WINE ARUVA IS A WINNER

The elegant and fruity Shiraz is the first still wine from Chandon, best known for its sparkling wines

- Magandeep Singh

The Sanskrit word Aurva means, from the earth’ and it was the most fitting name that rolled-off our tongues as we all gathered recently at the Chandon Winery in Dindori, outside Nashik, to witness the launch of its first still wine, a red Shiraz, no less. Chandon, of course, is famous globally

for its mid-range sparkling wines which it makes in five countries Argentina, Brazil, China, Australia, and the US, besides India. The vineyards collectively spread over 1,400 hectares make it the largest in the world devoted exclusively to sparkling wines. But Aurva is special because it is the first time that Chandon has launched a still wine.

Chandon was first set up by the storied French champagne house, Moet Chandon, in 1959 in Argentina to popularise the concept of sparkling wines around the world. Besides the name itself, it also shares the genetic imprint in terms of the kind of work and creativity that goes into the creation of new wines, all of which are in full display in Aurva.

Chandon set up its India operations in Nashik in 2014, with a fabulous facility consisting of a winery and a vineyard spread over 19 acres of land at the foothills of the Western Ghats. The valley’s winegrape friendliness comes from its 600-metre elevation, red earth, and extreme weather hot summers, intense monsoons, and cold winters. The winery is quite a sight; a slick stretch of buildings juxtaposed against steep slopes and surrounded by vines. It is from here that Chandon has released some of India’s more popular and affordable sparkling wines for close to a decade now.