Wine state of mind

Domestic wines have become key players in changing preferences from hard liquor to wines Sonia Martis can’t believe she’s nursing a bottle of Rose wine that costs Rs 670 without taxes. While this is the approximate cost price for a regular bottle of Indian wine in a local liquor shop, her glee must stem from the fact that she’s sitting at Ivy Grande in Khar, listening to lounge music, while a waiter refills her glass. “Now this is what I call value-for-money,” she professes.

But Indian-origin wines such as Zinfandel, Shiraz and Chardonnay aren’t the only ones that are affordable. The cafe also stocks international labels from Chile, France, Argentina and Australia and one of the priciest bottles will only set you back by Rs 1,800; approximately the same price as the cheapest bottle of wine on a usual restaurant wine menu around town. “Our international wines are bought in bulk. So, we negotiate rates with our suppliers,” says Sanjay Mirani, a partner at Ivy Grande.

With wine attracting more subsidies than hard liquor, its popularity is rising. For casual diners, it’s a staple for an evening out with friends, even on weekdays. It seems to be filling the large gap between soft drinks and hard liquor. What’s more, it isn’t international wines they want to fork out money for; it’s the local produce.

A big reason for this is the wine producers in India aggressively marketing their products, often tying up with restaurants to promote their wine. “In return, the restaurant is offered royalties or benefits like a bottle free for every bottle purchased,” says Moshe Shek, restaurateur and chef at Moshe’s in Mumbai.

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White Wine Types - What Goes Best With Certain Foods?

Pairing the perfect white wine types with a multicourse meal adds an elegant touch. Or relaxing with a cool glass of wine and a simple snack is an enjoyment for any occasion.

Wine Producing Regions
Many countries produce wine for local consumption and for export. The best known regions with the largest distributions worldwide are in France, California, Italy and Australia. Spain and New Zealand have suitable climates for growing white wine grapes and distribute their wines on a smaller scale. In Greece, wine production has been a way of life since early civilization and continues today.

Other European countries, for instance, Germany and Hungary produce regional varieties and export within Europe and overseas. South American countries, Argentina and Chile, for example, produce vast quantities of high quality wine. In France, the regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy and Alsace are known for their white wine types of Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Voignier and Sauvignon. The same varieties are grown in California in the Napa Valley and Sonoma Valleys and the Central Coast regions. Australia also produces these varieties as well as Semillon and Pinto Grig. Champagne is produced only in France, sparkling wine can be found in California, Italy and many other countries.

Germany produces the wine types Rieslings and Gewürztraminer. Hungarian wines include Chardonnays, Reislings and blended table wines. The wine regions of Spain produce excellent grapes suitable for custom blends and moderately priced table wines. The Italians have extensive knowledge of wine making that has evolved through families for generations. In Italy, the regions from Sicily to Tuscany and Tyrol harbor age-old plantings that produce quality Pinot Grigio grapes.

Sweet Varieties
There are many variations of sweetness or tartness even within a particular type. A wine that is made from only one grape (not blended) is designated as a varietal wine. Typically, the sweeter varietals will always include Reislings. Occasionally, Gewürztraminer and Chenin Blanc can be sweet. Blended wines may have a sweet tendency depending on the grapes that are used. Sweet wines can be enjoyed alone or with cheese or fruit.

Dry Varieties
Usually Chardonnay is considered a dry white wine, although, there are many variations depending on the regional climate. Pinot Gris (or Pinot Grigio), Chenin Blanc and some vintages of Voignier tend to appear dry on the palette. Chardonnays are recommended with fish or poultry.

Dessert and Aperitif Wines
Sherry is a favorite aperitif wine that is often found in Spain. Apertif wines can be semi-sweet or dry and are served sparingly. Champagnes or sparkling wines are often served as an aperitif. Dessert wines are by nature sweet and meant to be enjoyed by sipping from a small liquor or aperitif glass. Sauterne is a popular white dessert wine and Muscat also fits this category. Choosing the best white wine types for a particular occasion depends on personal taste. There are abundant varieties to try.

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South African wine industry rooted in human misery, says report

There is no question of its flair for producing a world-class chenin blanc, cabernet sauvignon or pinotage at an affordable price. But the provenance of South Africa's wines is altogether less savoury, an investigation by human rights monitors has revealed.

Workers on the country's wine and fruit farms lead "dismal, dangerous lives," according to Human Rights Watch (HRW), which found on-site housing unfit for habitation, exposure to pesticides without proper safety equipment, lack of access to toilets or drinking water while working and barriers to union representation.

Farm workers contribute millions to South Africa's economy, with products that are sold in Tesco and other British supermarkets, yet they are among the lowest wage earners in the country, the group's report says.

