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April 2008 - Posts
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“French wines are the best! New World Wines do not age well and Rosé wines are the latest trend.”- Sumedh Singh Mandla, Partner, Finewinesnmore analyses the trends in wine production and consumption in India.
 Having given over 18 years to the Food & Beverage Industry, I have lost count of the number of times I have come across these remarks. After enjoying a great tenure with Hospitality Industry, it was my passion for Wine and the yearning to find the truth which motivated me to move into the import, marketing and distribution of wines.
One of the greatest things about wine as a subject is that you can keep learning about it throughout your life. There is learning every time you open a new bottle of wine! Though that may not be the only way I’ve gathered my learning!
During the last 3 years, I have traveled extensively to Italy and France. As my travels increased, so did my passion for wine. These travels to Europe have been a great source of knowledge for me. While enjoying some lovely wines at some of the top restaurants and wine bars, I noticed that most of the service staff was quite confident in recommending, up selling and service of wine. However, they did negate my earlier belief that Europeans know everything about wines. While traveling through different wine regions in these countries, I was quite surprised to discover that people in general had their knowledge limited to the wines available in their region – so much so that they would not even try the wines from the adjoining region, let alone adjoining country. Still, Wine is such an integral part of their culture and day to day life that knowledge on wines, grape varietals, pairing with food comes quite naturally to them.
One question I invariably ask my European friends and feel extremely amused by their responses is whether they like the wines produced in the New World. The response is seldom positive. What amuses me is their response to my second question which is whether they have tried these wines – the response remains “No!” Back in India, even when I visit some of the best restaurants, I get a feeling that the service staff (leaving a handful of people) is not very familiar or comfortable with their wine offering. This results in lack of confidence in the recommendation and service of wines. Needless to say, the passion does not translate to the consumer and fails to create a complete experience for them.
I spend a lot of time traveling across India to meet old industry friends and to develop our Business. Considering that the growth of Domestic Wine Industry is not older than 5 years, there is serious lack of infrastructure and knowledge of wines. Most of the Food & Beverage professionals in India have not had the opportunity of experiencing the ambience of a vineyards and getting first hand experience on wine making - which can prove to be quite an eye opener.
However, off late, Food & Beverage professionals have started spending a good amount of time reading, traveling and tasting wines to update their knowledge of wines and the latest offerings & trends.
I am quite often reminded of the old proverb, “Little knowledge is a dangerous thing”. As I said earlier, I quite frequently hear quotes like: “I like only red wines. I don’t like sweet wines, as they are too sweet. New world wines cannot match French & Italian wines. New world wines are not to be aged. Older the wine better it is……..”, I smile within. But I feel happy about the fact that at least the consumers are finally discovering wines and forming some opinion.
There have been some good initiatives taken by domestic wine players as well as Importers to educate people involved with wine at all stages starting with importing, buying, selling, service delivery and consumption.
However, I do feel that the Indian government has to take a lead by declaring Wine as an industry and by creating infrastructure for the development of Wine. The domestic wine players with their bigger reach can be instrumental to the growth of this Industry. Currently less than 1% of total grape production in India is used for making wines. This shows the potential that exists for this Industry in India. We need to work on quality, infrastructure, packaging & international marketing to grow this Industry and to gain international recognition and create openings for export.
There is a need to develop the concept of Wine Tourism in India. A visit to vineyards for education and recreation is a successful concept in lots of wineries across the world supported by the travel industry. Yarra Valley in Australia, Piedmont in Italy, and Bordeaux in France is some of the popular tourist destinations in these countries. As a first time tourist in Australia, way before my life revolved around wines - my itinerary included the Opera House in Sydney, the Whale cruise in Nowra and most definitely a trip to Yarra Valley. Considering the huge potential India has, this is one area which seems totally untouched. Many big wineries abroad have even invested into fine dinning restaurant in their vineyard to complete the experience for the visitors.
We understand that the real growth of wine in India started only in the last 5 years. However, in spite of over 40% growth in last 3 years, we still lack infrastructure for the storage, transportation and service of wine. A few years earlier, a retail store which used to carry 5 to 10 imported wine labels, now offers over 100 plus labels. Retail and concepts like Wine Bars could be a great learning point for several wine consumers.
Wine Bars work very well for the fresh impressionable consumers. There is a need to provide opportunity for training about wines and tasting even at the retail level for consumers. Currently, for organizing a tasting in retail in Mumbai, one needs an excise permit costing over Rs. 6050 per day which acts as a deterrent for the organizers. However, if the process was made easier, the frequency of these tasting could multiply rapidly - contributing to the growth of the industry. This could be a stepping stone for wine education in India.
