at a friend's house, a couple of my old pals pulled me aside. "What is all this confusion about the 'flavour thing' about wine? People keep imagining so many flavours and inventing a new one each day".

Well, it didn't surprise me that most Indians don't know about the 'flavour wheel'. So, I thought it is about time I put it on my blog. It is an extremely user friendly way of getting to the right flavour by way of focusing the basic flavours like Dairy, nutty, herbal, spice, wood, sweet, savoury etc. Once there, the finer flavours can easily be identified. But friends this is only to be used as a guideline, for one can still look for a new flavour that hasn't reached the consciousness of the connoisseurs so far.

Best wishes!

India wine show 2007

2007-09-05T05:58:00.000-07:00

India Wine Show 2007

The Indian Wine industry is going through an amazing discovery, as more and more companies are joining the bandwagon. Much is getting more. And more, even more. The golden, amber, rose... are all swirling in far too many freshly wiped glasses, much as the industry and trend watching pundits had predicted. At enchanting parties, in the neighbourhood functions, at corporate events, at social get-togathers... it seems everywhere. For a wine enthusiast like me, the fascination is a fantastic find for us Indians.

It is in this light the Indian Wine Show that is being organised at Nashik from 29 Nov- 30 Dec this year is a happening milestone. See more about the event here.

The arrival of Canard Duchêne

Did you guys know that this fantastic champagne that we so often enjoyed when out friends got home from abroad is now available at home? Yes, Canard Duchêne is finally here. The champagne that is pegged among the best ten in the world is right here, amidst us. Read more about it here.

Lavani dance and wine at Nashik

The hodgepodge of the 'Indian culture' and the 'wine drinking culture' that seems to be evolving here in India is a curious one. As one can see from the picture above, a girl is performing lavani dance (local Marathi folk dance) at the recently concluded 'Nashik Valley Wine and Food Festival' at Nashik from 15 Sept. to 17 Sept. 2006. Great going friends...

Taj bags the 'Wine Spectator Award'

2007-08-29T04:26:00.000-07:00

Taj Wine List bags the prize from 'Wine Spectator'!!! Balle Balle...

The Taj Hotels have made a clean sweep of this year's Wine Spectator ' Best of Award of Excellence', with three restaurants in the Delhi Taj Palace and Mumbai Taj Mahal & Palace Hotel sharing all four 'two glasses' awards for outstanding wine lists.

Masala Art, Orient Express and Tea House of the August Moon are the top winning restaurants from Delhi while The Zodiac Grill in the Taj Hotel is the lone winner in Mumbai of the Two Glasses Award... Read more here

Well, for most of us Indians an exhaustive wine list may not be a very fancy thing to boast, but believe me it makes a lot of difference when you know that more options are available, and handy. For one, your overseas friends are less disappointed and two, you always have more varieties to choose from, whenever the mood so demands. So folks, now you know next time you go to the Taj, what to ask.

Enjoy!

absolutely fab sales! Don't miss!

2007-08-28T20:22:00.001-07:00

Hi Guys,

I am sure you will find this offer exciting. Whatever you are loking for - whether immediate consumption or lay off - this summer sale has some of the best offers. I am reproducing the letter below. Hope some of you benefit, as much as I did. Now say thanks!

Dear Mr Yadav,

Receiving ample praise in the press, our summer sale offers first class wines at fantastic discounts. Try the 2004 Sarget de Gruaud Larose from St. Julien, as recommended by Jane Macquitty in The Times on Saturday. Soft, silky and a very approachable red Bordeaux, it makes the unscheduled arrival of Autumn altogether more appealing.

Or browse our full sale range below, with something to please all palates and budgets.

See all Sale Champagne & Sparkling Wines SALE
View Complete List

See all Sale White Wines SALE
View Complete List

See all Sale Rosé Wines SALE
View Complete List

See all Sale Red Wines SALE
View Complete List

See all Sale Sweet Wines SALE
View Complete List

See all Sale Fortified Wines SALE
View Complete List

See all Sale Mixed Cases SALE
View Complete List

Some of the wines have been discounted by as much as 38% With limited stock remaining and the end of the sale in sight, we advise ordering today to avoid disappointment.

Best Regards, Simon Staples, Sales Director, Berry Bros. & Rudd

PS Don't miss the 2nd edition of our new virtual wine school series, focusing on Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. The innovative series of six video 'podcasks' are presented by Rebecca Lamont, head of our Wine School, and are a great way for wine enthusiasts to increase their understanding and appreciation of wine. Watch the lessons online absolutely free.

de-alcoholized wines

2007-08-24T04:06:00.000-07:00

At my home with all the de-alcoholized wines (can you sight dissent on my face ?)

When my brother got me half a dozen de-alcoholized wines of New Zealand, I wasn’t impressed. Frankly, I only know of fruit beers, mock-tails and other such goopy litter (oops!). So going by my fascination of alcohol, it just seemed like a waste of time. So I was aghast! Why me, I asked this several times? And rightly so; I can already imagine you sympathizing.

