The first public tasting of a new wine is a great moment for any wine maker. To be an Indian wine maker and manage that first-ever tasting on an international stage especially in a place like France is an honour worth savouring. Abhay Kewadkar, the Senior Vice President & Chief Wine Maker from UB group lived that moment to the hilt when the four wines under the banner, ‘Four Seasons’, were tasted in France during an annual event orchestrated in Saumur by the Monmousseau family of Bouvet-Ladubay (the winery in Loire Valley owned by the UB group).
The Mood of the Event The triumvirate of wine, music and books comes together in this two day event in France’s Loire Valley held in Angers and Saumur, and 2008 was the 13th edition. The natural beauty of Saumur has been the cradle for many famous French writers and artists apart from some great wines that come from the celebrated region. Component of music is provided by young medical students who come and put together a band that plays at the market place with abandon. The event is attended by invitees who are brought on a train specially hired for the event, all the way from Paris. These are writers who are in the news and they come to celebrate with like minded people, and interact with members of the public. It is an honour to be invited for the event and you are looked after well. It is not a business platform so no publishers are invited but authors come and sign their books for any customers. There are fancy dinners and meals, and a general spirit of joie de vivre.
Each year the theme of the event is different. This year it was focused on Israel and India. Mundane aspects of the event like organising the train, raising the money for the event, ensuring that everything runs smoothly is done so effortlessly that Juliette Monmousseau actually found time to conduct a personal tour for the Indian ambassador in France and his wife to the caves of Bouvet-Ladubay. These caves are a magical part of the city with well orchestrated music playing while one goes through the old sections where old labels are stocked as also the cellars with barrels upon barrels of wines.
Saumur is known for its association with horses and horse riding schools and academies. The Monmousseau family has their own set of handsome horses and a pair even pulls a fancy carriage on the day of the event. Patrice Monmousseau, totally drawn into the mood of the event gets up next to the carriage driver and guides the horses; he even waves goodbye at the station as the band plays and the train pulls out – despite the non stop rain. On the train they offer people wines and before you board the train you are handed a bag that contains a nice picnic – water, chocolates, sandwiches etc. its definitely an event that stays in the memory forever and would often draw a smile when one remembers it.
Notes of Four Seasons Wines
Apart from members of the public, Abhay Kewadkar had two known names – Jacques Puisais and Bruno Li Paumard on April 12th & Bruno Li Paumard on the 13th at “Les Journées Nationales du Livre et du Vin” – Litterature & Wine festival in Angers & Saumur (respectively) – Loire Valley, France, when the Four Seasons wines were tasted. Here Bruno shares his professional view of the wines, and by all indications he was duly impressed with these wines from India.
Bruno says (On picture), ‘When I first tasted the wines of FOUR SEASONS, I was expecting for new world style. I have discovered that the brand new world (Indian vineyards) doesn’t follow the trend in the winemaking of a country
Bruno says, ‘When I first tasted the wines of FOUR SEASONS, I was expecting for new world style. I have discovered that the brand new world (Indian vineyards) doesn’t follow the trend in the winemaking of a country like Australia and looks more for some “Terroir” expressions
like Australia and looks more for some “Terroir” expressions.’ For the FOUR SEASONS - CHENIN BLANC, Bruno says, ‘This wine has got an intense gold dress. This intensity shows how the yield is under control. The nose is very fruity and lemony at the first sight and proposes some balsamic complexity on the end like the great Loire Valley ones. The mouth is full, rich, well balanced with a long perfume flavours on the end. This wine can be drunk before the meal or on its own just for the pleasure’.
The second wine of FOUR SEASONS, the SAUVIGNON BLANC, and Bruno says, ‘This wine has a light yellow dress. Its nose is unique Nothing to compare with any of the other Sauvignon Blancs of the world. A noble animal note surrounded with delicacy the fruity power of this wine is different. The mouth starts on the freshness to finish on a very unctuous body. This wine can be paired with fish dishes with a powerful sauce like a meat based sauce.’
The third wine label to be tasted was the SHIRAZ, and Bruno says for this one, ‘A deep purple colour shine on this dress. Its nose reflects the complexity of its “terroir” with spices, and especially a beautiful natural aroma of cinnamon. The mouth starts on sweet tannins to be balanced on a second time and to finish on perfume. Definitely, this wine is made to be married with traditional curries or also with meat cooked with fruits like the famous Duck with Oranges!’
The last label of the tasting, the CABERNET SAUVIGNON, drew Bruno to say, ‘The dress of this wine is just black! Its nose, quite closed at the moment, gives first the typical green pepper aroma underlined by a mineral smoky touch. After a few minutes, a black fruit aroma discloses and makes the real dimension of this wine. A full bodied mouth with a high freshness shows a big potential in aging for this wine. As young as it is right now, I suggest to drink this nectar with grilled red meat in a few years time, I guess that it will be able to be paired with supreme recipes of meats with mushrooms and other strong spices.’ Bruno Li Paumard is a sommelier with books to his credit. He has professional qualifications garnered in France and in England and has been a finalist Best Sommelier of UK. He is the Oenologist and Training Manager of Bouvet-Ladubay since 1993 and the expert at many wine and spirit auctions. At the Saumur event he was accompanied by his charming young teenager daughter who was hanging on to every word of her father with obvious pride.
While conducting the tasting with Abhay, in Saumur, Bruno pointed out the locations of the winery on a map of India and answered some direct questions about the wines, their ageing and questions about the grapes in vineyard. Whatever he did not know was filled in or directly answered by Abhay. It is a mega project being carried forward in the plains of Baramati near Pune; under able guidance and leadership the wines are poised to make a place for themselves in the international and on domestic front too.
Courtesy: http://www.ambrosiaindia.com