Media has played a great role in promoting wine culture in India - Whether it is for the Health conscious, the social net workers, the hip-n-trendy crowd or any other reason. More focus on wine education on print and electronic media will definitely assist in the further growth in understanding and creating passion for wine in India – the way I see in some other countries.
I will take off with this noble thought that India definitely has the potential to become one of the top wine producing, consuming and exporting country in next 10 years!
Courtesy: http://www.ambrosiaindia.com
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The feeling to be behind the bar is much exhilarating than to be in front of it. Ask Kankshi Mehta and she would lend you all tips on ‘how to manage yourself behind the bars’. While many of her friends are still pondering upon the thought of deciding a career, Kankshi, a management degree holder has already made a mark in bar tending.
 So, what makes Kankshi so special? There are many reasons. She is the youngest bar tender, female, creative and ready to experiment with what ever she is good at, ‘mixing drinks’. It’s not been long that she has started bar tending. However, the incident that led her to get into this profession is quite interesting.
It started about 2 ½ years ago. Her family owns a restaurant called Spice Tree in the suburbs of Mumbai. As an Ice Tea buff, once she was looking for her daily dose of Ice Tea in her family restaurant only to find that her bartender was not around. She was well aware of the ingredients and places where her bar tender used to keep all stuff, so she started to make her own drink out of curiosity. To her surprise, the drink turned out to be really good and since then she has not looked back. With a desire to experiment with different kind of drinks, cocktails, mocktails and liquor mixings, she discovered that in the profession of bar tending, creativity has no boundaries.
You can be as creative as you want and go as crazy as you like. You don’t have to stick to the rules and that’s the best part of bar tending unless you are making classic cocktails. One should always have fun with the drinks, she says.
While she was looking to earn a professional degree in bar tending, she heard about Stir Academy of Bartending, where she enrolled herself for a six months professional course in bar tending.
Like any other field, it is important to have professional skills in bar tending too, she says. The only requirement is one should be willing to learn and should have the flair for making a good drink. Bar tending also requires knowledge about mixing of different chemicals and a through idea of history of different type of alcohols, the kind of glasses being used for different drinks etc. A bar tender can also create his/her niche with the way he/she would garnish the drink.
The understanding of appropriate proportion of alcohol in a drink, kind of glass to be used, presentation style, all these make a drink real special, she says. However, use of glasses is not that much restricted any more. Sharing one such experience, she says, “Once during my trip to South Africa, I have tasted a Cosmopolitan in a Margarita glass. Now a days bar tenders make Caprioska, Mojitos and bloody merry in tall glasses instead of the old fashioned cocktails glasses too.”
Her signature drink is Strawberry margarita. You can swear by my Strawberry Margarita and Caprioska, she says. The recipe for Strawberry Margarita is Tequila, a little bit of cointreau and lots of fresh strawberries. However, the classic recipe of a Margarita is Tequila cointreau, Orange liqueur, lime juice and sugar syrup and ice. Blend it and pour into a tall glass. And do not forget to rim your glass with salt, she says.
With Strawberry Margarita you will not add orange liqueur but you will add strawberry syrup or sugar syrup.
Sharing her views on the bar tending scene in India, she says, lot of people these days want their drinks to be specialized. They want the flair and showmanship. They are very fascinated and they very often ask a bartender, can you flare? I have got into flare recently. However, the first mantra is to make the drink right.
According to Kankshi, Mumbai needs a good homie bar. It needs people who know their stuff to actually make a good drink and not for the sake of earning money. Her plan is to open an Irish bar in Mumbai someday. Why an Irish Bar? She says wooden floorings and table and the whole concept of an Irish Bar is really fascinating.
Talking of trends these days, she says, lot of foreigners visit bars. For them it is quite normal to see a women behind the bars which is a normal seen abroad. However, in Mumbai, lot of people have heard about me and come to my restaurant just to meet me.
Another important trend that I have noticed is there are a small percentage of people who really experiment with their drinks. But I have also noticed that lot of women usually want to get drunk. They don’t care what’s in their hands and what it tastes as long as it gets them high. The first thing they drink is Tequila shots. I tell them please go beyond that. There are so many other varieties of drinks.
