It was a weekend full of wine, sumptuous food and riveting music for the capital, at the Qla, Mehrauli. Delhi Wine festival, hosted by the Wine Project India, is the brainchild of Arjun Sachar, who brought the festival to Delhi - the food capital of India - this weekend. Delhi Wine Festival is his second such initiative (the first having taken place in Goa), and by the end of this year, he is also planning to host the festival in Mumbai and Bangalore.
Delhi gourmands had a gala time soaking in some sun in the beautiful courtyard of Qla, adorned in elements of all things spring. With counters housing wine from different countries, wooden tables, daisies, open barbeque and live artists who delighted the guest with their lilting melodies, the Delhi wine festival also hosted various masterclasses on wines to familiarise people with the culture of wine drinking.
The menu for the lovely afternoon combined classics like spicy meatballs, veg pizza and some off-beat nibbles like the yummy chicken skewers with blue cheese, or the kasundi chicken. The day ended on a sweet note with special wine infused desserts.
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We got chance to speak with the founder of India Wine Project and he told us the idea behind the festival and his company, which is working to create an atmosphere where you can sip on your wine in an easy environment. In simpler words, learn about your wine, while you sample as many and not have an expert or sommelier colour your mind with his/her judgement.
"The idea of this festival is to make wine more accessible, more approachable, and giving everyone a nice time drinking wine. We curated a selection of easy drinking wine, prized and very good price segments. People can come here and try different grape varieties and form your own opinions. I believe self-awareness is very important when you are drinking wine. The entire idea here is to create that vibe. We've got a mix of wines from many different countries. There's live music line up, a whole lot of good food and a beautiful walk around set-up, so that you hold your glass of wine and enjoy yourself."
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We also learnt about the four elements that determines a good wine. You just cannot ignore the production aspect of it. When you are drinking a glass of wine, the wine should be well-balanced. Acidity is a good way to determine your wine, it is basically the mouth-watering sensation you get on both sides of your tongue. Next is alcohol that helps make your wine last longer. "We have selected grape varieties from different countries, like France, Spain, Portugal," Arjun told us.
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With access to some of the best international wines hailing from Spain, Portugal, Italy, Australia, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, France and New Zealand, and perfectly paired snacks and desserts, The Delhi wine festival made for one delightful evening to remember.