But once I was past that stage, I began to reason with the product. So one day, while my wife was at the kitchen fixing a meal for the family, I quietly picked up a bottle sitting pretty in the fridge. The outside seemed reasonable, the feel of the bottle as much exciting, and the tilt seemed to promise the same exhilaration by sending a promising bunch of bubbles in a frenzy. Discreetly (my wife wasn’t too happy at my ridiculing a well thought of gift ealier anyway), I poured some of the Billabong wine. It was fun! Minus alcohol, it was surprisingly cleverly concocted, nicely balanced and had a pleasant fruity bouquet. Delicate Riesling aromas, mingle nicely with Muscat flavours to give this white wine a medium vinosity and palate. Smashing I would reckon.

Please see how the wine is de-alcoholized here. So pals, you now know how to woo your Indian girlfriends next time. As regards you guys, her beautiful presence will keep you sufficiently intoxicated.

How do they de-alcoholize it? Here is goes:

The Spinning Cone Column is used extensively to reduce the ethanol content of wines and produce low alcohol wine. This allows the winemaker to harvest the grapes at full ripeness, with all the benefits of enhanced flavour intensity, but without the often inevitable high alcohol levels and associated "hotness" in the finished wine.

Reduction of the alcohol content of a wine is accomplished by the SCC using a two-pass process. A portion of the wine to be treated is separated from the bulk wine and processed through the SCC twice. The first step captures all the delicate volatile aroma compounds of the wine which are then stored separately. The aroma-stripped wine is reprocessed through the SCC to remove most of the alcohol. The de-alcoholised wine and the flavour are then blended with the bulk of the wine to give a finished product at the desired ethanol content. Other methods of alcohol reduction such as evaporation or filtration cause the loss of many vital flavour compounds and require a far greater volume of wine to be processed.

Wow! To learn more please see their website here

The Japanese Tea Ceremony

2007-08-22T20:59:00.000-07:00

I have always been deeply intrigued and fascinated by the Japanese tea ceremony. Therefore, when I first visited Japan four years or so ago, I made it a point to be a part of it. There is something unmistakably austere, something poignant that adds a divine calm to the whole ritual. I feel the ceremony, in a curious sort of a way, relaxes you and you feel strangely rejuvenated. Reproduced below is a worth reading article.

With the Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe here in Delhi, I think it is a good idea to spread the word around about our facination for the Japanese tea ceremony.. By the way, I know this is not the place to talk politics, but I feel the Japanese prime minster's idea of 'Broader Asia' voiced yesterday in the Indian parliament is worth pondering. Maybe over a good cup of tea!

The Cha No Yu - Japanese Tea Ceremony

The “Cha No Yu” meaning hot water originated as a Buddhist ritual. Eisai, the Buddhist Monk was famous for creating the Zen of this ceremony, as well as for planting the first tea plants in Uji, a region near Kyoto Japan. These tea gardens are now famous, and tea is a way of life for the Japanese. Tea, therefore; became popular throughout Japan and by the mid fifteenth century, Japanese monasteries had copied communal living from China. These “Sung” rules or rules of living included how to prepare and consume tea, and were held in special tea houses throughout Japan.
The preparation and drinking of tea includes the Cha No Yu ceremony. The rules of this ceremony were founded by Murata Shuko (1422-1522), which includes inviting a few esteemed guests or drinking the tea alone. There is a pattern or ritual which is closely followed when preparing and partaking of the precious tea. This highly refined art form includes the Zen, a philosophy that symbolizes purity of spirit and soul, which become joined together when sipping the tea. The Cha and the Zen are also linked in the ceremony. Guests meditate and find peace within their souls as they sip their tea. The Cha No Yu reflects the values and culture of the Japanese, and takes place in a beautiful yet simple teahouse.
Murata Shuko’s original teahouse was lightly decorated to reflect the true meaning of the tea ceremony; showing a simplistic way of living. The teahouse in Japan today is called a “Chashitsu.” To reach this pavilion one must walk up a garden path reminiscent of a mountain path. The simplistic surroundings of the teahouse includes tatami mats, paper panels and wood. A painted scroll is above the alcove, flowers are placed in a vase and the kettle sits within a sunken hearth. Fine porcelain is imported from China and includes stoneware dishes, ladle, spatula, bamboo whisk and cast iron teapot. After a light meal, the host serves “Matcha” a green fine powdered tea called “Gyokuro” and is whipped with hot water to make “Koicha” tea. Strong tea is served first; followed by a weak tea; sipped slowly to find inner strength and harmony.
The Cha No Yu is an art perfected today in Japan, and is taken with great care and attention to detail. Over the century Cha No Yu’s rules have been perfected and refined. Tea masters have spent many years studying this ceremony, but the essentials have always remained the same, which are defined as serenity, purity, harmony and respect, otherwise known as “The Way of Tea.”

