Red wine in Chennai - where to purchase?

fsg

The Park hotel sells wine,BUT Im sure it is costly.

Why not try BR Gin, its not too bad with Limca and a good squeeze of lime, all served cold of course.

shashank.aggarwal

Are you talking about Blue Riband ?

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maltabella

hi tennis,
I'll be in chennai the first week of november.. if you won't find any red wine shop for that date , i could bring you one bottle of red italian wine directly from tuscany!!

good luck for your search
max

jujuma

I'd suggest trying a restaurant called Bella Ciao. They have two locations, one sort of across the street from The Park Hotel on the top floor of a building halfway to the Isphani Center (there is a small sign at street level, but it's easy to miss) and the other in Kottivakam. Both sometimes serve wine, and it's expensive but good quality. The owners are very sweet and friendly, and *might* be coaxed to sell you a bottle to take away. I never asked. If they won't sell a takeaway bottle, you may want to abandon your rooftop for theirs, as both locations are pretty nice, in my opinion. And if you ever hear of an actual shop in Chennai that sells wine, do let us know....

gertie

This answer isn't prompt, but may be of some help.

I'm not going to 'out' my supplier by naming them, but it is possible to buy wine under the counter in Chennai. Try this riddle: Opposite to dark, opposite the Park. Or just pm me!

The selection varies, but sometimes includes decent French, Australian and Chilean bottles.

You will have to ask for it, and it helps if you are a regular customer at the store.

Failing that, befriend some embassy staff. Most of them get a generous alcohol allowance...

Gertie

anyone_for_tennis

Dear All,

Please forgive my very tardy reply - I've been 'out of station' as they say. But what great ideas!

Maltabella - unfortunately I'll be leaving India in two weeks. Thank you so much for the kind offer though!

I'm out of Chennai the coming week too but on my return I might investigate the mysterious locale of which you speak, Gertie!

The idea of TASMAC so I've been told is that too many people were getting seriously ill or poisoned from homebrewed concoctions containing dangerous chemicals, so at least with TASMAC the customers know what they're getting (if incredibly strong brandy is your thing).

blooms

If you purchase a bottle of wine in one of the upscale hotels they will let you take the remainder home with you--provided you don't finish it all!! I have been told--but have not tried--that even if stopped at one of the police checkposts coming into TN from Pondy that if the bottle is open (you can have one quick swig) then there is no issue. It seems quite rare to be stopped anyway...

I have heard comments from others about not liking Pondicherry very much since it "seems to exist only for the purpose of drinking." In a legal and money making sense, the Union of Pondy is only doing what the government of TN does--find the best way to make as much money as possible off of either the control and or marketing of alcohol. Contrary to what a lot of people might think, I found the small pubs in Pondicherry not populated with drunks falling all over themselves; on the contrary, people were out having a few beers or a cocktail after work and everything seemed quite civilized. And this is outside of the posher places in the French quarter. On the other hand, in Chennai, the system of wine shop control only encourages binge drinking (in front of the ubiquitous shops and the small sitting areas around the corner from many of them): buying a bottle of beer from the shops in Chennai usually entails stepping over a few folks who have passed out in front. As you cross the border from Pondy into Cuddalore district compare the shops on both sides of the line: on my last trip, I counted 2 passed out in front of the shops on the Cuddalore side....

I do not think that liberalising the laws regarding the sale and consumption of alcohol would necessarily promote more alcoholism and/or, as has been suggested in the forum, domestic violence although I know that this happens based on some of my trips to the field and conversations with beneficiaries. The criminalization of alcohol in TN encourages the mindset that even social drinking or enjoying a drink or two is alcoholism and is, therefore, bad. Yes, domestic violence is not to be accepted in any form; it would be interesting to compare stats from Pondy and Chennai with regards to domestic violence and linkages with alcohol consumption... But there is also an attitude in Chennai, I feel, that dictates that if you have money and can afford it then binge drinking (always in a posh hotel) is OK. Witness the overflowing crowds of IT yuppies at the Leather Bar in the Park Hotel, for example, or the other posher places in Chennai. The legalization of small, midrange pubs outside of these often soul-less hotel bars and discos would also be a great way to mingle with locals.

Nick-H

Having paid a couple of short visits to Pondicherry recently, I'd hate to think that people see it as one big pub! All I noticed was that wine was available in our mid-range hotel, and a few shops selling alcohol in one part of the shopping area.

Alcohol is associated with violence and abuse in many places in the world, but it is only one factor in a much more complex story. In a society where domestic violence is, largely, still seen as acceptable, alcohol does no more than oil the wheels.

Whatever ills we can associate with it, however, prohibition and control do not seem to have ever provided answers.

theubiquitousmick

I bought a bottle of Chilean white yesterday -not bad- at a place in Thiruvanmiyur. Like Gertie, I don't want to out my supplier, so PM me if you're still looking.
Btw: Gertie: no contact info for you....

Earthling

Is Indian made wine not sold in Chennai?

If it is sold and if you'll haven't tried it yet, try Grover (very good) and Indage (not so good) and there's apparently another one called Sula which I haven't tried.

Comparable to New World, Grover especially has been winning awards left right and centre..

Grover write-up, a tad old from 2004

A wine blog post about Indage

Sula website

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John Rambow

I don't think many or any of the chennai wineshops stock much in the way of wine. they probably have golconda and other low-end super-sweet port, but probably not Sula, Grover, etc. Beer and hard liquor is where they're at.

[Golconda can sometimes be fun over ice, by the way. It's like a popsicle with extra sugar!]

phacops

Hmmm - no red wine in Chennai - we enjoy our glass good red vine in the evening.
So would it be better to bring it from Europe? Or will it be confiscated by the customs? How much is allowed?

Can´t imagine the Andaman evenings without some glasses of red vine .

phacops

Hop

double post

Hop

Wine is readily available if you know where to look and who to ask. I'm not about to out my supplier as well, but as its one of my vice's I manage to get plenty. Price is ok, selection depends on whats available at the time, and strangely enough each different supplier seems to have the same stuff as the next guy each time.

Buying in Pondi - I have friends who have been fleeced at the checkpoints coming back into Tamil Nadu, so be careful.

Customs will only allow you to bring two bottles in through the airport - everything is scanned, and they know what they are looking for. However - the 5 litre wineboxes don't show up on the scanner as a bottle - have brought several of those in , in the past.

mirjamd

If you know somebody who is associated with the army, you might be in luck. They get Grovers wine at the army canteen. My father-in-law is a retired army officer, so luckily we always have enough wine in the house . Might not work for everybody, but just thought I'd share the tip....