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Photo By:: Adil Arora
 Wine liking and purchase is a personal choice but what do you do when you are a whisky drinker and your friend, boss or friend loves wine and you want to give him the best possible within a reasonable price? Here is the list just for you. It would be naive to assume that the list is based on all the wines available in the market. Therefore it is NOT a TOP TEN list. But what we assure you is that the list has been as objective as possible keeping the price-quality ratio in mind. These wines are generally available from high end retail shops spread in Delhi but the rates are now closer than before in Mumbai and cheaper in Bangalore.
I have also included only the wines that I have tasted before and won’t mind serving them if an unexpected guest dropped by. However, I have capped the price at Rs. 2000. If you buy Villa Maria (available at Le Cave in Select City Mall) tell them you carry only thousand rupee notes! I think the trick would work-and hence I have included it in my list, especially since everybody in India loves the Marlborough Sauvignon.
Also, to avoid the ranking of each wine, the wines have been listed in the ascending order of price. Wines marked * imply they are imported by Brindco and would more likely be available at Le cave only, in Select City Mall. You are welcome to buy from any Retail shop. But I strongly recommend a store that is air-conditioned and please always question them on their storage procedure. Don’t even enter a wine shop that is not air-conditioned. Best if there is a separate enclosure for wines failing which shops in the Malls offer decent storage.
I have intentionally stayed away from giving Tasting Notes to make it quick and simple and I have listed only the country of origin. These are for gifting mainly, but you are always welcome to send any queries. As usual, we have no commercial interest in what and where you buy. But wine is an excellent choice for gifting at any occasion and it is longer lasting than say, flowers costing the same or probably more. (But please never pass on any wine bottle received as a gift-you don’t know how it has been stored-besides the quality and the price tag on it).
Imported wines
Top Ten Whites (incldg. bubbly)
| Pinot Grigio delle Venezie (Italy) |
|
860* |
| Cadet d’Oc Chardonnay B. Philippe de Rothschild (Fr) |
|
940* |
| Zonin Chardonnay Italiano White Wine (Italy) |
|
990 |
| Chardonnay-Semillon 2014 Hardys (Aus) |
|
1100 |
| Prosecco DOC Ti Amo NV Sartori (Italy) |
|
1210* |
| Pinot Grigio 2013 San Simone (Italy) |
|
1400 |
| Montes Reserva Chardonnay (Chile) |
|
1440 |
| Sauvignon Blanc 2014 Valdivieso (Chile) |
|
1500 |
| Viña Esmeralda 2013 Torres (Chile) |
|
1650 Moscatel 85%; Gewurztraminer 15% |
| Villa Maria Pvt Bin Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough (NZ) |
|
2000*# |
| |
|
|
| Top Ten Red (incldg. Rose bubbly) |
|
|
| Cabernet Merlot 2013 Hardys (Aus) |
|
920 Editor’s Choice |
| Chianti docg Alighieri (Italy) |
|
960* |
| Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Umani Ronchi (Italy) |
|
1040* |
| Laira Shiraz 1893 Brand’s (Aus) |
|
1070* |
| Malbec Norton (Arg) |
|
1240* |
| Modello delle Venezie Masi (Italy) |
|
1280* |
| Bicicleta Pinot Noir 2014 Cono Sur (Chile) |
|
1300 |
| Bardolino Classico Sartori (Italy) |
|
1530* |
| Il Concerto Rose Spumante (Italy) |
|
1600 |
| Chianti docg 2014 Ruffino |
|
1680 |
The wines have been selected based on the ease of availability in retail.
Merry X-Mas.
Subhash Arora |