On a serious note, she shares her views on the ongoing protest against women bar tenders in New Delhi, she says, in Mumbai people are more open to women bar tenders. In fact, there are many who are fascinated to see a woman behind the bar. It is not just because of the pretty face but also because of the taste of the drink that I prepare for them. I have also bartended at private parties.
Bartending is a skilled profession. Since we are a democratic country and we are moving forward we should progress towards making women professionals’ life safer rather than stopping them from work. Some of the solutions that she provides are like adding more bouncers to the bar and adding more CCTVs. In fact, women are safe behind the bars because there are male bartenders who are very protective of their colleagues. Some tips that she offers are to be really professional, be dignified and a female bar tender should be clear with her gesture that she is just making drinks with a smile. She should never wear indecent clothes. Don’t sit in one corner and smoke. Avoid situations like ‘when do you finish work or can we have drinks later’.
True to her passion and profession, she says, moving further in this career I have decided to expand bartending skills to event management. The trend is changing these days as most of the corporate events and major concerts have also bars. So I hope to see more of such opportunities created for women bar tenders. She concludes.
Courtesy: http://www.ambrosiaindia.com
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John Harris, Green Point winemaker from Australia in his recent visit to India said that India is one of the major emerging markets for all companies. This is primarily because of the increasingly wealthy middle class which is looking out for popular lifestyle choice. We hope they embrace wine as their first choice in beverages.
 As the Indian wine market becomes a hot spot, many international players are ready to gamble their fate. We decide to gather some response from the domestic players.
Read more:
The total wine production for the year 2007 has grown by 37 per cent in India over the previous year and seven new wineries were added to take the total tally in India to 54 during this year. A
As per the statistics provided by Jaideep Kale, wine consultant for the Grape Wine Park of the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, commercial wine production during this season touched 1.42 crore litres, up from the 1.04 crore litres production during the 2006 season.
Of this, Maharashtra alone, with 51 of the 54 wineries in the country, accounted for 1.32 crore litres, while the three remaining wine units in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh produced 10 lakh litres. Seven new wineries were set up in Maharashtra and became operational during the new season, taking the total investment in the State from Rs 160 crore in 2006 to Rs 247 crore this year.
While most of the wine produced is for domestic consumption, four wineries, three from the Narayangaon-Nashik belt and one from Karnataka exported wines to European markets.
Currently, around 5,000 acres of land in seven districts of Maharashtra are under wine-grape cultivation, and grape crushing is an annual activity that happens in February every year. Several new wine projects are in the pipeline.
All these indicate that the Indian wine market is set for an upheaval with the world’s largest spirits maker Diageo declaring its intent to enter India. Currently, short of 1% of the overall domestic spirits market, the wine market is already growing at a rapid 20-30%. But the entry of Diageo is expected to accelerate this growth.
In an industry that is dominated by three players – Indage, Sula Wines and Grover Wines – who command 90% market share, the entry of USL and Diageo will significantly change the demographics.
Yet, Diageo is likely to fund United Spirits Ltd (USL) – India’s largest and the world’s third largest spirits maker – as a key rival in this nascent, yet fast growing, industry.
In an interview with Ambrosia, Abhay Kewadkar, Chief wine maker, United Sprits Limited and Director, Four seasons wines limited said that the UB Group has realized the potential of wines business in the country and has decided to form its own strategy for the same.
To go with the image of being a global player and to confirm its intentions, the Group decided to buy Bouvet-Ladubay, a quality winery with 156 years old heritage in the Loire valley of Saumur region in France. This is the first time an Indian Company has ventured into buying a winery outside India. In this case, it is special as wines are from France, a country which is the global leader in the wine segment.
Revealing his plans, he also said, “Bouvet-Ladubay products have been already launched in Maharashtra and soon they will be launched in Delhi, Karnataka and Goa in the next 3 months. To be present in all prices and product lines, there will be a Company, M/s. United Vintners Ltd., which will deal with import of wines from all over the world, viz. France, Italy, South Africa, New Zealand, etc. to name a few.”
A green field project is coming up in Baramati, which will be India’s best and the biggest winery. 300 acres vineyard will be owned by the Company and long term contractual agreements will be made with local farmers for 1000 acres. The winery itself will be in the middle of 300 acres vineyard. This will give 5 million bottles production of wines exclusively using wine varieties of grapes over the next 5 years.
The bottling will start in October and in the first year of operation 600,000 bottles will be sold which will consist of 6 different varietal ranges. Additional 8 brands will be added over the next 3 years, to manufacture premium wines which will go through French oak barrels. Plans are also in position to manufacture sparkling wines using traditional French method (methode champagnoise) and with the technical guidance of Bouvet-Ladubay.
