Sommelier INDIA
Volume 8 Issue 6, December 2013-January 2014
A Legacy
Lives On
CHÂTEAU HAUT-BAILLY
SI Tasting Panel
A PORTUGUESE AFFAIR!
Australia’s
Sweetheart
PENFOLDS – PAST & PRESENT
Sparkling
Wines
MOËT HENNESSY INDIA
LAUNCHES CHANDON
Special interest wine magazine for restricted circulation
48
Contents
Volume 8: Issue 6, December 2013-January 2014
ON THE GRAPEVINE
30
`200
For the wine buff
tasting by the PortIndia consortium of Portuguese producers 12 WINE CLINIC
FEATURES
30 AN ENDURING QUALITY
06 NEWS, NOTES & VIEWS
Reva K. Singh helps you resolve your wine worries With its unique terroir and age-­old values, Château Haut Bailly has a distinctive lineage and history, discovers Reva K. Singh
62
14 INDUSTRY INSIDER
Former president, IGPB, Dhananjay Datar speaks candidly to Brinda Gill about issues ailing the Indian wine industry
16 WRIGHT AROUND THE WINE WORLD
Carol Wright shares tidbits about wine from her travels around the world
34 WINE WONDERLAND
Marisa D’Vari spotlights Austria’s wines that are back on the wine map after their share of highs and lows
Chef Anand of “Gaggan” shares his food journey with Kanika Dhawan, as he creates Ruma Singh visits Laroche’s Mas La Chevalière inventive Indian dishes in Bangkok
where modernity blends with tradition
38 WINES WITH PERSONALITY
18 ASIA WINE AWARDS
Steven Spurrier shares some highlights from his wine diary
66 PARTY TIME
42 “MY MISSION IS TO MAKE THE BEST GRANGE”
Harshal Shah traces the history and heritage of Penfolds – Australia’s iconic wine label 20 WHAT’S IN, WHAT’S OUT!
Jancis Robinson visits the Duoro Valley in Portugal to report on its shifting fortunes
62 INDIA’S MOLECULAR DA VINCI
As you gear up for year-­end festivities, follow our guidelines for entertaining
68 GOOD BUY
48 PILGRIMAGE TO VENICE
Michèle Shah attends the gala opening of the chic Danieli wine suite in Venice
Order these wine gifts online or pick them up from a store nearby, as the festive season kicks in
51 MICHELIN STARRED DINNERS
71 WINE LOVER’S COOKBOOK
Chocolate and Cabernet Pots for dessert
24 CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM
Peter Csizmadia-­Honigh on Michelin starred charity dinners paired with Indian wines which he helped organise
What’s on the horizon for India’s wine industry? Alok Chandra asks the experts
58 THE WINE RATINGS GAME
We share some memorable moments in wine from the SI photo album 26 THE RISING FORTUNES OF VINHO VERDE
Michael Fridjohn ruminates on wine scores and what the critics' ratings actually mean
74 DELHI DUTY FREE
22 PLEASURE PICK – WINE OR BOOKS?
Raghu Bahadur considers several ways to enhance one’s capacity to enjoy wine
Eric Asimov on the rise of Vinho Verde in the US after tasting samples with his wine panel
60 WINE AND SPICE, & ALL THINGS NICE
Make mulled wine to share with friends and family at this time of the year, suggestes 28 SOMMELIER INDIA TASTING PANEL
Reva K. Singh
SITP reviews a range of wines presented for 72 WINE MOMENTS
Tax-­free wine prices for the traveller
76 SI LISTINGS
Sommelier India directory of wine producers, importers and retailers
Publisher, editor and owner: Reva K Singh. Co-­publisher: Shiv B Singh. Deputy Editor: Kanika Dhawan. Copy Chief: Bunny Suraiya. Editorial Assistant: Jessy Iype. Layout artist: Sandeep Rana. Advertising Concessionaire: Akshay Shroff +919892190241. Printed at EIH Ltd. 7, Sham Nath Marg, Delhi -­ 110054. Sommelier India is a restricted circulation bi-­monthly produced by CMI, Consolidated Media Int, C-­320, Defence Colony, New Delhi -­ 110 024, India. Tel: +91 11 2433 1013. E-­mail: [email protected]. Web: www.sommelierindia.com. The views expressed in this publication are the writers’ own and not necessarily those of the publishers. Subscription price: ` 1,500 for two years and ` 2,000 for three years. International $56 for two years and $82 for three years, excluding postage.
