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Our Own Style
Ranjit believes in doing things in his own style. 'We
want to expand our import portfolio too. We are looking at Burgundy and
Loire Valley too. I would also like to add Champagne. But I want to make
sure it can sell for under Rs.1200-1300 in India.
Selling in India -yes, but it is highly unlikely that
he would be able do so in Maharashtra with the 200% excise duty imposed
on the imported wines. He is very much against this imposition. Unless
they encourage imported wines how can our Indian wines compete and compare
the quality. I wish they would withdraw this ridiculous duty and let us
compete against the imported wines.
'In the end we shall evolve and will come out with our
own style keeping Indian conditions in mind,' he adds.
Wines of Chateau d'Ori
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| Guest House-Temporary Tasting Room |
Wine bottles of all the current 5 labels that were released
a month ago were ready for tasting when we reached the guest house which
Ranjit frequents every Friday to Sunday-other days he co-ordinates the
activities of his sales team which occupies a whole floor in the Aftek
office in Mumbai.
First thing that impresses is the colour, the shape of
the bottles and the labels-very contemporary looking. 'I have had them
designed by a Spanish artist Cristina Alba, trained in Italy but living
in Bordeaux. In fact she even did our logo.'
Undoubtedly, his bottles have some of the best labels
in town, though you may not find them as photogenic on their website.
I am also not sure why he decided to use the clear, transparent bottles
for both the entry level Viva made from Chenin and the higher ended Sauvignon.
Also there does not seem to be a common theme running through the labels,
reflecting the individualistic style of all five of them.
Viva, as the name suggests is quite
vivacious. Medium bodied, perfumed with tropical aromas, less acidic and
pleasantly dry, it is a simple and decent wine, priced reasonably at Rs.380,
at even a lower per gm alcohol cost for the 14.5% volume.
Ranjit plans the red version too for the next vintage.
Sauvignon Blanc was fresh and fruity;
the fruit layered with too much of oak which Ranjit told me would be reduced
in the next vintage. It really reminded me of California Fume Blanc and
I did suggest to him that perhaps he should have two labels- one Sauvignon
without any wood and the second Fume for those who love their oak in wine-this
way he could kill two with one grape. Otherwise, it is a very pleasant
wine.
Merlot was typical-luscious, soft and
easy till you realise that there has not been much of merlot produced
in India so far. Ranjit says theirs is the biggest plantation of Merlot
in India. Like the dental capabilities of numerous tooth pastes, it is
difficult to check the veracity of such claim, but he does seem to have
succeeded in getting the best out of the fruit.. It is priced the same
as the Sauvignon-at Rs. 460.
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| Grapes of Dindori- d’Ori vineyards of Dhuru
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Cabernet Merlot (Rs. 550) and Cabernet
Shiraz (Rs.650) are the two blends which have an aging potential
and once he replaces the oak chips he has used (where else would you find
such honest admissions?) this year. With oak barrels he has planned for
the future vintages, Ranjit should be all set to sell some real fine premium
wine which might even help him replace his Touareg SUV in a few years!
My only advice and hope would be that he keeps the alcohol
levels as low as he can- certainly not more than 14%. He would need to
keep the pressure on the winemaker to try out and bring the alcohol down
without sacrificing the flavours. His nephew Kailash Dhuru, the resident
winemaker who accompanied us on the trip, will certainly have this variable
to worry about.
Both these wines were a great match for the kebabs we
had picked up from the Taj, on our way to the guest house, though I personally
felt that the Cab-Shiraz needed a couple of months more in the bottle
before being let loose on the wine drinkers.
Production and Exports
At only 90,000 bottles produced, the first vintage 2007
can be truly described as an experimental vintage for Dhuru of D'Ori in
Dindori (the name of the village he suspects, has been named after the
'hill' Ori). Next year with 2008 planned production of 360,000 bottles
(adding 30,000 cases to the expected production of over 900,000 cases
of Indian wines) , the numbers may still be small in the whole scenario,
but Ranjit is not a man in hurry.
Would he be looking at exports? 'Eventually, yes- when
we can still raise a bar or two in our quality. But we first want to enter
the Delhi market and Goa where we should be very soon. We are already
spreading in Maharashtra with 60% being in Mumbai alone,' says Dhuru.
Riding back to Mumbai, giving about 4.5 hours of 'flying'
time including some time saved on this beautiful newly constructed 'byepass'of
the Ghats, Ranjit makes it to the suburb Powai with more than
an hour to spare. 'We are lucky there has not been much of traffic on
Mumbai-Nashik road which can be terrible on some days.'
Perhaps, Ranjit said it too soon. It took us an hour
and fifty minutes from Powai to the Airport-exactly the time it takes
to fly from Mumbai to Delhi!
Did I mention… that I missed my flight! And that
the stock market had crashed the second day too!
Subhash Arora
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