The wine market in India today is still in its nascent stage. The industry is one million cases of wines manufactured in India and 0.15 to 0.2 million cases of imported wines. This, against spirits industry which has 125 million cases and beer which is at 100 million cases. A lot needs to be done in terms of education, awareness and demystifying wine as a product. This will help in expanding the consumer base of wine as a category and this is what UB Group would like to achieve.
The wine market is expanding at 30% every year but considering such a small consumer base, though the figure sounds impressive at 30%, it is not enough.
The growth in wine industry will be directly beneficial to farmers, cultivating wine varieties of grapes and this will also create job opportunities in the rural area. The Government of India and different State governments should realize this potential and promote wines. In India, wine is considered as any other alcoholic beverage while in countries like US and Europe, wine is always separated from alcohol for licensing procedures. In these countries, the retail price of wine is hardly 30-40% more than ex-winery prices while in India, the minimum is 100% and can go up to 300%, in certain States.
Considering the health benefits of wines and the fact that it is associated with food, the authorities should look at this potential and take measures to promote Indian wine industry.
The Bouvet-Ladubay products have been received extremely well in the markets of Mumbai and we have listings in prominent retail shops, fine-dining places and star hotels. The general impression has been that the quality of wines is extremely good and at a given price. Bouvet-Ladubay has won many international awards and the list is enclosed herewith. Bouvet has also been associated with Art and Theatre, sponsoring the “Festival d’Anjou”, the “Premiers Plans” festival (Deubut films festival) in Angers, Arcachon, Biarritz, Brest and Mont Doré and the Company has been present at The Cannes film festival for the last five years.
UB has plans to invest about 20 crores in the first year of operation will be and same will be scaled upto 80 crores in the course of 4-5 years.
Marketing plans are in position to grow the wine as a category as stated earlier. Packaging will be premium and the product/presentation will be to match international standards, he said.
UB has already recruited best professionals from the industry and the focus is to also attract the best talents in marketing/branding even from outside the trade to bring in innovative ideas.
With the launch of UB wines, the industry experts expect huge volumes offered to consumers, backed by big marketing and promotional expenditure in the industry which has a very low consumer base right now.
Diageo has already appointed Adrian Pinto, former marketing head of Sula Wines, to explore opportunities in the domestic market. Asif Adil, MD of Diageo India has already said that the Indian wine industry is in for great times ahead and Diageo wants to be a part of it. He, however, declined to outline a time frame for his entry into the domestic wine market.
Established players like Chateau Indage foresaw this development four years ago and had prepared themselves, says Arun Shah, director Indage.
“We were the only one to bear the cost for the last 15-20 years. Now that will be shared. Their entry will only help the industry,” he said.
 Rajeev Samant, MD Sula Wines said, “The Indian wine market is tiny but growing fast. In contrast to the Indian wine consumption, China’s consumption is estimated at 300ml per capita. But India is one of the world’s fastest growing wine markets, with an annual growth rate of over 25% for the past three years. We believe a 20+% annual growth rate for the next five years is very feasible. More and more people are drinking wine, every new restaurant that opens in the cities has a wine list, and awareness is growing fast. Women are drinking in much bigger numbers, and often their first choice beverage is wine. The movies reflect this change, with Bollywood actresses routinely seen drinking wine, which would have been unthinkable just five years ago.”
He said that the value of the market at the point of sale is around US$50 million.
Sula Vineyards has a wide portfolio of variety of wines. The Premium range includes Whites like Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc, Blush Zinfandel, in Reds Cabernet Shiraz, Dindori Reserve Shiraz, Red Zinfandel and Satori Merlot. In the sparkling Brut (Methode Champenoise), Dessert wine from Late Harvest Chenin Blanc and entry level wines like Madera (Red, Blush, white).
Speaking of the performance of his brands, he said, “All the varietals are moving at a break neck speed and every vintage is sold-out.”
About Diageo’s plans, Asif Adil said, “The aim is to be present in every segment of the alcohol beverage industry. India is clearly important for Diageo Plc.”
Significantly, Diageo India has roped a senior executive from local wine maker, Sula Vineyards, to spearhead its wine foray. Adrian Pinto, who helmed marketing operations at Sula, is carrying the mandate to establish a wine business for Diageo. This could include showing up with locally-made wines as well as developing the franchise for imported brands. In this context, it must be mentioned that Diageo has been courting a local wineries for an equity JV or a contract filling arrangement.