Article source http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deidre_Bissonette

Meeting a true wine Connoisseur

2007-08-17T02:13:00.000-07:00

Seated with Mr Subhash Arora at his residence during the meeting

As I grow more and more possessive about wines, I am forced to deal with the compulsive need to meet the bigwigs in the ‘making-wine-famous-while-enjoying-it’ kind of people. And I love it.

Post several wine tasting sessions, solitary romantic interludes with wine for a speaking company, and kind of sitting atop a small little mould of empty bottles as memorabilia that I have made at my home, I think I see myself donning a thinking cap. And my wine enthusiasm continues unabated. If my friends and my wife are to be believed, I am aboard the journey for life. It has indeed been an exhilarating experience so far.

So, I guess you will find my adventures now in place. Taking the pursuit forward, I met Mr Subhash Arora, the man behind the half a decade old Delhi Wine Club and publisher of DelWine: the twice a week ‘curious and impressive’ mishmash of ‘national and international news’. In addition he also spearheads the Indian Wine Academy.

‘Fascinating and enlightening’ is how I would like to describe the meeting that lasted half an hour at his Defence Colony home today. Over tea (it was nine thirty in the morning damn it!) he took me through the exhilarating journey that the Delhi Wine Club has taken since its inception. The achievements are listed here.

Folks! Wine lovers! Please join me in recording best wishes to the Delhi Wine Club and Mr Subhash Arora, the true wine Connoisseur, behind it.

Zinfandel and Indian food

2007-07-27T20:12:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks,

Zinfandel has always been an interesting wine for us Indians to pair with our fare of spicy food. Little wonder therefore that it is gaining on the popularity charts. I have many friends who swear by it. So, I thought it is perhaps an oppurtune moment to spread the good word around.

See my article here.

Beer vs. Women

2007-07-22T21:28:00.000-07:00

This was actually a forward sent by my friend in my e mail box. Interesting one, I think...

Beer v/s Women, Which is better...

1. A beer is always wet, a woman isn't.1 point for beer!

2. Beer is horrible when it is hot.1 point for women!

3. A cold beer satisfies you. 1 point for beer!

4 . If you come back home smelling beer, your wife can get angry at you. If you come back home smelling women, your wife will get angry for sure and she might even not talk to you again.Draw! (It depends on your point of view).

5. 10 beers in a night and then you can't drive. 10 women in one night and you don't have to drive anywhere!1 point for women!

6. The older beer is, the better.1 point for beer!

7. Many beers can make you see UFO's. Many women can make you see God! 1 point for women!

8. If you ask yourself how the next woman will be, you're normal. If you ask yourself how the next beer will be, you're alcoholic.1 point for women!

9. For a beer you pay taxes. 1 point for women

10. If you take a second beer, the first one doesn't get angry.1 point for beer!

11. You can always be sure that you're the first one "opening" a beer.1 point for beer!

12. If you shake a beer, after a while it calms down by itself.1 point for beer!

13. You know exactly how much a beer costs.1 point for beer!

14. A beer doesn't have a mother.1 point for beer!

15. You can do it if you want, but beer won't ask you to hug her for half an hour after.1 point for beer!

Final Score: Beer beats women. (9 to 6)

If you're a woman and getting angry, think that a beer wouldn't. Another point for beer! FINAL SCORE: 10 to 6.

You guys know what, I will still go for women. Not for beer. Ha ha ha...

Starbucks coffee, bye bye...

2007-07-21T03:19:00.000-07:00

Well, as the largest retailer of coffee, Starbucks has shied away from India, people are grappling with what actually happened. Was it the competition from Barista and cafe coffee day that shooed them away, or they didn't want to play the rules the Indian way? Whatever the reason, Indians will have to keep visiting foreign shores to get a taste of their share of Starbucks concoction.

I had the first taste of Starbucks coffee at Tokyo years ago. And ever since then, I make it a point to sample the brew whenever I can. There is a different feel to the experience of downing a coffee at Starbucks that is more than just the style quotient. The place actually charges you up.

I guess Kishore Biyani, ever since his book turned into a bestseller, seems to be into trouble. I say trouble, because it was just recently one of his group's most ambitious and flagship store called 'fashion station' was closed down at a mall near my house. Also, the 'furniture bazaar' is not doing too well, I understand. I had also a bitter experience. A couple of months ago I had bought a coffee table and a computer table from the store. While the computer table was okay, the centre table came with its marble bottom (base) cracked. And it was only after a lot of calls did they refund our money. They tried their best to force another shade of marble our way, but we too were insistent. I am sure with feedback things will improve. And I am sure Starbucks will come back with better understanding. But I am still guessing what really went wrong with the existing collabration.

An Encounter with Sozu - the Korean liquor / wine?

2007-07-10T02:11:00.000-07:00

A bottle of Sozu at my dining table

Ready to serve, in glasses that hold larger quantity. And one doesn't have to bother about the temperature much here. The serving temperature is prescribed as chilled. So, one can do it without having to take out the wine glasses with tall stems, just like I have done in the picture.

