Pure Love @ The Leela Kempinski

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Posted on January 12, 2012 by Romie Rattan Babra

Pure – yes that’s the word I was looking for! On Jan 10, 2012, I attended a wine tasting dinner at Elitaire, The Leela Kempinski, which showcased pure love. Ok, let me fill it up for you. As soon as I walked in Elitaire, which is one of the prestigious restaurants at The Leela Kempinski, I saw Florent J. Mougin, who is a Chief Representative and the Asia Pacific Export Manager of Compagnie Vinicole Baron Edmond de Rothchild. He was providing personal training to their qualified staff and he was talking about his wines so intensely and so passionately, that at first I thought that he was the winemaker himself. Upon my questioning, he validated that he helps in the vineyards, as he loves wines from Chateau Malmaison & Chateau Clarke Baron Edmond de Rothchild – no wonder he decided to spread his pure love to the rest of the world. Oh, and these lovely wines are brought to India through BrindCo, owned by Mr. Aman Dhall.

Then I met a very important man of the Elitaire – the charismatic Chef Thomas Figovc, who has been with Leela Kempinski for couple of years. He has traveled around the world and now has set his grounds firmly with his creativity that speaks itself in his cuisine. Both, Florent & Chef Thomas, passionately and with pure love, unlocked the happiness of matching food and wine.

We tasted total of four Red wines, two each from both the Chateaus. Here, let me take you to The Château Malmaison vineyard, which is situated in the Moulis wine-growing area of the Medoc, is one of the oldest in the Medoc. Grape vines have been established here, thanks to a handful of landowners and a sizeable religious community, ever since the middle ages. This property, which adjoins Château Clarke, was also purchased by the Baron Edmond de Rothschild in 1973, with the intention of recreating a large estate.

Though in a state of total neglect at the time of purchase, the Château Malmaison has now been restored to its former glory. The vineyard too was completely replanted between 1974 and 1978, and now extends to 24 perfectly maintained hectares.

The clay-limestone soil is ideally suited to a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, gives us the smooth and rounded wines so typical of this specific area. The greatest possible care is taken at every stage of the production of this wine, right from the maintenance of the vines themselves, which is always aimed at improving quality. At each grape harvest, the grapes are picked by hand and are then meticulously sorted before being vatted. The wine making process proceeds in automatically thermo-regulated stainless steel vats. Lastly, the wines are matured from between 14 to 18 months in new barrels and year-old barrels. Ever since 1997 the Baroness Nadine de Rothschild has continued the proud tradition of the estate in accord with the wishes of her husband.

Now the other estate, Chateau Clarke Baron Edmond de Rothchild, dates back to the 12^th century when the Cistercian monks of the Vertheuil Abbey planted the first vines. Much more recently, the knight Tobie Clarke purchased the land that would permanently bear his name in 1818. Then, after being repeatedly handed down and finally sold, the property was bought in 1973 by the Baron Edmond de Rothschild.

It was at this time that the neglected vineyard was re-planned, and then completely recreated between 1974 and 1978, to attain a final wine-producing area of 54 hectares. Today, the vines are planted on clay-limestone hilltops that enable the Merlot grape to express itself at its best. And ever since the first vintage year at Château Clarke, bottled in 1978, the quality of the wines has never ceased to improve. Particular attention is paid to the methods of cultivation and wine production, which are subject to the most stringent controls. The handpicked grapes are carefully transported and meticulously sorted in the cellar and then vatted through simple gravity into superb wooden vats. The wine is then placed in new barrels, where it is left to mature for between 14 and 18 months. Since 1997, Baron Benjamin de Rothschild has followed in the tradition of his father, transmitting his own passion for excellence to his dynamic workforce.

After Florent’s introduction about the rich history of the estates and wine, it was Chef Thomas, who explained his side of the story about his art of selection of food (with wines). He picked and selected the order from young to aged wines as we proceeded with all four courses. Here are the wines & food we enjoyed in a sequential manner.

Chateau Clarke, 2007 – Young & pleasant wine, quite perfumy, earthy, balanced, had a medium acidity, ripe berries and dried flowers were shooting, a long and very smooth finish. Perfectly matched with Pan Seared Foie Gras on a bed of pear Carpaccio for non-vegetarians, and Caramelized goat cheese and balsamic braised leek served with Olive foam for vegetarians.

