20 Inexpensive Wines

Indian and International

India has come a long way in its wine story and on so many fronts. We now have wine clubs, regular wine dinners, festivals, awards, competitions, weekly tastings of wines from all over the world and yes unfortunately even a growing number of wine ‘elite’. People can be seen in restaurants and bars across cities sipping on a glass of wine. They are curious about food and wine pairing. Restaurants and hotels take wine a lot more seriously, not just in terms of what they offer, but how they serve it too. You can see an overhaul in wine retail in some pockets of the big cities as well

Text: Nikhil Agarwal

The quality of Indian wine over the years has improved greatly with a number of producers having a few stunners in their portfolio. While wineries have come and gone, the handful that do look at quality have stuck around. They are experimenting with different wine styles and new grape varietals giving us a whole spectrum of flavours to choose from. Indian wine isn’t limited to Indian shores either; leading wineries sell their wines to over 25 countries and are served at top restaurants across the globe.
We have a good selection of imported wines available to us, the number of options perhaps was previously higher but nevertheless there is plenty of choice. It is still very expensive to drink imported wine in India, no thanks to varying degrees of taxation, but we see a steady growth in consumption especially for wines that are sold between the range of Rs 2000 and Rs2500 and of course lower.
A luxury wine store that has been doing a commendable job at housing the finest collection in India is La Cave, located in Delhi, Bombay and Bangalore. There are some real gems of wines out there waiting to be discovered, that may eventually push prices upwards, so it is best we take a look at them now.

BEST INDIAN WINES

Chandon Brut, Nashik, India
Grape Varietal/s – Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Pale straw yellow to a golden hue with fine persistent bubbles. Bright and fresh marked with apple, pear and citric profiles with subtle notes of bread and brioche. Creamy texture balanced with a zesty acidity. Precise with a soft dry finish.
 
Grover Vijay Amritraj Reserve Collection White, Nashik, India
Grape Varietal/s – Viognier
Straw-yellow. Quintessence of peach, honey and dry apricot aromas with floral notes and hints of vanilla from the French oak integration. Rich and powerful with long persistence, finishing on fruity notes.
 
York Sauvignon Blanc, Nashik, India
Grape Varietal/s – Sauvignon Blanc
This Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect blend of tropical flavors and herbaceous & grassy characters that are typical to this grape variety with additional notes of green apple, mint, papaya, lemon, asparagus & capsicum.
Sula The Source Rose, Nashik, India
Grape Varietal/s - Grenache
A pale coral hue. Inviting aromas of white peach, citrus and tropical fruits. With a luxuriant mouth feel, bright acidity and an elegant finish, this dry rosé is a perfect wine for all occasions.
 
The Daily Dose Red, Solapur, India
Grape Varietal/s – Cabernet Sauvignon
The wine has been made in an approachable style with minimum use of oak in order to keep the wine fresh, vibrant and fruit-forward. The aromas are bursting with berries, plums & a touch of mint. The wine is juicy on the palate with good acidity and medium finish.
 
Fratelli Sette, Akluj, India
Grape Varietal/s – Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese
This wine is the end result of a great fusion of the concentration of Cabernet Sauvignon with the fine, elegant floral notes of Sangiovese. The pleasant and refined notes of wood are well-merged with the wine with a balanced vanilla flavour from ageing in French oak barrels.
Good Earth Basso, Nasik, India  
Grape Varietal/s – Cabernet Sauvignon
Medium – bodied, ruby red in colour, Basso hints of black currants and pepper. A pleasant whiff of toast gives way to touches of plum and blackberry. Oak and fruit find an equitable and pleasing balance.
 
Oakwood Reisha Grand Cru Cabernet Shiraz, Solapur, India
Grape Varietal/s – Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz
The wine has a complex palate with intense oak flavours of vanilla pods, chocolate, wet wood, tobacco and cigar. Red and black fruits flavours subtly compliment the wine. The robust and noticeable tannins give the wine good structure. The wine has a prolonged finish.
 
Krsma Estates Syrah, Hampi Hills, India
Grape Varietal/s - Syrah
The rich and elegant red fruit driven bouquet of the wine subtly unveils under layers of dried rose petals and spice undertones from the oak. Lush and opulent flavours of ripe blackberries, dried black currant and mocha on the palate, with a characteristic lingering black pepper spice note balances well with the fine grained tannins promising of a complex and an unforgettable finish.
 