Editor’s Note
Readers Write
’Tis the season to sparkle
I
t was a Big Splash! And everybody who was anybody was there at the Four Seasons Hotel in Mumbai this October for the much awaited launch of Chandon (pronounced “shan-­don”). The occasion was a sparkling wine produced in India by the legendary House of Moët Hennessey with grapes grown and vinified in Nashik.
Chandon Brut and Chandon Rosé are Indian sparkling wines, no mistake. But they are as close to champagne as you can get, produced as they are by Moët Hennessey, the world’s leading Champagne House since 1743. In fact, they are but the younger siblings of Moët & Chandon. As Mark Bedingham said to me, “We are proud to put our label on the Brut and Rosé being launched here as ‘Produce of India’.’’
Moët Hennessy Estates & Wines’ team of international and local winemakers and viticulturists worked closely with grape growers in the Indian winemaking heartland of Nashik to come up with something uniquely Indian. Packaged in exactly the same style as other Chandon sparklers produced in South America, California and Australia, Moët & Hennessey’s Indian sparklers are the first in Asia and represent a great mark of confidence in our youthful wine drinking market. Recognising our culture of celebration and growing love for bubbles, the decision to enter India was a strategic step towards strengthening and expanding the Chandon brand for making world-­class sparkling wines outside of the Champagne region in France. Domaine Chandon was created in 1959 with its first sparkler produced in Mendoza, Argentina.
After extensive research, Moët Hennessy decided that the terroir in the Nashik region in India had tremendous potential to produce premium quality sparkling wine and decided to launch the Chandon brand in India. This was, simultaneously, a great boost for the Indian wine industry. The Indian wine drinking market is deep enough for superior bubbles at all levels, including affordable and good sparkling wines from Indian producers, as well as celebration champagnes like Veuve Clicquot and Moët & Chandon which are already well established and sell for `6,500 and `5,000, respectively. And now, for the young wine enthusiast, who perhaps doesn’t want to spend quite as much, we have Chandon, costing `1,200 for Chandon Brut and `1,400 for Chandon Rosé. Made in the traditional way with a second fermentation in the bottle, Chandon Brut uses Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes while the Rosé consists of Shiraz and Pinot Noir. This is, indeed, the season to sparkle as Chandon toasts India with its first Indian launch!
22 Sommelier INDIA
No answer at all
Why is it that one is advised to store red wine for up to five years, allowing it to age in bottle for optimum enjoyment, but white wines can be drunk pretty much on purchase? The best answer I have got to that question is, “That’s the way it is”, which is no answer at all! Aarti Desikan, Bangalore
The short answer is that simple fruit forward white wine can be drunk young, while age makes the tannins in red wine gentler. Ed Thailand’s first qualified winemaker
There is a mistake in your Editor’s Note about Nikki being Thailand’s first qualified winemaker. I studied Viticulture and Oenology in LWVO Weinsberg Germany, graduating in 1997 and started making wine at PB Valley Khao Yai Winery in 1998. My assistant, Joolpeera Saitrakul graduated in Viticulture and Oenology from Lincoln University, New Zealand in 2006 and started working with me right after that. In fact, I was making wine for Gran Monte at our winery from the 2001 to 2008 vintage, until Nikki graduated from Australia and started their own winery. You would be correct in saying Nikki Lohitnavy of GranMonte is Thailand’s first female qualified winemaker. I’m glad that you covered the wine scene in Thailand. I hope to learn more about Indian wine as well from your magazine and also read more about wines from this part of the world.
