With the recent profusion of new restaurant openings in Gurgaon, it was just a matter of time that we would schedule a wine dinner across the state line. So many of us members were pleasantly surprised to receive a mail for a wine appreciation dinner on 29th of May at Wildfire, the Brazilian Churrascaria opened at the Crowne Plaza in Gurgaon, which had been highly spoken for in the press reviews.

There was a shadow of doubt in many members' minds as the Gujjars had chosen that very day to shut down all access to the Capital. As the afternoon wore on, many calls went flying between members and Subhash Arora, the President decided to carry on with the plans. Just as well, because the traffic turned out to be lighter than usual and the drive from Defence Colony to Gurgaon was smooth and took a mere 30 minutes.

We assembled in the very chic and modern lobby bar of the hotel where we started the evening sipping Müller Thurgau semi-sparkling wine from Santa Margarita, a wine made from the grape of the same name which is a cross between the Riesling and the Madeleine Royale grape. This fresh, clean tasting sparkler combined beautifully with the jalapeño cheese balls and crisp onion rings.

From there it was a short walk to Wildfire, nestled in a corner of the lobby and fronted by a wide open grill kitchen where a variety of meats and seafood were under preparation closely observed by hungry eyed diners. The hotel had gone to the trouble of printing a special menu for the evening which was indicative of the planning that had gone into making this evening a success.

We started off with a Sauvignon Lahn 2006, from one of the leading producers in the Alto Adige region – a delightful wine with excellent aromatic quality and a lingering mouth feel .This was an excellent complement to the salmon sashimi – a classic example of a good marriage between white wine and seafood.

Next we had a Myrto Forodori from the Savignon Blanc and Incrocio Manzoni blend, a white wine grown in the Veneto area of Italy and representing a cross between the Riesling and the Pinot Bianco varietals. A medium bodied wine with a very mineral tone and a short finish, this wine did not detract from the Mushroom cappuccino which had a fusion twist with cumin dust and curry salt.

At this stage, the club bid farewell to the departing Italian Trade Commissioner with a vote of appreciation for his support of the Delhi Wine Club. The guest of honour, H.E. Antonio Armellini, the Ambassador of Italy had words of praise to say about the Club and heartily acknowledged the efforts made by the club and especially our President, for the promotion of wine culture in India. 

Onto main course and the red wine choices for the evening which began with the Felsina Fontalloro Sangiovese 2003 to go with the char grilled lobster from Cochin. The Fontalloro is a mix of grapes from vineyards in the southern tip of the Chianti Classico production region but because parts of these vineyards lie outside of the Classico borders, this wine cannot be labeled Chianti Classico, but rather an IGT wine. This wine has been rated 90 points by the Wine Spectator and follows up its elegant and fresh start with intense fruity flavour on the palate.

Those that had the grilled lamb chops said they went very well with Il Falcone 2000 Rivera Riserva from Puglia, which I found to be a rich, powerful and earthy wine from Puglia with a complex nose and good tannin structure. This wine is a 70% blend of Nero di Troia and 30% Montepulciano varietal.

All in all, an excellent pairing of food and wine which was complemented by service that, for a newly opened restaurant, was smooth, efficient and vibrant. Maybe some of the hard core carnivores may have felt the hotel could have used this opportunity to showcase their repertoire of red meats better but the menu and the chef delivered good quality and variety.

Arun Batra is a Delhi based management consultant, a food and wine enthusiast and a long time member of the Delhi Wine Club