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Introducing Sufi Wines 

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By Doug Singer

Sam Bhatia, founder of Sufi Wines, decided to once and for all take the lead and develop an appropriate selection of wines, specifically designed to pair with the bold spice palate of Indian cuisine. Truly passionate about the food of his homeland, he realized that pairing wines with this fare was difficult at best—there never seemed to be the right selection and like many would revert back to the old standby, beer.
He has solved this dilemma with his new collection of French wines created specifically for Indian cuisine, Mirza Ghalib. The brand’s namesake, Mirza Ghalib, was the greatest Indian poet of the 19th century and in many of his verses, he sought to express his passion for wine. Bhatia spent over 20 years traveling globally while an employee of Continental Airlines, planning events and launching new destinations. It was during these travels the question of pairing wine with Indian cuisine always came up and this was the genesis of what is a true solution. 
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“It complements Indian food’s spicy and complex flavors in two ways: first, the wine’s acidity boosts the layers of flavors in a dish while softening its extremes, whether of body, richness, fattiness or spicy heat. Second, the wine’s fruitiness or sweetness tones down spicy heat, letting the dish’s other flavors shine. The creation of these wines is the result of the work of a team of passionate wine lovers led by Frédéric-Jean Hoguet, wine expert and member of the prestigious Académie du vin de Paris.”

We fortunately had the opportunity to sample two of their offerings. Both the Viogner and the Cabernet Sauvignon stood up nicely when paired with Indian dishes and were easily enjoyed while standing alone. This is a true breakthrough for this market and is very worthy of a try whether you are enjoying Indian cuisine, or simply looking for a fine glass of wine to enjoy.
www.sufiwines.com
By Michael Hepworth

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What exactly is GRAND BRULOT I thought to myself as I opened the bottle for the first time just around the time this lockdown took effect. Well, Grand Brulot is listed as a VSOP Cognac Café and it can be used in Bloody Mary’s, Manhattans, Negronis, Martinis, spritzes and sidecars , just for starters. It is a blend of Ugni Blanc & Colombard that is crafted into 80 proof VSOP. Then 100% Robusta Ecuadorian coffee bean essence is extracted and blended with brandy to meld for a few months and finally, it is blended with the VSOP Cognac. There is also a whiff of peppermint, nutmeg and hot cocoa in the drink. The retail price is $42.99.

The idea for the drink was instigated in 2015 by John Bernbach who asked for the help of industry veteran Francisco Tonarely to investigate the potential of a cognac/brandy drink blended with coffee. Three year later in August 2018 Grand Brulot was launched. This cognac comes from the Tardy Cognac Group and the grapes come from its single estate. Grand Brulot also plays homage to a New Orleans specialty of the same name that is still served around town.  The name Grand Brulot was inspired by the famous French pirate Jean Lafite who helped New Orleans repel the British invaders in 1812. He would order coffee, pour cognac in the saucer, set it alight and mix it with the coffee.
Recipes:

THE RISE AND SHINE
2 oz Grand Brulot
Orange Twist

Just pour Grand Brulot over ice and the orange will highlight the flavors
of the spirit.

BRULOT BLACK MANHATTAN
1 oz Grand Brulot
1 oz Bourbon
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
3 dashes Orange Bitters

Bartender Todd Smith created this one. Stir all the ingredients together in
a mixing glass. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass with ice and garnish

with orange wheel.

FRENCH NEGRONI
1 oz Grand Brulot
1 oz  Sweet Vermouth
1 oz Campari

Build in a rocks glass over ice and garnish w/orange wheel.

GRAND BRULOT CAFÉ HOLIDAY
1 oz Grand Brulot
0.5 oz Crème de Cacao
3 oz Porter Beer or Stout
3 dashes of bitters

Throw cocktail ingredients between two cups a couple of times to mix
And ignite the foam from the beer. Pour into a highball glass over ice
And garnish with nutmeg.



www.grandbrulot.com
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