Chateau Malmaison, 2004 – had berry aromas, with light spice that follows through to a medium-bodied palate, with fine tannins and a fresh finish. Quite a smooth wine. Chef Thomas prepared Pumpkin Gnocchi with walnut and parmesan that made a match in heaven. Thank-You Chef!

Chateau Clarke, 2001 - Pleasant wine, smooth and fruity, is ripe, with a generous fruity herbaceous of cherry and currant, concentrated & distinguished, and a final average full-bodied and spicy. Even after being aged for a decade, it can easily go for another 10-20 years. This love of the evening was paired with Tomato and pea risotto along with burnt butter vinaigrette or you could choose Cajun spiced Cod fillet with fennel stew and Red wine butter sauce. I was overjoyed with the latter.

Chateau Malmaison, 1999 – Color was immensely dark garnet with leather, pencil and barnyard on the nose. Lots of sediment in the wine with earth, floral and dark berries being the predominant flavors. Noticeably delicate, supple and elegant wine with rich bouquet. The main course that made everyone savor every bit, was well served with three bean stew and Vegetables spaghettis Romaine polenta or you had an option to select Dijon herbed lamb rack with gratin potatoes, young spinach and garlic chips.

See, now you know what I meant – pure love exemplified by the curating of the sommelier, the expression of the winemakers and the instinctual attraction of the wine connoisseurs alike.

Go on, taste pure love in any of these wines at the Leela Kempinski, and tell us about it.

- Romie Rattan Babra

The 2011 California Wine Harvest: Not All Sour Grapes

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Posted on November 19, 2011 by Romie Rattan Babra

It is that time of year again.

Wineries across the world begin the ceremonious picking of grapes, trudging down row after row of ripened fruit of the earth. Wine lovers everywhere eagerly await the critics’ opinions on how the wines will likely turn out.

Early in October, rain and hail hit Napa Valley hard and wineries panicked. They were faced by a tough decision: whether to pick the grapes, not yet fully ripened, a little earlier than usual, or to hold on and bear the brunt of the weather Gods. This panic was far worsened by the media and twitteratti abuzz with the news and imminent dismay that would become of this year’s harvest.

All wine makers yearn for the California Sun to shine bright in the last few days before grape picking begins which ripens the grapes fully and gives California wines their signature complex structure and the concentrated fruit-forwardness.

Critics at Decanter and Wine Spectator have not completely written-off this year as that of sub-standard wines, and even the vintners give plenty promise of hope.

George Blanckensee of Chateaux Motelena’s winemaking team continues to prove to us how good this year is shaping up. “We sampled juices of recently harvested fruit, and it’s as deep and rich as always,” he said.

Chris Phelps, winemaker at Swanson Vineyards said, ‘It will cause delay rather than be a declaration of disaster’. Phelps even went as far as to term the outcome of the 2011 Napa harvest to be ‘Bordeaux-esque’!

Our stance leans towards the “happy camp” that believes not all is lost. While there might be lower yields and wines with high acidity and lower-than-normal alcohol. Will we really miss the tannins and getting tipsy? I don’t think so. I believe that the ace winemakers will get to show their magic in creating beautifully-balanced wines that will look good in your cellar for over 10 years and will taste even better after that!

And while we pull the corks on those, we can reminisce what we were doing in the year 2011 (NOT fretting over spoiled grapes) and admiring our own age-worthiness along with the maturity of the wines.

You can follow the progress on twitter with the hashtag #nvharvest or #harvest2011

Wines at Fine Food Expo India

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Romie Rattan Babra

The onslaught of winter in India also ushers in a festive mood – albeit a bit different. ‘Tis the season of wine festivals all over the country and what’s better than meeting some talented winemakers over bottles of their best creations!

The Fine Food India Expo is is exactly the kind of fair where adults feel like they are in a carnival. Let’s face it, we never really grow up we just acquire better taste! This three-day extravaganza of food and wine held at the Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from 5th Dec to 7th Dec, 2011 brought together the best in the industry to the foodies and wine lovers of the capital city. We loved being in the middle of it all and are now bringing the experience to you, our fellow vinophiles!

