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 Nine years ago when Adam Strum, owner publisher of Wine Enthusiast and the President of the world’s biggest wine media empire, came to India for a short family vacation in December 2005, we had organised a wine dinner for him and his family and members of the Delhi Wine club at the Olive Qutab. I had returned from Singapore after making the historical move successfully of having Indian wines enter an international wine show with the Indian flag flying. Therefore, I chose award winning wines for the dinner.
Two of the wines we had procured for the dinner were Sula Cabernet Shiraz and Sula Dindori Shiraz. Striking a pleasant chord with the members, he was pleased with the two red wines and the food. He also commented that the ‘history of red wines in India would be written around wines like these' (Cab Shiraz and Dindori).
Nine years (almost to the day-the wine dinner was organised on December 25, 2005) after he made that profound statement, Sula Dindori Reserve Shiraz 2011 finds a place in the annual Top Wines List of Wine Enthusiast- The Enthusiast 100. The list is based on the points awarded by Wine Enthusiast and the price, among other factors.
Wine Enthusiast publishes the 100 top wines list and calls it The Enthusiast 100. To arrive at the Top 100 wines that is based on scores and prices, the Wine Enthusiast taste panel reviewed more than 17,500 wines from across the globe, covering various countries, regions, styles and prices, according to the relevant post in the Wine Enthusiast.
The Enthusiast 100 is the kingpin of their yearly roundups. This list of high-scoring gems
showcases the incredible diversity in the market, with wines from 16 countries representing
nearly every style, from dry white and red wines to sparklers, rosés, sweet and fortified selections. Beyond just numerical ratings, these wines boast excellent drinkability, availability and
Quality-to-price ratios, with an average rating of 93.6 and an average price of $37.80, according to the report.
The Wine Enthusiast describes Sula 2011 Dindori Reserve Shiraz (Nashik) which was awarded 93 points by the magazine, as:
 ‘An inky violet-red color in the glass, this wine has a nose of cassis, blackberry and bell pepper.
It’s complex yet easy drinking, with flavors of black cherry, bacon, bell pepper, black pepper, vanilla
and espresso bean. Rich tannins linger in the mouth without burdening the taste buds, and there
are pleasant notes of smokiness and saline on the finish. abv: 13.5% Price: $20’
Rajeev Samant, Founder CEO of Sula had a wider than usual smile when he told delWine, ‘it is truly a great moment for Sula and our vineyard management and winemaking teams. It’s a compliment to the Indian wines as well. This inclusion shows that the world is taking notice of Indian wines.’
This year’s Number One wine is a single-vineyard Pinot Noir- Ken Wright 2012 Abbott Claim Vineyard Pinot Noir (Yamhill-Carlton District) Oregon-thanks to an attractive grape-growing climate and accessible land prices compared to its southern neighbour and sells for $65.
Pieropan Rocca Soave Classico 2011 won 95 points and selling for $31 came second and Jose Maria da Fonseca 2011 Jose de Sousa from Alentejo Portugal, which was fermented partially in old clay amphoras like the qvevries being used in Georgia, was next with a score of 93 and the Price Tag of $16.
While Sula and a significant number of wines selected have scored 93 points, there are a few with 92 points while the upper end touches 97 (Ken Wright).
Maximum number of wines in the list are from the USA (31) with California wines (17) equalling the numbers from Italy and France. In terms of style, maximum number selected are 56 for the red wines followed by White (35), Sparkling (3), Sweet (3), Rose (2) and Fortified (1).
Congratulations to Sula for bringing in the Indian flag to this list. For complete listings, visit
Source: winemag.com
Subhash Arora |