Keith W. Edgar not only paired cheese with wine at the Taj Mahal hotel but also busted the myth that Indian food doesn't go with wine. He feels that the wine consumption in India is growing at one of the fastest rates in the world. By Shrabasti Mallik
How do you feel about curating the first edition of Taj’s wine and food festivalIJ
It was an amazing experience as always. The whole concept of International Vine and Food Experience (IVFE) was to bring a world class event that could provide a perfect platform for people to enjoy a wide variety of wine as well as interact and learn from the experts. After enjoying two massively successful seasons, IVFE 2016 got bigger, better and more luxurious with Taj playing the perfect host and bringing to life an event of such scale and grandeur. The iconic Taj Mahal Hotel in Delhi has been gracious enough to help us create a multi-layered event that had something for everyone, a grand tasting of over fifty wineries with food stations serving treats from a global menu to a multi course dinner paired with the world’s finest wines. Additionally, it also had an element of Master classes for anyone wanting in-depth knowledge of their drink. IVFE 2016 was a special one also because we had Prince Duccio Corsini hosting a session on Chianti Classico and its quality classification system. This, at a time when Chianti Classico is celebrating 300 years of the region being awarded the official status of Chianti making.
You also happen to conduct wine classes at IIHM. Do you feel a certain connect with the country and its tastes because of the sameIJ
Of everything I do in India, teaching the next generation about wine is what I enjoy the most and feel a certain responsibility towards it. I’ve been living in India for over five years and my connection with the country is strong, mostly because we have added two sons to our family who grew up in West Bengal. One of my sons is studying physiotherapy in Kolkata and the other will start business school in Denver in the fall. Our roots are firmly planted in India.
Tell us something about ice wines or any novelty in the wine industry.
Ice wine is far from a novelty, it is one of the great wine styles in the world just under appreciated. Not many people are aware about it because of its rare availability. It's very tough and expensive to make ice wine. It is made from the juice of frozen grapes, now you can imagine how cumbersome the whole process is.
Do you think homegrown wines in the country will ever be able to compete with international wineriesIJ Besides India doesn't happen to be the country with a very high percentage of wine consumers, it's basically a country of hard liquor. We are a whisky nation more than a wine. It's only the urban and a certain sect that enjoys wine. Your comments
Homegrown wines in India are already making their mark. Some great wines are currently being produced and earning a great response. The wine consumption in India is growing at one of the fastest rates in the world. It's still a small amount but India has a huge potential that is already starting to show. Here, at the two- day wine extravaganza, people across the world joined us for interactive and educational wine tasting sessions where domestic wines were hugely appreciated. So I would say they are definitely making a big impact.
Don’t you think wine and cheese pairing is a tad too hackney a conceptIJ How differently would you pair food with wine if you had toIJ Also, Indian food doesn’t go down too well with wine, even reds.
Wine and cheese is not a concept it is an age old tradition. I love having a bit of cheese with a glass of wine. I can't disagree more with the statement that Indian food doesn't go well with wine. I think it goes fantastically well and as I eat a lot of Indian food I'm always enjoying it with different wines. I recently had a lovely meal at The Taj Mahal Hotel, at their Indian restaurant Varq. I sampled the Varqi crab with Ziraldo Ice wine – a simply divine combination. Even at the IVFE, guests were treated to a grand food and wine pairing, from pan seared tuna with enoki and button mushroom marinate to smoked ricotta ravioli offering a firework of flavours to the guests.
What would you say to the new age sommeliers or people who passionately want to become oenophilesIJ
Try as many wines from various wineries around the world and take as many formal courses you can. Some of the best training is being imparted through WSET based out of the UK. Indian enthusiasts can opt for level 1-2 which has centers across India. Unfortunately, level 3 is only available in Delhi and Mumbai and the top level 4 is not yet available in the country. Besides, what you truly need is some good old passion and a refined palate.