Say goodbye to serving dinners with clichéd fizzy concoctions. It’s time to stock up on some of the best wines for your bar. Sayed Istehak Shaha, manager and sommelier at Via Milano shows us some of the must-haves in your wine cellar
La Corte Refosco
This Friulian grape red wine has an intense pleasant aroma with scents of berry and herbs. When young, it is fragrant with a slight herbal touch. It may be aged for two or four years, specially in good vintages. It is best recommended with red meat, poultry, stews, and is also well suited for Italian dishes. For Indian cuisine, it goes well with grilled red meat, non-yoghurt-based kebabs and French fries.
Kim Crawford Pinot Noir (New Zealand)
From the house of one of the best winemakers in New Zealand, Kim Crawford’s Pinot Noir is created after cold soaking the grapes for four days, and fermented for six days with their skins. Seventy per cent of the wine is matured in oak for 10 months. The wine has added flavours of dark cherry and black Doris plum.
La Corte Refosco Caliterra Reserva Merlot
This red wine is made in the Colchagua region of Chile. The wine has a fruity flavour, with a predominant flavour of cherries and plums. It makes for an excellent pairing with mashed potatoes and also pairs well with dishes made from onions. While in the mouth, the tannins have a tendency to become softer and smoother.
Pitars — Pinot Nero
From the French region of Bourgogne, this red wine is made from one of the finest and difficult red grapes available in the world. The brilliant colour of the wine has a delicate perfume of ripe plums and blueberries. It is recommended with chicken, turkey, beef, especially filet mignon or roasted beef, Parmesan cheese, and with Indian cuisine such as chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken, palak paneer, and keema matar.
Hardys Stamp of Australia Chardonnay Semillon White Wine
Fresh pineapple, banana and tropical fruit aromas give way to a soft, creamy palate revealing underlying citrus and well-integrated oak. The wine is served with seafood salads, grilled ravas, and prawns in Indian or Thai style.
Nederberg Souvignon Blanc 2010
Produced in the coastal region of South Africa, this brilliant bright green coloured white wine has fresh mint and jalapeno aromas with the taste of sweet passion fruit. It tastes best when paired with fish, sea bass, red snapper and creamy pasta. Like the 2009 edition, this wine displays a delicious and vibrant brilliance and is a perfect balance between a taste of herbs and tropical flavours.
Ruffino Riserva Ducale D.O.C.G
This wine expresses ripe fruit aromas and tastes, as well as characteristics such as leather and cedar. Its velvety texture, full body and complexity mark it as a truly superior Chianti Classico Riserva. Tastes best when paired with roast meat, vegetables, rich stew and tomato-based pastas.
Hardys Stamp of Australia Cabernet Merlot Red Wine
The wine has complex aromas of chocolate, cinnamon and vanilla with a medium-bodied palate balanced by soft, rounded tannins. A rich, full finish completes this delicious wine. Tastes best when paired with light red meat dishes, pizza or Mughlai food.
Carte Sassonia — Sauvignon
This French white wine is cultivated in the Bordeaux region of France. It is a pale yellow coloured wine with an intense aroma of Iychee, yellow bell pepper and tropical fruits. It is aromatic and long on the palate, with good acidity and is slightly dry. This wine is recommended as an aperitif but is also well paired with sea food such as spiny lobster, prawns, salmon and sauced fish. For Indian cuisine, it can be aired with dishes that include tomatoes, lemon and lime and tamarind. Mostly ideal for South Indian cuisine.