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August 2006 - Posts
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Asia's First Wine Technology College, Nasik offers several courses.
Postgraduate Diploma in Fermentation, Distillery & Wine Technology
Diploma in Fruit Processing & Wine Technology
Correspondence course Certificate in Wine Technology
Wine Appreciation
Affiliated By Maharashtra State Board Of Technical Education (MSBTE)
- Broad Exposure to people about wine.
- Wine Research and Education
- Almost all students will be self entrepreneuers and can start their small scale winery with confidence.
- This can solve problem of local farmers, over production of grape and low market price of table grapes
- We can provide more natural form of alcohol which can improve the health of society.
- Good replacement of foreign experts with in house trained technologist.
- Employement - Exposure to foreign opportunities to student.
For more details. http://www.gargiedu.com |
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Chicago’s First India Restaurant Gaylord established in 1972 received several good reviews from the local magazines. Recently Chicago Sun times reviewed Gaylord is one of the finest restaurant in the city. The owner of the restaurant Mr. Soni and the manager Mr. Jeet commented that after a long await particularly for the Indian Wine for the food industry they could finally be able to find good range of Indian wines and now excited to serve Chateau Indage Indian wines to their customers.
Gaylord’s Chief Chef Mr. Narayan Nambiar has been working in the restaurant for the past 25 years. Because of his dedication, he could bring consistency in quality and taste in the food. The restaurant has several customers, they keep coming back to dine in here with thier family and friends for more than 20 years to enjoy their food. Most of the Indian stars visited here including Amitabh Bachchan, Asha Bosley and Ravi Shankar.
Mr. Jeet says Chateau Indage 2004 Mist of Sahyadri Cabernet Sauvignon (Indian Wine) is very complex, smooth, oak toasted and full bodied wines that perfectly match with Chicken Tikka, Tandoori chicken and lamb Ragan Josh.
The Mist of Sahyadri 2005 Chenin Blanc (Indian Wine) is smooth, strong nose with tint of lime help him to serve with any Fish foods like Mahi Tikka and Tandoori Jinga. He also suggests these Indian wines could go very well with French foods too.
Mr. Jeet also appreciated about the Indian Wineries, which produces the quality wines. Importantly, he would like to see the consistency in the quality of the wine in future.
For more details about this restaurant please visit here.
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For most people, the world of wine is often seen as mysterious, seductive, esoteric, and yet mostly confusing. Particularly, wine and food pairing is an especially common dilemma. The obscurity of choosing wines that compliment complex foods is even larger of a reservation. India, a country fairly novel to wine drinking, is suddenly witnessing a fanatical growth in people who have started enjoying and experimenting with a glass of wine. With wines being predominantly a discovery of the West; it has not been easy for us Indians to combine them with Indian cuisine. It is only exper imentation and self-discovery that will lead to some acceptable answers on, “Which wines qualify with an Indian meal?”
“Wine is bottled poetry.”
- Robert Louis Stevenson
Not only is India an immense country; each part our nation boasts of a varied gastronomy. There are specialties that not only differ between each state, but also from one district to another. Hence, to merely set rules on how to couple wines with kinds of Indian food is a knotty matter to resolve.
There are of course, the monotonous Old World rules. Red wine to be had with meats, and white wine to be consumed with poultry, fish & seafood. But this is long gone and obsolete. And whatever happened to the vegetarians? Since a substantial fraction of the Indian population is vegetarian, surely there must be some means for them to enjoy a glass of wine with a meal of their preference. These rules can obviously set directives, but they are not to be complied with in all circumstances. In fact, I would encourage people to discover their own individual matches, and realize their favorite wine and Indian food combinations.
Indian food is associated with spices. Dishes like Chicken Tikka Masala, Tandoori prawns, Kadhai Paneer are frequently piquant and with complex flavors and aromas. Wines highly eminent in tartness like the Sauvignon Blanc, would go well with these sort of meals. I would also opt for a young red Cotes Du Rhone or an Australian Shiraz and keep it in the refrigerator for a tad bit longer than usual. It is particularly important to serve wines at a suitable temperature. White wines at 5-8 degrees and reds at approximately 15 degrees. Keeping the Indian room temperature in mind, I would advise serving wines at cooler rather than warmer temperatures. Spicy foods taste much more pleasant with a cooler accompaniment. One must also keep in mind the alcohol content of the wine. I would steer clear from any wine bottle above 12% alcohol percentage while serving an Indian meal (Most wines vary between 10.5-12.5% alcohol.) This information is usually accessible on the back label of the wine bottle.
