Old wines in new bottles

I absolutely adore this particular time of the year. There’s a lovely nip in the air and the mood is upbeat as the festivities come rolling in one after the other. My birthday and wedding anniversary being less than a fortnight away pumps up the happening quotient even further as we consciously plan for a vacation every year around this time for a twin celebration. Though this year a long, idyllic vacation is on the cards for a later time of the month, we sneaked out from the city to bring in our anniversary this weekend.

Being the diehard travel junkie couple that we are and largely of the road tripping kind, we’d been itching to hit the highway and with indulgence on our mind, a road trip to Sula Vineyards fit the bill completely. Sula Vineyards in Nasik (180 KM from Mumbai) is India's most popular winery that churns out India’s leading premium wine brand, Sula Wines and is developed to be world-class. The winery is open to visitors, who can enjoy a tour, tastings, courses, and fun events. Read more about Sula Wines here

Wine has evolved into a lifestyle staple. It plays diverse roles as a conversation starter, a romantic prop, a style statement, a dinner delight and a heady beverage that gives health benefits when had in moderation. And one of the rare things that get better with age! Experiencing the multi-faceted wine at its full glory was an absolute joy. We packed in a tour of the vineyard, a process demo of grapes from plants to wine bottles, a tasting session, a lip-smacking spread of kebabs, a sumptuous Italian meal and a sinful walnut brownie and loads of pictures – all in a day trip.

The wine tasting & appreciation session was quite informative. Here r a few things from the session that all wine lovers must know:

• All types of wine fall into one of these six categories: White Wine, Red Wine, Rose Wine, Sparkling Wine, (including Champagne), Dessert Wine, and Fortified Wine.

• Generally, bigger round bowled glasses for reds and tulips (standard wine glasses) for whites. Champagnes can be served in flutes (tall, long, thin wine glasses) so that the bubbles don’t escape or in tulips.

• Always hold the glass from the base or the stem so that the warmth of your hand doesn’t affect the temperature of the wine

• There are four stages to tasting wine – look, smell, taste, savour

1. Look : evaluate your wine’s appearance for color (both hue and depth), and clarity. Move the wine around in your glass by tilting it from side to side. Hold it up to the light or in front of a white background.
2. Smell : evaluate your wine’s nose, aroma, and bouquet. Swirl the wine gently in your glass to open it up to more surface air. This will release more of its aromas. Take a few moments to let it breathe. Dip your nose into the glass and inhale deeply.
3. Taste : evaluate your wine’s taste or palate . Sip a small amount of your wine, but do not swallow it yet. Let it roll around inside your mouth for a few moments so you can detect its flavors. Note the body of your wine, or how it feels in your mouth. Wines will be light-bodied, medium-bodied, or full-bodied.
4. Savour : evaluate your wine’s finish , the sensation left in your mouth after swallowing. The longer the flavors linger on your palate, the longer the finish.

While I was faking enjoying wine like a connoisseur but being an utterly poor drinker, I got tipsy in just a few sips of wine. What a perfect way to end a great day! They say “Love makes the world go round?” Not at all! Wine makes it go round twice as fast. Hic…hic…hic

P.S. Images by Inky Pinky & Mr. Husband