As you entered the grounds, the first thing you noticed was the French Pavillion by Sopexa & UBI France. For the very first time in India, Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines from 6 estates were showcased – Domaine de Nalys, Château La Nerthe, Domaine Durieu, Domaine du Père Caboche, Domaine La Mereuille and Domaine de la Charbonnièr. Established in 1933, Châteauneuf-du-Pape was the first ever “Appellation Contrôlée” established in France. More wine is produced in Châteauneuf-du-Pape than the whole of northern Rhône put together. While this region is known for world class blends, the Grenache is characteristic of Châteauneuf-du-Pape making some of the vintages among the most expensive and coveted.

The wine makers and representatives from Châteauneuf-du-Pape had a chance to meet with importers from the Indian subcontinent. “This is a great opportunity for us to network and get a real sense of the Indian wine market first hand,” said Caroline from Domaine de la Charbonniere. “It’s been a great experience and India is such a rich country with a burgeoning wine industry. There’s so much scope and yet so many challenges,” Vincent DURIEU from the same region, chimed in. In speaking to their Indian counterparts, they felt the Indian wineries had some similar challenges on growing the number of wine lovers in India. Being cheerfully optimistic about the future, Adeline MOUTIER from VIGNERONS CATALANS, said “But the major barrier for us is the high taxation on wines produced in France. We can’t wait for our governments to hash out a trade agreement over a bottle of wine!”

Some of the other wines whose lingering taste lasted beyond the night’s hangover…

Rioja Bordon Bodegas Franco-Espanolas Reserva 2004 – Awarded a Gold Medal in The Decanter Magazine World Wine Awards for 2010. This blend of Tempranillo, Graciano and Mazuelo is toasted in American oak casks aged in bottle over 2 years. Aromatic nose with fruity notes, a bit of spicy tone, deep berry flavours and some hint of terroir. Overall nice expression of the region.

Palpedrigo Campodelsole, which means “field of sun”, a blend of Sangiovese+Cabernet+Merlot has just as rich and delicious of a taste as that of its history. The vineyards have been farmed and inhabited since before the Roman times. On a recent replanting of one vineyards, the workers had to stop numerous times to pick the Roman pottery and amphoras out of the field!

Colvendra Spumante Brut DOCG – A very delicate Italian prosecco with flowery aroma, zesty taste of fresh apple and pear and just the right amount of acidity. A sparkler that would do very well for the Indian palate!

Over 50 wineries, both old world and new world, from various parts of the world were featured – France, Italy, Spain, Argentina, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, California, Oregon etc.
All the wines present had a common thread beyond just the best in quality. Every winery represented a long lineage and rich history of wine-making that goes back a few generations. Such is the expertise that we require in India to help in the furthering of our taste in this heavenly beverage by making more of the best wines accessible to every Indian wine lover.

While only two wineries from India were presented at the expo – Sula Wines & Fratelli Wines, the organizers and the wine industry are working to change that in the very near future. And we are more than happy to contribute with one simple philosophy- follow you Instincts, trust your palate, and enjoy your wine!

Common Myths About Wine

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Romie Rattan Babra

As the consumption of wine in India increases, so do the myths and misconceptions associated with it, especially when there are few ways to educate the general public about wine. Here are some of the most common myths that we at WineInstincts try to dismiss.

Myth # 1: Fruitiness and Sweetness are similar.

This is the most common misconception a newbie develops when tasting a wine. The wine’s sweetness is often mistaken for its fruitiness. In reality, there are few wines that can be considered as sweet, but many can be called fruity. A wine’s fruitiness is often judged by the process of smelling the wine. For instance, when we use phrases like “notes of almond, or ripe apples, and red cherries”, then we are talking about fruitiness. But if we mention smells of honey or pineapple, it doesn’t mean that it is sweet. However, some white wines can be considered sweet, but finding a sweet red wine is rare.

Myth # 2: Red wine can give you headaches because of its sulfur content.

One of my best friends always complained about how he gets headaches after drinking red wine. So I decided to dig deeper as I do not want him to be deprived of enjoying earth’s best prepared drink for mankind. Unless one has rare allergy to sulfites, the headache you get after drinking a glass of vintage red wine can be blamed more on dehydration rather than sulfites. In reality, these sulfites are actually beneficial to wine making, as these act partly as preservatives and help wine age better and longer.

