I once came across a phrase which said-"In Vino Veritas." I looked up and found out what it meant- In Wine There is Truth. The next thought that popped up into my mind was the combo of wine and cheese, the perfect family time drink which makes you feel more philosophical and passionate, of course when you have just crossed your teens and stepped into adulthood, it is a mark of posh living. A perfect sophisticated drink for any get-together.

My sister recently turned twenty-one which meant no more throwing cakes at each other or birthday bumps or soft-drinks and pizzas or maybe there will be more of it now.

She had made plans for nothing short of a 'BIG' birthday party. Unfortunately, I had to be out of town on work for a very hectic week prior to that and was barely going to make it back home on her birthday. I would have to miss the party too so I couldn't participate in her "big birthday plans" either. Nor could I pick up anything special for her special day. I was feeling restless and not too happy with the situation. I wanted to do something special for her but I just did not have the time and a belated gift was going to be a poor substitute. I was raking my brains trying to think up something brilliant but my tired brain was failing me.

When I landed at Delhi's Terminal-3, I caught a glimpse of Delhi Duty Free counter and some fantastic offers on Wine. My little sister is not much of a chocolate person and not into trinkets and as for books, I had already flooded her with them but wine? I felt that was the best option to celebrate her coming of age. Not wasting much time, I barged in. I hadn't really shopped at the Delhi Duty Free outlet though I have browsed through a couple of times but this time, I was a determined shopper. To my delightful surprise, they had a good selection of wines.

Being a self-taught wine connoisseur of sorts, I browsed the selection knowledgeably and was impressed to see quite a few worth my hard-earned bucks and I decided to splurge for my birthday girl sister. For a moment, I considered getting a bottle of champagne, but the wine lover in me won over. Ahh, preferences. We all have them and they often change in a moment's notice, but with wine preferences get swayed by what you will be drinking them with or who you will be sharing them with. For example, if you are hosting a happy hour get together, your preferences might lean towards "safe" reds and whites. For people that may not be accustomed to heavier-bodied, heartier wines, give them a break - buy a softer Merlot or Pinot Noir and that's what I did. Safe old Merlot for my not so little adult sister.

So here is what I got, two bottles of Gaja Promis Merlot CaMaranda Vintage 2010 at a very competitive price of a little under Rs.6000. That was sweet considering the raging Dollar rise. They also had a wide variety of rose and white wines. Leaving it for another time. Bravo Delhi and Delhi Duty Free, you have come of age too!

Greatly satisfied with the range of products and prices, I took a cab home to join the extended celebrations. And yes. I will definitely be shopping at Delhi Duty Free again.