When I first sampled sozu overseas, I didn’t fancy it much. I need to be honest here. For my taste it was tad bit sweet, had an aroma perhaps vaguely like forest wild fruits and had a totally non mysterious appeal. Believe me, therefore, I have stayed well away from it for the past five years or so. Until, just yesterday, when, one of my friends presented me a surprise bottle. Bored of the monsoon and fed up with power cuts, it found way on my table.

And I am for one, become another of those fans who swear by sozu. It wasn’t the expensive Andong variety that could be upto twenty-five times more expensive than the standard ones. But still, this concoction made out of sweet potatoes enlivened my mood; and spirits. Upto 40 % proof, the liquor was well balanced, sat nicely on the tounge and lips and as I savoured more freely, it created gentle warmth that spread inside me like a friendly volcano. Only, the volcano erupted after about 100 ml sampling. Sozu, due to its high alcohol content can turn you tipsy far too quickly if you take its sweetness and gentleness too lightly. So, friends the next time you see a bottle, don’t hesitate, just go ahead and enjoy.

The cook is dead; long live the cook

2007-06-13T02:03:00.000-07:00

Bombay( now Mumbai) Mixture , pic above

‘God sent meat, but the devil sends the cook’, goes the proverbial adage, somewhat – and I think metaphorically – glorifying the sins the chefs propagate, but yet, get us addicted into. For, most of us Indians literally eat out of their hands. But much as strange as it may sound, the devil this time around, has not only refrained from sending the cooks, but far from it, it is furious with its own agenda: wind up please. Good or bad, all cooks are to go from Delhi streets.

A lot has been said about the self-righteousness or otherwise, of the decisions to have, or not to have, the street food vendors feeding millions of hungry mouths in Delhi. But, let us take it straight: why single out only the ones the devil sent to the streets; why not snuggle behind the swinging doors of an up-market restaurant lobby and take a comparative peek?

If one decides to skim deep beyond the surface of the notoriety professed by the proverb with which I began this argument, the actual picture is, in fact, much different. For me, and I am sure for several of the likes of Vir Sanghvi recently opposing the drive in his article, savouring street-food is a purely blissful experience. Having traveled extensively all over the country, I can say this with resounding clarity and adamant certitude. My friends for Wadia College, Pune, during the late sixties will vouch this admittance. Whether it was the Bun-maska (Broon-maska, at times) from the pan shop near our college back exit, or the killing combination of Keema-Pav-IranianChai at Coronation near the railway station, or the ubiquitous Vada-Pav at the Dhole Patil road frequented by the followers of Osho, or Chat at Bund garden just off the Mula-Mutha river… we ate practically every day at open joints. And I can’t recall any occasion when the gastronomic experience landed us in any trouble.

Not much has changed since then, and even now Foodies (just samplers or the more dedicated columnists) swear by street-food – at times tucked faraway and deep in the busiest part of the city like Daryaganj or Chandni Chowk or in the forgotten hinterland. Generations have come and gone savouring the culinary delights of those who had discovered these dishes with experience, not chanced upon in air-conditioned Chef Schools. Many have patented these signature dishes (recipes) and passed generation after generations as a closely guarded family secret. Can we afford to ruin these rare findings, just on one count: Hygiene?

I asked a chat vendor recently, in between mouthfuls of Bhalla Papri chat, “What will you do if the inevitable happened?” He remained silent. My question cost him his smile. The answer came from his stern face later: He has nowhere to go.

Kulpreet Yadav is the author of ‘The Bet’.

Snobs or not, wine drinking is swinging

2007-06-06T20:24:00.000-07:00

The Indian wine industry is sure leapfrogging as if all its hordes were Bullfrogs: Never before has there been so much lampoonery around the subject. You can here it in planes, in trains, in share taxis and even in your neighbourhood parties. New generations of connoisseurs are waking up and competing with the hardcore tipplers addicted to Whiskey and Beer every single day. Not only that, the new found fascination is at loggerheads with the veterans.

If single malt had captured the limelight these last few decades, wines are here to challenge them. And the best part are the Indian wines that are throwing a scare at the gnawing liquor industry who had fooled the Indians long caught in the chicanery that Indian food is unsuitable with wines; more so if grown and bottled in India.

But as with anything new: there is a war going on between the wine snobs and the just turned affluent aficionados. Wine snobs are confusing the people – making them wonder more about the mystery of the ‘scarlet and gold’ embrace. Newer aromas are being discovered every day and ridiculed, newer tinges of acidity and sweetness are being tasted and laughed at, newer souls are swirling the liquid in wrong glasses and being admonished, newer colours are being imagined and compared with disgust… the experiences of the novices are, in fact, being treated with lumps of tarnish. “You Indians!” said one frustrated long side burned clad man sporting a spiky hairdo recently, “can spoil any thing with your desiness - be it anything, wine or women.”