But the only constraint with the Indian wine market is the almost non-functional storage conditions. Plus, the emergence of a strong local wine market has to be taken into account.
As Harris said, in a burgeoning market, he would like to sell at least half of his exports to India though that would be an unrealistic target. I have faith in our distribution system and am hoping they will help us achieve at least a 20 to 30 per cent growth to start with.
The 8 PM fame, Radico Khaitan has also designed its strategies to tap the growing wine market. In a significant move aimed at catapulting the Indian liquor industry to international standards, Radico Khaitan Ltd has an international division - Radico International. Some of the brands to be handled by Radico International include wines from Ernest & Julio Gallo, like, Gallo of Sonoma County, Turning Leaf, and Wine Cellars. The Gallo portfolio also includes Andre and Carlo Rossi. Abhishek Khaitan, MD, Radico Khaitan said, “The Indian Wine industry even though the base is small is growing at a rapid pace. We at Radico are focusing on the IMFL segment right now & are not looking at producing our own wines. The distribution tie-up we have with E& J Gallo fills the gap for wines in our portfolio.”
Much to the excitement of the domestic wine makers, vintners in Nashik have decided to open wine bars in winery premises, tying up with tour operators or hotels
Nashik, the country’s unofficial wine district is witnessing a new trend: set up a wine bar on the winery premises to promote tourism. This is done through tie ups with tour operators or hotels, which will put a clutch of wineries on the tourist map. This trend is emerging from a new breed of vintners, who are typically young professionals, bringing skills learned in other professions to this business.
The move is important since marketing is seen as the major shortcoming for an industry necessarily located in remote areas, where the vineyards are. Hence, this is aimed towards helping to push the wine consumption further in India.
Courtesy: http://www.ambrosiaindia.com
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Nothing can be more interesting than to give the women the opportunity to choose their favourite brand of beer or wine from a retail store. It might sound a little odd to some but on a welcoming move, after liberalization of the alcohol licensing policy by the government of Maharashtra, under FL BR II license, more and more super markets and mega shopping centers are making space for the beer and wine shops.
A report:
 Much to everyone’s relief now it is easier and convenient to pick up your monthly stock of beer or wine while shopping for grocery at any supermarket. Under the new regulation, any liquor retail store can tie up with the supermarkets and avail space inside the same premise to sell wine and beer. Though other hard liquors do not fall under this category, this is still welcomed by the wine lovers. “This has given us a decision making capacity with so many choices available on display. Earlier I was a little hesitant to buy wine and even beer from the stand alone liquor stores, but now things has changed,” says, 23 years old, Gargi who frequently organizes parties at her place for her friends.
Living Liquidz, a three decade old wine and spirits retailing company, has plans to set up more than 160 retail points within Mumbai and Pune by end of 2008. Currently they are present in Spencer’s, Fooldland and Spinach the major hypermarkets in Mumbai. Consumers can also place orders through the website and will have the deliveries made across the city. “Wine shops were always looked down upon and the variety offered is never impressive. Living Liquidz wine boutiques will make available the finest choice of wines, spirits and imported liquor at off the shelf prices, locally available to consumers”, says, Mokssh Sani, MD Living Liquidz.
Living Liquidz stocks an exhaustive collection of the finest wines from France, Italy, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Chile, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, California as well as Cyprus, Bulgaria and Serbia. Special care has been taken while packaging and storing the wines, with proper storage angles at correct temperatures, with personal attention, and a large variety and a fair price. A special set of Bar Set-Up’s, Bar Accessories will also be made available at all outlets to complete the wine experience very soon.
The monthly revenue from the Spencer’s store is Rs 5 to 6 lakhs says Asish Gupta, the Operation Manager of Living Liquidz.
In 5 to 6 months time we are hoping to cross Rs 8 to Rs10 lakhs with the Inorbit store and Rs 12 to Rs 15 lakhs from the Juhu store considering of the kind of crowd that it pulls every day.
The only legality that the retailing company has to take care of is the FLBR II license with the yearly charges of Rs 84,300.
The response to the store has been tremendous says Asish Gupta. Especially for ladies, this has proved to be a much easier way to pick up their own products as they generally do not prefer to buy liquor from the stand alone retail stores.
The company plans to come up with 45 retail stores in tie up with Spencer’s, 45 with Spinach and 40 stores with Foodland in various cities like Mumbai, Pune Bangalore, Gurgaon and Chennai by end of this year. We are also talking to the multiplexes to allow us space to set up our liquor stores, he says.
