Madera

Madera
Nashik Valley, India
[Around £5, see w/s for stockists, grape varieties unknown]

FROM INDIA'S largest wine producing region (120 miles from Bombay), this wine has an American signature, the winemaker harking from California.

It is clean and bright with a spicy, slightly saline tang - even berries, game and a touch of the farm appear when swirled boldly. On the palate there is plentiful charred oak, very good firm dry tannins, burnt, very spicy and hot elements and a long aftertaste.

A touch like a spicy beaujolais and good served gently chilled. Most intriguing and very enjoyable after a colourfully-presented, magnificent value meal of myriad mezze at Ozer, a Turkish restaurant in Langham Place. The label is apparently "inspired by Warli, a local tribal art form depicting rural life".

Despite claims that there are wines specifically suited, ney designed, to what the British might consider traditional Indian food, I totally refute this.