With winter stealthily knocking on our door, this is the best time to savour Grover Zampa Vineyard’s Signet Collection — five varieties of red wine.
As the party — and festive — season is upon us, what better way to up the revelry quotient than savouring a goblet of a bold red, taking in its distinctive aroma, and enjoying its play on your tongue? Indian pioneer and one of the most awarded wine producers, Grover Zampa Vineyards, aims to help you do just that.
A distinctive signature
With its signature wine collection — Signet — Grover Zampa has launched one of the most premium wines of the country. And judging by the guests’ reactions at the experiential unveiling at Mumbai’s Ekaa, in partnership with sommelier Nikhil Agarwal’s All Things Nice, Grover Zampa Vineyards has once again won the hearts of wine connoisseurs. Offering five varieties of red, Signet is India’s first wine range to be aged in foudres, amphoras, and concrete tanks.
Signet reveals the most delicate aromas of single-vineyard hand-picked Shiraz, estate bottled, and their variation with different ageing techniques. All wines are unfiltered to retain their natural mouthfeel and represent the five maturation processes used to create the range which is the expression of Grover Zampa’s finest craftsmanship.
Pushing boundaries
Grover Zampa Vineyards boasts of an impressive pedigree in the Indian wine industry and is the largest exporter of wines from India to over 22 countries. No wonder then that Ravi Viswanathan, chairman, Grover Zampa Vineyards says, “Grover Zampa always been known for pushing the boundaries through innovation and Signet is, in many ways, the manifestation of that creative vision.” According to him, with each launch, Grover Zampa aims to elevate the rich wine-drinking experience.
As a result of this commitment to quality, Grover Zampa Vineyards has won 183 international awards for 18 wines since 2013, from 10 competitions, across three continents, which is an indication of its true craftsmanship and unwavering fortitude. Fittingly, Viswanathan adds, “With the Signet collection being a single vineyard wine, we were able to retain the natural texture and phenolics. Gracefully made from hand-picked grapes, the Grover Signet epitomises our dedication to making wines that express the terroir.”
Here are the five varieties of red wines that comprise the Signet Collection.
Signet Spectrum
This dry red wine is a blend of Shiraz, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet, Franc, and Muscat with a deep cherry red colour. It’s been fermented and aged for 12 months in concrete egg-shaped tanks. The aroma is concentrated, and dense in fruity fragrance with nascent figs and bergamot. A powerful mouthfeel that comes alive with liquorice and almond notes which, on aging, evolves into a delectable note of dusted leather and venison. The porous structure of concrete allows micro-oxygenation which helps soften the tannins.
Signet Shiraz (Amphora)
Fermented and aged for 12 months in a terracotta clay amphora, this red wine runs a deep garnet red. The porous structure of terracotta clay allows micro-oxygenation which helps soften the tannins and give a deep and rich structure, without additional flavours. This wine offers exceptional intensity and a notable freshness that is accentuated by well-balanced roundness, velvet tannins, and a rare long finish on the palate.
Signet Shiraz (2L Foudre)
A well-balanced wine with soft tannins and a medium body, slightly oaky finish with a sublime ending palate. Fermented for 12 months in 2,000 litres French oak foudre, this wine emits the strong varietal characteristics of a Shiraz — black berry, black cherry, pepper, and tobacco.
Signet Shiraz (1L Foudre)
This wine has a strong structure with powerful tannins and beautiful hints of French oak notes of cinnamon and vanilla. It leaves hints of fruit and beautiful resinous pepper on the finish. Fermented for 12 months in 1,000 litres French oak foudre, it produces an intense aroma of oak and with ripe red fruits.
Signet Shiraz (24 months French Barriques)
Matured in 225 litres French oak barrels for 24 months and 12 months in bottle, this dry red delivers rich aromas of red berry, prune, vanilla, tobacco, and hints of violet that mingle elegantly, giving a leathery character and a deep level of complexity.
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