KOCHI: Look, swirl, smell, and sip — it’s a golden etiquette that Dr Binu T Abraham, 50, swears by. Having explored the famed vineyards in the Napa Valley wine region, the champagne vineyards of France and the legendary wineries of Baku in Azerbaijan, this Malayali dental surgeon has emerged as a true-blue wine connoisseur.
This was not the case until 1996. Wine, back then, was just another drink for this Aluva-based doctor. “The only wine I was aware of was what my mother used to make,” he smiles.
Little did Binu know that the soft clink he made with a glass of red wine at a restaurant in New York would stir a passion in him for exploring the nuances of the drink.
“I did my higher studies in the US,” he says. “One evening, while hanging out in an Italian restaurant, a friend suggested that I should try red wine. The minute I gulped down the smooth potion, I realised that wine was for me.”
The fact that wine is the only drink that’s usually paired with food piqued him. “I was inspired to understand how well wines could complement all kinds of food,” says Binu.
Wine connoisseurs would raise a toast to the sentiment. In fact, some Bacchanalians quip that the only time they do not think about wine is when they have to decide what food they are going to pair it with.
“Wine enhances the food’s flavour,” Binu explains. “Just take a sip and have a bite of, say, meat. See how well the flavour gets levelled up.”
While in the US, Binu spent three months at a culinary school in Long Island to learn the basic intricacies of wine. On his return to Kerala, he hoped to sustain his fine-wine exploration. However, back then the Kerala wine market was a “disaster”.
“I couldn’t find quality wine for quite a long time. Those days, very rarely could one spot some good labels,” Binu recalls.
He adds that places that sold wine would store them without maintaining the ideal temperature and the bottles stacked with other spirits. “See, wine is a living bottle, and there is a way to store them,” says Binu, adding that he is not a heavy drinker, but more of a wine explorer.
“Now, thankfully, the wine-drinking culture is developing in Kerala. But growth is slow.”
‘Every bottle has a story to tell’
Binu’s brother, Biju Abraham, who is also a wine enthusiast in San Francisco, keeps him updated about new launches, and the former would travel to the US based on that. On one such trip, Binu travelled to one of the largest vineyards in Napa Valley, ‘Robert Mondavi’.
“All the vineyards in Napa highlight the hilly terrain of California. However, the terrain and the climate result in the production of plump grapes,” says Binu.Subsequently, Binu travelled to ‘new-world wine’ hubs in the US. They were followed by wine-tasting trips to the ‘old world’ — the traditional vineyards of Europe .
“The quality of the new-world wines is top-notch, but the production is mostly mechanical,” he notes.
“To understand the nuances of winemaking, visiting the wine-growing regions of the old world is a must. This includes France, Italy, Switzerland, and Spain. They still follow the traditional method of winemaking, including the system of fermenting in oak barrels.” Sharing snippets from his travels, Binu notes wine tastes different in each region in France. “Cabernet Sauvignon, popularly known as the king of red wine, would taste different as we go from one place to another due to the difference in soil and the temperature during the time of harvest,” he says.
“This is why we say: ‘Every wine bottle has a story to tell’. This is an old-world concept.” In Switzerland, he adds, the ‘ice wine’ is popular. “It’s made from frozen grapes, since harvest doesn’t happen throughout the year, the grapes are stocked and frozen,” adds Binu. “It’s a sweet variant.”
Sharing is ‘caring’
Over the past two decades, Binu has been sharing his knowledge about wines with enthusiasts.
He also conducts workshops for hotel management students across India.
And, as an expert, it is common to spot mistakes. “Storage is one of them,” says Binu. “Even how the botte is closed matters – whether it is done using a cork or a screw cap. If it’s a cork, the bottle has to be kept upside down to prevent the cork from drying.”
Another common mistake, he adds, is failing to maintain the right serving temperature. “For instance, champagne must be kept chilled. Also, once the bottle is opened, the wine starts oxidising, so wine-stoppers should be used,” he says.
Collecting wine labels
“It’s a unique hobby,” Binu chuckles, as we discuss his collection of rare wine labels.
This includes Columbia Crest’s Merlot, the award-winning Pink Catawba Sweet Rose Wine, White Zinfandel, the dry red wine Amethystos, and more.
“My friends from different parts of the world bring me unique, empty bottles. I have a label-lifter. I extract them carefully from the bottle. They are my prized possessions,” Binu beams.
Best grape varieties
Red wine
Cabernet Sauvignon (king of red)
Pinot noir
Merlot
Syrah
White Wine
Chardonnay (king of whites)
Sauvignon Blanc
Riesling
What to eat with wine
Red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon goes well with beef steak and mutton dishes.
Lighter reds like Pinot Noir can be paired with spicy mushroom masala, veg cutlets and aloo gobi.
White wine, especially Chardonnay, goes with chicken tikka, sausage, prawn roast and lobster.
Lighter whites like Pinot Grigio, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc can be paired with cold salads, any cheesy food, salmon, pasta and paneer dishes.
Wine etiquette
Hold the wine glass by the stem
Take your time and engage your senses while drinking wine. After swirling the wine in your glass, smell the aroma and then sip. Don’t gulp immediately, keep the wine in your mouth and feel the taste.
Don’t fill the glass to the brim. A normal pour is one-third to half of the glass.
Swirl the wine gently. Moderate swirling is adequate to reveal the Aroma.
Serve wine at the right temperature. Whites are served in 15-17 degree celsius and red wines at 20-25 degree. Beofre serving champagne, it is ideal to keep the bottle for one hour in an ice bucket.