Vallonné Vineyards Winemaker’s dinner

On Tuesday night (February 22) Vallonné Vineyards hosted a winemaker’s dinner at Bungalow 9 in Bandra.  A very intimate affair, Vallonne’s winemaker Marie Barbé took us through their range of wines and Chef Rajeev Basak put together a special menu to be paired with the wines. I’ve been planning to try Vallonne’s wines and the food at Bungalow 9 for a while now and the winemaker’s dinner was the perfect time.

Vallonne wines are created at their 20 acre Nasik estate which is nestled amidst the Sahyadri hills and extends to the beautiful Mukne dam. Shailendra Pai, who set up Vallonne in 2007, has several years of experience in the wine industry and chose to bring on board Marie Barbé who brought with her an expertise in wine-making from Bordeaux.

The first course was warm brie cheese melt with roasted sweet peppers paired with Vallonne’s 2011 Rose. The Rose made of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes is vibrant and fresh. With notes of cherry, plum, melons, berries, a crisp acidity and a refreshing finish, it is easily one of the best Indian Rose wines I’ve tasted to date. With just 3,600 bottles of their first vintage, Shailendra Pai said that this is currently their best selling wine.

The second course: Merlot 2010 paired with grilled roulade of chicken breast, red pepper cous cous with vinaigrette of the deliciously flavourful argan oil. The dish also paired well with the Sauvignon Blanc 2010 which has flavours of melon, gooseberry and freshly cut grass. The wine is very fresh, almost no sugars and a good acidity.

For the main course, Chef Rajeev wowed us all with his Cabernet braised lamb with garlic mash, cabbage and sautéed bacon. Lamb and bacon – divine. This was paired with Cabernet Sauvignon Classique 2010 which has flavours of spices and blackberry.

Loved Aneesh Bhasin's tweet

Of course after such an exquisite meal we had to finish with a bang. And Chef’s signature single origin chocolate Madagascar ice cream with rosemary, extra virgin olive oil and sea salt is the bomb! Enough to make anyone keep going back to Bungalow 9 over and over again. And when it is paired with Vallonne’s dessert wine Vin de Passerillage 2011 it is only that much better.

Barbé educated us about the process of Passerillage which is the shrivelling the grapes. For the Vallonné  dessert wine, Chenin grapes were suspended on a wire for three weeks to facilitate evaporation and concentrate the sugars. This year the grapes will be dried in nets and Barbé even plans to oak the 2012 vintage. We’ll just have to wait to see how that turns out. Going by all the other wines I tasted that night, it is definitely something to be excited about.

Picture courtesy: Vallonne vineyards

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Weekend Vineyard Getaway

I had the most amazing weekend. I was one of the lucky few bloggers to be invited to the Fratelli estate in Akluj.

We set out from Bandra at 7am, and after a seven hour journey and a few hiccups (we blamed it on the curse of Friday the 13th) we settled into the spacious and extremely comfortable  rooms at the Fratelli guest house. With bay windows opening onto a sprawling lawn and a view of the vineyard, I barely wanted to leave the room. But what we were treated to after was more that any of us could have asked for.

Here’s a photo journey of the trip:

The guest house

Equipped with four spacious bedrooms and a lounge area completely pimped out with a pool table, flat screen TV and home theatre. The staff is extremely warm and they all went out of their way to make our stay comfortable.  They share a very obvious friendship and mutual respect amongst themselves which creates a very homely environment.  The food tastes so good, very ghar ka khana (home food) like.  We overate at every meal!

Our BLUE room

And the blue bathroom

A room with a view

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Tour of the winery and cellar

We missed Fratelli’s Tuscan Viticulturist and Oenologist Piero Masi on our trip to the vineyard, but Sandeep, the Assistant Winemaker took us through the entire winemaking process in their state of the art winery. The post-modern winery designed of glass and metal is modelled after a European Ferrari showroom.  The cellar houses the Sette, which is the Fratelli Reserve oaked for a year, and currently only available for purchase at the vineyard.

