Grape varieties & wine styles

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Wine is a complex drink due to the diversity of grape varieties. Grapes have the ability to express provenance, convey the growing conditions characteristic of the vintage and show different expressions of the same variety based on the winemaker’s philosophy. This chapter provides a brief overview of the commercially most important varieties in India along with the most common styles in which they are produced.

GRAPE VARIETIES

A wide array of grape varieties is grown in India. Some are considered indigenous to the subcontinent, but the cultivation of Anab-e-Shahi, Bhokri and Gulabi, all Vitis vinifera, is insignificant from the viewpoint of quality-wine production, and is thus considered no further.

A large quantity of Thompson Seedless is grown in India as table grapes for export, but some also finds its way into lower sub-entry wines. Symphony, a cross between Muscat of Alexandria and Grenache Gris, is used as a blending partner in the production of simple sparkling wines, but its contribution to quality is questionable.

Bangalore Blue & Bangalore Purple

Bangalore Blue and Bangalore Purple, also indigenous, are commercially important in the production of sub-entry level wines. The two varieties are unknown outside India and hardly any Indian viticulturists know much about them either. The National Research Centre for Grapes in Pune conducted genetic testing to establish the diversity and relationships within the grapes cultivated in India, and showed that both Bangalore Blue and Bangalore Purple are V vinifera x V labrusca hybrids. Earlier considered synonyms for the same variety, the two cultivars show significant differences in terms of vegetative and fruit characters. Bangalore Blue is resistant to many diseases and because it is tentuirier grape, it produces dark purple pulp with plenty of juice and a foxy flavour. Bangalore Purple has bluish-black berries and pulp of a musky flavour. The two hybrids show sufficient genetic difference for Bangalore Blue to be clustered under V labrusca while Bangalore Purple comes under V vinifera. Both varieties are widely used across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra because they bear fruit all year round and, their production costs being low, are economically viable for the production of wines often retailed at Rs 150 per 750 millilitres. I suspect this variety is used as a volume booster, though this aspect is not spoken of at all. The fact is that both varieties produce fairly low concentration and have foxy or musky tastes that are often unpalatable to wine drinkers who seek more enjoyment from wine than the mere effects of alcohol.

French varieties have established themselves firmly across India because, partly, the modern Indian wine industry owes its beginnings to France, and partly, there are still several French consultants on assignment in India.

French white grapes

  • Sauvignon Blanc, a classic variety, is produced in large quantities. It was brought to India by Shyamrao Chougule of Chateau Indage and the late Kanwal Grover of Grover Zampa, and found a home across regions of hot tropical climate with significant diurnal temperature ranges, as well as in mild tropical regions. The winemaker has a great impact on the style of wine produced from Sauvignon Blanc. An early harvest will result in herbaceous expressions of the variety, but later picking may produce riper styles dominated by other exotic varieties.
  • Sauvignon Gris is planted in minuscule quantities in the Bangalore and southern region of Karnataka, and used as a blending partner for Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc.
  • Chenin Blanc was introduced to India in the late 1990s by Rajeev Samant of Sula Vineyards. It has become one of the two most widely planted white varieties across Maharashtra and Karnataka as it can produce a versatile range of still wine styles, from dry to sweet and even late harvest. Its natural disposition to produce well-balanced off-dry wines bears an affinity with the Indian palate. It has also become the most important variety for the production of sparkling wines in India.
  • Viognier, an overlooked variety, is produced in smaller quantities and may well be used as a blending partner to lend richer aromas. In qualitative terms, its potential in India is superior to Chenin Blanc’s or Sauvignon Blanc’s, though I acknowledge that its scented flavour profile may not suit everyone. The Dindori and Charose sub-regions of Nashik and Bangalore and southern Karnataka have excellent Viognier plantations.
  • Chardonnay was introduced to India in the 1980s when the modern industry was established almost wholly for sparkling wine production, but it has significantly reduced in terms of vineyard size. The main reason is that it is extremely difficult to crop at an economically feasible level in subtropical climates. Some producers continue to bottle single varietal Chardonnay and sparkling producers are keen to add it in small proportions to the blend to achieve a richer fruit profile. Despite low yields, it can produce good, though not outstanding, quality.
  • Marsanne is grown in tiny quantities in the Bangalore and southern Karnataka region. It promises good quality, refreshing table wines.
  • Muscat is grown in tiny quantities in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Except for some soapy flavours in Karnataka, the wine does not resemble any Muscat elsewhere in the world. The real identity of the one produced in Tamil Nadu is questionable. I suspect what I tasted was Bangalore Blue or rather more probably Black Muscat.

