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 It was a pleasant surprise when I went to the Empress of China at Hotel Eros yesterday for lunch with friends and was stopped in my tracks at the entry to the restaurant, by a few bottles of wine displayed neatly in wooden boxes and casing with a price tag indicating the Auction Price on individual tent cards. On enquiring from the server, I was told that the man behind the idea was Arindam Chakraborty, Director F & B. Coincidentally, he was in the hotel and obliged me by meeting me in the restaurant to explain the concept which was fresh from the oven.
He elaborated, ‘the idea is to engage people in the selection of wines while getting them slightly cheaper. Although the bidding can be done in all the restaurants, the nerve center of the auction will be at our Chinese cuisine outlet-Empress of China. Our managers go to each table and explain the scheme and ask the clients if they would like to bid for any of the wines in the list and displayed on a tent card. If they are, the server will explain about that wine-the grapes, flavours etc. Then he will go to the other tables asking if someone else is interested in bidding higher.’ Arindam further claims that the concept helps the guests interact with each other besides saving money on the wine. ‘On Friday, 2 tables bid for the same wine and the bid went up by Rs. 200. At the end, the two hosts shook hands and exchanged business cards as well. So it helps people network too, if they like.’
The list and the idea are appealing though the number of wines available is rather limited, with wines only from Spain and Australia (barring one). Perhaps for strategic reasons vintages are not mentioned on the Wine List either. There are no Indian wines for auction either. To make the Auction and the concept more exciting, it would have been more interesting and interactive if one or  two Indian wines could be added for bidding at around Rs.1000-1200 and an imported wine or two at Rs. 1500 as the Reserve bid price. At such low prices there would be an interesting bid ‘war’. Even if there weren’t any, the hotel would perhaps make a 100% margin on their costs and earn a lot of goodwill too.
Here are a few of my favourite picks. In the reds, Torres Mas Rabell is a good value at Rs.2395 only. Order the white equivalent only at Rs.475 a glass. Brands Coonawarra McWilliams Cabernet is available at the Delhi Duty Free shop at $32. I would pay Rs. 695 for a glass for it. I’d avoid the entry level Bill Blass Bilyara Chardonnay even at Rs. 525 and rather spend Rs.625 a glass for a glass of the World Blass Red label Semillon Sauvignon, except when I am in a mood for only a glass of entry level ‘imported’ Chardonnay.
Hotel Eros, Nehru Place earns 5/5 stars for efforts and ingenuity and the determination to promote wine consumption in their hotel. I believe they are working on some other concepts. They would need to tweak it a bit further so the wine loving and slightly knowledgeable customer can spot a deal he cannot refuse. I am always a sucker for wines at a great price- I’d be the first one to bid for a bottle of Mas Rabell Red at Rs. 1500 and be willing to bid higher if there were competition. Same for a Grover La Reserve or Dindori Reserve Shiraz at the starting bid of Rs.1200 if they have it on the list- to add some spice to my food.
Cheers Empress of China!
Subhash Arora
AUCTION WINE LIST
Tags: Hotel Eros, Wines on Auction, Arindam Chakraborty, Empress of China |