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 We often complain about most 5-star hotels charging exorbitant prices for wine and not passing on the customs duty-free benefits to the consumer. But how do the stand-alone restaurants stack up? Well, it depends how passionate they are about wine and whether they follow the policy of ‘beverage costs’ prevalent in the 5-stars and multiplying the costs by a multiple, like 5-6 times the cost price to establish the sales price.
Outrageous and irrational wine pricing
Mamagoto is a highly successful restaurant that was conceptualized by the family of one of the former owners of Claridges, Delhi. It seems to have stuck to the formula of ‘beverage costs’-and multiplying the cost price (includes customs and all duties) as above. This has resulted in extremely high prices but what is surprising is the irrationality and logic of pricing wines - forget about wine varieties or the quality of the wine list.
Champagne may go well with Pan Asian fare for many of the clients at this family oriented restaurant that opened in Delhi over 4 years ago-but pocket may be another story. Rs. 12,000 for a bottle of Moet Chandon and Taittinger Brut may be fine for celebrations and a lot more palatable than Rs.21,500 for the DP (Dom Perignon), but for most people and clients of Mamagoto, it may be very expensive. The Bubbly lovers have the option of ordering the domestic Sula Brut, the only other option; at seemingly more reasonable Rs.2, 800 (though it costs around Rs.800 in Mumbai Retail).
Torres Viña Esmeralda is an aromatic white wine made with 85% Moscato and 15% Gewürztraminer grapes and is a very good match with Chinese and even Indian cuisine, especially for novices. Surely, many of you would argue that the restaurant pays 150% customs duty plus the excise duty which is more reasonable than in Delhi, in any case, even though at a disadvantage due to Octroi. But are they justified charging Rs. 6,500 for a bottle especially when in Gulati’s Spice market at Saket Delhi, the wine is listed at Rs.1, 900-at 30% of the cost; and remember excise duty is higher in Delhi and the customs duty is same for both the restaurants.
It would not concern you while ordering that the List sings about the tarpenic notes and fiorsi notes in the aromas of Viña Esmeralda but fails to mention the vintage of this- or ANY other wine in the list.
Joseph Drouhin is a family-owned burgundy house known for quality wines. I am very glad to see their wines listed. But Petit Chablis at Rs.9500?! (Chablis has 4 appellations-Petit Chablis, Chablis, Premier Cru Chablis and Grand Cru Chablis- Petit being the lowest and most pedestrian classification though quite delicious otherwise). It retails for slightly over Rs.3,000 in Delhi, if I am not mistaken.
Joseph Drouhin Beaujolais Village is a convivial wine as the Tasting Notes on their Menu also suggest. Beaujolais also has 3 levels of quality-Beaujolais Nouveau, Beaujolais Village and Beaujolais Grand Cru (specified areas in 10 villages are privileged to have this certification). Village should be drink within 2-3 years whereas Cru can last for 5-6 years; the vintage is important to mention at least for this reason. Retailing for Rs.2500 with discounts available to even the retail consumers unlike in Delhi, would you be willing to shell out Rs. 7500++ for a bottle?
Pio Cesare is one of the iconic producers of Piedmont and is known for wines like Barolo, Barbaresco and even Barbera d’Alba to an extent. But by any stretch of imagination you cannot think of paying Rs. 12,000 ( about $200 a bottle for a bottle of Gavi (not even Gavi di Gavi which is like a Classico wine of an Italian region/wine producing area and is considered superior and more expensive)- or $200 for a Barbera d’Alba! Practically speaking, who in their right mind would pay the same price or Rs.12,000 for a Gavi, Barbera d’Alba and Taittinger Brut ($46) or Moet Chandon ($51)?!
To look at the oddity of the prices from another angle, take a look at the wines selling for Rs. 12,000 and their international prices for comparison (I have taken the average price without taxes from wine-searcher.com):
| Moet et Chandon Brut - |
|
$ 51 |
| Taittinger Brut - |
|
$46 |
| Pio Cesare Barbera d’Alba - |
|
$18 |
| Pio Cesare Gavi docg - |
|
$16 |
| Price at Mamagoto - |
|
$200 |
Torres Viña Sol is a daily drinking, quaffable wine made from the Parellada grapes, retailing for Rs. 1400-1600 throughout the country (inclusive of all taxes). Would you pay Rs. 4500 (VAT extra at 20% and service charge @10% will be additional-these two alone equal the Retail Price of the wine)?
San Medin is a Chilean wine from Torres made exclusively for India and China keeping high taxes in mind. delWine even recommended it in 2008 when it retailed for Rs 625 in Delhi. Now it hovers around Rs. 1100-1350 depending on the city. Do I want to pay Rs. 3800 (+taxes and tips of 1150)? I’d rather have a pot of Jasmine tea for Rs. 95, thank you!
Indian Wines
My feeling after studying the list from right to left was that the management perhaps wants to scare the Dickens out of you by looking at the price of the imported wines and then settle for Indian wines which are listed at a fraction of their cost and look more reasonable- but still 3-4 times and higher than most 5-star hotels. The only choice is Sula Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Blush Zinfandel, Cabernet-Shiraz all of which are priced at Rs.2100.
 In contrast, the still wines at the Drawing Room, the private member-dining area at Smoke House Deli in Bandra, Mumbai lists Sula for Rs.1200! Would you blame me if my head went for a spin and I could not stop scratching it as I looked at the Wine List?
My Recommendations
In my opinion, after you look at the wine list and shake your head in disbelief, forget about ordering wine at this restaurant. If your system seeks alcohol with Chinese/Pan Asian lunch, you could go for Beer (a first-time ever recommendation from me) that sells for as low as Rs.245 or if you want to splurge, you may go for a few premium beers at Rs.595. I’d prefer to go back to the pre-wine days and order a Pot of ‘Chinese’ tea at Rs.95!
For inexplicable reasons, ITC cigarettes are available at MRP while the bottle of mineral water sells for Rs. 90 at Mamagoto. But please don’t smoke just because they are reasonably priced!! Drink mineral water instead!
Subhash Arora
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Tags: Mama Goto, tarpenic, fiorsi |