|
| |
|
| French Wine for the Indian at Heart |
| Aekta Kapoor |
| Sam Bhatia travelled extensively around the world. “As an aficionado of spicy cuisine, I was never quite satisfied with the wines presented to accompany spicy Indian dishes”, says the Indian-origin American. In his travels, he tasted many different varietals, but still did not find what he was looking for. With a little research, Bhatia created such a wine himself, and called it Mirza Ghalib, under the brand Sufi Wines. |
| |
 |
Sam Bhatia |
| |
| His team was led by Frédéric-Jean Hoguet, member of the prestigious Académie du vin de Paris. They decided to make their wine in France and zoomed in on the Pays d’Oc which offers a natural combination of steep slopes, hilly peaks, vineyards, garrigue vegetation and the Mediterranean Sea. Pays d’Oc is embraced by Mediterranean climate that comfortably enfolds the vines with its dry and windswept soils. As grapes embrace the land they grow in, the grape varieties express themselves uniquely depending on the climate, exposure, relief and soils, Bhatia explains. |
| “Once we zeroed in on a blend that worked well, we did extensive blind tastings with industry friends and family to finalise the blend. It complements Indian food’s spicy and complex flavours in two ways: first, the wine’s acidity boosts the layers of flavours in a dish while softening its extremes, whether of body, richness, fattiness or spicy heat. Second, the wine’s fruitiness or sweetness tones down spicy heat, letting the other flavours in the dish shine,” says Bhatia. |
| Their signature Mirza Ghalib Red 2014 offers abundant notes of soft herbs, spices and hints of black pepper. This fruity and upfront luscious blend has velvety layers of blackberry and black cherry flavours. Bhatia believes that this wine brings out the spicy and rich flavours in dishes like daal makhani, chicken tikka masala, kebabs and biryanis. |
| Bhatia describes Mirza Ghalib Viogner 2014 as a perfect patio sipper. It begins with fresh and fruity aromas of yellow apple, ginger, and honeydew. Dry-with-a-medium-finish full of ripe apples and pears, an easy-to-drink wine with moderate acidity. Particularly good with shellfish or with the “summer heat”, it complements pakoras and samosas! |
| Mirza Ghalib Rosé 2014 based on Syrah is rich on the nose with strawberry, papaya, pomegranate and dusty red apples. The palate shows a more intense mouthful of white and red rose blossom, grilled strawberries, tart red plum skin and a hint of heirloom tomatoes. Rich and velvety in texture, the wine finishes with nutmeg and fresh pepper leaf intertwined with racy acidity that balances it out. The rosé is great with tandoori dishes. |
| |
 |
Mirza Ghalib Rosé, Viogner and Red Blend |
| |
| Sufi Wines produces about 5,000 cases a year and their wines are available at some of the finest restaurants across the United States. “Our clientele is the ‘global’ individual. Our wines take you on a spicy culinary journey,” says Bhatia, whose plans to launch in India were delayed by the demonetization. |
| Bhatia is aware of the changing dynamics of demography and the needs of the digital generation: “the next big thing is already here – organic; bio-dynamic; old style new world wine. The youth has already embraced wine and Instagram, Twitter and Facebook help create awareness. They try new wines and if they like it, they share it. The wine becomes an instant star,” he says. |
| “Ten or fifteen years ago, it was impossible to purchase a wine you like with the click of a button. The Internet has brought wine appreciation to a human level. The snobbery has almost vanished from the wine world.” That’s good news for wine mavericks like Bhatia. |
|
|
Aekta Kapoor, a former editor of a luxury lifestyle magazine, is an editorial consultant. |
|
|
|
