This is a red wine blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, made by the Grover vineyards from the grapes grown in Nandi Hills and apparently stored in Oak barrels after fermentation (I guess an attempt at replicating the Bordeaux environment and process). This was always the 'Grand Daddy' of the Indian Reds and pretty much the ‘First Choice Indian Red’ for the last decade before the plethora of Indian made vineyards popped up over the last 5 years.

The wine is Dark purple colour
The nose is distinctly blackberry with a hint of spice and green pepper.
On the palate this is a medium bodied wine there is a fruity cherry taste with a strong spicy taste and a hint of Oak. The finish was distinctly tannic with a perceptible alcoholic finish on the palate.
Pairings that were suggested by the Vineyard were Mutton dishes and Biryan, So I tried this with some good old fashioned Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani and it was definitely a good match.
I remember reading somewhere that Stephen Spurrier rated this particular wine as “ the best new world red wine”...but that was in 2005 and Indian wine is notoriously inconsistent.  It is still one of the best Indian Reds available in the market. It retails for Rs. 750

This is a wine made from the Bordeaux region in France. This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
The nose was a very earthy, spicy one with distinct black current and Oak
On the palate, though, this wine was fresh and dense with a taste of ripe, slightly chocolaty dark fruits, firm tannins and an Oak residue.
This wine pairs well with Grilled Chicken, Cheese burger and Vegetable Quiche and a Choclate tart J
This wine was picked up as a classic Claret from the UK. So I am not really sure of the pricing

This wine is made out of Unblended Sangiovese grown in an area called akluj near Pune. I had always associated Sangiovese with Chianti, or most of the time blended with Cabernets and merlot. So it was definitely a pleasant surprise to taste a 100 percent Sangiovese, from the stables of an Indian Winery.
It had an aroma of Cherries, vanilla, tobacco (??) and a hint of spice
On the palate, it was a medium bodied wine with a fruity taste with a certain degree of spiciness and mild tannins. It was pretty smooth and had a rather nice long finish.
I was fortunate that I was introduced to this wine by Arnav of Azzuri bay during our ‘Old Shepherdians ‘ reunion at Azzuri bay, and hence there were a variety of dishes that were pouring out of the Kitchen of Azzuri Bay. So i had a fair bit of experimentation about which particular food paired well with the wine. And the winners of the pairing contest were spicy Beef and mutton fry, though it paired well with pasta too.
Sangioveses tend to taste better with age, hence i would look to pick up a few bottles fir the wine fridge for later. It retails for about Rs 850 at the Wine stores in any City outside of Chennai, most restaurants in Chennai Price it around Rs. 2200 for a bottle.

This is a South African Wine presently widely available across the clubs in Chennai. It is made from Chiraz made from the Cape region of South Africa (incidentally cape is the region where the Antlantic and the Indian Oceans meet, hence “2 oceans””..Get it :-D)
This wine has a distinctly berryish , spicy and a smell of Smoke (yes smoke ;-)
The palate is again distinctly fruity, with a distinct musty oak taste which I personally did not like.
We opened it on a couple of occasions while we were Barbequing and it did go reasonably well with the red meat.
On a final note the Cape region is definitely ore famous for its Pinotage. Shiraz is a lot rarer in South Africa and i think i know why. If it is Two Oceans I reckon its safer to stick with the Pinotage.

This is a red wine from the Sula wineries in India.  But this particular wine is actually a Chillean Merlot that is Bottled in india by Sula (I wonder if that is one of the reasons that it is one of the better ‘Reds from an Indian Brand available in India.)
It has a very Berry and Cherry nose
On the palate it has a unexpectedly smooth feel with a taste of berries and a certain spiciness to it.
It does go well with most spicy Indian dishes whether Vegetarian or  Non vegetarian. It would therefore would be a safe choice red at an Índian restaurant.
It retails at around Rs. 700 though most restaurants price it between Rs1000 and Rs. 2000

This is a red wine which originated from the Barossa Valley in the Southern Australia. Barossa Valley is apparently one of the oldest wine producing regions in Australia.

The Wine has a brilliant ruby red dark colour. It is a medium bodied wine.
The nose is distinctly plum and berry.
The palate is very fruity with a distinct spicy characteristic. I found it a little odd that there was NO chocolaty taste because that is one of the characteristic s of the Shiraz grown in the Barossa Valley.
This was one of the 4 wines that i had at the B bar in Chennai. I have noticed that this wine is a regular feature on the menus of most restaurants in India and retails at a little less than Rs 1000 at retail its priced between Rs1500 to Rs2500 per bottle at the restaurants.
It paired well with the spicy non vegetarian dishes and is an absolute NO NO with the bland vegetarian stuff.

This is a Chilean Import from the Maipo Valley in Chile. It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Camenere and Syrah. It is a medium bodied wine. It had a Chocolaty aroma with a flavour of Chocolate, Vanilla and pepper.
It went well with the Pepper steak that was prepared by the Chef Nimrat Pahwa of ‘On the Rocks’ at Hotel park Sheraton and Towers, Chennai. If i remember well it was priced at Rs 3200 inclusive of tax.

Riva Ranch Chardonnay 2010 - from wente, California is a medium bodied, golden Color Chardonnay with flavours of tropical fruit, honey and cinnamon. It has a round mouthed feel, with a tangy after taste and a fruity finish. 


Complements Indian appetizers like glazed and sautéed cottage cheese starters. 

This South African brand from the Coastal region of South Africa is made of 100% pinotage. This wine seems to be the flavour of the month in the clubs of Chennai for the month, if you ask for an "Imported Red Wine". Its relatively inexpensive (by Chennai standards, retailing at about close to Rs.1000  bottle).
This is a red with a very dark ruby colour. The bouquet had flavours of black currant and spicy aromas.
It is a medium bodied wine with a distinct fruity flavour of strawberry and plums.
 
Considering that we were sitting on a whole case of the wine, there was considerable experimentation as far as pairing was concerned. The bottom line was that the wine paired well with tandoori chicken, spicy mutton chukka and paneer tikka.
Bottom line : Decent Red, easily available and pairs well with Indian food..Go for it :)

Personally I am partial towards the whites. In my experience while travelling around the country the most commonly available “white wine” in hotels and bars across the country in the “imported” category has been this Australian made Chardonnay. A primary reason could be its affordability, it does retail for a little less than a Rs 1000 (though its available for about $8 or $9 at any duty free shop in the country).
It is a pale yellow coloured wine, with an aromatic bouquet which is citrusy; there is also a hint of Oak.
The palate is very fruity with a pineapple, lemony caramelized taste and does have a very ‘’fresh” feel to it.
It does go well with Cheese based dishes (Chilly Cheese toastJ) and white meat.