Festival Ends in High Spirits
Sunday, 14th Dec 2008
by Ashvina Vakil
More than a thousand visitors thronged the Festival on day two and when evening rolled by, many didn’t want to leave! Long after 6 pm there were visitors at the gate asking to be let in for “just ten minutes” so they could have a peek. Perhaps they’ll be back next year for more than just a peek, for what they missed this time was a really memorable experience.
The word had obviously spread since Saturday and as visitors poured into Rohi Villa the registration desk found it hard to keep pace. So many visitors waived off our directions about the wristband and tasting kit with a, “We know, we were here yesterday!” Not having tasted all they could the previous day, they were in a hurry to get back in the thick of things as soon as possible.
A lot of wine was tasted, and undoubtedly drunk, and representatives from the wineries looked pretty dazed as they juggled a Shiraz with a Merlot even while rushing to open another chilled bottle of Chardonnay. Friends conferred and headed off to recommended stalls while others studied the wine guide in a bid to figure out which varietal they had missed out. The place was buzzing and the air was heady with the bouquet of more than 50 wines. “I could get high just by standing here and inhaling,” chirped a young lady, before she decided that tasting was a much more satisfying option.
Allied activities found plenty of interested takers; Ranjit Dhuru’s talk on how he ventured into wine making was particularly engrossing, while Sujata Patil’s audience listened with rapt attention as she took them through the process of tasting. Chef Parag did his usual magic with food and wine, and many left his demonstration eager to buy a bottle of wine they could use in the kitchen soon.
Good food and wine is an intoxicating combination, and when you have convivial company and an appealing ambience thrown in, it gets even better. A large number of foreign visitors professed surprise at the range of Indian wine, and quite obviously they were impressed because they walked out laden with cases and shopping bags. In fact a lot of people bought wine in preparation for the party season and as they all but danced out of the gate you could tell that anticipation was high!
“Thank you so much for this,” exclaimed a group of youngsters. “It’s definitely been a most educative experience. We will feel more confident discussing wine with colleagues in future.” The Pune Wine Tasting Festival certainly proved to be a splendid platform to showcase the offerings of many lesser known wineries, apart from allowing the already well known to introduce new wines.
It’s only going to get bigger and better so watch this space for details about the third festival. Meanwhile do spread the word. And Season’s Greetings from us all at the Pune Gourmet Club!
