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Charosa Wineries

Charosa wineries

 

 

I had visited Charosa winery a couple of years ago in July 2011 (when the winery wasn’t completely ready) on an invitation from Milind Pandit, their National Sales & Marketing Head.  I was blown away with the size of their operation and knew immediately that when they launched they would create a stir.

I remember the weekend I was there they were rolling in brand new barrels that had just arrived the same day.  You could feel their excitement and passion for what they were doing.

Situated in the Dindori Taluka of Nasik, Charosa has its own vineyards and also sources fruit from contracted farmers that they supervise closely. The winery is state of the art and its location is absolutely stunning; you can climb to the top of that hill in the picture and take in a 360-degree view of the surroundings. Not open to visitors just yet but it is going to be a great place to spend the weekend once they have their hospitality infrastructure in place.

The current portfolio launched in late 2013 includes a New Zealand style Sauvignon Blanc that is absolutely stunning and one of India’s best.  A classy crisp Viognier made in an oxidative style, which I really enjoyed, a Shiraz that has spent some time in oak and a Reserve Tempranillo, which is brilliant. The Tempranillo grape variety has proven itself to thrive in Indian climatic conditions and we will see a lot more wineries launching their versions using this variety soon. They also have a Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon that didn’t impress as much as the others but I think the next vintage will be much better. What I really like about Charosa is that they are making efforts to be different. For example they haven’t included a Chenin Blanc in their portfolio, a gutsy move that I respect. All wines are bottled in screw cap, which in India makes complete sense.

My only grouse is that they too have become part of this new trend for wineries in India to price one or two of their wines at around the Rs 1500 and above mark, a trend I don’t support.

Charosa is a great example of the level of wine quality India can produce when we put in the right effort and investment. Milind and the team have set high standards right from the get-go and we look forward to seeing what else this winery will offer in the future.

Tasting Notes: (Provided by Charosa Wineries)

Charosa Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: Dark ruby red with complex aromas of ripe fruits, black olive, vanilla, eucalyptus, chocolate, with hint of sweet spice.    On palate wine is rich and soft, expressing ripe fruits like plum, raspberry.     Full bodied this wine finishes with well balanced tannins. MRP Rs.1500/-

Charosa Vineyards Reserve Tempranillo: Dark Ruby-red in color, the nose is filled with rich coconut, vanilla, chocolate & raspberry aromas.   Medium-bodied with excellent concentration of warm red fruit flavors like raspberry, strawberry & plum are distinctly ripe and fleshy.  Round and soft finish is an endless display of well balanced wine. MRP Rs.1500/-

Charosa Vineyards Selections Shiraz: Ruby red , bright, fresh dark fruits on the nose with some vivid raspberry, strawberry, cherry, vanilla and toasty aroma notes. The mid palate expresses ripe red fruit and mature tannins. Great spicy finish with a hint of oak. MRP Rs.800/-

Charosa Vineyards Selections Sauvignon Blanc: Bright straw yellow. Lively intense flavors of tropical fruits with gooseberry and orange flavors on mid palate The palate is broad, balanced and quite rich with tropical fruit and a grassy mineral freshness. MRP Rs.750/-

Charosa Vineyards Selections Viognier: Bright straw yellow. Very rich, fruity floral nose, luscious edge displaying sweet spices like cinnamon and delicate apricot aromas. On the palate this is full, and soft silky texture imparted by short ageing in new French oak barrel. MRP Rs.750/-

Viognier  Shiraz Sauvignon Blanc Cabernet Sauvignon Tempranillo

By Nikhil Agarwal

 

All Things Nice Penfolds Wine Dinner at Ellipsis

Penfolds dinner (40)

 

All Things Nice & Penfolds hosted a dinner at Ellipsis on the 29th of November 2013. The dinner was organised by All Things Nice to welcome Simon Cant, Penfolds Brand Ambassador.

The wines for the evening included the Koonunga Hill Chardonnay and Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet and the Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz and Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon.

The dinner was attended by Mr.Mark Pierce – Australian Consul General and Patrick Kearins – Austrade Trade Commissioner and members of All Things Nice.

Nikhil Agarwal greeted the guests and handed the evening’s proceedings to Simon Cant who spoke about Penfolds and the wines for the evening.

The 5 course menu for the evening was created by Chef Kelvin of Ellipsis.

Nikhil Agarwal, Sommelier & Director All Things Nice is an A+ Wine Educator and promotes and educates consumers and the F&B trade on Australian wine. All Things Nice is a Sommelier driven Wine & Spirits Consultancy.

Ellipsis restaurant is a gastro-inspired Modern American dining concept, offering small plate items meant for sharing.  Menus are printed daily based on the freshness of ingredients – ensuring the best quality standard for our guests.

