Grovers La Reserve
Bring out the barbecue when this is around. An old favourite from Grover Zampa vineyards, this is a wine that, like Rahul Dravid, you can count on to deliver. And like Rahul, this red wine comes from Karnataka, from the picturesque Nandi Hills, a short distance from Bengaluru. First created in 1998, this blend of two evergreen grapes, the Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, has undergone a lot of improvement over the years. True to tradition, however, it spends a minimum of six months being aged in oak barrels. A full-bodied wine with luscious aromas of red and black fruit, it can be enjoyed with lamb chops, galouti kebabs or a spiced vegetable curry.
Karishma Grover, a very passionate winemaker, is the in-house wine expert for Grover Zampa and is part of the third generation of the Grover family that is directly involved with the business.
Nine Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
Downloaded Apple Music yet? Do it now, crank up the volume on their new radio station, manned by a set of great DJs, and open this bottle of wine. A full-bodied (might we say voluptuous?) Red wine, with hard to miss fruit flavours. Think black berries and cherries. A little spice is always nice, and this wine delivers vanilla and cinnamon. A 100 per cent Cab Sauv, this wine will rock when paired with tandoori dishes, mature cheeses and meaty dishes.
Owing its origins to India’s very own wine country, Dindori district in Nasik, the history of the winery is short but interesting. The winery is named after the ‘Nine Hills’ surrounding Nasik.
Sula Dindori Reserve Shiraz
A year spent in new oak barrels does this wine a world of good. A frequent medal winner in international and national competitions, the icing on the cake was when it made it to # 25 on ‘The Enthusiast 100 of 2014’. One of the early wines to showcase the growing expertise of Indian wine makers, it has held its own over the years. Fruit, with a tinge of pepper on the nose, this wine needs to be opened and left for a while to breathe, before you drink it. Goes well with a variety of Indian dishes or indeed any complex food items with a range of flavours.
Rajeev Samant, a Silicon Valley engineer, started Sula on 30 acres of family land in Nasik with the first wines released in 2000. Today, Sula vineyards are spread across a whopping 1,800 acres of privately owned and contracted land, making them India’s #1 wine producer.
Fratelli Gran cuvee Brut
Be it a loud pop, a sophisticated psst! or an extravagant saberage, more often than not the bubbly is associated with celebration. But why wait for a celebration?
Recommended to be served at three to seven degree Celsius, the Gran cuvee Brut from the house of Fratelli, with perfectly balanced acidity, can be a savior for the imperfect Indian summer.
Unlike our humid weather conditions, this wine is dry (not sweet) with hints of citrus and tropical fruits, which is a signature of its more expensive cousin, Champagne. This brut (meaning dry) is made from 100 per cent Chenin Blanc grapes at Akluj in Solapur, Maharashtra, using the traditional method. Gran Cuvee can be enjoyed with creamy chicken dishes, sushi or just some great company.
The word Fratelli translates to mean ‘Brothers’. It refers to the coming together of the Secci brothers, Andrea and Alessio from Italy, the Sekhri brothers, Kapil and Gaurav, and the Mohite-Patil brothers, Ranjitsinh and Arjunsinh.
Charosa Viognier
Named after a district of the wine capital of India, Nasik, Charosa is a relatively new entrant to the lengthening list of Indian winemakers. The fruit forward, Charosa Viognier, rests for a short time in French Oak casks to develop further before finding its way into the uniquely shaped bottle. Recommended to be served at 10-12 degree Celsius, the wine, with a silky mouth feel, can be relished alongside Indian dishes with rich sauces, or sweet and sour style Asian cuisine. After a flying start in West India, Charosa looks all set to be available to wine drinkers across India soon.
Spread across 230 acres, the vineyards are surrounded by vivid mountains and water bodies that you cannot miss as you drive your way up.
Fratelli Sangiovese Bianco
Doesn’t take a genius to guess what colour grapes are used to make a red wine; however it can be a tricky question in the case of Fratelli Sangiovese Bianco. The only one of its kind made in India, this white beauty with a light pink hue is produced using a black grape variety. This is achieved by isolating the grape skin (which lends colour) immediately after crushing the berries. This unique proposition is skillfully created by Piero Masi who uses the famous Italian grape Sangiovese (of Chianti fame) to make a white wine with the flavour characteristics of a red wine. This aromatic Blanc de Noir (white wine from black grapes) with vanilla and a hint of berries is best enjoyed at eight to 12 degree Celsius.
The medium body and low tannins make it an apt match for creamy chicken and fish preps, pasta in creamy sauce or a salad tossed with creamy Italian dressing. Salute!
Jacob’s Creek Shiraz Rose
Not all imported wines burn a hole in your pocket. Easily the most popular and largest selling imported wine in India, it was not hard for Jacob’s Creek to make it to this list. Born in one of the best areas for the Shiraz (Barossa Valley, Australia), the Rose from this full-bodied and potent grape variety is a wine for some uncomplicated fun. Dry on the palate, with flavours of fresh red berries and cherries, this bright and bouncy dry wine packs a punch at 12.5 per cent ABV with a hint of spice on the finish. Ideal for days spent outdoors, the Jacob’s Creek Shiraz is best served chilled without any obligation of pairing an exotic dish with it.
Approximately 175 years old, it was the first commercial winery of the region. The wine gets the name from a natural creek running through the vineyard.
( Inputs from Rakshit Khurana )
Vikram is co-founder and CEO of www.tulleeho.com and the Tulleeho Wine Academy.
