Having been a ‘Wine Consultant’ for some years, I frequently get asked the question “Which is the best wine in India?”

Differing tastes
That’s really a more complex question than it sounds.

Wine is a very subjective taste, and one person’s nectar may be another’s, well, vinegar: the novice wine drinker will perceive a dry white as sour, whereas the aficionado may find this just the thing.
Too, there’s the critical question of price, as well as whether we’re looking for something to drink every day, or wines for special occasions.

So let’s first take up Indian wines.

A few years back naming the best Indian wine would have been a no-brainer for me: Grover’s La Reserve (a Cabernet Shiraz made from their best grapes, with 4 – 6 months in oak barrels) was just great - a nice dark red with fruit and spice on the nose, balanced tannins, and a nice long silky finish. It’s still among the top three, but I’m finding the wine sharper than what I remember, and think it needs a year or two in the bottle before it’s ready to drink. (Rs 475)

New wine
Sula launched its Dindori Reserve Shiraz in 2004, and demand for this lovely wine has just been climbing every year. The wine is produced from the best grapes in their best vineyard: the 250-acre Dindori property, 30 km out of Nasik. The wine itself is a ‘must-try’: fragrant and smooth, with loads of berry flavours and (yes) silky tannins and a hint of spice (from the Shiraz). Rs 595 in Bangalore – well worth the price.

But the wine I’m personally most impressed with is the newly-introduced Revielo Cabernet Sauvignon 2005.
Made in a spanking new winery near Nashik by vintage wines, this is a big wine that is ready to drink now, and will keep on improving for several years: dark, almost inky red, with a powerful and complex aroma and a balanced and smooth taste that lingers on and on.

The most expensive at Rs 745, but will bowl you over.

Wines and more
Moving to the whites, I think that both the Sula Sauvignon Blanc (Rs 465) as well as Grover’s  Sauvignon Blanc (Rs 420) are very drinkable dry wines: lovely nose, with loads of herbs and a crisp, balanced taste that is great for the price, and are available everywhere. Sula also makes a Chenin Blanc (Rs 395) which is a good way to start off on wines.

Cost is no issue
However, the Revielo Chardonnay 2005 (Rs 645) is not only the most expensive Indian white wine, it is also probably the most interesting: this is a medium-bodied wine with an aroma of peach and pineapple, moderate acidity and a complex and persistent finish. Not even remotely like the Chardonnays of, say, Australia — a wine that you’ll either love or hate.

So there we have it – a short list that skips over the wines from Indage entirely (I must admit to being completely confused by their portfolio),
But which I hope provides some joy to those who try these wines. Enjoy.