How to appreciate wine

Wine is comparatively new in our country and its consumption is fairly low comparing to other spirits and drinks. Initially commercial wine making started by Grovers in Banglore as climate of that area was very much suitable to vineyards. But the real thrust came from Nasik area of Maharasthra where number of winemakers are active. If you look in terms of quantity and range than Sula is the market leader.

Its not that our people in ancient age and time were unaware of wine. I remember my own great grandfather as well as grandfather use to prepare wine in authentic traditional way. They use to procure grapes from Chaman, an area now in Afganistan, very well known in the past for quality vineyards. Their method might be crude but results were amazing, They used a ghada (earthen pot) to make their magic potion.
They fill up Ghada with handpicked grapes mixing some 8-9 odd spices and place a lid seal with wheat dhow (loi), dig a pit in some damp area, place the pot in the pit almost for a year. Thereafter labour used to takeout the pot, mash the contain, filter it with fine silk cloth. The liquid thus obtained finally kept in bottles.This was called Drakshasav and was taken in moderate serving before dinner.

Wine in western society has acquired a cult status, no official banquet or get together is complete without it. Its not that wine is only for riches and famous. A bottle of Australian, Californian and host of other wine is available in market cheaper then a bottle of mineral water. However, for the class people, of course aged wines from fine winemakers are available for a price which may sometime as high as king's ransom. The price of reserve is decided on aroma & flavor characteristics, finish, clarity, intensity, legs/ tears, petulance and more then any thing the brand tag attached to it.

This has reminded me a very interesting anecdote. Long back one of my friend invited me for the first time on a lunch at his home in Washington DC. I procured a nice bunch of exotic flowers and of course a bottle of wine which the storewala assured me about its brand and age, while the bottle from the current season were in the range of $4 to $8, my purchase costed me around $22 . I handed over the bunch of flower and bottle to my host. He thanked, smiled and thereafter guided me to his cellar which stored around 800 bottles of the same brand age ranging from 8 to 19 years. Oh my God, he was the owner of the brand, owning vineyard as well as winemaking facilities in southern France ! He was the first person, who demystified the finer aspect of wine, how aging enhance quality of wine etc. etc.

Years later, only yesterday I attended a wine appreciation session conducted by Nikhil Agarwal who is probably one of the finest trainer in India. He and his company all things nice is engaged in running wine appreciation programmes. I appreciate his skill, expertise but the fact remains that wine consumption is still in very infant image, still branded as LADIES DRINK. Wines. what to talk about imported one, even the desi one are overpriced. Nikhil can you as well as fine person of your tribe think of the
time when wine will be available at the price equivalent to mineral water. The fact remains that wineries are having piled up stock of unsold wines , demanding Government to allow them to distill it to make Sherry, but not prepared to rationalise the price structure and make it available at affordable price. Till such time wine consumption and appreciation for a middle class person will remain a dream.