By Subhash Arora

Although Sula made its fortunes by importing Merlot in bulk from Chile and bottling it at its winery because it did not have a red grape at the time, the red wine rode piggyback on the reputation of the winery's flagship Sauvignon Blanc crafted from grapes grown in the family vineyard in Nashik. The wine is true to its varietal, yet has a unique style which holds its own against the best of Sancerre and Marlborough. The subsequent vintages have not come up to the level of the Vintage 2002. 2003 was distinctively lower in quality, but '04 and '05 have shown steady improvement. Every new winery in Nashik uses this label as a benchmark.

To a newcomer in the world of wine, Sula's Chenin Blanc may be appealing because of its sweet notes. But this off-dry, aromatic, crisp and light fruity wine goes well not only as an aperitif and with light fish and chicken dishes, but also with many commonplace Indian preparations (have it with paranthas and egg bhujia, for instance). Serve it very chilled at 6-8 degrees to get the best flavours. Drink within two years of the vintage on the bottle for best results.

The wine is available at all leading vends and most hotels (where it finds more than its match in imported counterparts because of duty-free imports) in the Rs1,200-1,600 price range. It retails in Delhi for Rs 485, which is slightly on the higher side, but you are also paying premium for the marketing of the brand by its hard-working, charismatic owner Rajeev Samant.