Orva is the latest still red wine launched by sparkling wine brand Chandon

When you think of sparkling wine, Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, the world’s largest champagne producer with revenues of $2.2 billion in 2022, comes to mind for obvious reasons. But Chandan India, one of six affiliated wineries under the brand (the others are located in Argentina, California, Brazil, Australia and China) has embarked on an ambitious project — to produce the first still red wine. Almost five years of brand experimentation led to the birth of Orva (Sanskrit meaning ‘of the earth’), true to its mark, a celebration in a bottle, a tribute to terroir and a product of cross-continental collaboration.

In a Zoom call ahead of the Orva launch, Chandan India’s premier winemaker Kaushal Khairnar raved about this shiraz. “We wanted to make a wine that had layers of personality and character. With each sip, you get different nuances, creating a different experience as you return to your glass.”

Aurva is made at Chandon India’s Dindori Winery in Nashik, Maharashtra, where the 600m vineyard is rich in red soil, scorched in the summer, followed by the monsoons. This dichotomous climate, followed by a mild winter, gives vineyard-grown Shiraz a unique character (40% of the fruit used is grown on the Chandon estate, and 60% is grown by highly supervised local partner growers).

Shiraz vines are carefully trained, with one shoot per branch and only a few bunches per shoot, aided by vertical shoot positions to get just the right amount of sun exposure and ventilation. With only one harvest each year in March, the delicious grapes are hand-harvested, bunch-picked, de-stemmed and painstakingly re-sorted, grape by grape. “We needed some elegance, finesse and harmony to create a still red. The fruit is the most important, the processing is just the cherry on top,” adds Kaushal.

Fermented in custom-built stainless steel tanks for about 10 days, the wine is matured for about 14 months in French oak barrels made by century-old cooper (barrel maker or repairer) François Freres. Kaushal observes, “Whiskey has always been popular in India, so there is an understanding of oak. We use 60-70% used oak, which is good for micro-oxygenation, which helps soften the tannins. Then 30-40% new oak adds complexity to enhance the fruit expression.”

Kaushal, the youngest of Chandan’s Chef de Caves (cellar masters), grew up in Nashik, the land of Indian wine. After a three-year basic winemaking course at Nashik’s Gargi Agriculture Research and Training Institute, a fortuitous internship at Vallée de Vin Winery in Nashik made him consider winemaking as his calling. In 2015, he was selected by Chandon’s Early Career Winemaker Program and had the opportunity to play the role of assistant winemaker at Chandon’s India and Brazil wineries, for a year, even working on eight wine-grape collections in India, France, New Zealand. , USA, and Brazil and finally taking the reins to Nashik in 2018. His fearless attitude at Maison is matched by veteran Dan Buckle, Winemaking Director – Chandon Australia (LVMH), who has worked extensively with Shiraz. Given the success of the 100% Shiraz used at the Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships (CSWWC) in the award-winning Chandon Rosé (Best Indian Sparkling Wine 2020) and Dan’s expertise with best Shiraz practices, Orva is a happily married marriage of Indian terroir and Chandon’s savoir faire.

Dan, in an email interview, shared his experience working with Indian artisans and winemakers in Indian wine country. “For Orva, we had a clear idea of ​​what we wanted from the grapes. It was aromatic, fruit-forward and easy to drink, but with an element of sophistication from the judicious use of oak. A still wine that will push the boundaries of Shiraz, challenging more traditional expressions around the world.” Talking about the custom-built tanks, he adds, “The technical manufacturing capability in India is second to none and so we designed our own tanks for this project and were amazed at the finish. There is real pride in what India can do.”

Orva (14% ABV – alcohol present per drink), available in Mumbai and Nashik (₹4,250) is a deep ruby ​​with a purple hue, with savory notes of blueberry, raspberry, blackberry and black cherry followed by notes of jasmine and violet on the full nose. French oak gives a touch of spice, coffee bean and chocolate. “It draws on old wine traditions but still feels contemporary. We believed that the Indian soil and climate – an unexpected one for wine – could create an expression of Shiraz that would be a little more colorful, aromatic and sensual than wines from more traditional terroirs,” he adds.

Orva marks the symphony of culture and the meeting of minds. “We’ll be sharing notes daily across the various Chandon winemaking communities, and Dan and I have been in touch during the pandemic, on the best way to move this forward,” added Kaushal. This collaborative effort also speaks to the growing interest of Indian wine consumers. Kaushal observes, “I have seen a growing interest in reds — Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz as they are robust and pair well with Indian cuisine. Sparkling on the other hand is cool and refreshing, especially given India’s climate. But most importantly there is a growing curiosity and desire to drink better. The innovation of the Indian spirits industry has also informed our winemaking and Orva’s personality is a testament to that.”

Best served in a bowl glass with a tapered rim at 18 and 22 degrees, Orva makes a great companion to a smorgasbord of savory roast vegetables, grilled eggplant, mushroom preparations, a sophisticated cheeseboard, while still the red stands out for bold flavors in grilled and barbecued meats. , as well as a flavorful chicken tikka masala. “Orva also makes a great gift, as it has the ability to age for three to four years. So you can gift a bottle to family and friends both in India and abroad,” adds Kaushal.