’S PREMIER MAGAZINE 17TH SUCCESSFUL YEAR CONTROLLED CIRCULATION

AUTUMN 2021 `250 INDIA SommelierTHE WINE MAGAZINE

ITALIAN ESTATES PARTNER WITH NAPA WINERIES page 36 SOMMELIER INDIA WINE MAGAZINE VOL 17 ISSUE 3, AUTUMN 2021 INDIAN RISE TO THE OCCASION page 48 ASHISH KAPUR RESTAURATEUR WHO LOVES WINE page 42

BLAZING A NEW TRAIL IN CALIFORNIA SIX INDIAN WOMEN page 24 74

Volume 17 Issue 3 Autumn 2021 VOL 17: ISSUE 3, AUTUMN 2021 `250 contents Founder Reva K Singh Publisher Shiv B Singh Advisory Council FRONT OF THE BOOK Dhruv M Sawhney – New Delhi Ravi Viswanathan – Singapore 24 Sanjiv S Dugal – Providence, USA 06 OENOPHILE’S NOTEBOOK Wine news and trends for the Editor in Chief Reva K Singh wine enthusiast Chief Copy Editor Bunny Suraiya Tastings Co-ordinator Gagan Sharma 11 WINE CLINIC Your Questions Answered Correspondents – India Alok Chandra, Brinda Gill, Aditi 48 EASY TO MAKE, 68 PANEER, PAD THAI, AND… ? Pai, Kaveri Ponnapa, Ruma Singh 12 FINE WINE AND DELIGHTFUL TO DRINK Nimmi Malhotra explores wine Correspondents – Overseas STEREOTYPES What’s not to love about Indian styles that uplift Asian gastronomy Renu Chahil-Graf – EU, Rosemary Shoba Narayan shares her views ? Gagan Sharma believes and marry well with spice George – UK, Mira Advani Honeycutt – US, Michèle Shah on fine wine and everyday wine in Indian Rieslings have great potential Alessandra Piubello – Italy, the time of Coronavirus 74 TRUFFLES – KITCHEN Carol Wright – UK 52 JOHN ALBAN AND HIS LOVE DIAMONDS Contributing writers 14 FIVE FAVOURITE EVERYDAY FOR VIOGNIER WINE Carol Wright fills us in on the Raghu Bahadur, Sourish Bhattacharyya, Raymond Blake, INGREDIENTS All it took was a sip of wine and world’s most expensive and Shoba Narayan, Jon Wyand Manish Mehrotra, corporate chef of the trajectory of John Alban’s life sought-after fungus Administration and Accounts Indian Accent, is surprisingly simple FEATURES and career forever changed. Harendra Singh in his must-haves for his kitchen. 30 SILVER LINING IN THE Mira Advani Honeycutt 80 GLOSSARY Design Inkspot Inc By Sourish Bhattacharyya 24 INDIAN WOMEN IN WINE CORONAVIRUS CLOUD has more Foreign terms and wine jargon Layout Artist T M Jose BLAZE A TRAIL IN CALIFORNIA Initiatives taken by Sula during the explained Printed at 18 BURGUNDY’S MOST Mira A Honeycutt profiles six Indian lockdown in 2020 served to bring 58 FRUIT FOR THOUGHT EIH Ltd, Unit Printing Press, POWERFUL WOMAN IN WINE women who are making a name in the Sula brand greater visibility. Gagan Sharma introduces us to 84 SI DIRECTORY Plot no. 22, Sector 5, IMT Manesar, Haryana - 122050 A photographer’s musings as he an industry dominated by men Brinda Gill spells out the strategy Fruzzanté – proudly made in India Of Indian wine importers prepares for a photo shoot of – the produced from and distributors Sommelier a controlled circulation quarterly produced by Lalou Bize-Leroy in Burgundy. 36 OLD WORLD MEETS NEW chikoo and other fruits CMI, Consolidated Media Int, Text and photos Jon Wyand 36 WORLD IN NAPA VALLEY 68 C-320, Defence Colony, New Delhi – Michèle Shah on how historic 110 024, India. T +91-11-2433-1013. GASTRONOMY E [email protected]. 20 WINE’S ENDURING Italian estates have joined forces W www.sommelierindia.com. ATTRACTION with vibrant New World realities 62 THE KING OF SPICES Subscription: One year `1000 Shakespeare’s lines in Anthony and The European quest for pepper Two years `2000. Three, `3000 Cleopatra: “Age cannot wither her, 42 UNCORKING A PASSION since Roman times established The views expressed in the nor custom stale her infinite variety”, FOR WINE trade routes to the East. publication are the writers’ own ring true of the described by Sourish Bhattacharyya profiles Carol Wright tells and not necessarily those of the publishers.

