A Perfect Match: Wine and Indian Cuisine
By Venki Venkatraman

Cabernet Sauvignon
It comes from the most common and widely planted grapes in the world. Cabernet Sauvignon is very famous and dominant of France's Bordeaux region and very successfully produced by California wineries. Typically, Cabernet Sauvignon wines smell like black currants with a degree of bell pepper, varying in intensity with climatic conditions, viticulture practices, and vinification (process of wine production) techniques.
Cabernet Sauvignon red wines tend to be dark, full bodied, dry, and fairly hard in tannin (bitter-tasting plant polyphenols that bind and precipitate proteins) but the Cabernet gives aromas and flavors of herbal, mint, berry/cassis aromas and flavors.
Food Matching: Well balanced, complex, smooth, oak-toasted and full bodied wines perfectly match with Chicken Tikka, Tandoori Chicken and Lamb Ragan Josh.

Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which probably originates from the Bordeaux region of France. It is now planted all over the world, producing crisp, dry, and refreshing white varietals (made primarily from a single named grape variety) wine. Currently, New Zealand wineries are producing some of the finest Sauvignon Blanc.
Sauvignon Blanc is usually quite distinctive and one of the easier varietals wines to recognize by its often sharp, aggressive smell.
Food Matching: Well balanced, refreshing acidity with a medium dry finish Sauvignon Blanc works very well with light food dishes like game, poultry and very mildly spiced Indian fares like Pulao, Chicken or Paneer in white gravy, and Naan.

Shiraz
The name of the grape Shiraz was taken from that of the city of Shiraz in Persia/Iran, near where the process of wine making is believed to have originated over 7,000 years ago. Although it's best for aging, Shiraz may be enjoyed young for its lively red and blue berry characters and smooth tannin structure. Australian Shiraz is playing a major role in Shiraz production recently.
Shiraz can be enjoyed alone, but it is widely used as a blending grape in the red wines of many countries due to its fleshy fruit mid-palate, balancing the weaknesses of other varieties and resulting in a 'complete' wine.
Food Matching: Smooth, silky textured and soft tannin Shiraz will very well match with mature cheese and mild curries. With a mix of spice and integrated oak toast, Shiraz matches best with dry Tandoori dishes and Biryani.

Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is often described as being a "delicate" grape to produce. It is a sensitive grape often requiring good and experienced wine makers to produce it successfully. This is due to the presence of 18 amino acids, it ferments very fast, and often gets out of control. A small region in France is producing the Pinot Noir wine consistently with good quality. Also, Willamette Valley of Oregon in the U.S. is producing a very nice quality of Pinot Noir grape wines of late.
Impressive Pinot Noir creates a lasting memory. It can be produced full bodied, rich but not heavy and high in alcohol; yet without acidity or tannic and with grate flavors like cinnamon, tomato, mushroom and spicy.
Food Matching: Well balanced, full bodied pairs well with grilled meaty fish, Chicken Tikka, Tandoori Chicken and Lamb Ragan Josh. If it is sweet, then it pairs well with grilled meaty fish dishes and spicy Biryani.

Chenin Blanc
Chenin is a widely grown wine grape variety and started with Pineau de la Loire in the Loire region of France. Now Chenin Blanc is accounts for 30 percent of the wines produced in South Africa.
The wine made there is generally dry or semi dry, bland and acidic, often mixed with flavor of grass or green apples. It is an easy and smooth drinking wine.
Food Matching: This wine pairs wonderfully with Grilled Pomfret and seafood. The tartness in the wine would enhance char-grilled Tandoori Chicken as well.

Author Bio
Author and wine expert Venki Venkataraman is the founder and president of www.indianwine.com and can be reached by email at venki@indianwine.com.

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