There are some superb white wines that I would especially duo with Tandoori food. This type of preparation is usually low on the spice, yet laden with aromas and flavors. My all-time favorite is a chilled Gewürztraminer from the region of Alsace in France. A white German Riesling is also a brilliant option If difficult to acquire from your nearest wine store, I would recommend a local White Zinfandel, which is a pink wine. This wine is usually slightly sweet and yet has balanced acidity and fruity notes which make a good marriage with Paneer Tikkas, Reshmi Kebabs, and Tandoori breads.
Dessert wines like the Sauternes of France or a delicious Port wine is consumed in most parts of the world with select desserts, cheese or by themselves after a meal. Indian desserts are usually rich with ghee and sugar,,and tend to throw most wines off balance instead of accentuating the taste. Although there are some Indian desserts like the cottage cheese based, semi sweet “Sandesh” that is traditional to West Bengal, which would pair well with a sweet Muscat or even a rich Semillion.
There is some widespread debate on how well Indian wines pair with Indian food. I personally, am optimistic on that rationale. Wine usually compliments the traditional cuisine of the country of its produce. I would recommend Indian produced Shiraz, the Viognier and Chenin Blanc. Sparkling wines pair excellently with Indian cuisine. So I would say a flute of Champagne or even an Indian produced sparking wine would be a safe bet. I would also like to mention that Merlot is a red wine that does not agree with Indian food due its very tannic nature, as the spices in the meal usually overpower the flavors of this grape and vice versa. I would press on the fact that no food is off-limit to wines. It is only a matter of discovery matched with a series of trials and errors before you have the prized combination. The realm of delicious matches is only limited to your imagination.
Sincerely,
About Shagun Mehra
Studied Hotel Management Post Dip student from Ecole Les Roches, Switzerland and completed my bachelors in English Literature, and studied Culinary Arts and Wine Study from Le Cordon Bleu Paris. Stays in Mumbai presently, and already organizing workshops for amateurs on Wine Appreciation and Tasting.
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World Trade Centre along with Siddhi Management Consultants, Nasik organised an Interaction meet on “Export Potential of Indian Wine Industry” on 12th August at Emerald Park. The objective of this meet was to present the findings of an Intensive Research study on the above-mentioned topic to understand the competitiveness and scope of Indian wine internationally. This research threw light on certain interesting findings, which would be useful to the Wine Industry.
Where the per capita consumption of wine in European countries is 60 litres it is less than one litre in India goes to show the scope for Indian wine abroad if marketed properly. One of the useful findings was that Germany today has emerged as the top market for Wine Exports overtaking UK which is often called as the ‘crucible” of the Wine Trade due to its traditional consumption of wine since centuries.
Among various recommendations proposed by Mr. Pankaj Muthe of Siddhi Management Consultants during his one hour presentation include introducing a basket of other products with wine, adhering to quality measures, developing a consolidated marketing campaign of all wine companies and developing “Brand India” to beat the competition.
At the local level, “Wine Tourism” should be developed so that the taste of people develops and this platform can also be utilised to showcase cultural products of that particular region.
The formation of World Wine Trade Group and the Mutual Acceptance Agreement were highlighted in the growing dynamics in this industry globally.
This meet was attended by Executives from Wine Companies and Exporters from various parts of Maharashtra and they interacted freely in discussing what could be done to improve India’s position in Wine exports.
Among the dignitaries on the dais included Mr.JP Ghate –Dy. Director MVIRDC World Trade Centre, Mr. AO. Kuruvilla-Manager-Research-MVIRDC World Trade Centre, Mr.Pankaj Muthe-Director-Siddhi Management Consultants, Mr.Ramesh Pawar- Pawar Exports, Mr Balasaheb Kshirsagar- Chairman-Maharashtra Rajya Drakshya Bagayatdar Sangh (Nashik), Mr Pradeep Pachpatil- GM-Sula Vineyards
The findings of the research along with changes after the discussion will be compiled in a soon to be released book and will be made available by The World Trade Centre soon.
Summary About Siddhi Management Consultants:
Siddhi Management Consultants (SMC) is a firm that specializes in Market research, Strategy, Strategic Tie ups and Training in India. Siddhi Management Consultants was founded in 2000 by Management Professionals. The team of SMC consist of Technical & Management Professional experienced in the areas of Finance, Marketing, Human Resources, Production, Research and Systems.
SMC has grown manifold not only in business but also in gaining valuable experience across diverse industries that includes Retail, Airlines, Hospitality, Entertainment, Construction, Poultry, Foods, Jewellery, Finance, Agriculture and Engineering.
SMC is based in Nasik in the Western State of India and has associates in all major cities in India that includes the four metros-Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and semi-metros like Pune and Bangalore.
Our associates also span across the International arena in USA and Germany.
