Jan 06: The 299th dinner of the Delhi Wine Club was the first one in a genuine wine bistro, Mesa at Aerocity where food is also delicious with good variety and reasonable prices for wine and food, and where a range of four Italian wines from Veneto and Piedmont were poured last month, reports Subhash Arora, President of the Club who feels that this wine bistro is what it takes for wine lovers to enjoy multiple wines without burning a hole in the pocket
Photos By:: Adil Arora
Opened in August, 2019, the bistro had to wait over 3 months to get the excise license and then the wine label registration delayed things further and only a limited number of labels are available. But the selection of wines and the prices indicate that they afford an excellent opportunity for the wine lover and novice alike to try several wines-especially since wines by the glass are available at 50mL, 100mL , 150 mL (regular size in India) or 750 mL (standard bottle). A good thing is that even the prices of 50 mL have been fixed at almost the exact proportion of the price of a 750 mL, encouraging one to choose 5-6 wines or even more in one visit.
Wines have been selected by the partner Director Ranjit Gupta who started his wine career as an importer and prides himself in selecting wines that would give pleasure to the Indian wine drinker. He plans to have over 30 wines by the glass (the storage system can handle 34 labels at the fixed temperature). About 20-25% of the wines are proposed to be Indian and are priced very well.
The following four wines were tasted:
Astoria Fashion Victim Rose Spumante NV - the wine had a beautiful onion pink colour with pleasing aromas of berries like strawberries. Bubbles were big but short lived. Even the 
zinginess in Spumante wines (fizzy) was short. Incorrectly sold generally as Pink Prosecco, this Rose Spumante appears to be a label produced for the Indian market only with high yielding grapes and mass production and a simple wine with even lower pressure in the bottle with slightly off-dry style. With Pink Prosecco doc on the anvil with 85% Glera and 15% Pinot Noir this year, it will be a better option if and when available with the bistro.
Tenuta del Giaj Bianco Veneziano- Tenuta del Giaj is a label owned by Azienda Agricola La Carline in the town of Pramaggiore in Veneto and makes certified vegan and organic wines, of significance to Indians, especially die-hard vegetarians. It is pale yellow in colour with lovely aromas of white fruits and floral notes carrying into the flavour which is smooth, fruity and pleasing on the palate. The end is smooth and relatively long.
Tenuta del Giaj Rosso Veneziano- This blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc has the same grapes as St. Emilion. The full-bodied wine has a rich ruby red colour and is rich and opulent in style, thanks to the malolactic fermentation and ageing on the lees for a few months. The tannins are firm and silky and give excellent structure. Fruit has raspberries tones. Dry and smooth finish.
It was a discovery of the evening-a St. Emilion with Italian terroir and deliciously low prices. Being certified vegan and organic is a bonus that would attract many Indian hard core vegetarians too. Low alcohol of 12% is an added feature. If and when available by the glass, one or two drinks are highly recommended on every visit.
Cossetti Barbera di Asti DOCG- Barbera is the signature red grape from Piemonte (Piedmont) where it is the most planted red variety and the third most in Italy after Sangiovese and Montepulciano. It is a 128 Year old family winery with 4th generation actively involved in the business. Attractively priced, it is a popular Italian wine that conquers the Indian palate with aplomb. Grown in Monferrato hills, the low-yielding grape has good concentration in the wine with full and pleasant mouth-feel, reeking of red fruits and notes of sweet vanilla with soft tannins making the backbone. Pleasing wine!
Wines of the evening were generally well paired with food which deserves an applause for the Chef and his team. Minimalist décor keeps the focus on wines, food and conversation. An evening well spent.
And now to the 300th wine event- a Champagne Brunch- a buffet with 170 dishes/articles and unlimited Champagne with Devaux D being the protagonist at the Pluck Restaurant at Hotel Pullman Newdelhi Aerocity on January 11.
For a related Article on Barbera, please visit
Italics Wine Club: Three Barberas and a Masterclass
Subhash Arora
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