Wet, Dry, or Dirty: What’s your Martini?
The Martini is perhaps the most iconic cocktail in the world, and though it might look like a dainty drink, don’t be fooled; it certainly isn’t for the faint hearted. It has over 40 per cent hard spirit, and it will have you…
Should Feni be India’s heritage spirit?
China has its baijiu, Mexico its tequila, Japan its sake, Greece its ouzo…but what is India’s famous heritage spirit? It’s strange that in a country as large as ours we haven’t promoted any native spirits yet. Of course, it’s a…
The Cashew Trail @ Park Hyatt, Goa
It’s always nice to receive an invite for an event that’s in Goa. So, last month when I was called to attend The Cashew Trail, at the Park Hyatt Resort & Spa, Goa there was no hesitation at all. The Cashew Trail…
What are you doing this Negroni Week?
If you asked me for a list of my top 5 cocktails, the Negroni would be on it. There are many reasons why I love this classic Italian cocktail but perhaps the most relevant is that it is by far the…
5 truths about professional wine tasting
Earlier this month, I completed my third run at the international wine competition Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (CMB 2015). If you’ve been with me on this Gigglewater journey for a while you’ve probably read about the nerves on my first…
A toast to Port Wine Day
Long before Bordeaux was a demarcated entity, or before the first vine had even been planned in Australia or California, the region of Douro in Portugal was already a clearly defined appellation! The year was 1756 and Marquis de Pombal,…
Win a bottle of Bourbon #MedleyMix
Dear Delhi, If you’ve been keeping up with the blog you would’ve read about the new Bourbon in town – John Medley’s. Now here’s your chance to get a bottle all to yourself. Keep track of our Facebook page Giggle Water…
Nebbiolo Prima Musings
2014 was a big year for me, especially when it came to exploring wine regions. And my trip to the lovely city of Alba (famous for the truffles) in Northern Italy involved a tasting exercise like never before. I don’t…
Revisiting the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles
This year marked my second appearance at the reputed international wine competition – Concours Mondial de Bruxelles. (Read all about the jitters I felt and my experience at the 2013 edition here and here) One of the largest competitions of…
The Legend of Château Angélus
The time I tasted one of the most prestigious wines in the world He picks up the bottle, refills their wine glasses and sets it back on the table. If it were any other man in any other film it…
The Gin Diaries
I love gin. I think it is one of the most under rated spirits out there, and especially so in India. Local variants didn’t ever help matters; vile potent stuff where, any resemblance to the original was purely coincidental. Perhaps…
New in the market: KRSMA Wines
The Indian wine scene is agog with activity right now and each passing year sees the inauguration of a bevy of new wineries. The most recent one to impress me was KRSMA. Although not exactly a new winery, it has…
New in the market: Chêne Grande Reserve 2010
Last night was the launch of a new red wine reserve from Grover Zampa Vineyards – the Chêne Grande Reserve 2010. The wine is a blend of Tempranillo (60%) and Syrah (40%) grapes grown on the slopes of the winery’s Igatpuri (in…
Chandon Estate – Now in India!
This has been a long time coming and it’s finally here. The world’s ‘go-to’ Champagne, Moët & Chandon, is listed right on top of the most prestigious wine lists around the world as also in India. So when you have…
Blind tasting the Wines of India
Recently The Westin Pune Koregaon Park organised a wine event called Wines of India. The purpose was to bring together, on a common platform, all the Indian wineries and to blind taste their wines. 11 wineries – Sula, Grover Zampa,…