Our clients include World Trade Centre, Reserve Bank of India, Colliers Jardine, Hero Honda, Maharashtra Economic Development Council, Godrej, Kinetic Engineering, Thermax, Dataquest, CMS and Popcorn Entertainment to name few. www.siddhimanagement.com
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Basic Principles of Food and Wine Matching
© Randy Caparoso
Foods and wines are matched in the exact same way as the way they are tasted: on the palate, where it comes together. In other words, you match wine the same way that you match anything that tastes good together. 
Take, for instance, a large scoop of icy cold, creamy sweet vanilla ice cream, which is made all the better with a generous scoop of hot chocolate syrup. The match works because both are soft and sweet, and the chocolate adds its own unique flavor ("chocolate!") plus a fun, contrasting sensation (hot vs. cold).
But are we ready to eat? Maybe not, because we all like even a little more complexity in our food, which we can get by adding slices of banana (more soft sweetness plus the contrasting flavor of "banana") and light, airy whipped cream (sweetness again, plus still another textural contrast). But we're still not done: who can do without the chopped walnuts (another nice contrast, without the similarity of sweetness) and of course, the maraschino cherry (the final sweet, contrasting touch)?
Oh, I've forgotten - we still need that cold glass of milk to wash it all down. But why not orange juice? That doesn't usually work because the flavor and acidity of oranges represent a little too much contrast for most people. Not that it can't be done, but for most of us orange juice and banana split is just not a "good match."
Which is exactly how foods and wines are matched: with a little common sense, and a lot of personal preference. Whether you are preparing a dish for a wine, or selecting a wine for a dish, I find that it's helpful to know and understand the following six basic principles of making a match:
1st Principle: Wine Is a Food
All food and wine matching is more easily understood when the taste components of wines are thought of in the same way as ingredients in a dish. Just like good cooking involves a balancing of ingredients and technique, good wine/food matching involves focusing on how specific components in wines interact and achieve a sense of balance and harmony with specific components in dishes.
2nd Principle: The Five Basic Taste Sensations
That is to say, what your taste buds perceive, whether you are tasting wine or food:
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Sweetness: Related to amount of residual sugar in both foods and wines; sensed by taste buds located towards at the tip of the tongue
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Sour/tartness: Degree of acidity in both foods and wines (more so in whites than in reds); tasted at the center and sides of the tongue
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Saltiness: Not a significant component in wine, but important in how a wine relates to it in foods; tasted somewhere in the center of the tongue
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Bitterness: Tasted in many foods, and in the tannin content of red wines (to a lesser degree in whites); tasted towards the rear of the tongue
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Umami: The flattering, amino acid related sense of "deliciousness" found in many foods, and to a limited extent in wines (location of "umami taste buds" on palate indeterminate)
3rd Principle: Key Tactile Sensations
Like the hot/cold of chocolate syrup and ice cream, these are some key factors in many food/wine matches:
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Density, body or weight: The sense of light vs. heavy contributed by proteins, fats and/or carbs in foods, and primarily related to degree of alcohol content in wines (bolstered by tannin in reds)
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Soft/crisp textures: Tactile contrasts in foods; and in wines, smooth or easy vs. hard, sharp or angular
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Spicy/hot: Feel of heat when chiles, peppers or horseradishes are used in foods; not felt as a tactile sensation in wines, but suggested in aromas and flavors ("spice" notes)
4th Principle: Flavor Is Aroma Related
Without the sense of smell, neither foods nor wines have "flavor." Example: the taste and tactile sensations in an apple, a pineapple, and an onion are similar in that they are all sweet, crisp yet juicy, with some degree of acidity, but they all give a distinctly different flavor perceived through the sense of smell.
By the same token, both Cabernet Sauvignon and a Petite Sirah are two types of red wine that tend to be dark, full bodied, dry, and fairly hard in tannin; but the Cabernet gives aromas and flavors of herbal, minty, berry/cassis aromas and flavors, whereas the Petite Sirah gives ripe berry/blueberry and black peppercorn-like aromas and flavors.
5th Principle: The Two Ways Foods and Wines Are Successfully Matched
Two gastronomic pioneers of the 1980s, David Rosengarten and Joshua Wesson, deserve full credit for first formulating these two self-evident concepts for food and wine:
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Similarities
When there are similar taste sensations in both a dish and a wine (example: the buttery sauce in a fish dish enhanced by the creamy or buttery texture of an oak barrel fermented white wine)
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Contrasts
When sensations in a wine contrast with sensations in a dish to positive effect (example: the sweetness of a white wine balancing the saltiness of a dish like ham or cured sausage, and vice-versa)
6th Principle: Intrinsically Balanced Foods & Wines Make the Best Matches
No matter what your personal taste, invariably you discover this natural occurrence: the easiest foods and the easiest wines to find a match for are the ones with their own intrinsic sense of harmony and balance. This is because taste buds and sensations of tactile qualities work for you collectively.