Grover Chene Grand Reserve, Nashik, India
Grape Varietal/s – Shiraz, Tempranillo
Deep and intense ruby colour. With subtle and elegant notes, the nose opens up to ripe dark fruit aromas such as blackberry, currant and ripe plums, complemented by charming hints of spices and well-integrated oak bouquets such as vanilla, liquorice, chocolate and roasted coffee beans. This wine has an abundance of dark fruit and nuances of vanilla and cinnamon on the palate, with a great structure, well-balanced tannins, acidity and an elegant finish.

BEST INTERNATIONAL WINES
(WITHIN A RANGE OF RS 2500)
Bolla Prosecco Spumante DOC Extra Dry, Prosecco – Veneto, Italy
Grape Varietal/s - Glera
Fresh and fruity on the palate with a great hint of acidity and a lively finish.
 
Sillero del Diable Chardonnay 2017, Rapel Valley, Chile
Grape Varietal/s - Chardonnay
On the nose pineapple and peach together with small touches of hazelnut given by ageing in French oak barrels. Fine, structured, balanced, fresh and lively acidity. Medium-bodied with a long and dry finish. At the end you will find green pear and delicate hints of white peach complemented with a hint of toast.
 
El Goru Red 2017, Jumilla, Spain
Grape Varietal/s - 50% Monastrell, 30% Syrah, 20% Petit Verdot
El Goru is a deep-red coloured wine with purple edges. It has an intense aroma of red and ripe fruit, pleasantly creamy, accompanied with touches of toasted tones. It is fruity and flavourful in the mouth, meaty and toasted with soft and ripe tannins.
 
Quinta de Cabriz, Colheita Seleccionado, Dao, Portugal
Grape Varietal/s - Alfrecheiro, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional
Aromas of prominent red fruits,wild berries, jam, spices and toast. The taste is fruity, soft, elegant, & harmonious.
 
Apaltagua Reserva Carmenere, Central Valley, Chile
Grape Varietal/s - Carmenere
It’s an intense wine, wild purple in colour. From start to finish, the touches of tobacco & red & black cherries intermingle, producing a great potency in the mouth. It possesses a generous body with smooth & friendly tannins. It is a well-rounded wine with a juicy & lingering finish.
 
M. Chapoutier Côtes du Roussillon Villages Les Vignes de Bila-Haut, Rhone Valley, France
Grape Varietal/s – Grenache, Syrah, Carignan
Deep garnet red with aromas of black cherry. This wine is fleshy, well-structured with the warm
and savage of soils of the
Roussillon area.
 
Astrolabe ‘Durvillea’ Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
Grape Varietal/s - Sauvignon Blanc
Pale straw with green highlights. Lemon grass, lime and passion fruit with background notes of herbs, nettle, white currant and capsicum. Medium-bodied with gooseberry,
white peach, tropical fruits and citrus flavours, and a dry  mineral finish.
Cap Royal Bordeaux Supérieur, Bordeaux, France
Grape Varietal/s – Merlot 70%, Cabernet Sauvignon 30%
An expressive and complex nose, with primary aromas of toast, vanilla and ripe red fruits. After aeration, secondary notes of menthol and spice mixed with cedar develop. On the palate, the mouth feel is rich and silky with elegant tannins. The finish is long, aromatic and delicious, structured and oaky yet always maintaining finesse
 
La Vieilles Ferme Blanc, Cotes de Luberon, France
Grape Varietal/s - Bourboulenc, Grenache Blanc, Ugni Blanc, Vermentino
Beautiful yellow dress with green highlights. The nose is intense, the mouth is full of freshness and tension, it presents a nice balance in the mouth, between acidity and volume. It continues on a long finish with lemon-citrus notes.
 
M.A.N Vintners Oukalant Cabernet Sauvignon, Coastal Region, South Africa
Grape Varietal/s – Cabernet Sauvignon
Cherry, red licorice and toasted vanilla notes.
 
In conclusion, we know that wine is relatively new to 95% of India and while we have a long way to go before we catch up with the rest of the wine consuming world, it is astonishing to see how far we have come in a relatively short wine. The future can only be rosé…