The Red And White Test
UpperCrust put some of Bombay�s wine-drinking notables to the test over selected Indian reds and whites.

GROVER BLANC DE BLANC
Asit Chandmal: It�s nice. Has a flowery aroma.
Nirmal Zaveri: It�s a little fruity. Compared to a Chablis - very fruity!
Zeba Mitha Kohli: It�s okay!
Khalid Mohammed: It�s not bad. Not so sharp and, in fact, relatively smooth.
Tasneem Mehta: Nice and mild.

INDAGE�S RIVIERA WHITE
Asit: I wouldn�t buy this. It�s too sweet, has no depth, aroma or complexity. It�s a direct, simple, flat wine.
Nirmal: It�s a very young wine. Sourish, almost tangy.
Zeba: It tastes like trufle! It�s a young wine, and smooth.
Khalid: Too fruity. Like imli!
Tasneem: I like its fruity flavour.

SULA�S SAUVIGNON BLANC
Asit: If you chill it, the sweetness is less. And it is more refreshing.
Nirmal: Too sweet!
Zeba: It�s too sweet, but I like it.
Khalid: It�s full bodied and adequately light. Plus, I got a smoky undertaste.
Tasneem: I�ve always liked this wine.

GROVER�S ROSE
Asit: I wouldn�t buy this one.
Nirmal: I get a stale aroma.
Zeba: This is terrible! Not wine!
Khalid: This one�s got an acrid aftertaste. I think it�s meant for old aunties!
Tasneem: I think this bottle�s corked!

INDAGE�S RIVIERA RED
Asit: It�s drinkable, despite the dry aftertaste. But I wouldn�t buy it.
Nirmal: It�s absolutely flat. Plus it�s got no depth and the aftertaste is too dry.
Zeba: Smooth and young, but not very nice.
Khalid: Simple and nice and definitely a safe wine to buy.
Tasneem: A young wine, but nice.

INDAGE�S CHANTILLI RED
Asit: This is a decent wine! Much better than the Riviera.
Nirmal: It�s sharp in the start, then quite okay.
Zeba: It�s sharp, but I like its aroma, colour and aftertaste.
Khalid: Too tangy and sharp... and too mellow.
Tasneem: Sharp! Young! Nice! Interesting!

GROVER�S LA RESERVA
Asit: I don�t know what to say! I clearly preferred the Chantili. But what a lesson this is to us. It is so important to taste the wine before you serve it to your guests.
Nirmal: It�s got too smoky a taste. Like smoked salmon! I�d go for the Chantilli, too.
Zeba: It�s not happening!
Khalid: My gosh, this is like Hercules! Too heavy, too aggressive!
Tasneem: This is not a good bottle at all. I�ve had La Reserva before, and it�s not like this.

THE VERDICT
Indian wines are middling wines for everyday drinking with decent food. Like table wine with bistro food. However, it is crucial to taste the wine before serving it. You might just have a bad bottle. Or the wine might be corked. For ceremony sake, open the bottle before guests. Then take it aside and sample it yourself. Better be safe than sorry.


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