When you add salt to a pineapple, for example, you not only make the pineapple salty, you also increase the sensation of sweetness and decrease the sensation of sourness. But when it comes to food as it relates to wine, it is always easier to match a dish that does not need as much alteration of taste (like throwing salt on a pineapple) to make it taste better; and vice-versa in the way a wine relates to food. It is easier to find matching components of similarity and contrast in foods and wines that are already well balanced.
This is not to say that a young, overly bitter or hard textured Cabernet Sauvignon cannot be served with food. But it does narrow your food choices somewhat: instead of a lamb chop finished with a sweet natural plum reduction or a slightly salty, spice scented Asian marinade - ingredients that can make gamy lamb more interesting, but increase a young Cabernet's toughness -- you are probably relegated to simply grilling the lamb to a slight char to at least reduce the drying effect of the wine's tannins, and serving it with a more neutral sauce (if any) made with Cabernet and the lamb's own natural juices.
Then again, if the Cabernet is extremely rough to the point that it is barely drinkable, not even the simplest piece of charred meat will help it taste better. The same thing for a lamb chop that is drenched in a sauce or marinade that is too sweet, too salty, too spicy hot or sour: the palate knows when a dish is unbalanced, and so even the finest, smoothest, most elegantly balanced Cabernet Sauvignon will not make that poorly prepared lamb taste better.
After this, it's all a matter of actual tasting, and soon becoming familiar with the wines we like -- just as we continue to discover delicious, new foods -- followed by the combinations that make the most sense to you. The nice thing is the fact that the variations in both foods and wines are virtually endless, and so it will always be as much fun as you want it to be.
Classic and Contemporary Matches
There are many old standby, tried-and-true wine and food matches, as well as a number of others reflecting more contemporary style dining, all based upon the basic, commonsense principles of food and wine matching. As food and wine for thought, a few interesting examples:
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Full-bodied, dry, richly flavorful white wines (like Chardonnay and Viognier) with meatier "other white" meats (like pork, veal and chicken) in richly flavorful sauces
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White wines with zesty acidity (i.e. Sauvignon Blanc) with foods with matching degrees of acidity (like salads in mildly sharp vinaigrettes, or cheeses like Chèvre)
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Slightly sweet yet zesty white wines (like German Rieslings) with seafoods prepared with slightly sweet, sour, salty, and even spicy-hot sauces and ingredients (since sugar in wine and as a food ingredient brings contrasting balance to spicy, salty or acidic sensations)
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Soft red wines (like Pinot Noir and Beaujolais) with soft but full flavored red fish (like salmon and tuna)
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Zesty, pungent, earthy/foresty red wines (like Chianti Classico and Rosso di Montalcino from Tuscany) with zesty, Italian influenced dishes (use of pasta, tomato, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, and resiny herbs like oregano and rosemary)
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High tannin reds (like a youthful Cabernet Sauvignon) with slight bitterness or astringency with red meats prepared with slightly bitter peppercorns, vegetables, or char from wood grilling
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Bright, zesty, sweetly fruit scented red wines (like red Zinfandel and Syrah) with fatty meats in zesty, sweet or even spicy sauces and marinades (re barbecued or even teriyaki style beef or pork ribs)
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Big, herbaceous, minty or cedary Cabernet Sauvignon based reds (from France's Bordeaux, California or Australia) with red meats in sauces reduced with aromatic green herbs (mint, thyme, sage, etc.)
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Smoky, toasty, aggressively oaked wines (like many Indian Chardonnays, and most ultra premium reds) with white or red meats that are aggressively grilled, roasted or wood-smoked
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Sweet, intensely fruity "late harvest" whites with sweet fresh fruit desserts
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Sweet, full bodied wines (fortified reds like Port and Banyuls from France, or golden colored Sauternes from France) contrasting with salty blue cheeses
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Sweet, full bodied, fortified reds (Like Chateau Indage Cabernet Sauvignon) with bitter/sweet chocolate desserts
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The Bangalore Wine Club had a sit-down wine dinner at the Leela Palace hotel, Bangalore on 2nd August. The event was organised in partnership with the Howling Wolves Wine Group, whose director Damien Knowles had come down along with the Bombay-based importers just for the event.
The Howling Wolves Wine Group is based in the Margaret River area of Western Australia, near Perth, and has tied-up with Baumgarten & Wallia Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of the Brihan-Maharashtra Sugar Syndicate Limited for the import and marketing of their wines in India.
