When you think of sparkling wines, Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, the largest producer of Champagne in the world with a revenue of $2.2 billion in 2022, comes to mind for obvious reasons. But Chandon India, one of the six connected wineries under the brand (others located in Argentina, California, Brazil, Australia, and China) has embarked on an ambitious project — to create the first still red wine. The brand’s experiments for nearly five years birthed Aurva (meaning ‘of the earth’ in Sanskrit), which stays true to its moniker, a celebration in a bottle, a tribute to terroir, and a product of cross-continental collaboration.
On a Zoom call preceding the launch of Aurva, Kaushal Khairnar, head winemaker at Chandon India, is buoyant about this shiraz. “We wanted to create a wine that has layers of personality and character. With each sip, you get different nuances, creating a different experience as you go back to your glass.”
