Introducing Sufi Wines 

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. 

“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