We started the evening with the Howling Wolves White Shiraz 2004 - a 'watermelon pink' medium-bodied wine that was delightful as an aperitif.
This was followed by a tasting of four wines, led by Damien Knowles. The Howling Wolves Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2004 was crisp but a little too dry and acidic. Next was the HW Cabernet Sauvignon - very tannic and dry ("picking the oak chips from one's teeth")
The HW Shiraz was the best: a fruity & peppery aroma, with soft tannins and a medium finish. Last tasted was the Small Batch Grenache 2004 - perfumed aromas but firm tannins.
The dinner was a gastronomic tour-de-force with smoked Salmon, stuffed quail and rack of lamb - along with Small Batch Chardonnay (lovely butterscotch & peach nose and beautiful balanced taste) and Small Batch Cabernet Merlot (fruity and spicy, generous mouth feel, long silky finish) accompanying.
While Delhi and Mumbai have had a rash of winemaker dinners over the years, this has started only recently in Bangalore, and is bound to positively impact the image as well as the off take of the concerned wines.
This was a sell-out event with nearly 90 people attending, and one must say that the Leela Palace did a fantastic job: from the decor to the food and the service, everything was absolutely and impeccably top-end - it's no easy task catering to so many people for a sit-down event.
The Howling Wolves wines retail for around Rs 900, and the Small Batch labels for Rs 1,200, in Bangalore. Damien claimed to have shipped three containers (3,000 cases) to India this past one year, and said they were now planning to invest in vineyards and a winery in Maharashtra.
Way to go.
For More photos....
Alok Chandra, President
Bangalore Wine Club |
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(Business 2.0 Magazine) -- The increasingly refined tastes of India's burgeoning middle class means the wine market there is set to grow tenfold.
Investment level: <$100K
Risk level: Low
India's rapidly expanding middle class isn't just interested in motor scooters, Levi's, and the coolest new cell phones. They'd also like to see a decent chardonnay on the dinner menu.
With wine consumption in India projected to grow 10-fold over the next decade, the nation has emerged as the world's fastest-growing market.
More important, it's become a prime destination to start importing U.S., Australian, and other labels to satisfy Indians' increasingly cosmopolitan tastes.
For one thing, the wine boom will largely bypass domestic brands; the country is too hot for serious viticulture.
For more details Please read money.cnn
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© Randal Caparoso
So, gentlemen: for once, you've had the presence of mind to make dinner reservations ahead of time for Valentine's night - the second busiest day of the year (after Mother's Day) for restaurants.
So what are you going to do if you know she prefers wine, but you know absolutely nothing about it? Tell her, "Why don't we just go for two pints of Guinness?" Wrong! If your dining partner is truly important to you, it is definitely to your advantage to whisper the three magic words: "Let's have wine." And this I can say after 25+ years in the restaurant business: women prefer wine! 
Which is not to say that the male always does the wine ordering in restaurants. There are, in fact, many women who love to gaze at wine lists. But the fact is that the custom of men actually doing the ordering is still considered as natural as opening doors, carving turkeys, and leading on the dance floor. You don't have to follow it, but that's the way it's usually done.
Since you have to start somewhere, here are ten easy steps to finding the right wine, and perhaps the key to a heart:
1. Bone up. It doesn't take more than a few minutes to prepare by absorbing the introduction of a wine book. It's called a bookstore, or library (the wine books are always in the food sections). For just Rs 600, for instance, you can find all the information you need in a nifty little paperback called The Wine Avenger by Willie Gluckstern. But if you don't want to leave the comfort of your desk, there's always the net. For a perfectly easy introduction to wine.
So now that you've done some homework, here's what you do once you've made it to the restaurant, and you've just been seated:
2. First, a waiter will approach to ask if you would like to start with a cocktail or glass of wine. Rule #1: remember that you are there to please your date, not a server. So without breaking the gaze between your eyes, the thing to do is to simply ask, "Would you care to join me with a glass of Champagne?" If she agrees, ask your waiter for either two glasses, or two splits (the miniature airplane sized bottles), of sparkling wine. In the nicest restaurants, they will usually serve you some kind of Champagne. In middle range restaurants, it's usually a Indian sparkler. Don't worry about the quality, since both are usually quite good and make perfect ice breakers -- and you're on your way!
Next, you should be looking at your dinner menus. Perhaps you're worried about remembering what goes with what. Is it white wine with white meat, or red wine with fish? What if she orders pasta, or Fish dishes -- are these white wine or red wine dishes? The answer is -- don't sweat it! Just follow these guidelines:
3. Plan to order a full bottle of wine. Why? Bottles are so much more romantic than glasses! Don't worry about quantity. If you say something like, "Let's not worry about finishing it, since the best wines always come in full bottles," how do you think she'll feel? Do words like dashing and debonair mean anything? But do not, under any circumstance, ask for a doggy bag for any leftover wine; since a cultivated man is aware of the fact that in most states it is against the law to leave a restaurant with an open bottle of wine. Bottom line: drink slowly, and only as much as you safely can.
