From South Africa to Karim's

Hannes Myburgh had the option of going to Stockholm and presenting his cult wine to the King of Sweden. Instead, he was dodging autorickshaws careening around like a bunch of drunks on the cacophonous street leading up to Karim's at the historic Galli Kababiyan in Old Delhi. He kept wondering how men could sleep suspended precariously from cycle rickshaws.

Before going to Karim's, we were tasting wines bearing a label that is about as old as South Africa. Eight generations ago, in 1757 (the same year when Robert Clive rewrote India's history at the Battle of Plassey), Johannes Albertus Myburgh bought a sprawling estate.which looks straight out of a pact between a Dutchman and God.and established South Africa's premier wine dynasty.

The estate's previous owner had named it Meerlust to describe the pleasure he obtained from the breeze blowing in from the bay behind its picture-postcard backyard. You can sense its effect in the Rubicon, the estate's signature wine, which we had in generous quantities before setting off for Karim's. As we were heading for the elevator of his hotel in Delhi, Myburgh's BlackBerry had good news for him.

The King of Sweden had just bought 120 bottles of the Meerlust Merlot 2005 that we had just spent half-an-hour trashing. It was still too green to be drunk. Unlike most New World wines, which open up almost immediately after you uncork a bottle, Meerlust wines take some time to develop their personality. You'll be better off asking for a 2004 Merlot, which slithers like silk down your palate, and allow the 2005 a little more time before rushing to embrace it.

For the 2007 Chardonnay, though, I won't slip in a caveat. Go for it, because, despite the influence of oak (not a French thing to do), it balances ripe tropical fruit flavours and a brilliantly rich creaminess (which makes it right for butter chicken) with mineral notes that are typical of the grape variety. One of the fortunate few tasting the wines said it was as perfect a Chardonnay as one could get. He was corrected by a man from Burgundy, who complained about the oak, but I quite liked the vanilla flavour imparted by it. The Rubicon.well, it's another story. It's what wine lovers call a classical Bordeaux blend marrying three extremely expressive grapes. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. to produce a great drinking experience.

We had the 2003 Rubicon and it had a fruity juiciness that balanced its structured tannins.you need both in a good red wine.and promises to get better with age. I see it turning into something as soul-satisfying as the breeze from the bay that keeps the estate owner company on evenings when he doesn't have sweat dribbling down his forehead after a Karim's meal. And just in case you've been wondering, Myburgh puts his money where his heart professes to be.he runs a foundation that looks after the basic needs of the black farm workers on his estate and in the neighbouring areas. He's not only making wine, but also reversing the nagging burden of years of racism.

Sourish Bhattacharyya is Executive Editor, Mail Today