Some of the other retail outlets where wine is available include Haiko Supermarket, Powai, Big Bazar, Lower Parel.
With an intention to give a boost to the wine industry in Maharashtra, there had been proposals to set up wine bars in public areas across the State. Under the new Excise regulations, the license to sell wine in supermarkets and grocery stores works out to be one-fourth of the cost of a regular liquor shop license.
As per the latest rules, bars can set up small parties and get-togethers with daily license fees of Rs600. Earlier when wine was clubbed with hard liquor and only eateries were permitted to be served; they used to charge a daily license of Rs 6, 000.
This decision has come at a time when wine is receiving tremendous visibility and the future looks bright not only for connoisseurs but also for those in the wine business. As per the recent government figures, the wine industry in the country is growing at 35-40 per cent a year which is faster than the consumption of the usual favourite whisky, which is growing at eight per cent. The domestic wine industry has also matured enough to compete for shelf space with international brands.
There are super markets like Haiko, owned by Surendra Hiranandani which has opened its own liquor corner in the premise. An official from Lakewood Malls, Powai, says, “The response to this new initiative has been fantastic and the category is growing day by day. The mall gets an average of around Rs 35,000/- per day from the wine shop. The annual turn over of the Haiko store is approx 26 crores.”
Speaking about the trends these days among the liquor buyers, he says, “Liquor buyers beyond age of 35 are more or less brand conscious but youngsters with high disposable incomes(young employees of BPO’s in Hiranandani area) do experiment with multiple brands therefore the trend is clearly demanding variety. Liquor buying is also elastic to the price discounts.”
The advantage over buying the wine and beer from a Haiko store or Spencer’s or Food Land is that it is much cheaper than standalone stores as the prices are lower than regular wine shops.
When asked about the legalities of opening a liquor corner inside shopping malls, he replies, the store needs to have an independent area within the store, which can be accessed by customers without disturbing activities of the store and can be shut separately during dry days, plus one needs to obtain the FL BR II license from the excise department for retailing wines and beer.
People are crazy about imported beers but the craze has reduced drastically as we have good domestic brands available in India now, however if there is reduction in import duty by the government then there will not be much price difference left between local & imported brands & that would be the awaited moment by every liquor buyer so that he has much wider assortment to choose from.
At present, just one outlet of Haiko has liquor store but the plan is to have two more stores by this year-end, he says.
The dynamics of liquor distribution is also changing in recent times and as some state governments allowing alcohol products to be sold through organised retail, liquor companies are coming up with new business strategies.
Currently, only Karnataka allows wine and beer on retail shelves. Delhi allows beer and Maharashtra only wine. West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh are expected to follow suit.
Apart from companies like UB and Radico Khaitan who are planning to take advantage of this new found opportunity, Diageo is also opening its exclusive brand stores. The first Johnnie Walker store has been opened in Mumbai suburbs recently.
FL BR II, the new licensing system created by the Maharashtra state excise minister, Ganesh Naik, could be issued to the non-liquor stores. The licence has to be renewed yearly and could be issues for ‘soft’ liquor. The district collector is the licensing authority for this category unlike the earlier system where the state excise department had the sole right to issue a liquor licence. Any shop can now apply for a licence to the collector and store or/and sale beer and wine.
Along with retail shops, malls or grocery stores, eating joints can also serve wine even if they don’t possess a restaurant or hotel licence.
- By Rojita B.Tiwari
Courtesy: http://www.ambrosiaindia.com
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Tiger Hill Vineyards, Kavita Chougule’s bid to take Indian wine international is sure the brightest star on the horizon when it comes to an Indian identity. This boutique winery integrated with a resort, a restaurant, a bar ***, and a Kerala Vaidyashala vinotherapy spa is a landscaped haven on the Mumbai-Nashik highway.
 Kavita, the spirited daughter in law of the family running Chateau Indage, has designs on this one -- Indian wine, gone exclusive. Tiger Hills Vineyards currently offers: Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Chardonnay Semillon, Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot/Shiraz (double varietal), white Zinfandel (rose). Soon enough, sparkling rose will join the list.
Unlike most others in the Indian wine industry, Kavita found the ancient link to India’s wine culture – Ayurveda. Thousands of years ago, wine was made and enjoyed in India for health purposes. It still is. And Kavita has just gone along and got the ISO 9001-2000 certified Kerala Vaidyashala to be her accomplice for this. The vinotherapy spa, as its name indicates, uses grape seeds and oil, accessed after the vinification process.