4. Do take a good look at the wine list, whether you know what you're looking at or not. The important thing is to look good doing it -- this is romance, after all, not a driver's test. You might consider practicing beforehand -- furrowing your brows, raising one side or the other or glancing up with a smile as you turn the pages. You should also remember this: no matter where you are, do not order anything less than Rs 1500 -- because if she should happen to find out, you're just not going to look good. I suggest a bottle for around Rs.2000, which is the most sensible price range for this day and age, even among connoisseurs. Oh, you can bump it up an extra Rs200 or Rs500; but anything more than that could very well be perceived as overkill or, worse yet, an indication of shortcomings.
5. Now it's time to order the wine. If you've already forgotten what little you've learnt, don't panic. Just follow this full-proof method: select one of the two most food-flexible wines in the world, one of which is a white, and the other a red. So you ask her, "Would you prefer a white or a red?" If she says white, look for a Riesling type wine from Germany; preferably one that says it is of Kabinett or Qualitatswein ("quality wine") level. German Rieslings tend to be a little sweet and extremely light, yet have a crisp, steely quality that allows them go with an amazing variety of dishes. So matter which dish she orders - pasta, salad, meats, and even vegetarian -- somehow a Riesling will complement it. There are some some Indian wines comes little sweeter like Mountianview Chenin Blanc.
6. If she says she prefers a red, look for a Pinot Noir. Like Rieslings, Pinot Noirs tend to be light yet zesty enough to go with everything from fish to red meats. And like high quality Rieslings, you can find any number of rich and elegant Rs 2000 Pinot Noirs in most fine restaurants. Just remember that it's up to her - white wine or red, Riesling or Pinot Noir.
7. Say you are hopeless, and can't navigate through a wine list no matter what. Then it doesn't hurt to ask for help! I believe most women are impressed by that anyhow - like asking for directions on the road. Again, the idea is to look good doing it. Call over your waiter - or in the finest places, the sommelier (pronounced "so-mo-YAY"), also known as a wine steward - and ask for a recommendation for a good, medium range German Riesling (pronounced "REEZ-ling") or American style Pinot Noir ("PEE-no NWAH"). Practice this - letting the names roll off your tongue like a native language, maybe even with a politician's wave of the hand. If you must, invite the sommelier to look over your shoulder and point out his suggestions on the list. Make it look like a conspiracy - like the two of you are cooking up something truly special.
8. Now I need to prepare you for two possible curves; because as in all things, not everything goes as planned. First, if your date happens to say she likes a very DRY white wine - as opposed to a slightly sweet Riesling - then the coolest, most food-versatile dry white you can possibly order is a Pinot Gris (PEE-no GREE) from Oregon or California, also known as Pinot Grigio (GREE-gee-o) when it comes from Italy. Secondly, if you happen to be in an Italian restaurant, the best possible red wine to order is a Chianti Classico (kee-AHN-tee CLASS-see-ko) - which, like Pinot Noir, is amazing with both fish and red meats, only even better in the context of ingredients like olive and truffle oils, balsamic vinegars, garlic, pesto, porcini, etc.
9. The waiter or sommelier will then wish to perform the serving ritual; which is when he shows you the bottle, opens it, and asks you to taste and approve it. There are few ordeals (like circumcision) worse than this, and so the least made of the entire rigmarole the better. So when he brings over the bottle, look him straight in the eye and ask, "Is this the wine we ordered?" This will make him read the label himself and tell you yes or no, and all you need to do is nod knowingly. Then you ask him to do this simple favor: "Please open the bottle and leave it on the table" (or in the ice bucket, if it's a white). Once he has departed, you can go ahead and do the honors for her and for you -- the proper amount to pour, by the way, is no more than half-way at a time -- before raising your glasses with an appropriate, or even rakishly clever, toast.
10. Finally, the finishing touch: how many women don't like chocolate, or sweets in general? Not many at all. So if you really want to make a mark, do not automatically order coffee with your chocolate desserts - but a small glass of Tawny Port. Tawny Ports are sweet red wines bolstered with a little extra alcohol and intensity of flavor which make them absolutely divine with chocolate. Some say better than... well, need I say? There is a good reason why food and wine matches are often described in terms as passionate as love. Because in this day and age, it's often as good as it gets!