Meu for the evening:

First Course

Raw Almond Yogurt, Mushroom Confit, Raclette, Pickles

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Chardonnay, 2011, South Australia

 

Second Course

Tomato, Tomato Reduction, Spaeztle, Ketchup, Basil
Or
Prawns, Millets, Pickled Onions, Parmesan, Micro Greens

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet, 2010, South Australia

 

Third Course

Tofu, Brussels Sprouts, Soya Sauce, Black Pepper Caramel
Or
Chicken Breast, Cheesy Polenta, Carrots, Brussel Sprouts , Sherry

Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz, 2010, South Australia

 

 Fourth Course

Risotto, Pumpkin, Apple, Pistachio
Or
Lamb, Olive Caramel, Smoked Potato Puree, Kale

Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009, South Australia

 

Fifth Course

Crème Brûlée, Coconut, Pretzel Streusel, Caramel Sauce, Coconut Cookie

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Here’s what Mr. Patrick Kearins – the Australia Trade Commissioner to India had to say about All Thing Nice !  http://youtu.be/ppl4nSNwooE

 

All Things Nice at the Mumbai Farmers Market

mumbai farmers market

Guests at the Mumbai Farmer’s Market had a unique wine tasting experience conducted by our very own Sommelier Nikhil Agarwal. They tasted 5 different wines and were asked to guess which country they came from. While guesses like USA, Spain, South Africa, Australia, Italy, France and Chile ran through the air they were surprised to know that all wines tasted were actually from India!

Wines tasted were Sula Riesling, Fratelli Sangiovese Bianco, Charosa Sauvignon Blanc, Myra Shiraz and Grover Zampa Chene Grand Reserve.

 

All Things Nice takes Indian Wineries to Hong Kong

hk4Nikhil Agarwal, Sommelier and Director of All Things Nice took 6 Indian wineries and 7 different Indian wines to Hong Kong. The tasting and dinner was done in collaboration with The Flying Winemaker – Eddie McDougal . The Flying Wine Maker is a wine store and bar in Hong Kong and has been voted as the top 10 places for purchasing wine in Hong Kong.

The wines showcased were Sula Vineyards Riesling, Grover Zampa Vineyards Soiree Brut and Viognier, Vallonne Vineyards Rose, Fratelli Vineyards Sette, Charosa Wineries Tempranillo and Myra Vineyards Shiraz. There were 30 people in attendance most of whom had never had tried Indian wine before. The wine dinner took place on November 11th at The Flying Wine Maker and then moved to Ganga an Indian restaurant in Lan Kwai Fong in Hong Kong.

The wines were paired with a 5 course Indian menu showcasing Indian dishes like Biryani, Mutton Massala, Dal Makhani, Paneer Tikka and King Prawns.

This was the first time ever than a wine dinner showcasing various brands of Indian wine was organised internationally. This was done to showcase not any one particular Indian wine but the Indian wine industry as a whole.

Images along with videos of feed back from the guests at the event.

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The videos are testament to the event itself.

 

 

 

 

 

Nederburg Dinner by Aspri Spirits

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I attended the Nederburg Wine Dinner at Pali Village Cafe recently hosted by Aspri Spirits. Jacobus Whilhem Pienaar, Wine Maker at Nederburg and Jan De Bruyn from Distell co hosted the event. It was an interesting evening drinking wines I am quite well versed with. The Nederburg Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz and Pinotage were all great and kept coming all through out the dinner.

We had an interesting conversation with Jacobus on the style of wines preferred in India and the price we as consumers are willing to pay in general. Having worked directly with Distell while I was at Sula Vineyards it was great to interact with the team again. Conrad Dsouza at Pali Village Cafe put together an outstanding menu, the most notable of which was the dessert which had Amarula as its base.

 

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By Nikhil Agarwal (Sommelier & Director of All Things Nice)

Rajeev Samant unveils Sula’s new range of beautifully packaged sparkling wines

rajeeev samant

All Things Nice was invited to Sula Vineyards for a celebration that marked the rebranding of Sula’s sparklers. The new labels are cleaner and more in tune with what we would look for in a label today. Rajeev conducted a tasting of their Brut, Brut Rose and Seco speaking briefly of Sula’s history and the Indian wine market in general. The Tasting Cellar in place of Sula’s bottling room is new too. Exposed brick, warm lighting, a sprinkle of barrels and a very long tasting table makes this a winner giving us another great reason to visit the winery.

sula_brut. sula_brut_rose sula_seco 

 

Spanish Wine Regions

Spain is a hot, dry, mountainous country with more vineyard land than any other nation on Earth. It ranks third in the world in wine production, after France and Italy. We at ATN have a soft corner for Spanish wines; they are reasonably priced, less complicated and just as enjoyable as their European neighbours.

 There are several types of unique grapes and wines being produced throughout the entire country, offering everything from a fruity white wine to a full-bodied, bold red; so there is a wine for every person, at every price range.

Spainhas over 70 (Quality-Approved) wine regions and has more vineyards planted to land than any other country in the world. The most important region for premium Spanish reds is Rioja. The main grape for this moderate climate region is Tempranillo.  One of the pleasures of life – sipping on the classic Rioja with bites of tapas in a small wine bar in Madrid!

