Suddenly, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Merlot is a part of every self-respecting urban animal’s dictionary, and you have Kolkata housewives wondering which wine will go best with the piquant flavours of chicken tikka masala, tandoori prawns or kadhai paneer.

“Kolkata wine drinkers are a discerning lot. They know their Chardonnays from their Merlots. White wine, which is acknowledged as the wine best suited for the Indian palate, is quite popular here,” claims PradeepRozario, proprietor of the popular eatery KK’s Fusion which offers a vast selection of wines to its patrons.

Indian wines like the ones from the Sula Vineyards in Nashik, seem to be the toast of the season. “Though French and Italian wines are popular, local wines are fast catching up. They are comparatively cheaper and are tailor-made for the Indian palate,” says restaurateur Naveen Pai.

Kenworthy agrees. “The quality of Indian wines has improved by leaps and bounds, in these last few years. They are no longer considered to be cheap substitutes,” he says.

While the lighter white wine, which goes fabulously with spicy Indian dishes, flows freely in most Kolkata restaurants, the red variety too has many takers. “Red wine goes well with red meat, which means it’s a good accompaniment for biryanis and curries. Which is probably why red wine finds so many takers in the city,” says Rozario.

Moreover, dessert wines like the Sauternes of France or the delicious Port wine consumed in most parts of the world with select desserts, cheese or by themselves after a meal, are also finding takers in the city. “Since Indian desserts are usually rich with ghee and sugar they throw most wines off balance instead of accentuating the taste. However Bengali desserts like the cottage cheese based sandesh pair well with a sweet Muscat or even a rich Semillion,” says Pai.