French red grapes

  • Cabernet Sauvignon is possibly one of the most widely planted varieties of red grapes in India, and though, as in other Cabernet-growing regions of the world, it has been studied with great attention in this country, there is still a lot more to be understood. It is used mostly in the classic Indian red blend of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, and may often display a rubbery or smoky tone. If grown well, however, it is either peppery and herbaceous in style or fully ripe. It is never truly weak because, with the temperature increasing towards harvest, it can achieve higher alcohol content and ripe fruits. Though Rajeev Samant of Sula Vineyards expressed his doubts about the variety at an international conference, there are outstanding single varietal Cabernet Sauvignons emerging from peripheral vineyards in the Charose sub-region of Nashik and in the Hampi Hills of central Karnataka. Blending is often a blessing though, the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.
  • Shiraz or Syrah is the other of the two most widely planted red varieties in India and is the other component of the classic Indian blend of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. It does well on its own too, possibly because it is so adaptable to both hot and cool climates. Grown across all regions in India, it is used for the production of both rosé and sparkling wines, despite its lower acidity.
  • Malbec is planted in small quantities and, except by Vallonné Vineyards, used as a blending variety. When bottled as single varietal, it is akin to the Argentine expression, big, generous and ripe in style. Its true potential in India is still to be explored.
  • Cabernet Franc is planted by few wineries across the relatively warmer areas of southern Maharashtra, Bijapur and south of Bangalore. Though not bottled on its own, it tends to be the predominant variety in the blend. It exhibits good potential in riper styles, closer to the Austrian and Hungarian expressions of the variety rather than to the Loire valley.
  • Grenache is produced in very small quantities, and used mainly for blending in either rosé or sparkling wines. It is overwhelmingly in Nashik, though smaller plots exist south of Bangalore.
  • Tannat is grown exclusively by Alpine Wineries, south of Bangalore. It can achieve extreme ripeness with the resultant wine being reminiscent of an LBV port. It will be good to see more experimentation with this variety.
  • Petit Verdot is grown in minuscule quantities by Fratelli Wines in the Akluj sub-region of Pune and is used when blending to give structure and depth of colour.
  • Merlot was initially planted in the 1980s, but it has not spread widely, possibly because of the unsuitable climate. When bottled on its own it is a good drinking wine, but does not cause much excitement.
  • Pinot Noir is the holy grail of winemakers all over the world, but the Indian climate just does not suit. It hardly crops and yields minuscule quantities, making it economically unfeasible. There are only some sparkling producers, including Sula Vineyards and Chandon India, who continue to be dedicated to including Pinot Noir in their blends.

Italian varieties

These were introduced in the first years of the 21st century when Italian consultants started to work in India and proprietors were looking for alternative cultivars. From a climatic perspective it makes sense to experiment with varieties from warmer areas such as the Mediterranean.

  • Grillo is grown in the Niphad and Gitakunj sub-regions of Nashik in Maharashtra in such small quantities that generalisations would be dangerous, but the variety definitely has good potential for quality.
  • Vermentino is similar to Grillo in terms of the small quantity produced in India, but it is planted south of Bangalore. Initial tastings show good promise.
  • Nero d’Avola is grown in the Niphad and Gitakunj sub-regions of Nashik in Maharashtra. Its wine is soft, rounded and generous.
  • Sangiovese is the most widely planted Italian grape in India with its growing areas in Nashik, Pune and the Hampi Hills. It is capable of remarkably good concentration, retains its hallmark flavour of cherry, and loses a fair bit of the herbal character typical of Italian Sangiovese wines. It is almost always single varietal, except for the Sette label of Fratelli Wines in the Akluj sub-region of Pune, which is blended wine similar to a Super Tuscan in the Italian context.

Other varieties

Accompanying the growing number of well-trained and widely travelled winegrowers is the exciting appearance of grape varieties from Germany, Spain and California.