We call this smart linking. Now Kerala Ayurveda has something to give the wine-initiated from around the world. Not that vinotherapy spas are not happening elsewhere in the world, but certainly not the Kerala Ayurveda way like Kavita has made possible!
A trained fashion designer, she has used the best of her background to come up with Tiger Hills Vineyards, a winning combination. This is a going back to the roots for her on a personal level too, as Nashik is where she was brought up.
In the wine world, a good wine is winsome only if gets mileage out of brand recognition, Kavita is thorough with her homework. Tiger Hills Vineyards is available to a select international clientele.
The boutique winery offers 100% estate bottled wines. “Tiger Hills Vineyards won two bronze medals at the Wine and Spirit Competition in London, where the best of the best compete every year,” Kavita points out as proof enough for her brand going places internationally. Not just that, she makes it a point to meet wine enthusiasts at her bar to get first hand feedback from them.
Tiger Hills Vineyards is no doubt an exercise in exclusivity. 200 acres in Sahyadri slopes, Nashik. Kavita elaborates: “We are a boutique wine company. We concentrate on small volumes of quality product and are not for the mass market. We hand pick only the finest berries from the best bunches of grapes from our vineyards and make a small quantity of very unique, fine wine of distinction. We have also sourced imported Italian oak vats and smaller French Oak barrels to get it all right. The packaging is contemporary; using imported bottles and labels created by leading design houses in the world which are individually hand pasted on each bottle!”
The resort, Tiger Hill is a destination for any wine enthusiast in search of a complete wine experience, she insists. “The rooms here are designed for peace and privacy. 20 of them,” she says. “The idea is to provide an ambience that is simple, unstated and reflective and helps one to unwind in its serenading sublimity,” she continues.
The Fine Dine restaurant offering cuisines from around the world and dishes in particular suitable for the wine experience is yet another attraction the vineyards boasts of. Social and corporate events have already made known the property’s unique offerings to a select clientele.
The wine bar lounge is another one of those ambience things here. It also features a wine shop.
The Kerala Ayurveda vinotherapy spa is for body mind soul connection. Kavita has really got all the good things in life linked up here – food, wine, health, natural setting… Massage, facial, manicure, body treatment, anyone?
Well, this is how a woman sees it, holistically. Kavita states her driving force, “I believe, one should do whatever one can to the best of their ability so at the end of the day one can stand up and feel proud of the work. Also as a woman in the wine industry, I bring a different set of dynamics to the table, which helps tremendously when creating a stylish brand like Tiger Hill Vineyards.” True, lady.
When asked about the wine consumers she gives her take, “The consumer base is mixed with the young & old, men and women. But the increase in consumption is definitely due to the young 20 somethings and particularly women who are discovering that wine is healthy & fun.”
Well then how is Tiger Hill Vineyards positioned on market planning, expansion, additions to its wine list… Kavita sums it up in a single sentence, “We are only in our first year and are going to concentrate on our quality offerings in niche markets with a vibrant and irreverent positioning strategy.” There you have it – simple and focused; great going CEO!
“We are a boutique wine company which concentrates on quality and not quantity,” she repeats. “We believe in nurturing our vineyards and getting the best fruits by hand picking berry by berry resulting in a selection of 100% estate grown, produced and bottled wines that deliver truly exceptional and unique fruit and flavor profiles in celebration of India's excellence in oenology and viticulture in the tropics.”
“We make world class wines. Our exports to UK, US and France are being distributed by the largest distributor in Europe, Mathew Clarke; and the largest in the USA, Shaw Ross. We are also present in some of the finest restaurants in Europe.”
Now for her word on her cherished wines: “Tiger Hills Vineyards’ Chenin Blanc provides lush citrus fruit which most Chenins made in Maharashtra have not managed in their wines. In the Merlot and Shiraz, we have managed to achieve good fruit ripeness that is difficult in normal conditions in Maharashtra with the onset of warm summers. Overall, we have managed to achieve good balance across the range of Tiger Hill wines. My favourite though has to be the dual varietal Merlot Shiraz,” she signs off.
for indianwine.com Venki
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Andrea Valentinuzzi, Italian winemaker for Vintage Wines in India gets talking about ground realities that rule wine quality in India. With 24 years of experience in the global wine industry and the pioneer in creating India’s first Italian style wines, Reveilo, Andrea’s wisdom leads the way to gold in the Indian wine industry. Quality after all is king here, or should be.