Daniel Bekele, HRW's Africa director, said: "The wealth and wellbeing these workers produce should not be rooted in human misery. The government and the industries and farmers themselves need to do a lot more to protect people who live and work on farms."

South Africa is the world's seventh-biggest wine producer, filling the equivalent of more than 1.2bn bottles a year. The industry, concentrated in Western Cape province, contributes 26.2bn rand (£2.2bn) to the regional economy, according to a 2009 study. Tourists from around the world enjoy tastings, cellar tours and weddings at vineyards amid glorious scenery between well-heeled towns such as Franschhoek and Stellenbosch.

South Africa has laws guaranteeing wages, benefits and safe working and housing for workers and other farm dwellers. But the government has largely failed to monitor conditions and enforce the law, HRW says.

Its 96-page report, Ripe with Abuse: Human Rights Conditions in South Africa's Fruit and Wine Industries, alleges: "Despite their critical role in the success of the country's valuable fruit, wine, and tourism industries, farm workers benefit very little, in large part because they are subject to exploitative conditions and human rights abuses without sufficient protection of their rights."

Housing for some workers is claimed to be uninhabitable. One farm worker showed researchers a former pig stall, without electricity, water or protection from the elements, where he has lived with his wife and children for 10 years. His wife said: "It makes me very unhappy because I can't guarantee safety of [my] children and can't provide for [them]."

Many workers live on farms with family members as part of their employment arrangement. Their land tenure rights are protected under legislation enacted in 1997. Yet, by civil society estimates, more than 930,000 people were evicted from South African farms between 1994 and 2004.

Interviewees described a steady pace of evictions, particularly when labourers were no longer able to work. Evicted workers who spoke to HRW said they had not been given suitable alternative housing or adequate compensation to find new housing.

Farmers sometimes resort to illegal tactics to force out farm dwellers, including cutting electricity or water. In one case, farm managers cut electricity for more than a year for a family with two children. Security guards on the farm harassed families in the middle of the night with dogs.

HRW also alleges that occupationalhealth and safety conditions on many farms endanger workers. The majority of the current and former farm workers interviewed said they had been exposed to pesticides without adequate safety equipment. In addition, many employers jeopardise workers' health by not providing them with legally required access to drinking water, hand-washing facilities or toilets.

Bekele said: "Given what we know about the effects of pesticide use, it is unconscionable that some of these workers are not provided with appropriate safety equipment, even after they ask for it."

South Africa's wine farms have a painful history. For centuries, workers were paid partly in alcohol in the so-called "dop" system, with pernicious health and social consequences. HRW found these payments had generally disappeared, although it did document two farms that provide wine as partial compensation.

One worker was quoted in the report as saying: "During the week, I am given wine in the afternoon, at 12pm, and at 6pm in the evening. I also get this on Saturdays. On Sundays, we get wine in the morning, afternoon and evening. In the morning, we get it before 7am, at 12pm, and we have to do Sunday prayer and then get more wine at 6.30pm. If you don't want the wine, then it's your choice. Everybody is drinking except the children and the guy driving the school bus."

Farm workers are some of the most poorly organised in the country, It is estimated the percentage of workers represented by trade unions in the Western Cape agricultural sector is just 3%, compared with 30% among those with formal employment nationally. HRW found some farmers try to prevent workers from forming unions in spite of South Africa's constitution and international law.

Bekele said: "The answer is not to boycott South African products, because that could be disastrous for farm workers. But we are asking retailers to press their suppliers to ensure that there are decent conditions on the farms that produce the products they buy and sell to their customers."

The report is based on more than 260 interviews with farm workers, farm owners, civil society members, industry representatives, government officials, lawyers, union officials and academic experts. It did not trace the supply chain for the products and does not identify farms in order to reduce the risk of retaliation against workers.

Representatives of the South African wine industry challenged the report's findings. Su Birch, chief executive of Wines of South Africa, said: "Most of the farm workers interviewed were identified by unions and NGOs, who have a vested interest in presenting the worst of cases. The report plays down the significance of the wine industry's substantial direct financial and indirect contribution to improving working conditions through Wieta [the Wine Industry Ethical Trade Association] and fair trade and empowerment schemes.

"The report makes only the scantiest reference to the many farm owners who comply with all legislation and go way beyond it. For every poor house on a farm, I can show you loads of good ones and some exceptional ones. Wine farmers are currently providing housing for over 200,000 workers, which represents an investment of billions of rands. Our industry is working hard to correct the wrongs of the past, and we accept that there is much work to be done. Even one case of abuse is one too many. But 'ripe with abuse'? I don't think so."

Vineyards have been passed down through generations of white owners. Workers are still invariably black or mixed race, although there are a growing number of black-owned cooperatives and labels.

