Fresh Wines for your ‘H O L I’day!

 

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

 

 

“Forever on Thanksgiving Day; The heart will find the pathway home”

 

“Thanks what?!” – was my first reaction when our American neighbour, Monica Osten, invited us over for a Thanksgiving potluck dinner at her place.

 

As a new bride in the USA, I was adapting pretty smoothly I had presumed. That is, until my neighbour bowled me a googly with this Turkey Day invitation. Yes, there’s google. Yes, there’s the county public library. But they just give you the cold facts. Right? The history, the traditions, the customs – all good to know – but, what about the spirit? The essence of any festival, my mother had taught, lies in the spirit. And that, mere facts can never inculcate.

 

 

Divided in Tradition, but United in Spirit:

 

Our rural ancestors, with little blest,
Patient of labour when the end was rest,
Indulged the day that housed their annual grain,
With feasts, and off’rings, and a thankful strain.
~Alexander Pope

 

As we were greeted by warm smiles (and warm hearts) at our neighbour’s place, we realized really it’s nothing different than what we celebrate back home. Celebrating the harvest of the year, being thankful for the bounty that would feed us and ours all the year round. Really, isn’t this what we celebrate at Sankranti, Bihu, Onam, Pongal or Lohri? Be it reaping wheat in the northern parts of the country, rice in the eastern parts, corn in some other parts – the essence is to be thankful for what we have been blessed with. Feasting, with family and friends, with foods that are drawn from crops that come to maturity around the time of the festival, well lit-up and decorated homes; and of course the merriment – nothing seemed alien any more. That’s what even we  celebrate back home, year after year, with zest and fervour.

 

Thanking to have near and dear ones in the journey of life:

 

Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received.

Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling.

Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.
~Henry Van Dyke

 

Being in a faraway land away from family, the first thing I appreciated at the gathering was the smiling faces of Monica’s family assembled around the kitchen counter. Good-natured teasing, banter, sharing jokes filled the room with warmth and camaraderie. Coming from an Indian joint family, the closest family gatherings at my place had about forty people for my mother to cater to. Sometimes, the hard work exhausted her. But she always appreciated family participation at the end of the day. And now I understood why. It is such a blessing to have dear ones to share the journey of life with. It is such a boon to be surrounded by empathetic people when you need support. The very thought humbled me.

 

It’s not the food, nor the wine, it’s the love:

 

“Wine makes every meal an occasion, every table more elegant,

every day more civilized.”
~ Andre Simon

 

Food has always been an essential part of any celebration. No exception. But it’s not the mere eating that counts. It’s the experience of dining together. Or perhaps, in gatherings like Monica’s, even the preparation part matters, as each member brought along his/her speciality dish – it didn’t matter who carved the turkey, who put together the cranberry relish, or who tossed the salad – as long as you enjoyed it. ‘You should try aunt Amanda’s pumpkin pie, it’s the best,” Monica’s daughter quipped. “And we store the cranberry sauce cousin Jacy brings to savour with any grilled meat for weeks after Thanksgiving”, Monica joined in. Like my brother and I waited for nani’s paayesh, pishi’s gokul pithe, ma’s paatishapta, grandmom’s naaru.

 

Wine & Dine makes the experience complete:

“Wine has been a part of civilized life for some seven thousand years.

It is the only beverage that feeds the body, soul and spirit of man

and at the same time stimulates the mind.”
~Robert Mondavi

 

A few candles, embroidered napkins, beautiful plates, a sensational wine and all of a sudden, a simple roasted turkey and mashed potatoes are transformed to something not so mundane. Wine is an integral part of Thanksgiving meal. It makes the conversation flow, the flavours of the food flourish, the gathering linger longer at the table. And nothing sounds sweeter than the voices in unison saying “Cheers”!

Wine as hostess/host gift:

 

“Fill every beaker up, my men, pour forth the cheering wine:

there’s life and strength in every drop, thanksgiving to the vine!”
~Albert Gorton Greene

 

No amount of wine would perhaps be too much at a Thanksgiving dinner table. With the spread having different flavours and spices, it’s best to have different types of wines to serve your guests. We all know, there’s not a complete list of perfect wine and food pairing. Ultimately it’s your choice, your palate and to some extent your budget. I’m sure your host or hostess would be glad to have another bottle to open up. But don’t expect it to be served right away. They may also prefer to keep it and open later when they sit back, relax and reminisce about the Thanksgiving gathering.

 

 

Festivals come and go. Even loved ones leave for heavenly abode. Memories linger and remain. Would I ever forget the bunch of yellow roses my mother’s uncle always brought along that immediately brightened up a mundane table décor, even though he’s no more with us? Would you ever forget how your mom sneaked and put away a little bit of your favourite sweetmeat so that you could relish it later? This is what we should be thankful for. This is where the essence of Thanksgiving lies. Not in the Turkey. Not in the wine and food pairing. Not in the candles lit, the wreaths put up. But in the love, the warmth, the memories. And these are the actual leftovers. The leftovers that really matter.

 

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the

 highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. 

 ~John Fitzgerald Kenne

 

Happy Thanksgiving. Cheers!

 

[Images: Google Search]

Happy HalloWINE — do it all tipple-themed!

 

The very thought that the month-long Indian festivities were over and done with was pretty depressing for me. And coupled with Monday Blues this morning, it took a serious turn. And I had to come up with something that could test the elasticity of the festive mood a little more. Halloween put the perfect opportunity in a claret and served me with additional spices! So it was time to get online for ideas for ideas to organize a Halloween party for friends with minimal effort and maximum punch.