Prayut Piangbunta, MD & Chief Winemaker Khao Yai Winery Co., Thailand
Email: [email protected]
I was very intrigued by the cover story of Issue 5, Oct-­
Nov, 2013 on Thai wines and applaud Joel Payne for such an interesting article on the extraordinary wine trends in Thailand. The article was an eye-­opener. Now the next issue is awaited with great eagerness.
Astha Bhargava, via email
Success story
Sommelier India Wine Magazine being the first and only printed magazine dedicated to wine for Indian readers, I am keen to know the story of its success. Other than a couple of printed issues that I gathered at Vinexpo Bordeaux 2011 and 2013, I usually refer to the online version of your magazine. In my opinion it is the only wine website with reliable, accurate and updated information.
Frida Reddy, OIV Master student, Montpellier, France
Subscription renewed
Thank you for the renewal of my subscription. I certainly enjoy your magazine as well as good wine. The note on claret in Wine Clinic was very interesting. We were in France recently and had some excellent claret.
Asjit Chawla, New Delhi
Painstaking efforts
I would like to congratulate the Sommelier India team for putting such painstaking efforts into the magazine, the product of which is showcased at the end of every two months with an engaging new issue.
Sommelier INDIA 3
Contributors
Alok Chandra
Alok Chandra is a management consultant with a
focus on wine based in
Bangalore. He has worked
with and consulted for
companies like United
Spirits Ltd, Diageo India,
Fosters India, and Moët Hennessey India. Alok has been
writing for Sommelier India since its inception in 2004.
Michèle Shah
Michèle Shah is a marketing
consultant and wine critic
based in Florence, Italy,
for over 30 years. She has
organised, on behalf of
Italy’s regional union, wine
tastings, seminars and educational sessions for the
international press and wine buyers. Michele writes
extensively for the world’s leading wine publications,
including Sommelier India. She is an honorary member
of Donne del Vino in Italy, The Circle of Wine Writers in
the UK and the international journalist association FIJEV.
Renu Chahil Graf
Renu
Chahil-Graf
has
travelled widely while
working for the United
Nations and discovered
great wines from around
the world along the way.
She is a fledgling wine writer, but has been an avid wine
enthusiast for some decades. Renu currently lives near
the vineyards bordering Geneva in Switzerland.
Peter Csizmadia-­
Honigh Hungarian by descent,
Peter
Csizmadia-Honigh
has been with the Institute
of Masters of Wine for eight
years. At other times, he
moonlights as an education management professional
in Central London. As the co-proprietor of Royal Somló
Vineyards, Peter shares his vinous experiences in both
English and Hungarian, as he travels around the world,
in search of the finest wines.
4 Sommelier INDIA
WINE Charity Event
Michelin Star Dusted
Charity Dinners
in Mumbai and Delhi
From left to right: Marco De Grazia, owner of Terre Nere winery on
Etna, Sicily; and Gianluca Bisol, owner of Bisol Winery, with his son
Wine producers and afficionados are known for supporting
charitable causes elsewhere and now increasingly in India, among
them is Peter Csizmadia-Honigh. Here, he describes the charity
dinners he helped organise In Delhi and Mumbai
I
Lamberto Frescobaldi, Vice-President, Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi with
the MD of Hotel Danieli, Antonello de’ Medici
designer Pierre-­Yves Rochon, responsible for completing the restoration of the four “Signature Suites” in 2012 and creating eight new “Dandolo Suites” in 2013, which make the Danieli the leading symbol of hospitality in Venice. Alessandra Boscaini, director of Sales for Masi winery, a renowned Veneto winery in the hills not far from Venice, praised the Danieli Wine Suite as “an innovative concept which offers a unique platform to enjoy wine tasting.” She went on to say, “I am really proud that our Amarone Riserva di Costasera and Brolo di Campofiorin were served at this opening and will be part of the prestigious Suite Library.”
