 The Hyatt Regency Ball-room was packed khacha-khach as if there was no tomorrow-or the next hour; as if it was free for all. As a matter of fact, the wine was free for all and the event was slated strictly for two hours, and the wine planned to last two hours of tasting but only an hour of drinking. Surely, there was going to be no tomorrow for the members and potential members of the Wine Society of India and the Axis Bank Priority members, whose priority seemed to gulp as much as they could, of the prasad being doled out.
The evening had a lot to offer for the guests- more than 500 in numbers, far more than expected by the organisers. There were 8 wines to be tasted, including the Bouvet Brut from UB whose wines had a significant presence. Being a silent Angel investor in the India Project of David Banford, that should be a given. But the 10 Chapters Shiraz 2006 imported by UB from South Africa, can anyway stand tall at the discounted price of slightly over Rs. 1000, even though the attempt to pair it with the dark chocolate from Cadbury Bournville could be considered experimental at best and an attempt to boost the sale and branding of the sponsor.
IGT Rubicone is a Sangiovese based red wine which is generally low priced and offers good value for money as an Italian Sangiovese based red wine. Soldoro at about Rs. 700 after discounts, would not disappoint most novices and would go well with pastas and pizzaa and even Indian biryani.
Bouvet Brut from UB’s French stable has become as much visible as an aperitif wine at various wine events as Champagne in Sunday brunches in most 5-star hotels. When it was launched a couple of years ago, Abhay Kewadkar had assured me that it would be priced at Rs. 1300 or so in Delhi at which price it could be the best value-for-money bubbly. But at the MRP of Rs. 1900 one is forced to re-think on the quality/price ratio of this $10 a bottle wine and compare its worth with that of MDP and even Sula Brut at a third of the price- not to mention cavas like Freixenet that come at half the price- all of them using the Champagne method of double fermentation in the bottled, but using different grape varieties.
The highlight for any WSI event is touching base and a chat with Steven Spurrier who is highly coveted journalist and a writer and is curently in the news for his views on the En Primeur 2008- a hotly debated subject mostly outside India, but only scantily covered by delWine primarily for the international audience. There he was on his feet all the time, cool like a cucumber, answering fundamental questions like what temperature to store the wine and if it should be different for red and white. Not a trace of irritation or exhaustion on this tutor’s face, even though the questions could be satisfactorily answered by any of the staff manning teh WSA stand and he was getting a bit late for his flight later that evening.
WSI has a good revenue model that is quite popular abroad. Besides, picking up the decent, quaffable wines which are reportedly approved by Steven and David, little known factor is the addition of an Indian wine bottle into the mix that makes the total price look attractive (less than Rs. 1000) and help adding to the kitty by reducing the overall cost of wines to the company.
Hopefully, the organisers will title the event differently next time. Delhi might not remain a Wine Village by then, but Delhi also is or has a great Club.
|