But interestingly, such people are being treated with a wave of hand by the younger lots. The fact is: number of novices who are energetic enough to capture the new found Indian orde, right in the midst of the economic tranquil, are fast outnumbering the old fashioned snobs. Newer experiences are being discovered and shared. The arguments are friendly, and the thoughts skeptical. Never before in the Indian history were so many people drinking wine from so many glasses - at so many places.

Kulpreet Yadav, Hindustan times, 24 May 07

2007-05-24T20:20:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, I am little late in getting back to my Indian food and wine blog. But here I am. Reproduced downunder is my article from the edit page of Hindustan times, leading national daily of India. Hope you like going through it. Cheers!

Straight vs cocktails, Hindustan Times, 24 May 07

If downing alcohol is a heady social expression for the middle-aged, drinking a cocktail can best be described as the suave expressionism of the young rebel. And it is this difference, the element of brashness that helps reflect individual identity or the need to make an ambitious individualistic statement, which sets the two apart. While drinking alcohol straight is considered too unsophisticated by the younger generation, the suave and the impression-challenged modern generation’s obsession for the cocktail mix is seen as rebellious by the matured.

Let me take the difference further. While it is considered fashionable by the oldies (sorry, anything above 35 here) to boast about their single malts and vintage wines (their ladies swearing by Café Royale and Irish coffee), the hip and the mutinous younger generation likes to show off its cocktail colours — Margarita, Mojito, Sex on the beach, screw driver, Bloody Mary… the list is endless; the options inexhaustible.

Recently, a friend called it the roomier option. She said it gives her space, allows individual choice, encourages experimentation and receives accolades — all point towards flexibility. I couldn’t agree more with her, but argued: Did you know that by adding juices and flavourings to your drink you are doing nothing but spoiling the taste of alcohol? I guess you need to mature to enjoy this taste. I was also like you once, stuck with this goopy litter. She laughed and moved on, calling me an oldie. Despite the strength in my argument, it was I who felt defeated while she maintained her composure.

Well, you can make out now, it is generation-specific. Try to recall and you may not be able to name many oldies who liked cocktails. It was only after my experience with my younger friend, I seriously took a re-look. Believe me, cocktails not only appeal to the senses and taste great, irrespective of age, they also prove to be great fillers between planned alcoholic binges on extended weekends. The break-in actually serves another purpose — it enhances the taste of the alcohol. So, in a way, I think it would be fair to say that the cocktails and alcohol complement each other — just like the older and the younger generation do.

Kulpreet Yadav is the author of The Bet.

Little known facts about wine

2007-01-16T21:55:00.000-08:00

1. Let us first talk about numbers. Out of about 10,000 documented varieties within the species Vitis Vinifera (or grapes as we know them), only about 5230 or so are commercially significant in the world of wine. The study of classifying and identifying wines is called ampelography.

2. One acre of vineyard yields about 3000 to 1800 bottles of wine.

3. Smell is approximately 1000 times more sensitive then the sense of taste- reason why flavour is influenced by nose. It might be interesting here to note that as little as one molecule per million may be detected by nose, but to stimulate the tongue one part thousand is necessary.

4. The composition of wine is very interesting indeed. It has roughly 85 % water, 12% ethyl alcohol (high in port wine), a trace of tartaric, malic and several other acids, various sugars, common alcohols, aromatic aldehydes, ketones, phenolics, enzymes, pigments, many vitamins, some minerals- over 300 ingredients have been identified in wine so far.

5. Wine contains no fats or cholesterol (French paradox, we all know about). But what some of us ignore is that it contains calories from carbs. sourced from sugar and alcohol. Six ounces of dry wine (12% alcohol) provides 150 calories (about same as a pint of beer) but sweeter wine like port (20% alcohol) may provide same amount of calories in only a three-ounce serving.

6. “ Acetez avec l’eau, vendez avec le fromage”, in French means, “buy wine with water, sell with cheese”. Reason: Cheese clouds the ability to judge wine, so should be avoided for at least three hours before tasting. Ditto for chocolate.

Caviar

2007-01-10T21:52:00.000-08:00

caviar and boiled egg sandwich- a Swedish dish

Salmon cavieron butterbrot

A can of black Iranian Caviar (above)

It certainly qualifies to be good news that caviar drawn from the Beluga species will once again be seen on the menus of some hotels- legally, in the US. The less exotic, poorer cousins will, consequently and with great deal of relief, poached less voraciously. And since caviar connoisseurs are warming up their palates in India too, it is time to spread its addiction.

My first brush with Caviar

I tasted caviar first in 1996 at Hyderabad where I was staying then. The can was a Christmas gift from a Nigerian girl who did not forget to apprise us of its astronomical cost, to me and my friend. And when I asked a “why us” through raised eyebrows, smiling, she said she couldn’t stand the taste, before adding that ever since she learnt how cruelly the eggs are extracted from the fish, her repugnance has overwhelmed the taste. We had thanked her for the information and taken one full day to open the can. Recalling the moments now, I can’t really say if I liked the taste, but the exotic appearance and the explained cost and rarity did stay with me for a long time. In fact it pushed me towards liking it. Since that day, I have been fortunate enough to sample the delicacy a few times. Reason: besides its cost, its availability in India is rather poor.