The Danieli Wine Suite was created for special moments and can be booked exclusively upon request for banqueting events, exhibitions, informal dinners and wine tastings. It presents itself as the ideal place to begin a journey of gastronomic excellence. And is the newest tourist attraction in Venice, which remains today as a jewel among world cities. ❖
For more information on Hotel Danieli, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Venice visit: luxurycollection.com/danieli
50 Sommelier INDIA
n late 2012 a good friend living in Delhi introduced me to Anand Kapoor, the Director of CSSG. As I had conducted a charity dinner and auction with fine Hungarian wines at the Taj Palace Hotel before, I thought it was the next opportunity to “give back to society” by organising wine dinners in Delhi and Mumbai, respectively. Little did I suspect what an adventure I was getting myself into. Anand, born and educated in the UK, is a New Delhi based entrepreneur running the hugely successful Image Foundry, an award-­winning vfx studio, which he had founded with his brother in 2001 after having worked in the US and France. Business made Anand relocate to India in 2006, where he soon realised that there was plenty of opportunities to involve the creative industries in charitable endeavours. Supported by his wife Aditi, a seasoned business woman with an MBA from the US, Anand set up the Creative Services Support Group three years ago. The aim of the registered charity is to support young underprivileged Indian kids to learn a trade so that they can be self-­reliant.
The Kapoors, believing that charity should be joyful and fun, put creativity at the heart of CSSG. Their fund-­raising efforts are centred around fine-­dining experiences, which are inspired and complemented by art installations and specially commissioned pieces of art. The idea is simple, but impactful. Artists, musicians, chefs and other creatives contribute their time and expertise to the creation of unique experiences, which are sold to the affluent and discerning with deep pockets and generous hearts.
This year’s line-­up of star chefs was second to none. Ian Curley of the European in Melbourne and Mark Best of the Marque in Sydney representedw the cutting edge of contemporary Australian restaurants. All the other chefs, including Frances Atkins of the Yorke Arms in North Yorkshire, Alyn Williams of the Westburry by Alyn Williams in London, Laurie Gear of the Artichoke in Amersham, Marcello Tully of the Kinloch Lodge on the Isle of Skye and Michael Wignall of the Latymer in Surrey, came from the UK showcasing the incredible breadth of talent that British restaurants have got to offer. Unfortunately, Fernando del Cerro of one Michelin-­star Casa Jose in Madrid did not arrive in India.
The menus of the four dinners, held at the Leela Palace and the Four Seasons in Delhi and Mumbai respectively, paraded an impressive list of ingredients, some of which had to travel in the suitcases of the chefs to India, as either they would not have been available or they would have had to be prepared so much in advance. You can imagine what this rich diversity of tastes, flavours and textures meant when selecting the wines. Not to mention the very peculiar nature of India in that it is not a single unified market, but an amalgamation of as many different ones as many states there are. Licensing, import regulations, duty rates or taxes are diverse, which made the use of imported wines virtually impossible and unaffordable at the scale of more than 350 guests and four dinners with Sommelier INDIA 51
WINE Charity Event
between six and 12 courses at each dinner.
India being a wine producing country, the solution was right in front of our eyes. We just did not see the wood for the trees anymore, but eventually we agreed to approach Indian wineries for in-­kind donation. With hindsight, I now see why many considered me naïve. Yet, I am absolutely thrilled to report that as a result of the generosity of Indian vintners, some misconceptions were shattered. I shall not claim that Indian wines are on par with fine Bordeaux and Burgundy, instead I encourage Indians to have more belief in and be objective when judging their own wines.
I made my selection of top-­end Indian wines on the basis of my visits to producers in Bangalore, Nashik and Pune last December. I was uncompromising enough to request producers to send me samples of any wine I had not tasted before or if there was a new vintage on the market. In total, I had tasted through 100 wines by the time I picked 16 to be paired with the exquisite meals. Needless to say there were countless changes by the time we actually got to the dinners, all to do with the availability of wines in the Delhi or Mumbai markets, vintage changes, lack of approved sales licence for the particular wine or indeed changes to the menus because of availability of ingredients.
