World’s First Master of Wine from India, Sonal Holland, gives you handy suggestions you can use, when it comes to enjoying both white and red wines
George RR Martin, author of the immensely popular American fantasy drama television series, Game of Thrones, has penned the line, ‘Wine makes all things possible’. A belief that wine aficionados share and live by. However, while many may enjoy settling down with a glass of wine at the end of the day, not many know the nuances and how to get their money’s worth when it comes to wine selection. And who better to guide you than Sonal Holland, who also happens to be the World’s First Master of Wine from India. Here are Sonal’s tips to buy and enjoy wines.
1. Reputed producers produce good wines. Even an entry level wine made by a well reputed producer is likely to be of sound quality and perfectly enjoyable.
2. Expensive doesn’t necessarily mean high quality. Price alone does not decide the quality level of the wine. Price is often a reflection of demand and supply and in most cases, inflated reputations of certain regions for making certain wines, all such factors leading to higher prices.
3. Discover wines from lesser-known regions or relatively unknown grape varieties. They often offer the best value for your money. Ever tried an award-winning Viura white from Rioja, Spain? Exactly my point.
4. Clothes maketh the man and the right glasses maketh the wine. Invest in clear stemmed glasses. Fine crystalware further enhance the experience but preferably should be a clear glass, not cutglass with a design on it. This allows you to appreciate the colour of the wine in the glass and also spot faults if any.
5. Serving any wine at the right temperatures will most definitely enhance the taste of the wine. Just like tea must be sipped hot, and beer must be enjoyed cold, wine too requires a certain temperature to be enjoyed optimally. White wines must be chilled (8-10C) and reds must be cooled (yes, even reds must be cooled down to 16-18C).
6. There’s more to the world of wine than simply a white or a red. Try all styles of wines i.e. rose, sparkling, port etc. to discover what you enjoy the most. Never tried, never gained, so go have an adventure with different wine styles.
As told to Melissa D’Costa D’Silva
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