India wine awards

    India Wine Awards 2019: Indian wines hold their own
    October 22, 2019

    Quality has its own rewards, and the tweaks made to the India Wine Awards 2019 format  by Sonal Holland MW demonstrated that Indian wines could hold their ground against international competition

    The spotlights are off, the music has faded, the chairs are stacked and stashed away. The 3rd edition of the India Wine Awards is done. There has been good media coverage on the event (congratulations to all winners!) and the record numbers of entries (376 including the segment of wines paired with food). As I was wandering notebook in hand, around the Sangiovese vineyards in Italy’s Emilia Romagna region at the time, I was unable to attend the high-octane, glitzy awards night held at The Leela Mumbai on 5th October 2019, although I had sipped and spit my way through two intense days of judging earlier with my fellow jury members.

    But I was curious about the post-event learnings and takeaways.

    Indian wines on an upward trajectory

    • Sonal Holland MW with Grover Zampa’s Ravi Vishwanathan
    • …and with Fabrizio Giustarini of the Italian Trade Agency & Consul-General Stefania Costanza

    There is little doubt that Indian wine is improving steadily. This is clearly visible every year, as more of the top wineries jostle for awards and prizes. However, there is still woefully little awareness of the rising quality of the wines among Indian consumers, who often prefer to pop a bottle from Australia or South Africa than splash out on wine from Nashik or Nandi Hills.

    Apropos to this, one of the most interesting changes for me at this year’s awards was IWA founder Sonal Holland MW’s decision to create a common judging category where both Indian and imported international wines were judged on par, separated only by grape or style. For the 2019 edition, 320 wines were entered in the tasting competition, of which Indian wine to international wines was in the encouraging ratio of 50:50. Said Holland, “It gives me great joy to report that throughout the blind tastings, the (Indian) wines held their own. As India’s wine industry matures, and domestic wines go from strength to strength, I’m happy to share we are the first awards in India to recognise that at comparable price-points, well-made examples of Indian wines are on par with international ones for their world-class attributes.” Of the 12 wines adjudged Best in Show, 5 were Indian wine, spread across several producers and styles.

    So, good news here.

    Imported wines still rule in the Indian market

    However, for India’s beleaguered importers, struggling to deal with whimsical and arbitrary policy changes and regulations, the results were also good. Holland explained, “It is the international labels which are growing at a faster clip and are contributing to the depth and understanding of wine and its culture in India.”

    More good news, then, all around.

    While we bask in the light of these positives, do go through the list of winners below. For more details on the India Wine Awards, please check here.

    LIST OF TROPHY WINES AND CATEGORIES INDIA WINE AWARDS 2019

    Best in Show

    • Champagne G.H.Mumm NV , France

    • Grover Zampa Chêne Grand Réserve 2015 , India

    • J’NOON Red 2017 , India

    • The Source Grenache Rosé 2019 , India

    • Trapiche Oak Cask Malbec 2018, Argentina

    • KRSMA Syrah 2017, India

    • SDU Reserva Syrah 2015 , India

    • Bodegas Ego Fuerza, Spain

    • Dry Creek Vineyards Heritage Vines Zinfandel, USA

    • Paul Jabuolet Aine, Les Traverses, Ventoux AOC, 2016, France

    • Framingham Pinot Noir Marlborough, New Zealand

    • Zenato Ripassa Valpolicella DOC Superiore 2015, Italy

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    News & Views  / Wine in India

    India Wine Awards 2019: Once more with feeling
    September 21, 2019

    With 320 wines tasted and assessed this year, Sonal Holland MW’s India Wine Awards 2019 is getting set to announce the best wine in India

    Fun, games and a whole lot of work.

    That, in brief, summed up the third edition of the India Wine Awards (IWA) jury session held in Mumbai on 12th & 13th September 2019 – two days of an exacting tasting schedule punctuated with witty one liners and gags, bonhomie over food and intense debate over wine as the jury raced the clock to judge the 320 wines – Indian and imported – nominated for the awards to identify the best wine in India.

    While it was a whirlwind couple of days, Sonal Holland MW, the founder and chairperson of the Awards showed little visible signs of strain – she says her amped up all-women’s team did such a great job behind the scenes that it took the stress of the annual mega-event off her shoulders. “I just had to get my hair done and show up,” she joked.