INDIAN WINES MARRY WITH MICHELIN STAR DISHES
It was hugely satisfying to receive positive feedback from dinner guests and chefs alike. Of course, I am not pretending that everybody liked all the wines. I appreciated Ian Curley’s critical comments in connection with some of the wines used at the Mumbai dinners and they made his praise of other wines at the Delhi dinners even more precious. Similarly, I was pleased to know that guests of the Mumbai Chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organisation were impressed with the quality of Indian wines and that guests of American Express Centurion Card also appreciated the food and wine pairings. The satisfaction must be down also to the service, which could not have been more regimented either at the Four Seasons Hotel in Mumbai or the Leela Palace in New Delhi. ❖
Seated, left to right: Mark Best, Michael Wignall, Frances Atkins, Aditi Kapoor, Nandita Das and Laurie Gear. Standing, left to right: Ian Curley,
Marcello Tully, Peter Csizmadia-Honigh, Ana Marie Labin, Anand Kapoor, Roger Pizey and Alyn Williams
Photos: Devang Singh and Shreya Sarawagi
Clockwise from top left:
Chef Marcello Tully. A starter consisting of grilled watermelon
and cucumber with local herbs, flowers and Berber-spiced
almonds. Little lobster burgers with wasabi mayo and
brioche bun, smoked salmon, blini, Osetra caviar and crisp
salmon skin. Chef Alyn Williams. Crab Bloody Mary and celery
lavoche. Beetroot carpaccio with smoked walnuts and goat
curd. Chef Ian Curley. Left to right: Chefs Mark Best, Laurie
Gear, Frances Atkins and Michael Wignall
52 Sommelier INDIA
Sommelier INDIA 53
Indian WINES
TASTING NOTES
It would be an impossible undertaking to provide detailed notes on every single
wine and food matching, therefore, what follows is a concise list of wines with brief
tasting notes and examples of dishes they were matched with
Fratelli Grand Cuvée Brut Sparkling
2012
Fratelli Chardonnay
2013
This traditional method sparkling wine had not been officially launched at the time of the dinners, still we received a very generous number of bottles from it. In accordance with Indian practice, it is made from Chenin Blanc. It is pale lemon, there is plenty of mousse with medium-­sized bubbles showing a nice persistence. Quite restrained at first, citrus notes dominate over the apples and it is delicately surrounded by brioche. It boasts of a soft and creamy texture. It was an popular aperitif and a nice complement to Marcello Tully’s amuse bouche of Jerusalem artichoke with roasted chorizo, sultana and cashew nuts.
This relatively light (despite a touch of oak ageing) and crisp Chardonnay from Akluj in Pune proved to be unconventional enough to divide people. With its nicely intense nose of buttery scents, sawdust on the ripe apples and lemon zest; it proved to be a lovely match with Alyn Williams’ tandoori scallops, pickles, caramelised aubergine, mango and onion bhajee. Vallonné Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Sula Dindori
Viogner Reserve
2012
This wine with its highly intense and perfumed nose with apricot and rosewater was paired with Laurie Gear’s sheep’s milk mousse with sorrel sorbet served as a pre-­
dessert. It is off-­dry, fresh, with lots of minty tones. It was equally delicious with the coconut and mango mousse in coconut cylinders, fresh mango, lime jelly, lime sherbet and coriander cress.
Four Seasons
Cabernet
Sauvignon
Barrique
Reserve 2009
What a great match it was with Ian Curley’s snapper with aubergine brandade, fricassée of cuttlefish and calamari. A medium intense nose with plenty of ripe white grapefruits, beautifully zesty lemon and touch of gooseberry at the back. The body is stunningly built up, limestone and zesty.
Zampa Sparkling White
and Rosé Brut
Fratelli Chenin Blanc
2013
These two wines were served as a pair for Frances Atkins’ amuse bouche of rhubarb, watermelon jelly and caviar savoury Madeline. The white Brut is a pronounced lemon in flavour with a white golden hue. It has a restrained creamy nose with notes of guava. It is dry and fresh on the palate with a medium fine mousse. The rosé Brut, a straightforward pink sparkler, is salmon in colour with dried strawberries and cherries and a persistent mousse.