Sikhula Sonke, a women-led union of farm workers, says its members now earn the minimum wage of 1,375 rand (£115.82) a month, although campaigners believe a living wage should begin at 4,000 rand a month. For years, they have urged Tesco to use its multi-billion pound profits to help improve workers' pay and conditions.

Haidee-Laure Giles, international programmes officer at the anti-poverty group War on Want, said: "Britain ranks among the biggest importers of South African fruit and wine.

"But retailers are maximising their profits at the expense of workers facing daily violations of their labour rights and from very basic to appalling living conditions. The UK government must establish a watchdog to prevent supermarkets benefiting from abuses against overseas workers."

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New York winery pushes 9/11 “memorial” wine

“Epic fail” were the kindest words celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain had for a line of “9/11 memorial commemorative” wines being peddled by a Long Island company ahead of the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.

“Vomit inducing,” “grotesque, exploitative” were the only other family-friendly descriptives Mr. Bourdain had for the wine, which was reportedly briefly on the menu at Les Halles, a New York restaurant where he retains the title chef-at-large.

Despite widespread rage online, Lieb Family Cellars continues to sell its 9/11 Memorial Commemorative Merlot and 9/11 Memorial Commemorative Chardonnay, according to the website. These go for $19.11 (U.S.), while another cheaper vintage, the September Mission Merlot, is a bargain at $9.11.

From their website, the winemakers explain that “the concept emerged at harvest just days after the September 11 disaster.”

“That seems awfully fast,” came Eater’s retort. The Los Angeles Times went easier on the winery, pointing out that charity is involved: “It's a little precious, but all for a good cause,” writes Deborah Netburn.

Six to 10 per cent of the proceeds of the two more expensive wines will go to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. General manager Gary Madden guesstimated that some $25,000 in sales from the cheaper vintage, rolled out in 2004, had already gone to a separate foundation, according to the Los Angeles Times.

“Your purchase of these wines raises money for these charities, so we encourage you to spread the word and share these guilt-free indulgences with your family and friends,” the winemakers explain on the website.

The Los Angeles Times reports that Lieb initially boasted that its grapes are grown just “90 miles from the site of the World Trade Center,” but this has since been deleted from the website.

In another unfortunate move, the winery promotes a Syrah dedicated to the vineyard’s late dog mascot directly below its line of 9/11 wines. (Twenty per cent of the proceeds are donated to the Animal Medical Center of New York.)

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Canadian natives try hand at wine-making

An aboriginal tribe in western Canada's arid Okanogan Valley is on the cusp of realizing a decades-old dream: becoming North America's first native winemakers. On the shores of Lake Osoyoos, near the border between British Columbia and the US state of Washington, the sun is scorching hot, the nights are cool and the soil is dry -- perfect conditions for growing wine grapes.

Canadians have been producing Riesling, pinot noir and cabernet varieties here -- one of the country's two main viticulture regions -- for 40 years. Some 15 percent of grapes produced in the province of British Columbia come from thousands of acres (hectares) of land belonging to the Osoyoos Indians. The tribe also boasts the only winery in North America managed by aboriginals: the Nk'Mip Cellars. Justin Hall has been assistant winemaker at the vineyard since 2004, and is now set to become the tribe's first full-fledged winemaker.

"My first concern is obviously not to just become a winemaker, but to be the first aboriginal winemaker, or the first in North America ... (to) bring some pride to the Osoyoos Indian Band," Hall said. The tribe has been involved in wine-making since 1968 by growing grapes, but they longed to own and operate their own estate winery.

In 2002, the dream nearly became a reality, with the creation of the Nk'Mip wine cellar. But one element was still missing: none of the tribe members had the expertise to produce their own wine so they could not yet claim to be a wholly-owned and operated Indian winery.To bring the dream to fruition, they looked to the industry heavyweight, Canadian wine producer Vincor -- with which the tribe is a majority shareholder in a joint venture -- and hired oenologist Randy Picton.

"When I first started, the Osoyoos Indian Band wanted to have me step in eventually as a winemaker, and be able to run our own business in that sense," Hall said. In the meantime, interest in the native winery took off. In 2010, 216,000 bottles of wine were sold for an average of CAN$17 (US$17.20) each to 79,000 tourists who visited. The band council and chief Clarence Louie initially devised the winery plan in order to create employment for its 430 members.

The band manages several businesses with multi-million-dollar budgets and administers its own health, social, educational and municipal services on its 32,000 acres (12,950 hectares). "We advertise and promote our uniqueness," Louie said. "Our native heritage and culture have to be part of every one of our projects."