    Joking apart, there was much behind-the-scenes micro-management to get the awards – its task to identify the best wine in India – to this happy place. IWA’s head of operations Apurva Gawande admitted, “There is a lot that goes on at the back end… you can never be sure how it will go until it’s done.” The biggest task once the nominations were in was to get the coding nailed, the hundreds of bottles brown-bagged, their labels meticulously obscured. Then the service staff had to be briefed on serving temperatures, pour sizes and efficient clearance – key to keep the flow going through the day. “There is always madness that goes on behind the scenes, but we can’t give in to any stress.”

    In fact, there was an uncharacteristic calm in Holland’s team before the event. The Leela’s EAM Abhisek Basu recalls the flurry of emails exchanged before last year’s event. “This year there were barely any,” he recounts, “In fact, I started getting worried a couple of weeks ahead of the event.” Holland confirms, “We were exceptionally calm, in zen mode. We knew what needed to be done.”

    • The jury, India Wine Awards 2019

    Last year, in her briefing to the jury prior to the event she spoke of how she wanted the 2nd edition to be ‘bigger, brighter and shinier’ than the inaugural one. That happened. So, what did she expect for the 3rd edition this year? “I wanted the IWA to be accepted by the (wine) industry, and it has been.” Given the growing buzz about an impending economic slowdown, they thought that crossing last year’s nominations would be tough, but, she says, “we hit the mark.”

    Now with Day Two of the 2-day jury session at The Leela Mumbai done, the excitement has subsided much like the pounding rain and frenzied drumbeats which marked the Ganpati visarjan the day before. It is time for Holland to reflect on the events of the last couple of days. After judging the final tasting session of food and wine pairing, we sit down for a coffee and a quick recap.

    2019’s 16-member jury had a few familiar faces and several new ones. “I think this year’s jury lineup was the best. We included many more judges from the industry – sommeliers, hotel general managers, restaurateurs – they constitute the most important part of the trade and are a direct link to consumers. So it was a strong jury with discerning palates.”

    We discuss the single biggest change Holland has instituted in the judging process: the tasting of Indian and international wines together in the same flights. This time, flights were defined solely by grape variety or blend, and the judges tasted and assessed the wines blind without knowing whether the wines were Indian or imported. Why this modification? I asked.

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    News & Views  / Wine in India

    ‘The longest wine list isn’t always the best’
    October 30, 2018

    … And other words of advice from the WSET’s Victoria Burt MW during her recent visit to India. Her advice on how to create a great wine list and what wine drinkers should look for when they order wine in India
     

    You recently judged the Excellence in Restaurant Wine Programme for the India Wine Awards 2018 with 3 other MWs. Could you give me some insight as to what the experience was like?

    When Sonal (Holland MW) offered me the opportunity to judge the Excellence in Restaurant Wine Programme, I felt that it would be a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the wine offerings in some of the top on-trade establishments, and hence gain some insight into the Indian wine scene.

     Sonal had invited me to guide a food and wine pairing masterclass alongside her as part of the awarding ceremony for India Wine Awards. This interactive workshop focused on the ability of wine to pair with Indian cuisine using the principles of the global qualifications provider, the WSET, and was attended by many of the top professionals in the Indian food and wine industries.

    The Excellence in Restaurant Wine Programmes recognized and awarded establishments with the best wine lists in Delhi -NCR, Mumbai and Bengaluru. What parameters were used to judge the entries?

    The parameters I focussed upon when judging the wine lists were the diversity of wine styles and prices, value for money, the accuracy of wine terminology, logical formatting, and by-the-glass offering. I was pleased to see some excellent lists that performed well on all fronts. However, excellent wine programmes are not just about curating an impressive wine list. I was pleased that a number of restaurants appear to be very much engaged in staff training, with many of their employees having taken WSET qualifications.

    Victoria Burt MW at the food and wine pairing masterclass at the India Wine Awards 2018

    A restaurant wine list is more than a mere list of wines. So, what makes a good list? I’m sure many hotels and restaurants would love to hear this advice and we, the consumers would be the beneficiaries, finally.

