2015 Indian Wells Chardonnay Our Indian Wells Chardonnay delivers an appealing tropical fruit character typical of warm sites like the Wahluke Slope. I like this Chardonnay’s ripe pineapple and butterscotch flavors and rich, creamy texture.Enter the characters you see below Sorry, we just need to make sure you're not a robot. For best results, please make sure your browser is accepting cookies. Type the characters you see in this image:Wine industry in India is pretty young compared to the rest of the world. Some of the major players in the market today were established only a few decades ago, however, they are at par with most of the seasoned players in the global market. The best Indian red wine of the year 2005, Grover’s La Reserve, had won accolades for the best new world wine in that year and since then, Indian wines have been taken seriously. Wine lovers have began to relish home grown products and why would they have to look elsewhere when it fits in all categories- taste, profile, grape varieties and that very important thing, price point?

Here are some of the best Indian Red Wines that one should have at their wine racks Fratelli Wines recently launched this brilliant variant of the Sangiovese. The grape has been used to make both Red as well as White wine, one of the very few grapes that has been made into both variants. best wine shop in njAnd to top it all, they have hit the right note, to be precise. best flavor of red wineBrilliant opening, medium bodied and a mild spicy finish, this wine is apt for pairing with either the spicy Indian food or the more subtle Italian cuisine.best wine to use on turkey Nose: Aromas of perfumed red fruits, cherry and musk. With breathing, hints of raspberry and vanilla emerge Palate: Long finish, even tannins and low acidity. Grover Vineyards is one of the seasoned players in the Indian wine manufacturers.

This wine is manufactured at the vineyards located at the outskirts of Bangalore. The ruby red wines are fuller in the body, low on tannins and has acidity, just enough to give you that crispness in the wine. Nose: black fruits, cedar and leather Palate: Black fruits and vanilla with balanced acidity and low tannins and a medium aftertaste One of the leading manufacturers and pioneers in the wine industry in India, Sula Zinfandel Red is one of those lovely crisp red wines that are young, peppy and light bodied. These wines are much like the Alsatian light reds. They are mild and complex in flavour but pairs very well with white meat dishes, like a chicken tikka or even a pizza or a pasta. Nose: Luscious, blackberry, Cinnamon and plum Palate: fruity, high on tannins and acidity, short aftertaste This classic full bodied red wine is from the stables of Fratelli wines. They do make some of the best wines in the county and it is no surprise to see another one on this list.

One of my personal favourite merlots, this wine is very versatile and pairs very well with the Indian as well as international meat dishes. Nose: Pepper and Dark chocolate, defined nose and not complicated Palate: Full bodied, low on tannins and acidity, earthy tones and dry A medium to full bodied red wine, Big Banyan Shiraz is one of the first Indian wines that I had tasted at an appreciation session. Most of the new world wine makers have the Shiraz as it is easy to culture or procure, as the case may be. This is also one of the most extensively grown grapes in the world, having travelled all over the world from it origin in France as Syrah. Big Banyan wines do have many more wines from their stable, however, this one gets my nod. Nose: fruity notes of blueberries, raspberries and black berries with spicy notes of cinnamon and nutmeg Palate: Dry, fruity and mouth puckering tannins but low on acidity Here is my favourite 5. What are some of your favourite red wines from India?

It is that time of the year when I dust my crystal ball and peer into it, in the hope that the wine gods will jump out and make a power-point presentation of their 2016In the absence of that, I am once again left with my nose to sniff out what can be, keeping in mind wine trends that have been emerging lately. Much after a few years of deceased consumption until 2011, the Indian wine industry has witnessed a steady growth in its wine consumption since 2012, recording double digit figures in 2013 and 2014. Vinexpo studies forecast a striking recovery in the India wine market with an assumed growth of 73.5% by 2017. translates to 2.4 million cases of wine consumed by 2017. Whilst these figures are a tiny speck in the face of China’s whopping consumption of 178 million cases of wine more recently, for India, it is still little baby steps in the right direction. business continues to survive and dare I say grow, in the midst of battling punitive

import taxes on imported brands. Wine is still considered a luxury, heaven knowsThe central level tax on wine imports is 150%. Then there are state level taxes, all of which layer up as quickly as a polished diamond gathering lint and grease. But don’t let this lose your sparkle. Crystal ball predicts that a vast majority of all wine consumed in 2015 will be produced in India. As wine manufacturing matures and quality of Indian wine improves, the consumer will opt for more and more Indian wines as their first choice for both quality and affordability. Here are my wine consumption trends for 2015. 1. Premium Indian Reds: The Big and the Bold Vinexpo studies confirm that Indians predominantly drink reds. 61% of all wines consumed are reds, it is about time we graduated from the poor excuse we’ve been drinking to something world class. The Indian wine drinker today is more informed and aware, and expects his wine to be like his ego - big and bold.