What is Caviar?

Let us first begin with what it actually is. What is Caviar? Well, the long and sort of it is, ‘ Caviar is salted and processed roe of many varieties of fish, most of which comes from Sturgeon. Now sturgeon, from family Acipenseridae, is a toothless fish that appearance wise looks prehistoric and has no bones inside its body. The skeletal system is unique with bony plates outside the main fleshy part of the fish.

Sturgeon species have twenty-four cousins (species) out of which five live in the Caspian Sea. Out of these, three, namely Beluga, Osetra and Sevruga, are kind enough to provide us 90 % of the world’s caviar.

How to serve?

There is certain confusion about the way or the dish in which caviar can be served, particularly in India. It is simple, actually. Just remember to serve it in wood, plastic, horn or gold; never serve in silver or steel, as it will alter the taste and colour of Caviar.

Vegetarian, Caviar?

Some regard it as vegetarian, but most don’t. Reason: since the eggs are extracted out of the fish by making it to suffer, it is non-vegetarian. Take your convenient pick.

Nutrition

Caviar is packed with natural goodness and since times immemorial regarded as food with a punch- whatever one understands by it. Besides protein, fat, sugar, minerals and water, it has significant amount of Vitamin A, C, B2, B6 and B12. 100 grams of caviar would require you to work 2400 calories out in the Gym. Caviar is served on toast (BLINI), with Champagne to wash it all down, at a temperature lower than the room temperature, achieved by placing it over ice.

World’s most expensive Caviar

ALMAS, caviar derived from beluga, over 100 years old, is the world’s most expensive. It is white in colour; the whiteness being the indicator of its rarity and genuineness. Sample this: the Iranian ALMAS comes in a gold can and is priced at about 25000 USD. Wow!

A wine palate- a myth or mystery

2006-12-03T04:35:00.000-08:00

A wine palate is half experience and half ability to appreciate the mystery of the taste. Although the response of different palates to different wines is dissimilar, and rightly so, but, even at times, the response of same wine to different palates in also intriguingly dissimilar. Confusing? Well, let me make it simple for you.

Each individual’s preference of taste, smell and appreciation of flavor is different. But interestingly, it is also region specific to some extent. Now knowing this you would appreciate the reason behind the difference in the taste of coke in different parts of the world. More on this later...

Wine tasting

Wine tasting is a complex and entertaining experience, and one that takes a long time to achieve and appreciate.

While developing personal preference one must remember the basic rules- always consider the temperature, texture, feel and the flavor. The right combination of these strikes the bell of wine wisdom. Well, for the time being use swirl, sniff and slurp method to judge a wine. There is another more subjective method to wine tasting: look, smell and taste.

Look: How a wine looks is particularly important. It not only describes its age and flavour but also let you discover if- at all- the wine has gone bad. The key lies in the colour. First, hold the wine in a sparkling clear glass against a white background (say a white table spread or even a white napkin), and then observe the colour.

The colour of wine varies from wine to wine. In fact even all whites are also not similar; and neither are the reds. While the colour of white wines range from green to yellow to brown (brown mostly means the wine has gone bad) and more colour indicates enhanced flavour and more age, the reds range from a pale red to a deep brown red; and here the wines turns lighter as they age. In short, time improves reds but ruins whites.

Rim colour: Age of a red wine can be guessed- through here sommeliers disagree- by merely observing the ‘rim colour’ as one looks at the liquid in the tilted glass. A purple tint means youth while orange to brown indicates maturity. If you hold your glass in front of light source, the real maturity of wine may be spelt out, better. But, remember, if you are invited to a friends house and the host’s declaration of the wines age and your experiment don’t tally, stick to your composure to refrain from an accidental sharing of wisdom. Instead let the gentleman, or the lady, tame the beast.

Swirl – two whiffs or one deep whiff: swirling of the wine releases the aroma (also called the bouquet or the nose) entrenched molecules of the wine and is the first step to tasting. While some recommend ‘two whiff method’ in which you swirl, tale a whiff, make an initial impression and then take a second whiff for reaching finality; most recommend only ‘one deep whiff method’. The difference between the two, if you choose to argue, is where snobbery begins. The most common aromas are:
Fruity
Flowers
Wood
Earthy
Herbs and
Spices.

But once you get past the aroma step, and have contemplated long enough, only then should you attempt tasting. The memory of aroma and the taste, as you swish, by allowing the taste buds to drench completely, makes a signature impression of the wine. The most perfect taste is the right balance between acerbic and sweet; another of those sacred lined along which the snobs outwit each other. The rest, novices and connoisseurs (real antonym of snob) just enjoy the taste and delicacy of the experience.