Cover: Priyanka Dhar French, Napa’s first Indian woman winemaker. Photo: Mira Advani Honeycutt Photo: Mira first Indian woman winemaker. Cover: Priyanka Dhar French, Napa’s Raymond Blake restaurateur Ashish Kapur whose the story business converted him into a passionate wine lover

2 Sommelier INDIA JULY-SEPTEMBER 2021 JULY-SEPTEMBER 2021 Sommelier INDIA 3 book, “Food & Faith: a pilgrim’s of London. Her first book, “The Bunny Suraiya journey through India” is just out Vanishing Kodavas”, is an extensive After an award- from Harper Collins. She has written cultural study of the Kodava people. winning career in contributors about wine and spirits for a number (www.kaveriponnapa.com.) advertising, Bunny of publications including Mint Suraiya took up Sommelier India The Wine Magazine is written by some of the best wine writers in Lounge and is a wine columnist for Michèle Shah writing and editing as her profession. the world. Our cast of contributors includes wine experts, food and wine writers, Sommelier India. She is passionate is a writer and She writes on travel as well as on social professional journalists as well as new writers. We regard our stable of regular about wine, preferring floral Alsatian wine critic based trends and literary subjects and has contributors as our most valuable resource. wines that go with her vegetarian in Tuscany. She contributed to several national and diet. She is a member of many wine organises wine international publications. Her novel, clubs and enjoys sharing her wines tastings, seminars “Calcutta Exile”, which was published with friends. and educational sessions on Italian to critical and reader acclaim and Sourish critically acclaimed books, “In Black & College, New Delhi, and a Masters wine for Italy’s regional wine shortlisted for the Shakti Bhatt First Bhattacharyya is White: A History of Rowing at Trinity from Gokhale Institute, . One Nimmi consortia and the international press. Book Award 2012, has been published a journalist who College Dublin”, 1991; “Breakfast of her major interests is discovering Malhotra She is the founder of Speedtasting® in a French edition. A black chocolate has clocked more in Burgundy – A Hungry Irishman the unique wealth of India through is a wine consultant B2B events and an honorary member freak and a red wine enthusiast, she than 35 years in in the Belly of ”, New York the country’s living multi-faceted and writer, born of Donne del Vino in Italy and enjoys being editorial consultant and the profession. He has written on a 2014; and “Côte d’Or – The Wines heritage, specially textiles and crafts. and educated committee member of the Circle copy editor for Sommelier India. number of subjects, but mostly on and Winemakers of the Heart of She enjoys writing on these subjects in Delhi, currently living in Hong of Wine Writers, UK. Michèle is food and occasionally wine. Sourish Burgundy”, Oxford 2017. (Short-listed and travelling. Kong. Nimmi’s passion for wine CEO of Exceptional Travel to Italy Carol Wright is is one of the founders of delWine for the Louis Roederer International grew in Australia, where she lived (www.micheleshahtravel.com.) She a freelance writer Excellence Awards, Tasting India Wine Writers’ Awards, 2018.) Mira Advani for 12 years, often visiting her uncle contributes to the world’s leading based in the UK but Symposium and Asian Hawkers Honeycutt is the at his renowned vineyard, Nazaaray wine publications including Sommelier travelling the world. Market. He