Feb 18: I became a fan of Sula Sauvignon Blanc in 2001-02 when I tasted it first in Mumbai. But over the years, it has fallen in and out of favour because of different quality in each vintage and several other choices available- with dryness more palatable to me. But I was blown away by the Sauvignon Blanc 2013 which is cool, crispy and clean and would strongly recommend to the connoisseurs and novices alike, writes Subhash Arora
 I feel guilty not recommending it last month when I had visited a recital organised by the Indian classical music society I co-founded in 1999 and where Sula has been the staple liquid diet month-after-month; initially Chenin Blanc as it was cheaper and sweeter but I feel that due to my sarcasm and scathing comments to save money, the slightly more expensive Sauvignon Blanc has found its way into the standard menu for the evening.
I normally take a glass or two of the white wines unless the Dindori Reserve Shiraz is on offer. But at this event last month, I could not believe as I tasted the Sauvignon Blanc 2013- it had very enticing flavours-besides having the clean and floral aromas. The wine was clean, crisp, fruity, juicy and yet acceptably dry with citrus flavours overshadowed by gooseberry and passion fruit. The wine was not very herbaceous and did not have a slightly unpleasant aftertaste and the unexciting flavour on the back palate that most Sauvignons from Nashik have been blessed with (they say it is the terroir!). It felt like 12.5-13% alcohol, slightly less than normal too.
This 2013 had a very clean and fairly long after-taste. I was so flummoxed by the wine that I went back to the bar and asked the bartender to open another bottle-the same inviting flavours. Still not sure, I had the third bottle opened. It was certain to me by now that this wine does not deserve any analysis-it just needs to be drunk till the bottle is killed. In fact, it reminded me of my conversation with the iconic Barbaresco producer Angelo Gaja in Piemonte after he had imported a couple of lots to sell in Italy after the initial tasting in Tokyo in 2002. ‘Well, this was neither New Zealand, nor Sancerre. It had an original identity and a wine that our tasting panel liked very much,’ he had told me then.
Yesterday, I had gone for this month’s event to the same hotel. They were serving Sula Chenin Blanc, Viognier Reserve and Sula Sauvignon Blanc 2013. I thought it was neither the right time in the afternoon nor the atmosphere to serve Viognier Reserve as an aperitif but the SB shone once again. Tasting yet another bottle convinced me that the wine must be devoured by the readers of delWine.
I am not sure if it is because the wine style has been changed because of export to Direct Wines and Laithwaite’s Wine in London 4 months ago or whether the effect is due to the quality of grapes or the general style of winemaking. One day I will ask Rajeev Samant and the senior winemaker Ajoy Shaw but I purposely stayed away from getting their opinion or the explanation and decided to simply enjoy!
You will enjoy it as an aperitif and with fish preparations but I loved it with slightly spicy aloo-chat, moong dal ka chilla, aloo tikkies- quite versatile, I would say! Available for Rs. 570 at several retail shops. I suggest you buy from a shop in the air-conditioned malls-storage does make a difference.
Subhash Arora
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