     A good wine list should be adapted to the restaurant and its customers – what will be best in a five-star hotel restaurant is not necessarily what will be best in a small wine bar. However, in general, a good wine list will offer a breadth of wine styles and price points, and be versatile. This does not mean the longest list will always be the best list; but the list should give consumers at least a couple of choices in their style of choice (e.g. dry and crisp white, full-bodied red) at a variety of price points. The wines on the list should pair well with the food offered by the restaurant, but at the same time provide options for all consumer preferences.

    Importantly, the restaurant should take pride in their ‘house’ wines as these represent the style and calibre of the establishment as a whole. As much, if not more care should be taken selecting the least expensive wines on the list and the by-the-glass selection, as on the most expensive wines.

    The list should be presented clearly and be easily navigable for the customer. It should be accurate, with correct spelling and correct vintages listed, the vintages should also be appropriate for the style of wine – stock rotation is key, especially for fresh youthful styles of wine such as Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio.

    Finally, the sommeliers and waiting staff in the restaurant should be knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the wines on the list; a genuine recommendation can go a long way.

    The satisfaction of the customer to me, should come first … What should a wine drinker look out for when looking at a wine list at a restaurant or interacting with the sommelier? Given that wine in India is still a fairly intimidating subject for many?

     My top three pieces of advice when choosing wine in a restaurant would be:

    • Make sure crisp, fruity white wines, and rosé wines are from a recent vintage (i.e. in the last two years). If the wine list doesn’t mention a vintage, ask the sommelier. The fruity flavours that make these wines pleasurable to drink will fade with age, and therefore these wines do not taste better with greater maturity.
    • Drink the wine you want to drink. Do not feel obliged to choose the wine the sommelier recommends, particularly if it is in a style that you know you don’t much like. A good sommelier can help you pick a wine from the list based on your personal preferences, both in terms of wine style and budget.
    • Wines by-the-glass and wine flights can be a great way to try a range of different wines (though do be aware that this may be more expensive per unit volume than buying a bottle). If you are buying a bottle of a wine that is also available by the glass, you could ask for a small sample before you purchase. At worst the sommelier might say ‘no’, but the fact that a bottle of this wine is probably open already makes a negative response less likely.

    (I love asking the next question of top wine professionals – no better source for good recommendations!)

    Which restaurants or bars have the most balanced wine lists in your experience?

    Victoria Burt MW with Sonal Holland MW at the India Wine Awards 2018

    I couldn’t possibly do this question justice – however, I can give you my personal choice of restaurants in London that I would always recommend to wine-loving friends. Jancis Robinson MW’s son, Will Lander, has a small collection of restaurants (QCH, Portland, Clipstone), all with well-priced, interesting wine lists. The main lists are concise with a few classics and a few more unusual wines; value comes from choosing wines from good producers but in slightly less well-known wine regions. They then have a ‘single bottle list’, which includes a collection of wines individually picked by the wine team but not available in large enough quantities to be on the main list – this seems like a great way to make their wine selection more diverse and dynamic. Chez Bruce and Gauthier are also favourites. Both of their lists are comprehensive but not excessive, with plenty of by-the-glass and half bottle choices. They provide a balance of classic regions and producers, with those that are lesser known, and have a number of mature wines from good vintages. With all of these restaurants you get the impression that every wine on the list has been hand-picked by a sommelier or wine team, that knows, enjoys and has a reason for stocking it.

     How important is food and wine pairing in the modern context where fixed matches have been substituted with a more relaxed “drink for mood, not food?”

     I think wine and food pairing is still valid. There are food and wine combinations that will taste nice for the vast majority of people, and some that will not taste so nice. This is based on the components in the food (e.g. acidity, spicy heat) and their interactions with components in the wine (e.g. acidity, alcohol), and means that a range of wines will often taste pleasant when paired with a certain food, there is not one perfect wine for a dish. However, I think ‘important’ is perhaps an overstatement, at WSET we teach that the most important thing is to choose a wine that you (or your guests or customers) like to drink.

    Victoria Burt MW

    What are your honest views on matching Indian food and wine? In many cases, is this sometimes a little forced (or a direct translation of Old World culture, where wine is synonymous with food.) Should we, then leave a wine to be enjoyed in a more relaxed way, even as an aperitif, if so preferred?

