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| In Virgin(ian) Territory |
| By vino india |
| The most recent wine waves that splashed the Indian shores were from Virginia. This may be one of the oldest wine regions in America, but is nowhere near the familiarity to California. Hence the need for the Virginian Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to present a wine showcase to a group of trade and media at ACSA restaurant and bar at the American Embassy, that vino India was invited to. Understandably, there was a buzz of inquisitiveness and many waited patiently to enter. |
| Virginia, we are told, has been producing wines from native American varietals for a long time and in the past few decades, it has adapted to international varietals. Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, was a farmer from the state and is a revered icon here. It was his undeterred efforts that sowed the seeds of the wine industry in Virginia today, despite many failures. Today, the Thomas Jefferson Estate in Monticello has been restored to its original glory – a homage to his contribution. |
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The lineup from Virginia |
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| Geographically, Virginia is on the east coast of the United States of America and profits from oceanic influence in a similar way to California. Of the total 210 demarcated AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) in all of USA, Virginia has seven – Virginia’s Eastern Shore, The Monticello, The North Fork of Roanoke, The George Washington Birthplace, The Rocky Knob, The Shenandoah Valley and The Middleburg Virginia. |
| vino india spoke to Scott Sindelar, Minister Counselor for Agricultural Affairs at the US Embassy who was candid to admit that the global outreach program for Virginia was a showcase for the region’s winemaking abilities in anticipation of a larger engagement by the region in India. We understand that since most of the modest volumes coming out of Virginia are intended for consumption in the country itself, not a lot is available for export. Jonn Slette, Senior Attaché for Agricultural Affairs at the US Embassy, highlighted that the idea for this tasting was to create an awareness of wines from Virginia and was part of a strategy to present Virginia as an attractive tourist destination. |
| Wines from Trump and Williamsburg wineries of Virginia were presented. A total of six wines – three each – were presented by Sommelier Magandeep Singh in a short presentation. |
| Trump Winery (AVA Monticello) |
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Blanc de Blancs Brut Sparkling 2009
Abundant mousse and persistent bubbles, it was crisp and dry with citrusy flavours. Chardonnay based, the label declares "Methode Champenois" – USA still does not yet completely recognize the Champagne (and other European) appellation! |
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Chardonnay 2014
A light bodied wine with a good acidity-flavour balance and a decent finish. Good for aperitif. |
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Meritage 2013
Medium ruby colour with a medium body and rounded tannins. Red berries flavours with an oaky highlight. We are told that the blend is international and native varietals.
Meritage is the term coined in the US. Meritage (Merit + Heritage) Alliance is a regulatory body based in California that controls membership of winemakers who want to classify and label their wines to represent Bordeaux style blends. |
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| Williamsburg Winery (Hampton Roads) |
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Governor’s White American Riesling 2014
Off-dry, intensely aromatic wine with flavours of tropical fruits. Well balanced acidity to match the slightly high residual sugar. A nice summer wine for those with a sweet tooth. |
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Two Shilling 2014
The name suggests and the label states the wine is a Table Wine, expectations from the wine are fixed accordingly. Quite juicy, the wine has traits of red fruit and spice. We believe it is a good value for money proposition inspite of the modesty (definitely not to be misunderstood as cheap quality). |
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John Adlum American Chardonnay 2013
Expressive Chardonnay with aromas of citrus and stone fruits. Light, dry and refreshing on the palate with a medium finish. |
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| In general, the wines came across as easy drinking and well elaborated. i2i Consulting managed the evening, and Atul Khanna believes that the wines have bright prospects based on the response from the attendees. That's been heard before. Will he be able to translate this into a success story? For the wine lovers in India, we do hope so. |
| Ravi Joshi and Rajiv Singhal were invited to this tasting by i2i Consulting and the US Department of Agriculture respectively. |
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