My friend once told me, a good wine is like a mistress- gentle, delicate and irresistible, but once you start demanding more from it, it is enticing, addictive and mysterious. Some learn the hard way. For me, I couldn’t agree more with him, being a wine connoisseur myself for over a decade- drinking loyally and enjoying the poison as it has rejuvenated me with zest and life. Remember wine is not a premonitory delusion; it is an awakening, a discovery, a journey, a promise...

Lunch at TGI Friday’s, Cannaught place, New Delhi

2006-11-14T03:00:00.000-08:00

After meeting a journo friend, lunch at TGI Friday turned out to be a welcome proposition- my first visit to the American chain's oldest outlet (am I right? If I am not wrong it was opened in 2000). And did I like it?

As you can see the place boasts of a being a truck shop- so you have, among other things- that are curious or quaint, or both- a teddy bear hanging his face down, looking appallinglyy defeated; an aircraft's nose propeller (seaplane, most probably, and antique); a batman logo; a missile's spent snout... awww...a baby with a punched in face, in a tin bathtub.

Couldn't wander more as my soup arrived: mushroom cream, my first course. So, service is 7 off 10.

With the temperature just right- somewhere between warm and piping hot- it allowed for longer time in the mouth. The stock, diced fresh mushrooms, seasoning, and the cream- the basic for any soup, mostly- were nicely blended to tickle the right flavour and taste probing opportunity - and delivered it right. Sumptuous, that makes it 8.

Hardly tree swigs at the pint beer- refreshingly cold, not iced- brought me face to face with the herb chicken grilled, my main course. The platter consisted of grilled chicken sitting atop the bed of a small portion of flavoured rice. Here the slip up: the chicken was unduly hard. But the accompanying bell peppers (red and yellow), onions totomatoes and broccolli, happily smeared with a thin layer of oil and sauted lightly, were crunchy, flavourful and wholesome. There were also (see pic.) two tiny sauce holder look-a-likes that offered a small (tiny?) tomato garlic based gravy and a watery maa ki dal (wow?) each. Mixed with rice and chicken, it completed the feeling of fusion food. My rating of the main course: 6. There is some scope (and I am being kind here, not all critics have to be harsh, after all) of improvement here.

Decided against trying the dessert. Instead, proceeded to Wengers and tried Tiramisu (hope I have spelled it correct) as recommended by a blog friend. It was lovely: 8.

The Indian wine market

2006-11-11T18:54:00.000-08:00

Let us do an easy review.

It is being vociferously claimed- media hype difficult to ignore- that the wine industry is worth about 260 crores and is all set to grow ten folds in the next decade. Some experts say it could even ‘burst and bubble’ further.

Wine clubs, and along with it the wine snobbery, seems to be sprouting everywhere, even faster than your breakfast moong dal. Exclusive wine parks, excursions to the vineyards, hasty foreign collaboration- it is all happening at a dizzying speed. And to skyrocket it further, the industry ministers are recommending wine drinking, and the doctors too are not far behind, making the bird flu ridden brothers of the Maharastra’s farmers, to laugh all their way while sprinting to gramin banks. The owners too- the Grovers, the Chougale’s and the Samant’s (Sulawines being a recent entrant), who together account for about 90% of the wine sales according to a report- have a reason to cheer.

Let’s get the figures first. The metropolis, as we speak, account for most of the sales.

According to a report, Mumbai accounts for 40% of the country’s wine sales, followed by Delhi 15%, Goa 8% and Bangalore 6%. Some others, particularly ones in the hinterland who can afford buying wines, are stuck to the belief that wine doesn’t go well with Indian food. And definitely with the Indian manufactured Wine.

Well, they may just find out how wrong they are. According to Janic Robinson’s interview to the Financial Times of London, Indians tend to be far too damning of their own wines…after my tastings I thought them to be too harsh. She further adds, there is no reason why wine should not be drunk with the food served in India. The wine should ideally be quite fruity and assertive. A subtle claret is most definitely not the thing; a Californian Zinfandel or Australian Shiraz, or even well made sparkling wine would be much more so.

So, Indians what say?

WINE- A PHILTRE OF DESIRE OR A MANOMANICAL OBSESSION

2006-11-08T06:21:00.000-08:00

Wine- a philter of desire?

A subtle grasp of time?

A delectable mood swinger?

A monomaniacal obsession?

An interlude between orthodox and heterodox?

A chivalrous virtue of an evolved gentle man?

A dielectric wall that shuns social mediocrity?

A writer’s headlamp?

A fashionable and trendy social etiquette (or lampoonery, take your pick)?

A questionable answer?

A well-mannered social thirst?

A successful social wraparound?

I haven’t yet got tired of understanding the oldest addiction known to humankind. I am sure those of you whose olfactory receptors and taste buds have chanced upon this ‘moments-binding’ liquid-crystal would take only a moment to reflect and agree with me.

Let me further the mystery with an example.

“ Are you anorexic?” A penetrative voice from the rubbery mouth of a sprawling health spa regular- aunty, oops- had challenged my fashionably spired existence a few months before.