     Again, I think people should drink what they want, when they want. But I see no reason why wine should not be drunk alongside Indian cuisine. The spicy heat in many Indian dishes means that a number of people may prefer a wine with some sweetness and relatively low alcohol, which may temper the heat rather than intensify it. Because of the diversity of tastes and flavours in Indian cuisine, and because there is not the tradition of drinking wine with Indian food to provide guidance, it may require a bit more experimentation, at least initially, to find what wines and foods pair best, but this is no reason not to enjoy Indian food with wine!

     

    Victoria Burt MW is the Product Development Manager for Wine Qualifications at the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), where she plays an instrumental role in the continuous progression of WSET’s portfolio of qualifications, most notably the development of student and educator materials. As well as being a WSET Certified Educator, she also organises and presents wine events and has judged at several international wine competitions. Victoria became a Master of Wine in 2015 and constantly seeks to expand and update her technical and product knowledge through wine seminars, masterclasses and travelling widely.

     

    The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) is the largest global provider of wine and spirits qualifications, offering courses through Approved Programme Providers worldwide. For more information or to find a course provider near you visit WSETglobal.com 

     

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    Interviews  / Wine in India

    Indian food & wine: the eternal question of pairing
    October 12, 2018

    A segment at the recent India Wine Awards 2018 was dedicated to discovering the wines that best paired with Indian food. Founder Sonal Holland MW explains why this was an important task

    Aloo posto: A popular Bengali potato-based dish cooked with poppy seeds proved to be tricky to pair with wine

     

     

    It is a topic of great interest with wine lovers and critics – the Indian food and wine conundrum. It deserves focused attention. There are websites devoted to finding perfect pairings, and no matter where in the world you live you might have seen pictures of wine tasting events and people dining at spiffy black-tie dinners and Michelin-starred restaurants, where the gorgeously-plated multi-course repasts are invariably accompanied with a glass of wine or three.

    The eternal question of pairing

    Have you ever wondered if this would work in India…. maybe a glass of wine at Sunday lunch at home with a nice biryani, paneer tikka or Kerala fish curry?

    Wine critics and experts have been asking themselves this question for ages with no conclusive answer yet. One reason for that is that Indians usually enjoy eating their meals family-style, sharing dishes of a variety of flavours and spice levels (often chili or pepper hot) depending on which part of the country they live in. So will a highly-rated oak-rich Bordeaux red wine be a fit with my chicken tikka and dal makhni?

    The wine industry in India is still scratching the surface of this subject. Because truly, can wine fit in with this great pyramid of complexity and variety that is our everyday Indian food known as ‘ghar ka khana’ (simple home-cooked food)? According to Sonal Holland MW, the founder of the awards, the simple answer is yes. And the India Wine Awards provided the perfect forum to delve a little deeper – get the home perspective and find a few aha moments, so to speak.

    Holland’s argument is simple: “We were keen to bust the myth that Indian food and wine do not pair well. Our success comes if we can place wine on dinner tables at people’s home, proving this is a beverage that can be enjoyed with food.”

    So on Day 2 of the jury session, 18 judges were assigned 9 dishes to taste with a total of 120 wines entered for the category. The wines ranged from simple whites and reds to Champagnes and those richly oaked red wines. Both Indian wines and imported wines in India were put up to the pairing test.

    Litti chokha from Bihar tested the judges’ palates

    Some of the dishes were fairly atypical choices for wine pairing, picked by Holland and her co-chairs of the food and wine pairing segment, Sameer Malkani and Sourish Bhattacharya, both noted names in the food industry. Why these dishes? “We chose food people could relate to – we wanted to keep it real,” explains Holland, “Litti chokha, Goan prawn curry, chicken Chettinad are everyday Indian foods.” To add to the challenge, many of these dishes contained sour or tangy ingredients –  tomato and tamarind – or were spice-rich,  both considered difficult if not impossible pairings according to conventional wisdom. “Then, to add some fun, we added gulab jamun, which most critics would consider way too sweet to pair with any wine at all.”

    The session was an interesting one. Our jury table got two tough options – the Goan prawn curry, delicious yet tart and dal makhni, a rich butter-laden lentil dish. You might wonder, but yes, dear reader, we had several “Aha!” moments that surprised us through the extended blind tasting session.

