May 2008 - Posts

• Interview: Viral Pancholia (Mercury Winery Pvt Ltd)

  IndianWine.com chats up with Viral Pancholia, CEO (Chief Evolution Officer) Mercury Winery Pvt. Ltd. ...   1. Please tell us about your education and background... MBA from UK , and a professional background in banking, with expertise in strategic management & marketing. 2. Where did you pick up the interest in wine? The passion for wine runs in the family! I got interested in wine through my grandparents interest in them. IT has been three generations of family interest. In my grandparents era, when wine was certainly not a common commodity, to my surprise, we had French Wine at home. This was pre-Independence India.  How I wish that had he kept some bottles from that period, I would have certainly been a known face in at the auction houses! :-) My parents too are highly passionate about what wines they drink and this is how I got into wines as well! Not to mention my underage wine-tasting! Later the passion grew as I've been travelling around the globe and meeting people. It may sound surprising but until I ventured into my own winery project I had never really tried Indian Wines. Even as I travelled I heard no mention of Indian wines. And if I discussed them I was greeted by surprised faces. Indian Beers - certainly Cheers ! But people don't generally imagine wines from India. Believe me, this notion has not changed yet.  3. What made you begin Mercury Winery Pvt. Ltd.?  The concept behind Mercury Winery came up over a dinner discussion when my parents & myself were at our farms in Nashik, surrounded by vineyards and enjoying Cloudy Bay (Sauvignon). In the green setting, we naturally questioned ourselves, 'why not create wines locally that would establish Incredible India, and which could also be one of the leading premium wine producers at par with wines from the New World? If we Indians have marked achievements globally in the fields IT, Automobiles, BPO, etc., then why not in Wines?' We still have a long way to go, but the journey of a million miles begins with a single step! And from that day till now, in a span of two years, what Mercury Winery has achieved is certainly remarkable. This sounds very exciting but setting up the winery has not been a smooth ride by any accounts. But again it is the support from my parents and blessings from God, that has been with us in this venture. This is how the passion of enjoying & appreciating fine wines, picked up from my grandparents and parents, got converted into passion for producing the finest & best wines from India! It’s important to mention that I do take some premium wines as a benchmark. But, I would like to point out that it is quite wrong when people compare wines from different countries. Just as no two individuals are the same how can wines produced from two countries be the same! It is different people, soil, terroir, climate, etc. The idea should not be to compare wines, rather enjoy the flavours... 4. What is your role in your company? CEO – Chief Evolution Office! Dare to challenge everything, apart from good taste. 5. How successful are you? The term success or successful is very subjective. Well, our wines have received very positive comments for the first year vintage from International Wine Experts & Wine gurus! Apart from that I believe we are the first winery in our country to have won Decanter Worldwide Awards in its first vintage. Which means, the credit goes to my team at Mercury Winery.  When I see our Mercury Winery from India recognised as a premium wine producer at par with other such in the new world, that would mean 'success' for our India & me. This is only possible if we keep trying to achieve better quality year after year at Mercury Winery and let the quality speak for itself ! 5. What are Mercury Winery's plans for marketing and introducing new products? We are promoting our wines aggressively in European markets. It’s not an easy task when competing with wines from Europe as the price variance is very significant. The basic cost of raw material (wine-grapes) in India is far too high when compared with that of France or Australia. But again at Mercury Winery we don’t compromise on the quality of the wines we produce. We are trying to gain foot in foreign markets and so far we would say it’s been a good experience. As for the domestic market, our wines are currently selling in Mumbai and Pune region, and we are looking for distributors in other regions of India. We need to put in more marketing in North & South of India. Since, the hotel industry is booming in our country, trade is definitely interesting here. I do hope that in the near future different states have a unified policy on wine. That would boost the entire business working in Indian wines. 6. What is the response to your wines so far? Until now we have been well accepted by the people in Mumbai & Pune who appreciate fine things in life and quality products. In terms of sales we see things moving in the positive direction.  In terms of pricing we are priced in the medium segment -- Rs. 400-500 per bottle, which is, very well priced for the quality that we are currently offering.   7  Please tell us more about your company... Our winery is well equipped with top facilities of international standards. Our winery has a built area of about 35,000 square feet, which makes it one of the biggest constructed wineries in the region. We have strict quality controls from the raw material to the finished product  stages. