Passing By

Jancis Robinson MW on her 4th visit to India

Unquestionably the most sought after Master of Wine in the world today, Jancis Robinson MW, was in the Capital yesterday with her husband on a private visit to India, when a get- together was organised by Sonal Holland MW and Captain’s Cellar, the latest hot spot in town at the Taj Mahal Hotel, where she could be seen relaxed while interacting with all the guests, writes Subhash Arora who enjoyed meeting her again and tasting (no spitting), several of the 35 wines on offer during the evening.

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Passing By: Christian Sotomayor and Brett Jackson of Caballo Loco visit Delhi

After taking a decision to launch a white equivalent of the Iconic Caballo Loco wines using Solera System, the project that started in 2017 is coming to fruition with the wine bottled and resting, ready to be released in October this year, according to Christian Sotomayor, Import and Export Director of Valdivieso and Brett Jackson Senior Winemaker who were in Delhi earlier this week to meet the hotel F & B managers and brought an unlabeled bottle of Caballo Loco Blanco No. 1 to taste with Subhash Arora.

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Miguel Pinto of Sogrape’s Mateus visits India for Brand Promotion

Miguel Pinto, International Director of Sogrape Vinhos that produces the world famous Mateus known for its slightly sweet and fuzzy Rosé wines, was in India recently and visited Mumbai and Bangalore to strengthen the brand image of the two variants, writes Subhash Arora who has always been fascinated by the curvaceous bottle shape which has principally not changed since its Launch in 1942, making it the most selling Rosé in the world.

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Gerard Blanloeil of Clarendelle Wines Bordeaux visits India again

Gérard Blanloeil, Managing Director of ‘Clarendelle Wines inspired by Haut Brion’, a fine wine Bordeaux Négociant producing Clarendelle labels since 2005 was in Delhi on 14 December to conduct a Masterclass and a guided tasting of 10 wines from the 4 chateaux owned by the family of Prince Robert de Luxembourg, writes Subhash Arora who found the wines distributed by Sonarys extremely complex, palate friendly and surprisingly, ready to enjoy now though a majority would mature further.

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Alessandro Nesi of Piccini Tuscan Winery

Alessandro Nesi, Sommelier in the family winery being run since 1882, now by the fourth generation of Piccini family of Tuscany, which has extended its operations to Puglia and now to Etna in Sicily, was in India for about three weeks and stopped by in Delhi to introduce the Etna white and red from the family estate Tore Mora at a Lunch at Hyatt Regency, writes Subhash Arora who enjoyed them along with the Valiano Chianti Classico and a Brunello 2011 from the family estate in Montalcino

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Winemakers from Chapel Hill and Amelia Park Australia

Michael Fragos and Jeremy Gordon, the young highly regarded and awarded winemakers from Chapel Hill Winery in McLaren Vale and Amelia Park in Margaret River, Western Australia were in India last week when Subhash Arora met them at Cirrus 9 Bar at the Oberoi, New Delhi at an evening of tête-à-tête with them by Le Cave and the importer Brindco and tasted the four wines being currently imported

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Stephane Tournade of Chateau Valandraud Saint Emilion

Stephane Tournade, Sales Representative for India for Chateau Valandraud Saint Emilion, owned by the ‘Bad Boy’ Jean Luc Thunevin and popularised in India by its distributor, Vishal Park was in Mumbai recently and an interesting Tasting was hosted by its owner, Vishal Kadakia at Four Seasons. Malathi Natrajan who used to write for delWine before she left for Singapore 5 years ago and returned to India last year, reports

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Jean Claude Terdjemane of Bodega Roda in Mumbai

It was a pleasure to attend a Tasting and Masterclass organized by their importer Wine Park Mumbai, conducted by Jean Claude Terdjemane, Area manager Asia-Pacific for the Roda group of Rioja, Spain at Masque, Mumbai, says our guest writer from Mumbai Sheetal Kadam who was adequately impressed by both the Cava and the Rioja red wines

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Luis Felipe Edwards Jr. of LFE Wines from Chile

There has been a change of guard at Luis Felipe Edward (LFE) Winery with Luis Felipe Edwards Jr. visiting India for the first time along with his Hong-Kong based export Director for Asia, Pacific and Middle East manager Nick Tullet who was in India last year when Dhall Foods was the importer, writes Subhash Arora who was invited at an exclusive tasting at the Wasabi Restaurant at the Taj Mahal Hotel organised by the new importer, Ace Beveragez

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Passing By: Benvenuto to Cesare Benvenuto of Pio Cesare of Piedmont

Cesare Benvenuto, the younger 5th generation family member and partner in Pio Cesare was in India for a couple of days when Sumit Sehgal, VP and All-India Director of Prestige Wines and Spirits, their importers in India hosted an informal tasting and food paring of 3 of their wines at Sly Granny Restaurant in Khan Market, turning the usual formal and staid tasting into a fun event, writes Subhash Arora who feels it was a successful experiment, especially for youngsters

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Elena Bortoletto of Donnafugata in Sicily

Aspri Spirits, India’s leading distributor of premium wines and spirits, hosted an informal evening to meet Elena Bortoletto, the Verona-based export manager of one of the top Sicilian wineries, Donnafugata, when the guests enjoyed dinner with two of their wines being currently imported by them into India, writes Subhash Arora who reminisced about their gems-Mille e Una Notte red and the sweet Ben Ryé that have been discontinued due to high price and taxes

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Gérard Blanloeil of Clarendelle Wines of Haut- Brion Bordeaux

Gérard Blanloeil, Managing Director of Clarendelle Wines, a fine wine Négociant in Bordeaux making also the Clarendelle wines since 2002, was in Delhi this week where he conducted a Masterclass and guided tasting of wines from the 3 chateaux owned by Prince Robert de Luxembourg and Clarendelle, writes Subhash Arora who loved the wines but found the second wine of La Mission most likeable

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delWine Tasting Panel wowed by Pinot Noir Blind-Tasting

After an interesting food-wine paired tasting last month, the delWine Tasting Panel with 16 persons was wowed as they blind-tasted 11 Pinot Noirs with the Editor Subhash Arora who, with 63 international wine competitions under his belt, is quite knowledgeable about the rules of such tastings, hoping that soon the panellists will be able to deliver dependable, reliable and sought-after results, writes Subhash Arora while exhorting them to be bold tasters focusing on each wine

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Time Dolan- Young Winemaker of Barossan Winery Peter Lehmann

Tim Dolan, Senior Winemaker of the Barossa producer Peter Lehmann belonging to Casella Family Brands Group since November 2014, was in India along with Malcolm Davies, Export Director Asia Pacific as part of a delegation of wine makers from South Australia and had an exclusive Chat with Subhash Arora during Lunch at Bukhara Restaurant at the ITC Maurya about his winemaking style and the relatively new wine- "The Barossan" Shiraz crafted by him and being introduced in India

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Michelle Lam of Villa Maria NZ Wines

Michelle Lam, the Brand Ambassador of Villa Maria Wines is visiting India and conducted a guided Tasting of 5 wines at Shang Palace, Hotel Shangri La last week, thanks to the visit organised by La Cave Fine Wines for wine journalists and bloggers, writes Aruna Chawla who found them great value for money wines and well worth the visit during the hot Delhi afternoon

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