Indian wine producers are pulling out all corks to meet the expectation by investing in expensive oak barrels, better quality fruit, sophisticated winemaking processes, higher extraction methods, and international intellectual capital by way of flyingIn fact, at a recent judging, I was surprised to discover that from the 90 odd wines we tasted, some of the Indian Reds are absolutely fantastic – great balance, succulent and bright fruit with some ambitious winemaking. the wines displayed unclean funky aromas – a stigma attached to Indian wines for But, because it is “Made in India”, does not mean it is going to be cheap. Rs.800 for a Myra Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, a mid-priced Sula Rasa at Rs.1200 and all the way upto Rs.1700 for a Grover Zampa’s Chene Grand Reserve, this level of pricing competes with entry-level imports from Jacobs Creek, Yellow Tail andWill consumers buy into the Indian wine story, remains to be seen. Indian consumers are smart enough to quickly realise that they

would rather pay up for more value of wine (than taxes) in a bottle. 2. Women, Prosseco and Sangria – taking big baby steps A woman goes through two kinds of initiation rites in her life. Let’s talk about the third one that’s emerging. Drinking is a taboo for Indian women. But as we all know, the fun is in breaking rules right? Wine has a softer tone and connotation thus making it more acceptable to consume in public. Prosseco, Italy’s lighter, crisper, economically priced answer to Champagne, seems to be the choice of the wine newbie lady. It’s bubbly enough to seem light, and heady enough for that much desired happiness. At 11%, is it even alcohol, they say! Besides, who doesn’t love the feel of a champagne flute in her hand? The once dubious Sangria is also fast becoming a ladies’ friend! It has fruit, it is sweet and it is so enjoyable even during the day. So popular is this trend that Turning Point Wines has recently launched a ready-to-drink Sangria in a bottle in a

truly creative packaging of a pint bottle with a crown cap. Simply uncrown like a soda bottle, add the fruit and you’re good to go! 3. Private labels by 5 Star chains First, we fell in love with the word ‘designer’. Now it’s private label. import spirits and wines without local levies in exchange for their foreign exchangeBetween 30-50% of imported wine is actually free of central duty making private label a compelling business proposition for these hotels. The Taj group of Hotels has already made a strong foray into this space with 6 curated private labels (4 reds and 2 whites). From flirty whites to ruby reds each wine has been carefully hand-picked, procured and bottled. The ITC chain has introduced one label and is scheduled to expand their range in theThe Leela Hotels plans to debut collections of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc procured from California, Italy and For the Indian wine drinker who seeks exclusivity, this is as exclusive as he can get.

For the hotel chain, this presents another opportunity to reinforce trust in their brand creating faster acceptance. For consumers, this trust translates into greater confidence while making their selection. Personally, I feel private labels will redefine wine economics in India. gradually see these curated collections gracing the shelves of retail stores. make the markets more competitive and force local producers to be more stringent 4. Enter the Pinot Grigio The world cannot seem to have enough Pinot Grigio. There seems to be an unsatiable thirst for Pinot Grigio across international markets of U.S.A and U.K. before you rush out to buy a bottle, remember that the 2nd ‘g’ in Grigio has an unusual pronunciation, much like how a Frenchman would pronounce ‘J’ in Jean. The light, crisp and dry Pinot Grigio typically made throught the Veneto region in North East Italy, plays its part well when paired with any food, much because it is too

unobstrusive and lends itself to manipulation by the food dish. consumed with Italian or Indian flavours, the piquancy of these dishes enhance the otherwise neutral fruit of this wine. Indian consumers will soon realise that its un- dominating character is in-fact its biggest strength, and its bracing acidity and refreshing quality is in-fact a boon for tropical climate countries such as ours. 5. Merlot Tempranillo and Malbec When Sula’s Founder Rajeev Samant admits at the Masters of Wine World Symposium in the presence of all top wine influencers around the globe, that Cabernet Sauvignon in India has been a dismal failure and he has decided to replace Sula’s plantings in favour of Tempranillo, it means business. At the same Master of Wine Symposium in Florence in May 2014, grape geneticist José Vouillamoz stated that “the greatest growth between 2000 and 2010 had come from Tempranillo, followed by the Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.”