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Why India must drink to its first ever Master of Wine

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Sourish Bhattacharyya
Sourish BhattacharyyaSep 08, 2016 | 11:33

Why India must drink to its first ever Master of Wine

The examination system that leads up to the selection of a Master of Wine would have stumped even Confucius, the ancient Chinese philosopher responsible for the rigorous process of selection of state officials in his age, a system that has been perpetuated by the government of India in the Civil Services Examination.

The five-year course (conducted mostly through correspondence) is hugely expensive - it can set you back by Rs 15 lakh or more - and it requires you to have endless supplies of God-gifted tasting, analysing, writing and speaking skills.

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I have heard Master of Wine aspirants complain bitterly about not having enough money to take the exams or taste the many wines they are expected to identify blindfolded.

I remember a winemaker saying to me that it is impossible to work towards becoming a Master of Wine without corporate support - and that wine producers in India not being forthcoming with it.

I have seen Masters of Wine - given them a glass of randomly and you'll know how it works - do what I consider to be an act of genius: actually identify a vintage and provenance of a glass of unlabelled wine.

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Master of Wine, Sonal Holland. (Photo credit: India Today)

I can barely make out the difference between a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Cabernet Franc, but to be a Master of Wine (MW), you've got to have a sharp nose and a receptive palate.

Unsurprisingly, since 1953, all of 391 men and women from 25 nations have been declared Masters of Wine by the institute in London that conducts the exam - with 50 dead, the number of those carrying the rare tag is down to 341. That makes it the most elite club in the world.

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I had to make this preamble to explain why it is important for all of us to recognise Sonal Holland's elevation as Master of Wine as an act of brilliance, also because it is not easy for Indians to have the kind of access to wines that their peers enjoy around the world.

Coming from a traditional Maharashtrian family, and an ardent devotee of the elephant-headed god, Sonal was delighted to receive the news of her success on the Ganesh Chaturthi day.

For Sonal, it has been the culmination of a journey that started when she quit her Fortune 500 company job - that of director of sales - to pursue her passion for wine.

She worked her way up the four "Levels" of the London-based Wine and Spirits Education Trust's certification ladder and earned a diploma.

She set up the Sonal Holland Wine Academy in 2009 to offer training for the Trust's certification tests; she created a YouTube channel, Sonal Holland Wine TV, to promote wine education; she has advised ITC Hotels on their wines lists and training programme; and now she has launched the SoHo Wine Club in Mumbai to bring curated collections of wines from around the world to the members. Sonal is one busy person - and she's going to get busier.

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(Courtesy of Mail Today.)

Last updated: September 08, 2016 | 11:33
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