Chenin Blanc seems to have found another home in India, as it is a variety that does particularly well here. This wine is pronounced lemon with a very restrained nose of guava, wool and pears. It is dry with fresh acids and quite a bit of minerals on the mid-­palate. With its rounded and well polished body, it was very enjoyable with Alyn Williams’ amuse bouche of pear and smoked eel with horseradish and chilled watercress Vichyssoise.
54 Sommelier INDIA
Grover La Reserve
2011
An unquestionably big wine, which was savoured by guests after a cooking master class in Delhi. With age there is an undeniable character of undergrowth and forest floor along with the cassis on this wine. The generous barrique ageing gives this wine a hint of savoury tarry tones, which was remarked by a few.
It is well known that this wine though one brand is made in two different locations, both in the Nandi Hills in Bangalore and Nashik in Maharashtra. The latter one is bigger and riper, whilst the one from the Nandi Hills tends to be more restrained, cooler climate in style and with more finesse. The difference was noted by some of the chefs who particularly enjoyed the one from the Nandi Hills, which accompanied a cold onion soup with vanilla ice cream created by Frances Atkins as a substitute dish for Fernando del Cerro’s originally planned Nana de la Cebolla according to Perito En Luna.
Grover Art
Collection
Sauvignon
Blanc 2012
A very good aperitif wine with a pale lemon colour and a green hue. Medium intense, ripe white grapefruit, pineapples and a bit of lemongrass. Dry, fresh, lots of citrus and a bit of mint in the mid-­
palate, medium finish.
Zampa Shiraz
Rosé 2013
Both the warm crab mousse with a rich seafood sauce and the vegetarian option of goat cheese tart with caramelised onion and fig, pink peppercorn and parmesan pastry, sesame seed dressing proved to be enjoyable with it. The wine is of raspberry colour with an intense nose of raspberry and creamy cherry. Though it feels a little off-­dry, there is a bit of peppery tone at the back and good backbone.
Sommelier INDIA 55
Indian WINES
York Cabernet
Sauvignon Reserve
2009
It was the second wine to be served with Mark Best’s confit heirloom. I had tasted this wine at the winery before and I must be truthful to say that it did not show as well in Mumbai. As if the distributor had not kept it in proper conditions, the wine showed some cassis and sour-­cherry with a hint of pine, but it was overly earthy and a bit drying out. I must say I’d love to taste this wine again from either a good cellar or the winery’s own library, because when it is stored properly, it is soft, ripe and playful.
York Shiraz
Reserve 2009
Vallonné Merlot 2010
Mark Best’s Boudin Blanc (sausage), fermented carrots, pear and kimchi proved to be an eclectic combination of tastes. This medium ruby, highly intense Merlot with a nose of geranium, raspberry and cherry, along with a softly textured body, complemented it well.
Ian Curley’s pumpkin & smoked mozzarella tortellini with sage and shaved truffles was just beautiful with this wine, which again showed some premature ageing in comparison to the sample I had tasted at the winery, but in fact the paprika, pepper and cloves with a bit of dusty tannins fitted the flavours and textures nicely.
Raveilo Late Harvest Chenin Blanc 2006
Pudding wine is the toughest challenge in India, I must admit. This is the only one I have come across that combines acidity with natural residual sugar elegantly, whilst offering an array of orange peel, burnt sugar, lemon zest and vanilla flavours. It is versatile enough to have been matched with a range of mango, coconut or pistachio flavoured desserts too.
Vallonné Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
The vegetarian option of Mark Best’s Boudin Blanc dish was that of confit heirloom, carrots with pear and kimich. The crimson coloured Cabernet Sauvignon with a highly intense nose of cassis, cedar, pine and mushroomy undergowth accompanied the dish nicely. The wine is complex, with ripe mid-­grain tannins giving it a velvety and soft texture.
Fratelli Sette 2010
Michael Wignall’s seared tuna, cannelloni with ponzu, broccoli salad, nunu with kecap manis was not only a delicious and stunningly presented dish, but it was a perfect match with this deep crimson wine of highly intense and richly perfumed nose of cassis, blackcurrent, violets, cloves, French oak and liquorice. It is very soft with velvety and finely grained tannins. 56 Sommelier INDIA