Costume:

A Halloween party is never complete without a costume. And I really don’t endorse the idea of splurging on something that I would probably use once in a life-time. I really liked the idea of this super simple (and cheap) Wine-box costume by cutting an adult size packing box for me to slide (read struggle) in over my regular black track-suit. A printed wine label glued over the box would give it a perfect finishing touch! If you are not as creatively challenged as I am, even the Champagne bottle would make you sparkle at the party!

Decor With Empty Wine Bottles:

Now this is super easy even for me! We all have got a few empty Wine bottles for sure. Just get some orange craft paper, stencil some spooky motifs and cut out. Then just glue the paper to the bottle. Group them under a mood lighting for a spooky decor.

Or simply use some permanent glass marker pens to draw the motifs directly on the bottle!

Using Wine Bottles As Candle Stand:

No Halloween party is complete without loads of lit candles to add a smoky feeling, right? And to keep up with the Wine theme, you could just stick the candles in to some emty wine bottles. And remember those stencils? Use them for paper cut-outs and just stick them to the bottles. Choose the colour of the paper to contrast the colour of the wine bottles you are using.

Wine Tags :

These would be a great idea for your guests to keep a tab of what they are drinking! Feel free to modify the design.

Pumpkin Carving:

Halloween and carved pumpkin decor go hand in hand. Now I am not smart enough for that. but here are some design ideas for you if you decide to carve a pumpkin for your halloween party. It’d surely be the centre of attraction!

Swap your Wine Cork for Spooky Wine Stoppers:

For this, a trip to a retailer selling Wine accesories would be the only option I guess. Sorry, no home-made made-easy for this!

Front Door Decor:

A wreath made of wine bottle corks is a creative decoration for a front door to invite in your wine aficionado friends. Best part, you can enjoy a cork wreath for many years. It’s easy and quick to make.

Candies (Liquor Filled of course!) :

Now Halloween treat (I’m sure you wouldn’t want to be tricked by the trick-or-treaters!) is incomplete without candies. Add a touch of class by treating your guests to liquor filled chocolates.

Jack-O’-Lantern wine glasses:

Give your regular wine glasses a facelift the same way you spoofed up your empty wine bottles.

Swap the Wine Labels:

These are available free to download from the Internet. Download, print, and just stick on top of the original label. Remember to hang the wine tags you made from the neck of the bottle to keep your guests informed about the content!

Party Game:

My first idea was a board game like ‘Wine-o-poly’. But the Internet would give you many more ideas to indulge in.

“A blind tasting allows party guests to experience and discuss wines without knowing the wine or the vintage. The point is to be creative and allow your senses free reign,” says a website. Another game idea is Wine Trivia.

Explains another website: “In the days or weeks before a wine party, gather wine factoids for a game of Wine Trivia. Explore wine facts, myths and urban legends. Write about two dozen trivia questions on small, separate index cards or pieces of paper. For example, “What is the term for an irrational fear of wine? Answer: oenophobia.” Place the questions in a basket or bowl. Give each player a score sheet to tabulate correct answers. Take turns asking questions from individual cards. The player with the most correct answers wins a bottle of wine. Add a little edge to the game: When a player guesses incorrectly, she must take a drink of wine.”

Of course no party is complete without food! Don’t forget to stock a lot. You’d need it after all the running around. And so will your guests.

I guess that’s all I need to entertain my friends. So off I go to put the ideas to action. Have a W(h)INEy HalloWINE, you all ! And next time you plan a party remember to share ideas with me! As for me, I should thank the World Wide Web for all the ideas to spice up Halloween for me.

 

[Images: Google Search]

Say ‘Cheers’ in style this Diwali with Wine!

 

It is that time of the year again when your heart is warmer than the diyas that light your home. The sound of laughter rings higher than that of the fire-crackers. When the colours of your Rangoli are as vibrant as the flowers that adorn your home. Diwali – a day of meaning and traditions – spent in the warm circle of family and friends. The time of the year when you are at your benevolent best. Come Diwali, we are in the mood for consumption, and really forget to put a brake. And also when spirits soar high. By spirits, I mean both the emotional state and the alcoholic beverages, of course.

 

Be it a card-party at your house, a formal sit-down dinner, or an informal get together where piling the spicy finger food trays keeps you on your toes – tipple trickles more freely this time of the year. With a trend of upgradation of taste and lifestyle in general, this trickle is no longer limited to just beer, vodka, whisky or rum – wines have also benefited from this escalation.

 

Wines, with less alcohol content per serving, actually can entertain a larger cross section of people without the scare of a huge hangover the next morning. Not to mention the cleaning up the host/hostess might need to do if the heaves in your stomach makes things ooze out of your mouth! Unless of course your glasses keep feeling themselves up non-stop!

 

Wine is generally paired with food, albeit snacks. And is sipped in a relaxed manner to enjoy the aroma and taste at the same time. This helps prevent the deadly morning-after effects. Also, to keep you steady for those fire-crackers and the drive back home.

 

This Diwali, may your heart be filled with a melody that would last forever. And may you remain sober enough to remember the precious moments even the day after, and of course for a long time to come. A good wine is the best spirit lifter that you can gift your family and friends. So you could also consider taking a bottle of your favourite bubbly when you visit your friends or relatives. As the saying goes – water and wine, are just fine!