Shamita Singha, Miss India Earth 2001, is now a wine connoisseur who loves educating people about wine. In a candid chat with NT BUZZ she speaks about wines, associated myths and says that it is not associated with high society only
BY ARTI DAS | NT BUZZ
Shamita Singha, former Miss India Earth, is now an acclaimed wine connoisseur, who travels all over the country training professionals from the hospitality industry in wine etiquettes.
She is here in Goa for the ongoing Grape Escapade, wine festival organised by GTDC. “I am here for this festival for the first time and I am hoping it will be like any other wine festival. I am excited about meeting different wine lovers and also love the festive environment as there will be lot of music,” says Shamita, who is the brand ambassador for Four Season wines.
Shamita, who is a model and TV anchor, believes that the exposure she gained after winning the Miss India Earth title opened several opportunities for her and helped her to find her real calling.
In this industry for more than six years now she trains different sales teams and the food and beverage department of various hotels in wines. So, what’s so special about wines? She explains, “Wine is the healthiest alcoholic beverage, it is mellow and fermented grape juice. The best thing about it is that it is not pungent or bitter like other alcoholic drinks.”
Shamita believes that since her passion is fashion and lifestyle being attracted to this industry was quite natural. “During my modelling days I used to travel a lot and wine was the only alcoholic drink I used to have. But, when it came to buying wine I used to get really confused. So, then I started doing my own research and realised that it is an industry in itself,” elaborates Shamita.
There is also a lot being said about the wines made in India. There are always parallels drawn between European and Indian wines and quality is always commented on.
Shamita asserts that the wines differ from nation to nation. “The wine which you find in Argentina may not be the as same as that in Chile or India. It depends on the climatic conditions, also the soil is different and thus the crop is different. But, the wine making technique is the same and there are state-of-art machines used everywhere in the country,” confirms Shamita.
Shamita highlights that India has a long way to go before it increases its wine consumption. “China has boomed its wine consumption and it is much better than us,” adds Shamita.
She maintains that one needs to create awareness about wines by breaking myths that surrounds it. “There is a myth that wine is a woman’s drink. Today, men are consuming wine, which is really good. Also you can have it with or without food. The biggest myth is that wines are for the high class or that it is a drink for the “high society”. You can have a glass of wine while sitting on a beach of Goa with chappals. It should not be considered as a snobby person’s drink,” says Shamita.
She also vouches for the use wines in various cocktails. “You can also have a cocktail of wine with either coconut or cashew feni. One can even make sangria cocktail with feni. It is my personal favourite one can have wine (either white or red) with spirits and some fruit juices,” explains Shamita.
When asked about Goa’s relation with wine she informs that there is a wine culture in Goa due to the Portuguese influence. “There is a culture of drinking port wine in Goa. So, it is much easier to talk about wine here. But, I think, Goans are more used to sweet wine. They need to experiment more and try different tastes,” says Shamita, who opines that European tourists also add to this scenario.
Wine may be a lifestyle drink but in the end it is an alcoholic drink. The alcohol content is 8 to 15 per cent when compared to beer, which is 5 to 6 per cent. So is it really a safe option?
“I think anything in limits is good. Also research has shown that wine has anti-ageing properties. It protects the heart from coronary diseases, Alzheimer’s and also decreases the risk of ovarian cancer,” adds Shamita while briefing about its health benefits.
Thing to keep in mind about wine
It should be served chilled - white wine (8 to 10 degrees) red wine (12 to 15 degrees)
Always hold the stem of the wine glass
Swirl it and inhale the aromas
Sip slowly
Roll the wine in your mouth and take deep breath in order to oxygenate it
Enjoy its flavours and aroma
