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…
Nocturne: The Party Champagne
I’m not one for flowers, chocolates, or diamonds, but Champagne I can rarely say no to. Okay, make that never. So despite being slightly under the weather, I headed to the JW Marriott Aerocity in New Delhi for an evening…
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…
Barrel-Aged Cocktails: hit or miss?
My introduction to barrel-aged cocktails came early last year. The process, I was told, involved pre-mixing a cocktail in large quantities and ageing it in an oak barrel (like the ones used for whiskies and wine). Once out, the cocktails would…
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…
For a little sweet something
Looking to buy an Indian dessert wine? This might help. Most people may be inclined to think that it is easier to evaluate a dessert wine – to extract notes and nuances in something sweet –, but not too long…
Oz Beer Master Class
Good beer should not be hard to find. In India, however, good beer is a luxury. So when there’s a beer event with craft brews, no effort is too great to make sure I’m there, even if it means flying…
Welcoming the SETTE 2010
A few days ago I was at a wine tasting different from the usual. I’ve come to hate any event that claims to be a ‘wine and food pairing’. In the many I’ve attended in Mumbai over the last few…
New Year Bubbly – Nicolas Feuillatte Palmes d’Or ’96
New Year’s Eve – the end of one year and the optimism that the next will outdo all that has come before. My 2013 began by popping open a very special bottle of Champagne that was gifted to me on…
Beer Review: Budweiser Magnum
If you’ve read my previous post then you know that Anheuser-Busch InBev launched Budweiser Magnum in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad yesterday. It is available in Mumbai at Rs. 150 for 650ml and Rs. 80 for a pint of 330ml….
The One with the Grass
I find myself strangely fascinated by spirits that have objects floating in them – the tequila worm, snake wine or even the more staid gold flecked liqueurs. Regardless of whether they add flavour or are dropped in just for the…
The story of Fratelli Wines
In the Sholapur district of Maharashtra, near the town of Akluj, lies a 240-acre vineyard. This sprawling vineyard belongs to three sets of brothers – Alessio and Andrea Secci, Kapil and Gaurav Sekhri and Ranjit and Arjun Mohite – Patil,…
Austrian Wine Tasting: Schloss Gobelsburg
Last week Aspri Spirits brought Michael Moosbrugger, CEO and winemaker of the famed Austrian winery Schloss Gobelsburg to Mumbai. With vineyards in Austria’s Kamptal region, this historic winery which dates back to 1171 was owned and operated by Cistercian monks…
Of Cazzews & Cawcawnuts
Goa- India’s favourite holiday destination. A city where people work their way around afternoon siesta breaks and where everyone knows stories about everyone else. A city infested with speed breakers and when there aren’t any, the shadows of the palm…
Brewing a Storm!
Let me tell you a story. A story of two boys who wanted to change the oppressive world they were living in. So they dreamed. A dream to break the shackles of bureaucracy and guide people onto the correct path….