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 Imagine visiting Sula Vineyards in Nashik on the Indian Republic Day on January 26 and receiving one glass of the red Satori-Merlot-Malbec blend, absolutely free!
Or McGuigan Black Label also offering a free glass of wine as they are doing in London on January 26 when they spend Australia Day- the official National Day of Australia, celebrated to mark the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British Ships at Port Jackson, New South Wales, and the raising of the Flag of Great Britain at Sydney Cove by Governor Arthur Phillip. Traditionally, it is also the beginning of the harvest!
Alas! It is a dreary, dull and Dry Day at Sula, Nashik- or anywhere else in India. It’s a National Day- but a National Dry Day... since the constitution was signed in 1950, which included Article 47 mentioning that ‘the State shall endeavour to bring about prohibition of the consumption except for medicinal purposes of intoxicating drinks and of drugs which are injurious to health." The studies showing health benefits of wine have apparently not impressed the lawmakers who still lump it erroneously with liquor.
Free Glass of McGuigan Black Label
Australian wine brand McGuigan Wines are partnering with Grind & Co to offer a free glass of their Black Label wine to anyone who visits two of their five ‘espresso bar, cocktail bar and restaurant’ in their important market, London, for one day only on January 26 at Shoreditch Grind or London Grind, and simply says ‘Cheers to Aussie Day’ at the bar. One can also tweet the same phrase to @McGuiganWinesUK and show the tweet to the bartenders. The offer is open to everyone and not only Australian expats.
If you reach the two Grind Restaurants too early in the morning, you can pick up a quarter bottle (187 mm) of Black Label to drink later. Black Label comes in three variants-White Chardonnay, Red Shiraz or a Shiraz-based rosé; any one of them may be requested. The red Shiraz is the biggest selling red wine in Australia. You may pick up any of the three varietals, according to the report in Metro.
With an unprecedented haul of 63 medals and 3 trophies for the Best Australian Wine, Best Australian Riesling and Best Australian Semillon for Australian Vintage at the International Wine and Spirits Competition London, McGuigan Wines set a record in November 2016 by getting crowned the “International Winemaker of the Year” for the 4th time. Earlier they had won the coveted title in 2009, 2011 and 2012. It is a nice gesture on the part of Australian Vintage, proprietors of McGuigan Wines to celebrate this important day with their customers.
Special Republic Day Offer for Black Label
Delhi-based Hema Connoisseurs has been importing two variants- Black Label Chardonnay and Black Label Shiraz from McGuigan wines into India since 2014. The fruity wines are value-for-money labels and are crafted to compete with the likes of Hardys (Sula), Jacob’s Creek (Pernod Ricard), Yellow Tail (Berkmann Cellars India), Lindeman’s (Brindco) and Wolf Blass (imported earlier by the now-defunct Pearls Wines) which form a bouquet of value-for-money quaffable Aussie wines.
Priced at Rs. 1400 in Delhi and a very aggressive Rs. 950 in Gurgaon, they are excellent value-for-money, fruity, simple, well-made wines especially for Gurgaon and Haryana residents (one can buy up to 2 bottles in Haryana and carry to Delhi legally). For the week ending January 31, there is a special discount of 10% on a case, making it an excellent opportunity to stock up these wines for daily drinking-or having a private party on January 26.
If President of the US, Donald Trump had been a wine drinker (despite a family winery called Trump Winery in Virginia, he is reportedly a teetotaller), he would have said, ‘Be American, Drink American' (wine). Obviously, if there were no political compunctions, our Prime Minister Modi might have supported the ‘Make in India Campaign’ and exhorted us to Be Indian, Drink Indian (wine).
Taking a leaf out of the Aussie book, I would say Drink Indian Wine at your residence or a private gathering on this Republic Day and raise a toast to our Democracy and say...
Jai Ho!
And also tweet to @wineguyindia and other 1.29 billion Indians a Happy Republic Day with a #JaiHo!!
Subhash Arora
Tags: Australia Day, McGuigan Wines, Sula Vineyards, McGuigan Black Label, Grind & Co, Shoreditch Grind, London Grind,
International Wine and Spirits Competition London, Australian Vintage, Black Label Chardonnay, Black Label Shiraz,
Hardys, Jacob’s Creek, Pernod Ricard, Yellow Tail, Berkmann Cellars India, Lindeman’s, Brindco, Wolf Blass |