Thin is in, I knew, but it were a disease was an unsavory disaster that busted in my face at the first instant. However, despite being provoked, I restrained the intimidation. She peered; I smiled. Then, after a while, I mustered a negotiated reply, “No, I drink wine, that’s why.” and she has become a friend ever since.

Now, as I write this, let me be fair in my avowal- it hadn’t been wine that has brought her weight down by five pounds in about three months. But, far from it, it has helped her indirectly.

Let me answer, how. For one, its availability is still ridiculously dispersed; and that ensured her calorific burn while she hunted out specific brands I handed out to her, across the length and breadth of the capitol. And two, thankfully- no, not yet- it doesn’t go well with chole bhature, samosa, kachori, papdi chat or other such wayside Indian junk. Therefore she had to- as do I- try it with skewered marinated meats, spicy roasted vegetable chunks, roomali rotis and bland kormas and lighthearted biryanis.

The result- my new friend has turned lighter, which I think is a good sign, the bad part is that she has now also turned an amateur sommelier (she feels so, I don’t disagree, thinking, what the heck, lets Indianize the risible profession) which isn’t an enthusiastic outcome. But, hey, no pun intended, according to a report wine actually aids combat anorexia and obesity, but for that one has to stick to the stringent limit of not more that two ounces.

My friend’s experience apart, wine drinking has some other benefits too. And these are distinct, unchallenged. Regarded as fashionable from time immemorial its medicinal benefits are unmatched- cholesterol buster, flab melter, stress dispenser, taste enhancer, mood elevator…. The gains are far too many to ignore.

Did you know- and there quite a few studies to second this- that the red wine is a particularly rich source of antioxidants (flavonoid phenolics) that prevents blood clots and plaques formation in arteries making it good for the heart. Then there is this famous French paradox to further bolster the claim.

But tell me, honestly, how many of us actually know about its bashful, intriguing and bacchanalian journey that started from an accident when grape juice turned into alcohol combining merrily with the yeast present in the nature, naturally. The sugar of the juice and the yeast from the nature led to a potent birth of alcohol. And rest, as they say, is history.

Drinking wine- a refletion of character

2006-10-22T07:56:00.000-07:00

Let us talk about wine- the latest engrezi influence that has bombed us. And let us master it, the way we have mastered their literature.

Fine dining can hardly be bought with money. Yes? No? Let me explain.

An ignorant rich, with the finest cutlery and crystal spread around him on the dining table, can still be devoid of the spiritual and the psychological satiation by not being able to appreciate the delicate vibrations that the finery all over exudes. He might just blabber his way through mouthfuls of wine and water, clinking noisily all along.

Exact opposite is a gentleman, a connoisseur, or a lady, who live through the moments of fine dining savoring not only the good food but also the accompanying wines- living and celebrating each moment. The stage through is delicate, deliberate, slow and enticing, and allows a display of extravagance of character, passion for life and above all appreciation of quality.

Says Magandeep Singh, a sommelier, ‘the real connoisseur is the one who derives pleasure but in an unpretentious manner- she will open a bottle of wine casually, pour it nonchalantly and sip it with even less reservations.’ To which I add, ‘and leave it to the scarlet or the yellow to pulsate your evening dizzy with inexhaustible aroma’. Try doing it in the recommended manner to feel the difference.

A wine palate- a myth or mystery? Is it a question, without any answer? Lets see...

A wine palate is half experience and half ability to appreciate the mystery of the taste, simply put.

Although the response of different palates to different wines is dissimilar, and rightly so, but, even at times, the response of same wine to different palates is also intriguingly dissimilar.

Confusing? Well let me make it simple for you. Each individual’s preference of taste, smell and appreciation of flavor is different. But interestingly it is also region specific to some extent. Now knowing this you would appreciate the reason behind the difference in the taste of coke in different parts of the world.

Couldn't support my writing today with pics. as my comp. ain't in a very friendly mood. But I guess, the message is, perhaps, as simple, as it is clear. Views?

Vodka, all the way

2006-10-18T23:50:00.000-07:00

Vodka has been one of my favorite drink. And there are many ways to drink it, which all of us know so damn well.

But there are a few very out-of-the-bag ways to drink it. Let me share one with you, my favorite.

Take 30 ml vodka in a glass of you choice, preferably a whiskey tumbler
Add a few thin strips of ginger/ fresh green chilly.
Add a dash of soda water.

Try it on Sunday morning just before a lazy brunch. It will sure pep up you mood and lay to bare a day which will be full of promise and adventure. But remember not to have more than three of these, as then, it will, in most probabilities, put you to rest and you might miss that sunset your wife or girlfriend may be looking forward to, romantically.

Indian wine and food

2006-10-09T23:52:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks,
Here is another obsession: Indian food and wine.

Believe me the combination- contrary to what people believed earlier- is explosive. You only have to be careful in choosing the wine. I have many experiences to share on the subject.

Will get back soon...