is the co-editor with Alok Chandra is an Wine Editor of Estate on the Mornington Peninsula. India. Carol has written Colleen Taylor Sen and Helen independent Wine PASO Magazine, She turned that passion into her 30 books and writes extensively on Saberi of the “Companion to Indian Consultant based based in Paso profession after graduating with a Gagan Sharma travel, food, wine and restaurants. She Food”, to be published next year by in . His Robles. She is curator and writer of WSET Diploma. Her work currently is a Certified has been the chairman of the British Bloomsbury. company Gryphon “Signature Wines & Wineries of includes consulting for restaurants and Sommelier from Guild of Travel Writers twice, is a Brands Inc focuses on Knowledge, Coastal California”, curator of “The writing, with her first IWC judging the Court of Master memwber of the Society of Authors, Raymond Blake is Research (wine markets & consumers); Winemakers of Paso Robles” (both role scheduled for November. Sommeliers, UK, was chairperson of her local history is one of Ireland’s Projects (vineyards and wineries, import large format coffee table books) and and holds the WSET Diploma society and is on the board of an leading wine writers & export of wines), and Marketing. the author of “California’s Central Kaveri Ponnapa from London. Gagan has a Masters environmental charity. and was Wine An MBA from IIM Calcutta with 30 Coast, The Ultimate Winery Guide”. is an author and degree in Hospitality Management Editor of the highly years work experience, Alok was the She also writes for the Napa Valley independent writer (specialising in wines) from Victoria Jon Wyand, a multi regarded Food & Wine Magazine founder of the Bangalore Wine Club Register. Mira has chronicled the based in Bengaluru. University, Melbourne, and works award winning from its launch in 1997 until it went in 2001, and has been writing on wine wine world for several international Her articles on as a creator, curator, wine educator photographer has online last year. In addition, Raymond for Sommelier India and the Business publications and has written on food, wine, travel and heritage appear and sommelier at Indulge India. He been shooting wine has written for numerous other Standard Weekend magazine since international cinema for The in leading publications. She explores reserves a soft corner for Barolos, as his speciality for publications in Ireland and abroad, 2005. He has been a judge in several Hollywood Reporter. India’s traditional cuisines, as well Riojas, Australian reds, and . 20 years, travelling principally on wine but wine competitions in India and abroad. as evolving restaurant trends and When not working, he enjoys extensively in Europe and the also on a diverse range of other Shoba Narayan is the growing appreciation of wine in trekking in the Himalayas and Americas. He has illustrated a number topics. He is also much in demand as Brinda Gill has a an award- winning India. Kaveri graduated from Lady chasing historic sites. Gagan is the books as well as two of his own on a presenter at themed wine dinners, graduate degree in columnist and Shri Ram College, New Delhi, and coordinator of the Sommelier India Burgundy. He works with magazines in tutored tastings and other events. Economics (Hons) the author of five took a Master’s Degree in Social Tasting Panel. the US, UK and Europe. Raymond is the author of three from Lady Shri Ram books. Her latest Anthropology at SOAS, University