Italian equipment with the capacity of 6 lac litres

The oak casks in the cellar hold the 2011 reserve

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Wine tasting

Sipping eleven Fratelli wines directly under millions of stars in the sky in the early January chill. What more could you ask for?! If it is crackers, cheese and olives, we had that too.

I’m partial to the whites and loved the Chardonnay 2011. I also enjoyed the Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese. More tasting notes here.

The entire range

All set for the tasting

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A night at the vineyard

Fellow bloggers Sonu and Jasleen from Fashion Bombay and Anisha from The Backpackers Co. were my travel mates. And as the wine flowed, so did the conversation 🙂

Settling in for the night

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ATV awesomeness

The ATVs are the perfect way to get around the vineyard around the winery, and such good fun!

Vrooooomm

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Vineyard tour, grape tasting, Syrah hill

A 20 minute ride away from the estate is Fratelli’s 150 acre vineyard where they’ve created three reservoirs to irrigate the entire property. We tasted different grape varieties as we drove up to the quaint hut on Syrah hill. A beautiful 360 degree view, cool breeze and chilled wine – the perfect spot to spend a couple of hours in the afternoon, enjoying the beauty around.

Bunches and bunches of grapes all around

Vineyards as far as the eye can see

Syrah Hill

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Our last night at the vineyard ended with a cultural performance (lejhim) by a troupe from the village as we huddled around the bonfire. A great end to a great weekend. I’m looking forward to going back there during harvest next month.

See more pictures here

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YORK LIVE 2.0

The York Winery:

Located in the Ganarpur area of Nasik, York Winery was formed in 2005 and celebrated their first vintage in 2008. The 9 acre estate has gorgeous vineyards and even a Tasting Room at the winery which is open throughout the week for visitors.

York wines have been much appreciated in the short time they’ve been around. In 2009, York Reserve Shiraz won the Gold Medal at The Sommelier India Wine Competition followed by a Bronze Medal for the York Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon at The Sommelier India Wine Competition and Commended at The International Wine Challenge 2010, London. To know more about the winery visit http://www.yorkwinery.com/

Your Live 2011:

Last year York Winery organised their first edition of the day-long wine and music festival called York Live. For their maiden leg, the festival saw quite an impressive line up of artists – Shaa’ir + Func, Jalebee Cartel, Rodney Branigan and The Mavyns.

York Live 2012- What to expect:

This year York Live has definitely upped the ante with the music acts. Headlining the festival is Karsh Kale, followed by Shrilektric and Something Relevant. You can also look forward to the grape stomping, carnival games, the bazaar and of course, most important, the wine.  Food Stalls – Cellar Door (in-house restaurant at York Winery), Udipi Spice, Bliss, Oye Punjabi and Vadilal Ice Cream.

I couldn’t attend York Live last year, but have it on good authority that it was a blast. So this year I’ll make sure I don’t miss it. You should too.

For Ravi Gurnani, owner York Winery, York Live is an attempt to celebrate the good things in life. Isn’t that all that matters?

Venue: York Winery, Nasik

Date and Time: Saturday, January 21, 2012. 12.30pm onwards.

Passes: Rs. 900 entry fee. You can book them online here.

You can also collect them at Bonobo, Kenilworth Mall, Woodside Inn Colaba, Godrej Nature’s Basket, and Rhythm House, Kala Ghoda.

 

Follow York Live of Facebook and Twitter for more updates.

And if you haven’t liked the GiggleWater411 page on Facebook yet, here it is!

 

 

 

Uncork your luck

Happy New Year! 😀

I’m looking forward to starting this year on a high. So here’s announcing the first contest on GiggleWater411. I’m super excited about this and all the other cool things that are lined up for the blog in 2012 and I hope you’ll are too.

Thank you for coming back week after week to see what’s happening. It’s why I keep blogging!

WIN. WIN. WIN.

FRATELLI CONTEST

If you read my post The Story of Fratelli then you know that this vineyard produces some real quality wines.

In keeping with the festivities of the season, Fratelli Wines is giving two lucky GiggleWater411 readers a chance to win a bottle each. All you have to do is post a comment and answer this question – WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BEST WINE MOMENT?

