The 2017 harvest in India produced grapes of top quality, writes Piyush Gadkari
When I initially set out to compile a harvest report for India’s top wineries, I didn’t know what to expect. With the shocking reports that were coming out of France – of spring frosts destroying swathes of vineyards across Chablis, Champagne, the Loire valley and Bordeaux – I wasn’t keen on being the harbinger of more bad news. As I spoke to producer after producer, though, I came away instead with heartening reports of a prolonged and cool growing season that yielded grapes of optimum quality. This excellent news was tempered by most producers also reporting lower yields, caused almost entirely by the drought-like conditions that persisted last summer.
In the months after the harvest, a producer will spend a few weeks pruning his vineyards to prepare it for the following season. Pruning takes place in two phases. In the first phase, all of the dead wood and overgrown foliage are cut away. This process reinvigorates the vine, causing it to build new wood. In the second phase (which takes place a few months later), most of the newly grown wood is pared back, leaving just the hardiest specimens to bear on next year’s crop. Producers in India usually time their prunings to occur on either side of the monsoons.
In Maharashtra, the water stress on the vines was so great at the time of the first pruning, that most producers were unable to prune all of their vines. Fratelli, for instance, chose to delay some of its pruning till the first rains, while Sula left entire vineyards fallow till the following season. Most producers came into the new season expecting yields to be lower than usual.
Esta historia es de la edición July/August 2017 de Sommelier India.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición July/August 2017 de Sommelier India.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Intimate and Welcoming
Reserve a table at AI Garamond in the centre of Turin for a taste of authentic Piedmonteset and Sicilian cuisine
Tribute to the Kerala Kitchen
Kappa Chakka Kandhari is a restaurant like no other. Chef Regi Mathew, the presiding genius, speaks to Kaveri Ponnapa about how the award-winning restaurant, specialising in the homecooking of Kerala, came into being
SWIRLING IN THE DIGITAL ERA - How social media is influencing wine culture
The ever-evolving world of wine is currently witnessing a significant shift towards social media. Devati Mallick steers us through the many ways one can navigate the digital landscape with a simple click, tap, or swipe
Bottling It - The times they are a-changing
Wine in glass bottles has been traditional for a very long time but now change is a-foot, says Carol Wright. The carbon foot print of the glass bottle is not planet friendly
BANDOL - The ruby in the Provence crown
If you thought Provence was only about rosés, you are wrong. Bandol, one of the more prestigious appellations of Provence, is renowned for its bold and structured red wines. Here's what Elizabeth Gabay MW has to say
A Splendid Septet of Wines
Raymond Blake tastes seven vintages of the Burgundy premier cru, Gevrey-Chambertin 'Aux Combottes', from Domaine Dujac, owned by the Seysses family
CYPRUS Dawn of a New Era
On a recent visit to Cyprus, Rosemary George MW is struck by the island's numerous indigenous grape varieties and high altitude vineyards
Madeira The world's longest living wine
Carol Wright on what makes Madeira the 'hottest' thing in wine
AT THE FOOT OF MOUNT ETNA
Altitude, fertile volcanic ash, and abundant sunlight create a unique environment for vineyards
Putting their best foot forward
Craig Wedge is bullish about the rising quality of Australian wines entering the Indian market