Today I'm tasting wine from Bangalorean company Mandala Valley Vineyards, founded in 2006. As far as I know, at least in the beginning they used grape from Maharashtra, not from Karnataka where Bangalore (Bengaluru) is located.
Label is quite beautiful and that is, perhaps, the main reason I bought it. "Mandala" means "circle" in Sanskrit. "Mandala valley" doesn't mean anything, it's just a combination of words. The label also says "where the rainbows dance". Not sure what they mean but maybe the rainbows got very drunk with this wine and began to dance ;-)
What I like the most about the label is that it says "private collection". If it's a private collection - how the hell did I get it in a regular wine shop? :)
Price: heavy 690 Rs (15 USD).
Smell: actually, rather bad. Very intense, but not rich. Similar to that of cheap Indian wine (150-200 Rs category) or dirty cheap European wine (0,5-1 EUR category).
Taste: rather muddled, mixed, confused. Not too terrible, but lacks clarity, lacks transparent, distinguishable after-taste. In short, taste is slightly better than that of cheap Indian wine (150-200 Rs category).
Funny but the official website of the manufacturer says their boss is French and he got kick-ass experience in the field. But, at least according to this item we tried today, he got deported from France for screwing the reputation of their sacred profession - wine making.
Verdict: NEVER BUY IT! It's a scam, a money waste. If you are willing to spend 690 Rs per bottle, go for Tiger Hill or Sula Dindori.
PS. Dr. Pascal Chatonnet, shame on you!
Forgot to mention - had a headache half of the next day thanks to this wine!
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