It could be an especially satisfying wine experience or even a memory of  shared laughter with friends over a bottle.

Don’t forget to Like the new Giggle Water411 page on FB here to be eligible to win this and other goodies!

I really enjoy Fratelli’s Chenin Blanc 2011 and am making my way through the tasting of their other wines (looking forward to the Sangiovese). I love my sangria and I must say that their Classic Red and Classic White make for a great base. Wine connoisseur and fellow blogger Aneesh Bhasin (also a top-notch photographer) first suggested I use Fratelli for the sangria pitchers I was planning for the night, and they were a complete hit. At Rs. 395 for a 750ml bottle they are also very affordable, especially when you have sangria guzzlers around!

I used the Classic White for a melon sangria with musk melon, apple juice and a dash of vodka. To the Classic Red I added apple cubes, orange slivers, orange juice and some roasted cinnamon. Superb! I won’t tell you how much of each to use because I’ve found it is best to add to taste depending on whether you prefer it sweet or a little acidic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 2011 tasting notes:

Chenin Blanc 2011 – Silky smooth and medium-bodied, the fruit is reminiscent of peach and lime with mineral accents. The crisp acidity balances the slight residual sugar to create a dry impression, coupled with a silky texture. Not overtly complex, but carefully constructed and well balanced. Rs 495 for 750ml

Sauvignon Blanc 2011 – It holds a high level of intensity throughout, and its low pH, high acidity and touch of residual sugar are so perfectly balanced and elegant in structure. It is so emphatically varietal, yet subtle in its complex fusion of melon rind, lime, grapefruit and dry grassy/ herbaceous flavours, that you’re left entirely satisfied and wanting. Rs 595 for 750ml

Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 – This classic-style Cabernet has great balance and nuance. The first impression is of concentrated blackberry and black currant fruit, but more impressive are the subtle notes one finds underneath the fruit: black olives, subtle minerality, a hint of sage and an elusive spiciness. The soft tannin adds to the wine’s structure without adding bitterness. Rs 650 for 750ml

Chardonnay 2011 – Offers bright aromas of tart apple, sugar melon and a brush of lemon- chiffon wrapped around a citrus peel core.  The delicious palate is hung on a lovely frame of firm acidity to give it structure and vibrancy with a fine edge of minerality piping in throughout the finish. Rs 695 for 750ml

Shiraz 2011 – This wine is packed with fresh, juicy flavours of cassis and blackberry with spicy dark chocolate undertones. The velvety entry in the mouth strikes the perfect balance between sweetness and acidity, which are kept lingering for a lengthy soft finish.  Rs 650 for 750ml

Sangiovese 2011 – Aromas of perfumed red fruits, cherry and lolly musk. With more air, raspberry and vanilla bean emerge. . Supple, ripe, and intense on the palate, it has plenty of spicy cherry fruit and hints of cardamom following. The finish is long with a fine underlying structure, even tannins, and exceptional length. Chianti has come to India! Rs 795 for 750ml

Merlot 2011 – Full and fat with classic plum and red cherry like fruit. Good depth and concentration. Crafted in a fresh, clean style, this velvety Merlot offers enticing aromas and bright, juicy flavours of cherry, dark berry and plum backed by subtle mocha and herbal nuances and a delicate minerality. Rs 795 for 750ml

Classic White – A beautifully vibrant wine, with fresh aromas of melon and cumquat with a hint of lemongrass. The mouth explodes with fresh clean acidity which cuts through the succulent tropical flavours, while lingering flavours of passion fruit and guava travel along the mid-palate. The wine finishes with a sprinkling of lime juice and dry mineral notes. Rs 395 for 750ml

Classic Red – The wine is deep ruby red in colour with aromas of plum, blackberry and spice, with hints of typical earthiness and coffee on the nose. Medium bodied on the palate with a soft supple mouthfeel, this is a well balanced wine exhibiting the elegance and complexity on the palate all framed in a velvety texture. Rs 395 for 750ml