Rioja gives full or medium-bodied reds with medium acidity, medium tannins and red fruit flavours. It is often blended with Grenache, giving it spicy notes and higher alcohol. Much of the character of traditional style Riojas comes from the oak ageing. Oak ageing softens the tannins and gives sweet coconut and vanilla flavours to the wine. Over time some very savoury animal and vegetable flavours can develop.

Another famous wine region is the Ribera Del Deuro producing premium quality red wines from Tempranillo with black fruit notes and toasty oak flavours. Try a wine from this region with juicy Spanish chorizo for the ultimate Spanish experience.

In Navarra, Tempranillo is often blended with international grape varietals such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.  Priorat and Catalunya are two other regions you should look out for, both produce fantastic Tempranillo/Grenache blends.

Spainalso produces some interesting whites, the most famous being the Albarino primarily from Rias Baixas. These are light to medium bodied wines with fresh green and citrus fruit on the palate. These are usually unoaked with refreshing high acidity. A wide range of white styles are produced in Catalunya with local as well as international grape varieties such as Chardonnay. The traditional white Rioja is full-bodied with nutty, oaky flavours, though unoaked styles are also available.

Cava is the Spanish term for traditional-method sparkling wines. The main grape varietals used are local Spanish ones. The wines have fairly neutral fruit flavours, medium acidity and very little complexity. The next time you have a celebration, we suggest you open a bottle of Cava. It’s crisp and delightful and is much easier on the pocket than its French cousin,Champagne.

Spanish wines qualify by age of maturation, or are classified by time spent in oak and bottle. A young wine without ageing is Sin Crianza. A wine that has at least two years’ maturation can be called Crianza. A Reserva must be aged for at least three years of which one must be in oak barrels and Gran Reserva five years ageing in total with a minimum of two years in barrel.

On your next visit to Spain make sure you plan a trip to atleast one of these remarkable vineyards as Spain has some of the most beautiful vineyard landscapes in the world!

Raspberry Lemon Cake

 

Raspberry-Lemon Olive Oil Cake

 

 Ingredients:

200 grams sugar

4 lemons- zest

4 eggs

26 grams room temperature milk

245 grams flour

8 grams baking powder

2 lemons- juice

100 grams butter- melted

185 grams extra-virgin olive oil

250 grams fresh raspberries

 

Method:

Mix the sugar and the lemon zest. Add the eggs, one by one to the mixture.

Next add the milk.Mix the flour and the baking powder together and add this to the mixture. Add the lemon juice, melted butter and the extra-virgin olive oil.

Pour half of the batter into a spring-form pan lined with butter paper and add the raspberries in an even layer. Cover with the remaining batter.

Bake it for 30 to 35 minutes at 180 degrees.

Duo of Duck

 

Confit duck leg (8 portions) 

 Cooking time: 3 hours at 125˚C

Ingredients:

Duck leg                  1kg
Clarified butter         500ml
Refined oil                500ml
Rosemary                 10gms
Thyme                      10gms
Garlic                       25gms
Salt                          20gms
Black Pepper            15gms

Method:
Clean the duck legs and remove any excess skin or fat from it.
Rub the duck legs with salt and pepper.
Place the legs in a baking tray along with garlic, rosemary and thyme. Cover them in oil and melted butter.
Cover the tray with foil and put it in the preheated oven at 125˚C for 3 hours.

Potato Gratin (8 portions) 

Cooking time 1.5hours at 130˚C

Ingredients:
Sliced potato          300gms
Garlic                    15gms
Rosemary               5gms
Cooking cream       600ml
Parmesan               50gms
Butter                    30gms
Caramelized Onion 30gms
White Cheddar        70gms
Salt                         15gms
Black pepper           15gms

Method:

Wash and scrub the potatoes thoroughly and peel them.
Using a mandoline, cut the potatoes in 1/4cm thick slices.
Blanch the potatoes in boiling water for a couple of minutes.
In a bowl add garlic, thyme, butter, caramelized onions, parmesan, white cheddar, salt and pepper.
Whisk these ingredients together in a homogenous mixture.
Pour this mixture on top of the blanched potatoes and mix.
Arrange the potatoes in a baking tray and cover with foil.
Bake the potatoes, in a preheated oven at 130˚C for 1.5hours.

Pan Seared Duck Breast (1 portion)

Ingredients:
Duck breast         1
Salt                      5gms
Black pepper        3gms
Olive oil                5ml

Method:
Score the skin of the duck breast and season it with salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a pan and sear the duck skin side down for 3 minutes.
Flip the duck breast and cook for another 2 minutes.
Remove the duck from the pan and let it rest for a couple of minutes.

Sautéed Vegetables (1 portion)

Ingredients:

Zucchini           10gms

Yellow Squash 10gms

Baby Corn        10gms
Green beans     10gms
Thyme               3gms
Olive oil             3ml
Salt                   2gms
Black Pepper     2gms

Method:
Cut the vegetables into small dices.
Blanch the beans and baby corn in boiling salted water and refresh them in ice cold water.
Heat some olive oil in a sauté pan and add the vegetables.
Cook the vegetables in a pan for a couple of minutes and finish with thyme, salt and pepper.