    Complicated subject, simple results

    The judges debate a food-and-wine pairing

    The outcome (complete results here) showed two things, said Holland. “Many Indian wines won the best pairing, though I haven’t yet analyzed why. Perhaps it was the residual sugar that is present in many Indian wines, often made simply, in fruit-forward style.” The second finding related, though no less interesting. “We discovered was that simpler wines paired best with complex dishes (most Indian dishes are complex). Often pairing is far more enjoyable with easy-drinking fruit-forward wines.” This, she believes is “a real opportunity for the wine industry in India.”

    Digging a little deeper, I asked how important the practice of food and wine pairing was for India, given our nascent culture of wine appreciation and preference for wine as an aperitif? And given the varied cooking styles, techniques and ingredients in India how decisive or relevant did she think the pairings would be?

    “Only important to the extent that its important for us in India to position wine as a food-friendly beverage. We drink it socially, we are aware it is less intoxicating and generally healthier. We should encourage its consumption with food, which further slows alcohol absorption. Plus, wine is best in the company of friends and loved ones.” All these positives needed reinforcement, she said.

    For Holland, the food and wine pairing was not meant to be a technical exercise, rather an enjoyable one. “I’m personally thrilled that the simple wines did well. As long as there are no negative pairings, food and wine are meant to complement one another and be enjoyed.”

    The wines were tasted blind with various regional Indian foods

    To further reinforce this idea, the gala evening was preceded by a masterclass Holland conducted along with Victoria Burt MW of the WSET. Members of the media and the wine trade sat and sipped, a range of wines paired with Indian food like galouti kebab and paneer tikka. “The WSET does workshops across the world, but they had never before paired wine with Indian cuisines and thought it very relevant. We also wanted trade and consumers to understand and experience how these pairings work.”

    The response was all she hoped for. “I had wine producers and sommeliers come up to me and tell me they had learned a thing or two at the masterclass.

    We had given them food for thought.”

     

     

     

     

     

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    Taste of Food and Wine  / Wine in India

    India Wine Awards 2018: The results and what they mean
    October 5, 2018

    Dear Wine Lover,

    Here are some numbers for your consideration.

    At the recently held India Wine Awards 2018 Winners’ Night, 184 medals were awarded from 353 entries.

    30 Wines picked up the coveted  Best in Class trophy.

    In the now closely watched Best Wine Pairings with Indian Food, 120 wines were paired with 9 dishes, as diverse as the dense and rustic litti chokha (Bihar) and the tangy Goa prawn curry (Goa!). While this doesn’t cover the diversity of flavours that India boasts of, it is a good start and will be of interest to wine producers around the world with the eye on importing to India.

    India Wine Awards: the trophy

    The first time section, the Excellence in Restaurant Wine Programs segment saw 20 restaurants from Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru being awarded one- and two-star awards. Will this spur some wine list reworking and more entries vying for the coveted three-stars next time? Hopefully, sooner than later. The uniqueness of this segment was that the decisions were made by four Masters of Wine, based on international standards. Besides these, 8 restaurants got the nod for Wine Destination (giving wine pride of place in their restaurants), and 6 got a pat for Best Wine Trained staff – perhaps this might cause more establishments to invest in their staff by giving them more wine training – formal and informal.

    Beyond the numbers, there was plenty to see and understand.

    -Indian wine is doing better than ever. This means quality is improving, and that is cause for celebration. In some cases, blind tastings saw Indian wine pip imported wines with higher points.

    Despite our crippling taxes and dense regulatory system, importers are increasingly looking to India, and that is more good news for us consumers.

    There will be more from the learnings of the India Wine Awards 2018, so watch this space (blog) for more.

    The wines listed are available in most metro cities, and please get in touch with apurva@indiawineawards.com or check the India Wine Awards website if you need more information or the complete list of Silver, Gold and Diamond winners.

    Here is the list of winners:

    Best in Class Wines – Indian

    Best Red Indian Wine Grover Zampa Chêne Grand Réserve 2015

    Best White Indian Wine Sula Dindori Reserve Viognier 2018

    Best Rosé Indian Wine Fratelli MS Rosé 2017

    Best Sparkling Indian Wine Grover Zampa Soirée Brut Rosé 2015

    Best in Class Wines – International

    Best Red Wine – Old World Le Volte dell’ Ornellaia 2015, Italy

    Best Red Wine – New World Framingham Pinot Noir 2017, New Zealand

    Best White Wine – Old World Joseph Drouhin ‘Drouhin-Vaudon’ Chablis Reserve de Vaudon 2015, France