4 Sommelier INDIA JULY-SEPTEMBER 2021 JULY-SEPTEMBER 2021 Sommelier INDIA 5 COLUMN in the movie, Sideways – passionate speech on the virtues of Pinot Noirs. “…it’s a hard grape to grow…it’s thin-skinned, Fine wine and stereotypes temperamental, ripens early. It’s…not a survivor like Cabernet, which can just grow anywhere and, uh, thrive even when it’s neglected. No, Pinot needs constant care and attention…. And in fact it can only grow in these really specific, SHOBANARAYAN little, tucked-away corners of the world. And, shares her take on fine wine and everyday only the most patient and nurturing of growers wine in the time of Coronavirus can do it, really. Only somebody who really takes the time to understand Pinot’s potential can then coax it into its fullest expression. Then, oh for the summer. Chilled well and served with Moët & Chandon: the House its flavours, they’re just the most haunting and fresh strawberries, they can ward off lockdown that produces the brilliant and thrilling and subtle and... ancient blues. Poured in a nice Champagne glass, you Indian sparkling wine, n late April, Areni Global, the British wine comes from a famous wine growing region. on the planet.” Almost makes one want to move can almost trick the mind into thinking you are Chandon in research firm released a report about who This is, of course, the stereotype about brand- to Burgundy and taste these ancient flavours. in, well – Champagne, popping some bubbly! Ibuys fine wine. There were some usual obsessed Chinese. But the Chinese also care Few in India make good quality Pinot The trend in Champagne is towards what takeaways and some unusual ones. Few in the about vintage. And a number of Chinese who Noir. The closest to “Indian” you can get is are called “grower” , which means It is the wine world, as it turns out, cares very much buy fine wines is a whopping two-third of the excellent Indian Creek from the grapes used to produce the wines are grown about sustainability, although you would expect the wine buying market. In comparison, only Navarro Vineyards in Mendocino, California. in vineyards owned by the winery. While large Chinese that with the current focus on climate change, 7% of the Americans who drink wine spend I say this in jest of course, because Indian is a Champagne brands source their grapes from followed by sustainable wines would be the most coveted. money on fine wines and just 10% of UK wine part of its name and it is currently not available 60 to 80 growers, these grower Champagnes Indian the Americans But what are fine wines really? It depends on drinkers buy expensive wines. China has some in India. Still, it is a good wine. Many Indian are similar to “Estate bottled” wines in that who you ask. This report categorizes “fine wines” 35.2 million people spending and buying fine wine producers stay away from Pinot Noir the whole process from growing to bottling sparkling wines that care about as those that are priced at or above $75. This is wine which is perhaps why it has become the and gravitate towards for happens in-house often under the watchful eye taste fresh and cellaring a sensible rule. A winemaker friend in Napa, most important wine market in the world. the same reason that Miles alluded to it in his of one person. A reputed producer and grower are perfect for and aging once told me that above $75 was when the art of India doesn’t feature in the fine wine market soliloquy: Cabernet is a hardier grape to grow. is Jacques Selosse who cultivates his vines in a the summer. wine. The actually made a difference. at all, either in the buying or making of it. For completely natural way. His “Substance,” a 100% The big market for fine wines are the usual Indians, figuring out an everyday drinking wine o we come back to the question, what , Blanc de Blancs is from a single Chilled well British and suspects: the UK, US, and China. Here are some is the current challenge, given Covid restrictions wine are you drinking during lockdown? vineyard in Avize and made in a unique solera and served Australians, surprising takeaways. You would think that the and the lockdowns imposed by various states. SSince most of us aren’t travelling, it system. Some grower Champagnes available here with fresh as it turns out, elderly rich would buy fine wines. As it happens, What is your everyday drinking wine? What is a good time to explore Indian wines. Here such as Chartogne Taillet, Agrapart and Laherte it is the younger people, those in their 30s that is your favourite varietal? Please don’t say Pinot in Bangalore, summer is in full swing and so Frères are imported by Sonarys. Laherte Frères strawberries, enjoy drinking are buying fine wines. This could be linked to Noir. It reeks of “Sideways” the movie and a sparkling wines and rosés have become part of is unusual in that it uses a greater proportion they can ward their wines technology and the millionaires this industry safe bet; a cop-out really; one that you cannot every Zoom catch-up call among friends. We of Pinot Meunier grapes, somewhat akin to the off lockdown but are not has spawned. In terms of aging potential, it is go wrong with. Pinots are the last stop for are opening Chandon Brut to savour with our much higher-rated Jerome Prevost Champagnes blues obsessed about the Chinese followed by the Americans that care most oenophiles. Since I cannot afford DRC book clubs. made exclusively with Pinot Meunier. about cellaring and aging wine. The British and (Domaine de la Romanée Conti), I have to Now here’s the paradox. Good sparkling wines All of which leads us back to the first aging them Australians, as it turns out, enjoy drinking their depend on the Marlborough region of New are an exception to the rule that wine is always question: what if your everyday drinking wines but are not obsessed about aging them. Zealand, where good and affordable pinots are more expensive in India than abroad. You can wine is now limited to the ones produced in British customers care about complexity made, and subsequently make their way to India. get good Brut from Grover Zampa, Chandon, India since you cannot travel? Well, if you are and regional typicity of the wine. The Chinese Unfortunately for the other varietals, the grape Sula and other brands for around `1,500. In the dependent on local Indian brands, here is a don’t care about this at all. What do Chinese that makes its home in Burgundy has cachet and US, good sparkling wine costs about the same. tip: get a decanter. It is a great way to soften wine buyers care about? They care if the wine evokes prose. Who can forget Miles’ – a character Indian sparkling wines taste fresh and are perfect tannic, over-oaked Indian wines.v

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