JOIN USFour Seasons Wine recently flagged off ‘Gourmet Indulgence’, a food-and-wine pairing initiative that has been introduced in an attempt to enhance the gastronomic experience.
The brand has tied up with around 90 restaurants across 6 cities for this initiative, which will continue until September 15. At its most basic level, ‘Gourmet Indulgence’ is a celebration of food.
As part of this extravaganza, a cuisine-specific approach will be adopted. For instance, the restaurants associated with ‘Gourmet Indulgence’ will break preconceived notions about wine pairings and showcase the perfect wines for diverse cuisines, including those which might not necessarily be thought to go well with the drink — oriental, Indian and Japanese, for instance. Each participating outlet with serve dishes with a twist, which will give customers a chance to savour delicacies not otherwise on the menu.
“We’re really excited about this,” says Abhay Kewadkar, chief winemaker and director, Four Seasons Wine, The UB Group. “In India, the market for wine is still growing and more people are taking to it. Where one would earlier simply ask for a red or white, they are now ordering specific wines like a Chenin Blanc on Sauvignon Blanc. As I said, the market is growing and it will continue to do so.”
Representatives from the outlets that are associated with this initiative are equally excited about it. Dominic Savio, the manager of News Cafe, admits that they have establishment some great ideas for the pairings. “We’ve planned some great things in terms of three and four-course meals. There will be some innovative ideas,” he adds.
Although the oriental and Indian restaurants do have to face the challenge of destroying stereotypes regarding pairing wine with eastern food, there are some creative combinations and courses on the charts. European restaurants too are experimenting freely with their options. “There are plenty of options — either in terms of a salad with a red wine or a salmon dish with a white. It’s easier for us than a Chinese or Indian restaurant,” says Sayanee Basu, from Graze, Vivanta by Taj.