Photos By:: Adil Arora
 In fact I was so flabbergasted with the wine list and the all-inclusive prices, unable to suppress my surprise and joy for our Delhi NCR wine-loving readers of delWine, that the management must have deliberated after my visit and putting their heads together removed a few of my starred wines from the Menu-like Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc Private Bin Selection 2013. The list still offers the lowest priced foreign wines perhaps anywhere in India-definitely in any 5-star hotel. It must be the only place in the country where (imported) wine glass is cheaper than a cup of cappuccino. Every wine lover in the NCR needs to visit this place at least once to taste some of these wines.
And it is not that the wines offered are trashy or undrinkable wines. You may order the same inside the restaurants at Rs. 3550 or more. The selection is limited especially for red wines which are only 7 in the list- including two- Joseph Drouhin Bourgogne and Piccini Chianti- both of which are must-taste wines. At these prices you can drink by the bottle there! I am told that the hotel is working at expanding the list for reds.
The whites have a much better selection of 15 wines. Despite the missing Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc, each and every wine is worth tasting and drinking by the glass or bottle. I would recommend starting with the following and trying them by the glass-pick out a bottle of what you like most to take home.
Joseph Drouhin Bourgogne (Chardonnay), 2012 France
Umani Ronchi Villa Bianchi Verdicchio dei Castilli di Jesi, DOC Marche 2010 Italy
Bodega Norton Chardonnay, Mendoza, 214 Argentina
Piccini Bianco,Toscana, 2012 Italy
Piccini Memoro white, 2012, Italy (their red would be a must-try wine too, if in the list)
Drink through the whole list in multiple visits. Since they change the list regularly, you may get newer wines to taste all the time. I strongly recommend forming wine taster groups or wine loving friends to go in a group and make it a fun afternoon or early post-office evening. Nothing would be more pleasurable than going in a group and requesting the Sommelier Rakesh Awaghade to spend a few minutes with you, telling about the wines you buy to taste. He is a WSET-3 qualified Sommelier and would make it a memorable evening (if you can have him join you for a few minutes). Those who are contemplating doing WSET courses or are doing so, could even make it a practical exercise!
But be warned- the seating capacity is limited and you are naturally not allowed to take the bottles/glasses into the restaurants. I am not sure if they would allow you to take a case-full of wines at these prices. I think they should not allow more than 2 bottles at a time to each customer.
You can safely give the sparkling wines a miss. At Rs. 4245 (AI) a bottle, there is no bang in the buck for us consumers.
For the current list, effective July 16-post my visit to the Deli, click here.
There is a Spanish proverb ‘Con pan y vino se anda el camino’ (With bread and wine you can walk your road). Oberoi Deli surely gives a helping hand for the white and red wine lovers. Oberoi Gurgaon management certainly deserves a pat on the back for taking this fabulous initiative to encourage newer drinkers or any wine lovers to get into the habit of drinking a glass of wine instead of Coffee! Take advantage while the scheme lasts.
Subhash Arora |