Cool breeze is already a distant dream. Ample sun and high temperature are fast becoming part of our lives – with mild breezy evenings bringing temporary respite. Green lawns, budding flowers, and sunny days that poets link Spring to are hard to experience in Indian metro cities. Yet the advent of Spring brings out the joyous, life-affirming positivity in us. And Holi is just an outward manifestation of all that. And such a bright, crisp and sweet season surely should be celebrated with coordinating wines!
Riesling: It has pronounced fruity, varietal flavours expressed in the wines wherever the grapes are grown, and whatever style (dry, medium, sweet) is made. Riesling is an aromatic white grape variety, its fruity and floral rather than the herbaceous like Sauvignon Blanc. In the cool climate it has a taste of green apples with citrus tones and a lot of freshness. It gives an overall sweet zest to the palate. With good age it exhibits its true nature of a very popular and loved German wine.
Sauvignon Blanc: Some attribute the success of Sauvignon Blanc to its ability to create a clear, clean, crisp, refreshing, unoaked wine. A clear contrast to the Chardonnay, which is made in wide range of styles. Made in Loire Central vineyards of France and Sauternes, Graves from Bordeaux, in the cool climates of Australia and New Zealand, in the Napa Valley of America and also in Chile and South Africa. It is an aromatic white grape variety displaying strong aromas of green fruits vegetation. It’s usually high in acidity medium bodied and almost dry. Unlike the reds it is a fresh and its new world wines are very popular.
Sparkling Wines: Be it a Prosecco or an Asti DOCG or Sekt or evening the most well known Champagne, sparkling wines are always a favourite when people are celebrating or not. Being in high demand and limited in supply it always keeps its patrons wanting more, and maybe also being a little heavy on the pockets it’s always appreciated.
Sherry: It is a dry medium or sweet fortified wine made around the town of Jerez de la Frontera in southern Spain. The base wine is a neutral white through its special aging process the final product can be amber or even deep brown in colour. Fino and Manzanilla sherries are pale in colour, dry, medium bodied typically matured in the solera process. My favourite would be the Harvey’s Bristol Cream because its creamy nutty aromas balanced with a creamy, oaky, vanilla flavoured amber coloured wine with hints of honey and raisin. A finish which reminds me of freshly brewed coffee essence.
So which one would enhance your Holi mood? Bhaang in the morning and Wine in the evening. Aaaahhhh.. Now isn’t that a perfect day!
Inputs: Arka Bhattacharya, ‘Complete Wine Course’ by Tom Forrest
Images: Google
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