 To contact Randy Caparoso, write him at randycaparoso@earthlink.net
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A seminar / presentation by Mr. Kornel de Toerkenczy and Mr. Reg Johns of Mildura Vine Nursery Pty. Ltd., Australia "Advantages of Grafted Rootstock for Production of Wine Grapes" is scheduled in Nashik on August 17, 2006 in association with Nashik District Grape Wine Manufacturers Association (NDGWMA) and supported by Austrade - Australian Trade Commission, Mumbai.
Date: August 17, 2006
Time: 11:30am to 2:30pm
Venue: 'Pancham', Hotel Greenview, Trimbak Road, Nashik - 422 002
Mildura Vine Nursery Pty. Ltd. (MVN) is Australia's largest grapevine nursery based in Mildura, Victoria and is accredited by Vine Industry Nursery Accreditation Scheme (VINA). MVN is one of the largest suppliers of high quality rootstock and grafted grapevines in Australia. For more details please visit www.milduravinenursery.com.au
Mildura Vine Nursery Pty. Ltd. is offering DNA and virus tested high quality rootstock and grafted grape vines for wine grapes. MVN is also offering services with regards to selection of rootstock, vineyard establishment and vineyard management.
For registration kindly contact:
Croptec Consultants & Services, Mumbai
Tel: 022 - 22855077
Email: croptec@gmail.com
Nashik District Grape Wine Manufacturers Association, Nashik
Tel: 0253 - 3299361
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The Grape Processing and Research Institute (GPRI) is the “mother unit” of the Krishna Valley Wine Park in southern Maharashtra. GRPI’s mission is two-fold: educate India’s winemakers of tomorrow while producing the highest quality wines of international standards.
Comments from In charge of this Institute Mr. G. K. Gaikwad, GPRI, Palus, (Sangli) 416310
Grape Processing and Research Institute, Palus." This institute have three parts, Winery, Vineyard, and Institute. Our winery have a capacity of 2,00,000 lit per annum. Our vineyard have a different varieties, Red:- Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, and Pusa navrang. White:- Chenin blanc, Sauvignon blanc, Pinot blanc, Chardonnay. We have separate nursery division in which all varieties are available along with root stock.
The institute have a "mother unit", which provides machines, technology, laboratory, manpower, winemaker as a common facilities to the small wine manufacturers. The institute have started a one year "Post Graduate Diploma in Wine Technology", having capacity 30 students per batch. We have produced 1,50,000 lit table wine. The winery and vineyard is not as commercial, but is useful to students and farmers, or we may say that this winery is like to a demonstration unit.
About Wine Institute Vineyard.
GPRI’s commitment to quality begins with our location and ends in the bottle:
Our Climate
The beautiful Krishna River flows from spring-fed headwaters in India’s Western Ghats, a low range that provide protection from the monsoons of the Indian Ocean. Our site, in the rain shadow of the Ghats receives only 500 mm (20 inches) of rain during the monsoon season extending from June through September. Our growing season begins in October following the end of the monsoon, with bloom occurring in November when daytime highs reach a pleasant 30°C. The pleasantly warm growing season continues without rain until February when the days begin to get a little longer and the temperature a little warmer – perfect for adding a last bit of concentration and flavor to our perfectly ripened grapes.
Our Vineyards
Recognizing that great wines are grown, not made, is the most important step in establishing a world-class winery in a new region. Grape growing has more that a 50-year history in the Krishna valley, now lifelong table grape growers are beginning to plant fine wine varieties and use rootstock. GPRI’s experienced viticulturists spend many hours each week with local growers teaching the fundamentals of quality wine grape production, low yields, deficit irrigation, careful leafing to ensure good sun exposure for every cluster, and the importance of harvesting grapes only when they are fully mature.
Our own estate vineyards are planted along a rugged, rocky swell. Topsoil is absent and the vines are planted into a loose red sandstone. Indeed, the rocky appearance of our vineyards is reminiscent of the great terroirs of Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Priorat. This soil naturally devigorates our vines, reducing their canopy and allowing speckled sunlight to reach the clusters throughout the day.
The rocky soil of our estate vineyard :->
Our varieties, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Sauvignon blanc, and Chenin blanc, were carefully chosen as good matches for our climate and growing conditions. The warm days allow our red varieties to achieve mature flavors and smooth tannins, the grapes are not picked until the seeds are fully brown and no green flavors remain. The stones of our terroir are reflected in our white wines, with bright acidity and a mineral finish being the hallmark of our Sauvignon blanc.
India is unique among other wine regions in the absence of a winter dormancy period. Instead of loosing their leaves following harvest our vines are pruned again in April before the start of the monsoon. During the monsoon the vines grow more slowly as the sun is often hidden behind the thick clouds blown over the Ghats from the ocean. This second vegetative growing season allows our vines to develop more quickly and establish deeper roots to support the vine during the long dry season.
