Singer Rupankar and actress Rituparna at the Pantaloons store on Camac Street on Wednesday afternoon, as part of the Pantaloon Sananda End-of-Season Sale. The fun-filled shopping extravaganza offers great discounts and gives shoppers the chance to meet some of their favourite celebrities at both the stores on Camac Street and at Gariahat. Picture by Rashbehari Das

What: Wine appreciation evening hosted by Champagne Indage Ltd in association with Calcutta Round Table 41.

Where: Princeton Club.

When: Saturday evening.

Take a sip: A video clipping showing a man shaking hands with a bottled Chantilli Merlot set the mood for the evening. The enthusiastic crowd was all geared up to sip, savour and satisfy wine queries.

The session kicked off with wine educator Clive Castelino describing the experience of sipping wine as “the greatest pleasure?an experience that needs little knowledge and wisdom to make it enjoyable and worth it”. Then it was time for a brief brush with wine history.

Clive threw light on table wine, sparkling wine and fortified wine and the various types of grapes used like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and more. Also discussed were the important elements of wine-making ? geographical condition, soil, weather, viticulture and vinification. The wine-making process was illustrated through a diagram representation on screen.

(From top) Guests at the wine appreciation evening at Princeton Club; model Ishika shows off rakhis at Shagun Wedding Mall; a visitor at Temptations 2006, an exhibition-cum-sale at Ice Skating Rink organised by the Inner Wheel Club of Central Calcutta. The fair will be on till July 27. Pictures by Rashbehari Das

Clive then moved on to some commonly used wine terms. Sample this: Sec means slightly sweet, extra brut means totally dry, balance means all the major components are in harmony, and body describes the weight of the drink in the mouth.

If all this was historic, geographic and technical knowhow, Clive also stressed on the ideal temperature, the food to accompany each kind of wine, and choosing the right kind of glass.

As the evening progressed, Clive demonstrated the art of tasting wine as Ivy-White Zinfandel, Marquise De Pompadour, Chantilli Cabernet Sauvignon and Chantilli Chenin Blanc flowed in the glasses.

Voiceover: “The best wine is free wine. Enjoy your wine to the hilt, don’t let anyone dictate your taste,” Clive ended on a lighter note.

Rakhi riot

What: Unveiling of a Rakhi collection.

Where: Shagun Wedding Mall on Shakespeare Sarani.

When: Tuesday.

Take a look: Besides displaying a wide range of saris, salwar suits and accessories for the coming festive days, the mall is also offering a stunning range of rakhis.

In line with the trends of the season, the rakhis are designed with zardosi, crystals, silver and semi-precious stones. A woman applying mehndi on visitors’ palms is an added attraction at the mall.

Pocket pinch: Prices of the rakhis range from Rs 5 to Rs 125.

Voiceover: “Our collection is by far one of the best in the city and our prices are competitive,” said Jaydeep Khaitan, promoter of the only wedding mall in town.