The big players here are looking for large volumes. Backed by marketing and distribution logistics they have it good, yet quality is all-together a different ballgame. “Most of them are talking about the quality but there is no meaning to it,” says Andrea. “Vintage Wines concentrates on quality and knows how to achieve it,” he assures. Marketing is the pitfall for small wineries, even when they come up with good wines, says he. “Chateau D’Ori and Indus Wines are the only quality conscious names other than Vintage Wines,” the Italian winemaker airs his view.
And why is that, when the market is booming, production is increasing, grape cultivation is on a high, and state governments are opening up to the idea of cashing on the boom? Marketing takes over all else, may be the straight answer, but wine is a product that gains repute on the basis of its quality in the long run, which also accounts for repeat customers. Therefore, quality consciousness is the deciding factor, long after the initial marketing hype is over. True, this one.
Quality begins with grapes, and wine grapes are doing well in Maharashtra and Karnataka, so far, says Andrea. “The reason why winemaking is comparatively easier in India,” indicates Andrea, “is that good wine grapes are growing in Nashik and around. From this point vinification becomes easy.” Sorting of grapes is best done manually and some western countries may not afford this labour intensive exercise, yet at Vintage it is possible.
Maharashtra and Karnataka are getting better with grape growing by every harvest, he adds. What is categorically good about wine grapes grown here, is the next plausible question, and Andrea answers in detail about both red and white grape varietals. “The red grapes are especially good, says he, because the climatic conditions in January and February are good for the wine grapes. Lots of sunshine helps red grapes ripen while adding great aromas to white varietals. Red grapes develop soft tannins and account for the velvet finish in wine.” The peninsular climate gives an Indian character to the wines that are made from these sun-soaked grapes, red or white.
At the same time, the biggest challenge is also the climate! Now what? “A harvest in January or February is ideal,” says Andrea, “while harvest in warmer weather can play around with the acid content of the grapes. The white grapes are especially sensitive to this, where ph value is essential for preserving aromas of the resulting wine.”
“In Karnataka, which has dry, red soil, the problem is better resolved when compared with the black clayey, water-retentive soil of Maharashtra,” reveals Andrea. “The problem to some degree is the clayey soil of Maharashtra, which is prone to waterlogging as well as excessive drying out and cracking, which again affects the roots. The soil conditions need constant monitoring and correcting,” sounds the winemaker, closely associated with his wines right from the vineyards. “In addition, nutritional supplements to the soil are also vital.”
From life in the vineyards can we now take a look at what’s readying in the steel tanks? Time too! The winemaker obliges with a peek into his wine-tasting notes…
He begins by listing his favorites: Vintage Wines’ Reserve, Late Harvest and Cabernet wines. The Cabernet in particular he believes to be one of the best wines he ever made. “Our volumes are very little,” he shares, “and there is a lot of investment in good materials to produce high quality wines. That is why people consider Reveilo to be a benchmark in India. That’s the reason Reveilo price is slightly higher than others.” After tasting his Syrah, Howling Wolf from Australia decided to build the winery in India, beams the proud winemaker.
Now for the actual tasting notes:
Late Harvest Chenin Blanc: Dessert wine, aromas dry apricot, honey, dry figs, almonds and nuts. Color: Gold color with orange reflection, taste, volume is very big, not flat, preserved acidity. It is totally different from any other late harvest wines from India. This natural acidity helps to clean your mouth quickly and ready to drink again.
Syrah Reserve: On the nose, red berries, fruity, spicy notes, also flint stone aroma. It is a typical Syrah when you grow the vine in a hot climate like Australia. Color: Deep red purple color, blend 60% oak aged 40% stainless steel. Woody complements and does not interfere with fruity character of the wine. In the mouth, the volume is important, structure is very deep, tannins are very soft and smooth because of the grape being very ripe. It is great balance. Very fruity character and a very long finish.
Creating Reveilo wines that have gained recognition for Indian wines, Andrea sure knows what sells and to whom. Talking about wine consumers in India, he says, “It is a new market. People who really know about wine are not many. Businessmen who are travelling around the world are drinking. The middle class is approaching wine, though not with a clear picture, yet learning fast. Everybody understands what is good.” According to him, regular drinkers do not need to be academic masters on wine. The wine should give a good feeling. The concept is simple: the wine people like, they will buy again.
In fact, his association with India’s Vinatge wines has made him more receptive to Indian philosophy as well, and landed him another couple of projects in Karnataka. So we see this winemaker rooted to India in more ways than one.
Venki for indianwine.com
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