To attract tourists, the chief did not stop there. Nk'Mip (which in Okanogan means 'where the stream flows into the lake') also boasts a four-star resort hotel and golf course, as well as a new cultural centre. Hotel guests are welcomed to the Indian lands by a sculpture of a native warrior saddling a mustang and an ornamental piragua (canoe) in the cellar. On the Osoyoos reserve, unemployment is nearly non-existent -- in stark contrast to rampant unemployment and few economic opportunities on many other reserves throughout Canada. The band's businesses employ up to 2,000 people from the reserve and neighboring communities during the peak summer tourism season. Band members also receive dividends from these booming businesses.

Hall's dream will soon be realized. Nk'Mip's first vintage with his stamp on it, now aging in oak barrels, will be available to drink next year. Lindsay Kelm of the British Columbia Wine Institute says while the launch will not have any particular impact on the sector, "diversity is good for the industry."Kelm added that Hall had a solid reputation among local growers and winemakers, and that she expects his first batch of wine to be "exceptional."Brian Moffatt, the cellar's retail supervisor, said Hall had a bright future, noting: "The profession is like wine -- you get better with age."

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Raise a glass to the 'red wine pill' to cure everything from obesity to cancer

In terms of medical achievements, this has got to be the big one – an all-in-one treatment that works against obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Astoundingly, a drug capable of doing just that could be available within three years. And it gets better. The new treatment could be a godsend for couch potatoes, allowing them to eat as much as they like without putting on a pound. They could even receive all the benefits of exercise without leaving the sofa.

The excitement surrounds a family of drugs based on resveratrol, the ‘miracle ingredient’ in red wine credited with inhibiting the development of cancer and heart disease. The drugs would activate a gene called SIRT1 that is key to longevity and energy, and their potency would give them the equivalent health benefits of 8,000 bottles of wine. Mice given one of the drugs, known as SRT1720, did not gain an ounce of weight despite being fed fatty foods, and blood tests suggested they were protected against diabetes. They also showed improved stamina. Now a follow-up study, led by the U.S. government’s health research arm, has confirmed the drug’s promise.

This time, giving it to ‘middle-aged’ mice allowed them to escape many of the dangers of a bad diet, with those eating fatty foods living almost as long as mice fed normally. At high doses, the drug extended the life of the junk food group by as much as 44 per cent. In addition, it stopped fat from clogging up their livers and, once again, appeared to protect against diabetes.

The journal Scientific Reports also states that the treated animals were more active. The drugs are being developed by Sirtris, a biotech firm bought by pharmaceutical powerhouse GlaxoSmithKline three years ago.

GSK is no longer pursuing SRT1720, but three similar – and potentially even better – drugs are already being tested on people. The first of these could be widely available within three years. Researcher Rafael de Cabo, of the National Institutes of Health in Baltimore, said the drugs offer the promise of a healthy old age.

‘To me, the most tantalising thing about the findings are the health benefits,’ he said. ‘I don’t care much about living five years longer as long as I live what I am supposed to live completely healthy.’It is not known who the drugs will be aimed at but, initially, they are likely to be reserved for treating and preventing disease in the severely overweight.

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'Bachelorette' rejection doesn't slow down Sonoma winemaker Ben Flajnik

Sonoma’s bachelor Ben Flajnik may have faced rejection from The Bachelorette’s Ashley Hebert on national television Monday night, but the day after he was back at work on his increasingly popular wine brand.Speaking from San Francisco, Flajnik said Evolve Winery, based in Sonoma Valley, is working on launching a new brand of value wines called “Epilogue,” which will be ready for sale in September. But he also now just may be Northern California’s most eligible bachelor. With his newly revealed single status, Flajnik said he has been receiving a lot of attention from single ladies.

“There have been quite a few submissions to the Evolve Winery website”" Flajnik said. “I think I have thousands of emails, but I haven’t looked at them.”Flajnik also said he hasn’t been paying much attention to his growing chorus of online admirers.

“The whole reason I’ve been able to maintain a level head is I don’t read the blogs, I don’t read Twitter,” Flajnik said. “That’s the best way I’m going to stay the same through this.”Concentrating on work also helps. “We’ve had a lot of exposure due to the show, and we wanted to expand into a different price bracket,” Flajnik said. “We wanted to be able to reach more consumers.”

On Evolve’s website, the 2009 and 2010 Sauvignon Blancs were priced at $19.99 a bottle, and the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon was marked $29.99 on Tuesday. The new wines they’re producing, a Chardonnay and a red blend, will be priced between $9.99 and $13.99, Flajnik said. They plan to sell the new product in select markets in California, New York, Texas and Chicago. “What we always try to do with our wines is over-deliver on product and not on price,” Flajnik said.

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