Our Winemaking
White wine
Our white wines are harvested at the beginning of February when their natural acidity is still high. We prefer to harvest our Chenin blanc around 22°B while our Sauvignon blanc is brought in slightly riper at 24°B.
In our pursuit of quality and pure flavors we press our white grapes without destemming in a process known as whole-cluster pressing. This method takes much longer than first destemming, as fewer grapes can fit in the press. But it is well worth the effort as the clarity of the juice is preserved and no bitter flavors are transferred from the skin. After a day of cold settling the juice is carefully racked off the heavy lees and inoculated with premium French yeast cultures.
Dimple jacketed tanks keep our white wines cool during fermentation:-> 
Our white fermentations proceed slowly as we keep the temperature very cold – under 15°C – to preserve the aromas and freshness of the fruit. Once the grape’s natural sugar has been transformed into alcohol, the fermentation is complete. While we let our Sauvignon blanc ferment completely dry so there is no residual sugar, we stop the fermentation of the Chenin blanc when there is still a touch of sweetness. Following fermentation the wines are again racked several more times to achieve a sparkling clarity.
The Sauvignon blanc and Chenin blanc are both bottled young, only four months after harvest. It is our goal to deliver the freshness of the fruit in the vineyard directly to your table.
Rosé
Our Rosé or “Pink Wine” is made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz fruit that is selected in a final pruning of the vines three weeks before the red harvest. This fruit is harvested with only 21°B of sugar, resulting in lower alcohol wine meant to capture the early summer flavors of fresh red berries and watermelon.
Once harvested the fruit is destemmed and transferred to tank where over the course of several hours color is extracted an a lovely pink cast is achieved. The grapes are then gently pressed and transferred to tank for setting. From this point on the winemaking closely resembles that of white wine, a cool fermentation is stopped just short of dryness preserving a little sweetness and the wine is then racked several times before bottling.
Red Wine
Harvest of our red fruit begins in late February, when ripe mature flavors are achieved and the concentration of flavor is sufficient to make an intense wine of great depth. Typically the sugar will reach 24.5°B for the Cabernet and between 25 and 26°B for the Shiraz and Zinfandel.
The red clusters are hand picked into small picking baskets and carefully transported to the winery ensuring that each berry remains intact. Careful picking in the vineyard eliminates any damaged fruit. One by one each bin is dumped by hand into our destemmer while two sorters vigilantly pick over the fruit pulling out any stray leaves. The destemmed berries then fall, uncrushed, into a gentile passive-cavity pump that transports the fruit to tank.
After a two-day cold maceration at 10°C, the fruit is gently warmed and inoculated with carefully chosen strain of yeast. Pump-overs are performed three times a day through a screen so that no berry is pumped. Pump-overs cool the cap of skins and actively fermenting yeast cells that are carried to the top of the tank by the release of carbon dioxide.
Syrah being pumped over:-> 
Once the fermentation is complete the tank is drained of the wine and the pommace is then carried by hand to the press where a very soft pressing releases additional wine without crushing the seeds and extracting harsh tannins.
The wine is then transferred to a 1/3 new mix of French and American oak barrels. Racking from barrel to barrel is performed every three months as the wine ages in barrel for a full year before being bottled.
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Dhindori is 150 miles from India’s commercial and show business capital, Mumbai. The final hour of the drive from the capital to the burgeoning wine region is a nerve-jangling, back-straining experience. Once there, though, I am greeted by Sunil Patil, the farm manager of Sula Vineyards, who offers me a sinfully sugary cup of tea.
As we stand on red laterite soil 2,700 feet above sea level, we are looking at two faces of India: In one corner of this vineyard stands a prehistoric earth-and-grass hut that belongs to a family of nomadic shepherds tending to a flock of mangy goats minded by a shriveled-up dog; all around it are the stately green rows representing India’s hot-weather wine industry.
It is an industry fueled by a sudden and passionate interest in wine by a population that has traditionally been whisky drinkers. 
For more details visit Wine Enthusiast Magazine
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| The Second Wave started in Maharashtra in 2001 when that state liberalised wine-making, making it easy to obtain winery licences and to sell wines in the state. |
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| This prompted a rush of (mostly) grape farmers to obtain licences and start making wine — to-date some 30-odd new wineries have been set up in Nashik, Baramati, Satara and Sangli districts, producing anything from 10,000 to 3 lakh litres annually. |
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| The wines made are all broadly similar: young, clean (no major faults) and drinkable — but with little to distinguish one from another. You may have come across some of these wines: Vinsura, Flamingo, Renaissance, Sailo, ND, Mark Anthony, Mohini to name just a few. |
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