  • Riesling is produced in a very small quantity by Sula Vineyards in Nashik. It is bottled as a varietal wine and is slightly off-dry in style. The aromatic expression combined with the quality puts forward a convincing argument for further exploration of the variety in India.
  • Zinfandel is grown almost exclusively in Maharashtra, though small quantities are grown by Indian Ambience, which is leased by Sula Vineyards in Karnataka. Most of it is used for rosé, some of which is produced in blush style with a bit of sweetness, and for sparkling wines.
  • Tempranillo is starting to make serious inroads into India, even if still in small quantities. It is exclusively in Nashik and its sub-regions, with only Charosa Winery bottling it as a single varietal wine. Grover Zampa uses it in the blend of its two premium labels. It is a variety to watch in the future, as it shows the potential for truly high quality.

WINE STYLES

The dynamics of development in India is such that producers constantly evolve their product, either adopting internationally recognised styles or developing new styles specifically designed for the Indian market.

Indian styles

Constantly off-dry wines
The Indian consumer’s preference for sweetness combined with the fact that spicy food pairs well with a touch of sweetness led to the development of a specific style of off-dry quality wine, which contains approximately eight grams of residual sugar per litre. In technical terms it is just on the border of dry wines. Such wines may be of premium quality and, surprisingly to the Western wine drinker, when tasted with Indian food can prove to be amazing.

Sub-entry-level wines
These are technically well-produced wines in the sense that they are not oxidised, reduced, corked or faulty for any other reason. They may have been produced from non-vinifera varieties or table grapes, or at times from very high-cropping V vinifera, with possibly the addition of glucose to make the wines sweet and palatable to rural Indian consumers. If the sugar is added during fermentation, the alcohol content increases, a process known as ‘chaptalisation’ or enrichment. This is another attractive feature at hyper-low prices. These wines tend to be distributed among rural Indians whose budgets for wine are the lowest, as they are either new to drinking or in the process of converting from spirits. If technically sound, these wines will move a large number of consumers from hard liquor to wine over a period of time and, with social mobility through the generations, they have the potential to add to the number of consumers of standard wines too.

Indian port
The category is problematic for several reasons, and regular wine drinkers in India distrust the concept of Indian port. It violates the idea of provenance, as it is not produced in the port production zone of Portugal and the two products are hugely dissimilar. Indian port, however, is produced in large quantities, even by noted names of quality wineries, because of the enormous cash flow it generates, although little spoken is about this wine style. It is normally made from the cheapest grapes, often including a large proportion of non-vinifera grapes, which conveniently crop all year round. Dependent on the producer, it will be sweetened by fructose addition, and extra spirit and synthetic flavours may impact the final product. Having tasted a selection of four Indian ports years ago, I recommend that wine drinkers used to good quality wines avoid this product.

Wine coolers
This is a hugely innovative product category that aims to convert low-income consumers from beer and spirits to wine. If well made technically, wine coolers tend to be carbonated wines made from Thompson Seedless or high-cropping grapevines. They are often packed in beer bottles, so the unit price is lower and the crown caps are easy to open. Unfortunately, there is a particular type on the market that comes from ailing producers and is normally flavoured. The benevolent effect of sweet fruit syrup is that it masks wine faults and facilitates the unethical re-use of old wine stocks that have often gone off. Producers of genuine, technically sound, quality wine coolers suffer because of the prevalence of such practices.

Western styles

Dry still wines
These are the most commonly produced white, rosé and red wines.

Blush
Some producers prefer to stop fermentation of their rosé wines somewhat before it is fully finished, thereby imparting to such wines some sweetness with lower alcohol levels.

Sparkling wines
This style is growing dynamically with more producers releasing new labels. Typically, the base is Chenin Blanc. Higher quality premium products are made by the traditional method, with the secondary fermentation taking place in the bottle. Economy styles use the charmat or tank method for a more efficient management of costs. Other lower quality wines will typically be carbonated with added flavour, and are hence listed under wine coolers in Indian styles.

Sweet wines
There is a misconception that sweetness equals low quality, and only a handful of Indian producers fight back by making high quality sweet wines. However, none of these wines are botrytised. Arresting the fermentation before it is complete may help achieve a simpler sweeter wine.

Late-harvest wines are more complex sweet wines made from grapes left to hang on the vine, so that the sugar content shoots up and there is a good concentration of flavours, often characterised by marmalade and orange-peel tones.

Vin de passerillage (VdP) is produced from drying the bunches of grapes on straw mats placed in the sun before pressing, so that they produce a wine with high sugar content and concentrated flavours of notable complexity.

Santo is another sweet wine of marmalade and orange-peel flavours, but achieved by cutting off the bunches and then allowing them to continue hanging loose on the vine, thus dehydrating and concentrating flavours and achieving a serious level of complexity.