This being said, those wines that are being promoted as “sulfite-free” have actually a much shorter lifespan. So before sipping a glass of red wine from South Africa, try popping in a Disprin tablet (or any headache pill) and drink up a tall glass of water. As a matter of fact, white wine has more sulfur than reds.

Myth # 3: Using screw caps means cheaper wines than natural corks

Some think wines that come in screw caps are not proper wines but made from grape concentrate instead of actual grapes. In actuality, wine experts truly believe that a screw cap (or stelvin enclosure), is simply guaranteeing the precious vintage of wine. Of course, it looses its charm of opening a wine the traditional way compared to opening a wine sealed with a cork, but natural corks may also carry chemical compounds, called TCA, that is very harmful to the wine.

Most wines that come in a cork are prone to having the cork’s “essence” seep into the wine, creating an aroma that is best described as that of wet cardboard. So don’t pass judgment right away if you encounter a wine packed with a screw-cap, or a plastic cork even. You will not be missing out on quality if you select a twist-off; however, you might miss the sound and anticipation of the cork leaving the bottle!

Myth #4: Cooking wine should be the cheapest kind of wine.

It’s a common notion to use a day-old, unfinished red wine or get the cheaper ones out of your collection for cooking that ultimate dish for your friends. Not necessarily. You don’t sacrifice your dinner by pairing it with a cheap, unappealing wine, so why do the same when cooking food?

Cooking with a rich wine means adding wine’s concentrated flavors that makes the dish enticing. If you focus on cooking with a cheap wine, this would only indulge in adding poor flavors that result in a mediocre meal. So, next time, try adding a few more Rupees (Indian currency for my expat friends) and spend on a wine that tastes so good, it would taste better when being cooked.

Myth # 5: White wine isn’t made for aging.

White wine and red wine are produced in almost the same manner. The main difference of the two is that white wine is manufactured from fermented grapes (including red ones) whose skin is separated from the fruit during fermentation, while in red wine the skin is intact during the same process. But that doesn’t mean all red wines can be aged for a very long time either. Just like red wine, white wine can be aged too, sometimes even for more than a decade or more. For instance, top ranked white Burgundies can be cellared for a decade as it is increases complexity and richness when cellared. Also, German Rieslings from Mosel & Rhine, can be long-lived, and will develop wondrous complexity with age.

Le beaujolais nouveau est arrivé! Just not yet in India

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Romie Rattan Babra

Scene set in a dark alley in Lyon, France. It is the third Thursday of November in the year 2011. Midnight strikes and the crowds peel to get the first drink of this year’s Beaujolais Nouveau.

To a bystander, it seems like a cult, akin to geeks lining outside the Apple store before the launch of a new product, and it most certainly is. This scene is now replicated in Paris, New York, and pretty much every other city that has been touched by the colourful mass advertising of Beaujolais.

The ‘Beaujolais Nouveau Day’, what started as a village tradition, thanks to popular culture, has now become a day celebrated by 60% of the French populace. Lyon has even come to host the Beaujolympiades (Beaujolympics), a contest of sorts comprising of all the producers from the region.

Indeed the French village has very cleverly branded it’s rather ordinary product and

The humble beginnings of this popular wine are from the gamay grapes, picked over six to eight weeks after harvesting, fermented using a process called carbonic maceration, also known as whole berry fermentation, which preserves the fresh, fruity quality of the grapes without the tannins from the skins. We might add here that the unique factor is not in the marketing alone. It is one of the few wines that is recommended to be served chilled!

By the sheer will of the producers, possible increase in quality year-after-year and mostly attributed to the splendid branding, today around 50m of these bottles will be distributed – 50% of which gun for the global market.

Le beaujolais nouveau est arrivé! The phrase resonates in every part of the wine world, and ever louder as they celebrate the 60th anniversary of this festival this year. Just not yet in India.

Yes, it is a fact that the Beaujolais Nouveau reaches the Indian subcontinent a tad bit later (barring a few elitist groups who manage to bring their contingent in at the right time). The average wine drinker of India has to wait for the bureaucratic process of the wine shipments, with the taxes slapped on to double the price of a decent bottle of this widely-available wine. It will be a couple of months till we see the 2011 vintage stocked on the shelves.