    Best White Wine – New World Susana Balbo CRIOS Torrontés 2017, Argentina

    Best Rosé Wine – Old World Chateau d’Esclans Côtes de Provence Whispering Angel Rosé 2017, France

    Best Champagne Taittinger Les Folies de la Marquetterie NV, France

    Best Sparkling Wine (excluding Champagne) Ferrari Brut NV, Italy

     

    Best in Class Wines Indian (based on pricing)

    Best Budget Indian Wine – York All Rounder White 2017

    Best Mid-Range Indian Wine –   Reveilo Nero D’Avola 2017

    Best Premium Indian Wine –  SDU Reserva Syrah 2014

    Best Super-Premium Indian Wine –  KRSMA Estates Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

    Best in Class Wines International (based on pricing)

    Best Budget Wine – International Campo Viejo Tempranillo 2017, Spain

    Best Mid-Range Wine – International  Zonin Ripasso Valpolicella Superiore DOC, Italy

    Best Premium Wine – International Domaine Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) Pauillac, France

    Best Super-Premium Wine – International Torres Mas La Plana 2012, Spain

    Best Super-Premium Wine – International Boscoselvo Brunello di Montalcino 2010, Italy

    Best Wines Paired with Indian Cuisine

    Best Wine pairing with Mutton Rahra Sula Sparkling Shiraz 2018, India

    Best Wine pairing with Chicken Chettinaad Sula Brut Rosé 2018, India

    Best Wine pairing with Goan Prawn Curry Besserat de Bellefont Champagne NV, France

    Best Wine pairing with Malvani Fish Fry Grover Zampa Soirée Brut 2015, India

    Best Wine pairing with Litti Chokha The Source Grenache Rosé 2018, India

    Best Wine pairing with Paneer Khurchan Casablanca Rosé Spumante NV, India 

    Best Wine pairing with Dal Makhani (tie) Casablanca Frizzano Semi Dry NV, India and Sula Zinfandel 2018, India

    Best Wine pairing with Aloo Poshto Yellow Tail Pink Moscato NV, Australia

    Best Wine pairing with Gulab Jamun De Bortoli Noble One 2013, Australia

     

    EXCELLENCE IN RESTAURANT WINE PROGRAM WINNERS 

    WINE LIST AWARD – One star award

    Rivers to Oceans, Mumbai

    The Table, Mumbai

    The Wine Rack, Mumbai

    SanQi, Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai

    Kebabs and Kurries, ITC Grand Central Mumbai

    Romano’s, JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar

    Fratelli Fresh, Renaissance Mumbai

    Artisan – French Bistro, Sofitel Mumbai BKC

    Le Cirque Signature, The Leela Mumbai

    Luna, The St. Regis Mumbai

    Caprese, Shangri-La Hotel Bengaluru

    Le Cirque Signature, The Leela Palace Bengaluru

    Le Jardin, The Oberoi Bengaluru

    The Wine Company, Gurugram

    The Hong Kong Club, Andaz Delhi

    Dum Pukht, ITC Maurya New Delhi

    Pluck, Hotel Pullman New Delhi Aerocity

    Two star award

    The Chambers, The Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai

    Wasabi by Morimoto, The Taj Mahal Hotel New Delhi

    Le Cirque, The Leela Palace New Delhi

    WINE DESTINATION AWARD

    The Wine Rack, Mumbai

    Romano’s, JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar

    Le Cirque Signature, The Leela Mumbai

    Toscano, Bengaluru

    Caprese, Shangri-La Hotel Bengaluru

    Le Jardin, The Oberoi Bengaluru

    Qla, New Delhi

    Le Cirque, The Leela Palace New Delhi

    WINE-TRAINED STAFF AWARD

    The Table, Mumbai

    San: Qi, Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai

    Dum Pukht, ITC Maratha Mumbai

    Dublin, ITC Windsor Bengaluru

    The Wine Company, Gurugram

    Honk, Hotel Pullman New Delhi Aerocity

     

     

     

     

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    News & Views  / Wine in India

    India Wine Awards 2018: Masters of Wine in the mix
    August 21, 2018

    Four Masters of Wine are set to judge the new Excellence in Restaurant Wine programme for the first time, at the of the India Wine Awards 2018. One of them, Richard Hemming MW tells us what to expect…

    Sonal Holland MW is a woman on a mission: a mission to put a glass of wine in every discerning Indian drinker’s hand. And in the process, to educate, to encourage and get the good word about wine in India out there.

