Magandeep Singh
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11th Indian Sommelier Championship: Beverage competition keep dialogue alive
In a country plagued with high taxes and other barriers, beverage competitions go a long way in keeping the dialogue alive.
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Trouble with pursuing a profession you love is it doesn’t free you from the shackles of work, says Magandeep Singh
When a restaurant gives you the luxury to ‘switch off’, it’s time to sit back and relax .
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Taxing issues: High duties, higher taxes and related costs are crippling alcohol culture in the country
Recently, the registration fee for imported wines in Delhi was revised from R10,000 to R60,000, a six-fold jump with no explanations whatsoever.
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Between SIPS: The magic of the sparkle
Wine houses in Champagne consider the art of making sparkling wine not just one of skill and science, but also of patience.
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Between sips: The beverage quotient
While good food can draw the crowd in and make them keep coming back, it’s the beverage sales that really bring up the bottomline.
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World Class cocktail competition is not just about juggling flaming bottles
For all those who think a cocktail competition is just about juggling flaming bottles, the World Class competition comes as a refreshing reminder
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Unique materials, constant innovation, and an inclusive approach make Austria a great place for wines
Since the mid 80s, Austria has been restructuring and repositioning their wines.
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Between sips: Here are five basic caveats while pairing Indian food and wine
The way one eats Indian food can also influence the pairing. The ideal way is to eat everything with either rice or some sort of bread.
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The right balance: Indian eateries have shown that food is all about flavours and all wine is fair field to deploy alongside
The West made us believe that there is an entity called ‘Asian food’. So ridiculous is the idea for this notion to exist even as a collective noun, and yet it reigns on.
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The tonic trials: A blind tasting of Indian tonic waters throws up some surprises
The panel of 13 tasters comprised both professionals from the wine and bar trade as also gin enthusiasts.
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Between Sips: The crazy gin
Gin is a competitive, tough and currently heated-up space in the spirits market
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Between Sips: Raising a toast
Unlike its sibling Carmenere, Malbec grape has managed to retain its identity, even though it was still stuck playing second fiddle to big brother Cabernet.
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Between Sips: A glass tasting
Other brands, if I may add, have also developed similar glass ranges to address different types of wines (or wines from different grapes) and have their own ritual method to demonstrate it.
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Between Sips: The conundrum of big brands
The biggest challenge sommeliers face is to come up with a wine list that is unique and yet recognisable, a list that has unknown brands aplenty and, at the same time, is familiar enough for a guest to be tempted to order.
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Between Sips: The Gin Game
Narendra Bhawan was then the perfect choice of venue for the world’s number one gin, Bombay Sapphire, when they decided to launch their new uber-premium gin variant, Star of Bombay.
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That French wine is among the best in the world can’t be re-emphasised enough, says Magandeep Singh
The one thing that has always benefitted the wines of France is consistent marketing—200 years of it to be precise.
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The right balance: Pointers to a successful restaurant
But frankly, five-star hotels could take a page out of Balcon’s logbook and stand to gain immensely from it. He takes painstaking measures while putting together his restaurants and then in their daily running.
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The Old Monk Story: Why India’s most famous rum is more than just a spirit
Old Monk is a drink that invigorates and also revives youth. Truly then, it is elixir.
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Happy New Year 2018: Of glasses, past, present and future
We drank some great wines from Chile, we had exceptional bottles from France and Spain too. The spirits market saw many new whiskies, but it was mostly gin that was ubiquitous.
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All about bordeaux, beers and bonhomie
The French embassy decided to treat us to a host of their wines from various wine regions, from Champagne to Burgundy and even some very exquisite exceptionally-aged Armagnacs and ‘Agricole’ rums.
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Chilean wines could soon make its way to India
The last fortnight has been an exceptionally busy (hic!) one. I first tasted beer from the Simba brand, which is pretty similar to Bira, that is, it will appeal to the millennial crowd, but the more persnickety beer heads may not be taken in by its taste.
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Food and beverage epiphanies: Why loyalty, belief and humility are essential ingredients in recipe for success
Recently, while cruising through HK, I made my pilgrimage visit to Otte e Mezzo, one of the finest Michelin-starred Italian eateries—perhaps the only three-starred one outside of Europe (well, Italy).
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Pisco passions: Here’s the journey of this traditional drink
If there ever was a moot topic to touch while seated at a table with Peruvians and Chilenos, few things could rival the passion that both the countries reserve for Pisco.
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The price-value ratio
If I had a rupee for every time someone sighed and exclaimed that wine is extremely expensive in India, I would be a rich man. If I collect GST on that rupee, I’d be considered even more legitimate.
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Reflecting on wine awards
In India, we have a few wine awards beginning to take root, but the consumer is not too bothered with medals just yet
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Wine lovers, take note! Here is a new flavour for you
White wines are great, as also are reds, but a rosé can be the perfect in-between choice
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The wine world needs to connect with and complement the lifestyles of upcoming oenophiles
This new lot starts much younger, has a much crisper idea of what it wishes to cover and how to approach it.