Till then, time to dig into the cellar for last year’s collection!

Cheers!

Chile Wine Flows in the Capital

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Romie Rattan Babra

While the west coast of North America buzzes over with California Wine Month, we here in India moved a little south to the west coast of SOUTH America. The charm of Sud America is not just the gorgeous people with enchanting Spanish accents, but also the wine regions which have you equally spell-bound.

The Chilean region is conveniently placed between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes mountain range to provide the right climate for world-class vineyards. Chile boasts of the only country where the Carménère grape is being cultivated. This lost grape was re-discovered after 150 years by a French Enologist who was visiting Chile and brought over the Carmenère grape from Bordeaux. Much to our disappointment, the Carmenere wines constitute only 3% of Chilean wines imported in India.

The good news is that Chilean wine exports to India (overall) have grown 4x from 2009 to 2010 making a mark of USD 168K worth of imports. Today Chile is the 7th largest exporter of bottled wine in India and the main kinds of wine imported are: Chardonnay (19%), Merlot (17%), Cabernet Sauvignon (16%), Sauvignon Blanc (15%), Pinot Noir (4%)

To further improve their position, ProChile, Chile’s foreign trade promotions body, curated a ‘wine tour’ of Chilean wines in the nation’s capital – New Delhi at The Lalit Hotel on Sept 20th, 2011. This invite-only event featured 50-60 wine presented by various importers.

Some of the featured producers (among others) were:

B & V MELOZAL featured not only their entry level wine, but also Calibora Reserva and an array of oak aged selections made a mark on me, especially their authentic Carmenere varietal. However, their iconic flagship wine- Sol de Melozal, a limited edition blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère, was a determined son of a gun. True to the sun icon on its label, this wine was like fireworks in my mouth with intense ripe, sweet, spicy and smoked flavours. The intensity and expressiveness was unmatched and I could feel connected with the region while sipping the undefined marvel of nature. The only thing missing was lamb chops!

CAMINO REAL’S Los Portones de San Fransicsco Merlot in their indigenous jute packaging captured our hearts for the most eyecatching wine. Their slightly spicier wines are harvested from grapes in Cachpoal Valley regional the crack of dawn! Their Casa de Campo sauvignon Blanc is also worthy of mention giving a respite from the persistent heat in Delhi with a crisp, fresh palate and delicate white peach aromas for a wine that’s best enjoyed young.

VIÑA FOLATRE showcased their 2010 Kaleidoscope series: Chardonnay Reserva from Curico Valley with aromas of ripe tropical pineapples and bananas; Sauvignon Blanc Reserva a little more citrusy, crispy & herby; & Carmenere Reserva from Maule Valley giving it a silky & rich tannic taste and a beautiful dark garnet color.

The crowd was pleased with the spread that is so quintessentially The Lalit, sipping and swirling well-balanced wines and hobnobbing with the who’s-who of the Indian wine industry.

“We are looking for Indian importers for our national wine, Carmenere. Right now, varieties of Merlot, Cabernet and Sauvignon Blanc make up 80 percent of our sale in India,” Christian Sotomayor, a spokesperson for Valdivieso winery, as told to IANS.

As per the estimates of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), Wine consumption in India is likely to reach around 14.7 million litres (in volume terms) and likely to touch Rs.2,700 crore ($560 million) in value by the end of 2012, registering a growth of 35 percent in the last four years.

Despite such ambitious growth projections, ‘new world’ wine regions like Chile still face bottlenecks in the Indian market. “Importers of Carmenere are difficult to find because of the steep costs of shipments and tariff,” Rodrigo Vera Ch. of CasaDonoso winery, which produces vintage brew, told the IANS.

Chile’s ambassador to India, Cristián Barros, also addressed the gathering on Indo-Chilean trade relations and romanticized the Chilean wine industry for the benefit of the producers, promising hope of more Chilean beauties (read Carmenere!) to complement India’s penchant for a spicy palate.

A bottle of Merlot or Cab Sauv from Chile costs about INR 1500 to 2000. We have reviewed some of the wines here [http://wineinstincts.com/business.php?business_id=45] and would love to hear your thoughts on the Chilean wines you have tasted.

Sante to more wine!