7 Best Indian Wines You Must TryAnoothi Vishal   |  Updated: June 23, 2016 15:46 ISTTweeterfacebookGoogle Plus RedditRelated VideosNapa, a wine countryAditya goes down the memory lane in SanawarRhone wine region1. York Sparkling Cuvée BrutJust a few months after this baby hit the market, it’s raked up rave reviews. The York Sparkling is made of one hundred per cent Chenin Blanc, a grape variety that the wine house has always worked well with (their still Chenin Blanc makes for a lovely glass as well). The nicest thing about this sparkling wine is that the owners – the Gurnani brothers – have retained a fair bit of fruit while still managing to make a dry sparkling wine. This will be the Brut to beat in the coming year. Cost: Rs 975 in Maharashtra 2. Zampa Soirée Brut RoséWhen it comes to a sparkling wine, there are two main things to look out for – the quality of the effervescence and the overall balance of the wine. This one scores high on both counts. The blush-coloured bubbly is made from the Syrah grape and has a refreshing palate of red cherry and hints of strawberry with a creamy mid-palate.

Cost: Rs 1100 in Maharashtra 3. Charosa Selections Sauvignon BlancThis Nashik-based winery debuted their wines in 2013 and has had everyone floored since. Among the whites, they produce an ace Viognier but it’s their Sauvignon Blanc that hits it out of the park. In fact, the Charosa Selections Sauvignon Blanc has outdone some well-reputed New Zealand and Australian wines in blind tastings. Cost: Rs 750 in Maharashtra 4. Fratelli Sangiovese BiancoPiero Masi, the well-known Tuscan winemaker, is the man largely behind the success of Fratelli’s wines. Their range is extensive but this one is by far the most peculiar. The Sangiovese Bianco is a white wine made from red grapes. As you can imagine, it’s not an awfully easy task. Because you’re left with a crisp and fresh white wine with the vigour and body of a red one and that, if done right, can be a winning combination. An unusual wine by all measures, Fratelli’s Sangiovese Bianco is a wine you either love or hate.

It’s a rarity even by international standards. Cost: Rs 880 in Delhi 5. Krsma Sangiovese As a wine house – which would probably fit into the ‘boutique winery category’ – Krsma Estates in Hampi makes some of the best wines in the country. Producing quality wine in India was a dream for Hyderabad-based owners Uma and Krishna Prasad Chigurupati (along with running a marathon in every continent for which they hold the Guinness World Record) which was realised in 2003. Among the wines they produce, their Sangiovese is particularly impressive with fulsome notes of dark chocolate, warm spices and nuts.Available only in Bangalore 6. Charosa Reserve TempranilloTempranillo is likely to be the next big grape on Indian soil and this is probably why: It is most suited to hot climes and the people at Charosa have used this fact to their advantage. Their first vintage of the Reserve Tempranillo was so outstanding that it has inspired other wineries in the region to experiment with it.

Cost: Rs 1700 in Maharashtra 7. Zampa Chêne Grande ReserveChêne, meaning oak in French, is the new red blockbuster from the house of Grover-Zampa. It is a blend of Tempranillo and Syrah and aged for 15 months in oak making it more of a New World style exploit – decidedly dominant and unabashedly oaky. Long after the sip, one can still recollect the taste of toasted coffee on the palate. best wine japanIt is a bold wine and, going by the international awards it has won so far, well-liked not just on home turf.buy red wine nz 8. Fratelli Sette (2011)Sette is the most premium among the reserve wines from the house of Fratelli. best italian wine everSette, meaning seven in Italian, alludes to the men behind the winery. best selling wine in 2014

Three sets of brothers – the Mohite-Patils, the Sekhris and the Seccis – and the winemaker Piero Masi make for a total of seven. The current vintage 2011 is a blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon and is elegant and beautifully balanced. Cost: Rs 1800 in Delhi 9. Myra Reserve Shiraz This wine coming out of Nashik is perhaps the friendliest and most unassuming of the wines bearing the ‘Reserve’ label. best rated wine cooler brandIt is also the most affordable of the lot but given how the word Reserve isn’t quite governed by any formal law yet, it remains open to interpretation. white port wine where to buyThe Myra version shows notes of ripe red fruit with generous amounts of vanilla from the oak, making for an elegant wine that is quite approachable.best white wine with red meat

Cost: Rs 800 in Maharashtra 10. Sula Dindori Reserve Shiraz Dindori by Sula was the first wine to use the name of a region on its label, so in a way it was almost like a single-vineyard wine. For what it’s worth, it made the region of Dindori famous and other winemakers soon sprouted up around. For years, Sula’s Dindori held fort as everyone’s go-to red wine. time out new york best wine barsThis wine shows deep fruit extraction followed by ageing and finishing in expensive oak. best red wine roast recipeIt was recently adjudged #25 in the top 100 wines of 2014 by Wine Enthusiast magazine and that is definitely a commendation worth celebrating. Cost: Rs 890 in DelhiIndian Wine’s and Indian Wine Brands are making waves and gaining recognition not only domestically but internationally as well. Of these the White wines are quite a hit especially those from The Top 5 Indian Vineyards and Wineries which Include the three large players in the Indian Wine industry- Grover Vineyards, Indage (Chateau Indage) and Sula Wines.

Here are The Top 10 Indian White Wines today based purely on research of articles, reviews and discussions online and of course…personal taste. I am no wine connoisseur so this by no no means is a definitive Top 10 guide but merely step towards making wine buying a bit easier. If you’ve missed my previous post on Indian Wines here are The Top 10 Indian Red Wines Grape Variety: Chenin Blanc A clean, attractive, fruity wine that surprises you with its refreshing acidity. In simple terms, it means the wine isn’t cloyingly sweet, as many Indian Chenin Blancs tend to be, making it just the right accompaniment for kebabs and curries. Grape Variety: Ugni Blanc/Chardonnay This wine won a bronze at the International Wine and Spirit Competition-1995. It is described as Light fresh fruity wine with excellent floral bouquet Complimented by floral notes and hint of honey, it is dominated by fruity aromas, ranging from peach, apricot and passion fruit. The mouth is full, rounded with crisp acidity, and leaves and impression of freshness.

Grape Variety: Sauvignon Blanc A highly aromatic, floral, dry wine. It is crisp and refreshing, with a touch of spice at the finish. It is the perfect accompaniment to the varied flavourful cuisines of Asia. Grape Variety: Chenin Blanc (late harvest) The Late Harvest Chenin Blanc (technically a dessert wine) has a lovely golden hue and an underlying aroma reminiscent of honey and scorched almonds. It is mouth-filling, rich and sweet, but has retained enough edge to provide it with perfect balance. This wine is fresh and fruity, but the fruit is layered oakiness. The intense nose develops the pleasant aroma of pineapples, grape fruits and native guavas, besides the flowery aroma of rose. The tangy taste of the N.D. Chenin Blanc tickles the palate and leaves a lasting flavor and aroma of fruit in the mouth. Grape Variety: Sauvignon Blanc/ Semillion Pleasant nose rewarded by intense flavours of apples, passion fruit & pears with hints of vanilla & oak