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Cyrus Todiwala, MBE (L) at the India Wine
Challenge London
Photo: Subhash Arora |
Sitting here in Perpignan (in Roussillon, South of France) and having visited
three vineyards just today I opened my mail to see Robert's article. Forgive
me if I am a bit groggy but the Muscat we tasted last with some fabulous
Fois Gras was not what you would spit out....and hence the mental effects!!
For what little tasting I did do that morning in London
for the India Wine Challenge, I will solemnly swear that the negative
comments passed on the tasting, if any, are far removed form the truth.
I have not been the one so detailed and so well executed.
Yes, most tastings I do are for my business and are primarily directed
towards pairing my food with the wines on our list or for that matter
for the various events we do throughout the year.
Any negative comments can be only sudden bursts of what
I term as 'PRIDE PUNCTURE' for an expectant person not achieving the success
anticipated.
My own personal views to our Indian wines- and I can
assure you that in a few years to come they will be a challenge to be
reckoned with, and it is competitions such as these and the fact that
we don't score well will make producers all the more challenged and aware
of world expectations and comparisons.
Today in India whenever I visit I see the surge in wine
consumption amongst the younger nouveau-rich, let taste buds develop and
experience come to the fore and their demands will develop too, this will
put pressure on our producers to look at world class.
In comparison to price structures and price brackets
our wines will not cope well, as some new and old world wines offer fantastic
value for superior qualities and that's where the wines fumble, I feel.
Roberts comments on the growing, maturing, transporting may be totally
valid and justified.
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Tasting wines as a judge is a serious
business. Cyrus Todiwala MBE, busy marking at IWC.
Photo: Subhash Arora |
I only managed to get on line today. Its these bloody
oysters by the dozens daily and the price you pay for being in the Languedoc
Roussillon region for a person so craved with food and wine that takes
its toll on other worldly matters when on holiday
Have fun all
and form me here
WISHING YOU ALL AND YOUR FAMILIES A SUPER SUCCESSFUL, PEACEFUL AND PROSPEROUS
NEW YEAR
Cyrus
December 28, 2007
Cyrus Rustom Todiwala MBE
Executive Chef / Patron
Cafe Spice Namaste
16 Prescot Street
London E1 8AZ
t. 020 7488 9242
f. 020 7488 9339
www.cafespice.co.uk
Cyrus Todiwala was an executive chef at the Taj.
He shifted to London with family in early nineties. He was knighted by
the Queen and given the honour of MBE for his culinary achievements. He
also received the coveted Culinary Honour of Merit Award from the World
Chef Society. He wrote a book in 1998, titled Café Salam Namaste,
which was a runaway success. He started this restaurant in 1995, naming
it after the book. He also owned The Parsee, earlier. He has dozens of
culinary awards to his credit-editor
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