    It’s not an easy project.

    Often during our chats, Holland has referred to what she sees as major tasks ahead of her. India has several advantages: a country with a wine culture in its infancy but growing steadily, a developing wine industry intent on forging ahead, and a vast number of wine newbies eager to learn more about wine. Then there are downsides to this picture – high taxation and a preference for spirits being some of them. However, in the final analysis, everyone agrees there is enormous scope for the growth of wine in India.

    Last year, the maiden edition of the India Wine Awards saw many Indian producers rewarded, importers applauded and good wine appreciated – Indian wines as well as wines imported into India. There was euphoria all around for a job well begun.

    But that was only the first step.

    Richard Hemming MW will judge the India Wine Awards Excellence in Restaurant Wine programmes section this year

    So this year, for the Indian Wine Awards  be held in September 2018, Holland decided to up the ante with an additional section; the Excellence in Restaurant Wine Programmes has been instituted to recognize and reward all those food and drink establishments which promote the cause of wine in the three metro cities, Mumbai, Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru. This section will crown restaurants whose wine lists offer interesting selections, are cuisine-appropriate and appeal to a wide range of wine consumers. It will also recognize restaurants with good practices such as well-trained, competent wine staff or sommeliers and which have hosted wine events that promote a positive culture in its markets.

    “With so many food awards in the country, we thought it was time to put the focus on wine and recognise F&B establishments for their positive efforts in promoting the wine culture in their respective markets,” says Holland, “Consumers’ interest in enjoying a good glass of wine along with their meals at restaurants is increasingly ever so rapidly, and we believe that the India Wine Awards Excellence in Restaurant Wine Programmes will serve as a wake-up call for restaurateurs to understand how important their wine lists could and should be.”

    Absolutely.

    To add truckloads of credibility to the task at hand, she roped in four MWs from around the globe to form the independent panel for judging this award section, even as she recused herself: Richard Hemming MW (UK), Tan Ying Hsien MW (Singapore), Andrea Pritzker MW (Australia) and Victoria Burt MW (UK). All from countries with very developed wine cultures and boasting of restaurants and bars with exciting wine lists. This would be a first: Indian restaurant wine lists would be judged as per international standards.

    As I wanted to understand their approach to this, I asked Holland to connect me with one of the judges ahead of the judging. She did, with Richard Hemming MW.

    Hemming, who became a Master of Wine in 2015, is a familiar name for subscribers of JancisRobinson.com, a website he has been writing for, for over 10 years. Among a slew of achievements, he has been a judge at the Decanter World Wine Awards for several years and has also won the prestigious Louis Roederer Online Communicator Of The Year award in 2017. He writes on wine with flair and more than a dash of humour. Some of his most fun wine writings come under a column engagingly entitled Hemming’s Spittoon (https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/wine-eggs-and-the-tyranny-of-choice).

    Read on.

    Hemming believes  that “reducing the intimidation that wine can evoke” is critical to a developing wine culture like India’s

    What, to you, epitomizes a really good wine list? Size is not the only factor, I’m sure.

    In fact, larger sizes can often be a negative. The biggest wine list in the world (in Macau) has 16,800 wines – far too many to choose from! Instead, it is better to have something that represents a careful selection from all the main regions and styles of wine around the world, as well as some more esoteric selections. Ideally, you should get a sense of the personality of the sommelier or wine buyer from the selection, and the way it is presented. A great wine list might only have 50 wines – or even fewer.

    In a country where the wine culture is still fairly new for the general public, yet there are more than a few connoisseurs to cater to, as well as international visitors, what thoughts should a restaurant keep in mind when it puts together its wine list? 

    It’s important to pick the right brands – those which have a recognition factor for less well-informed consumers, but which are well respected by connoisseurs. This isn’t always easy, but it is definitely possible. Also, providing the right level of information is crucial – accessible, useful and concise information in plain English with minimal jargon.

    If you had to pinpoint a single factor (or a few) which might help drive the popularity of wine in India, what would that be? What, to your mind, might be its unique challenges? (more…)

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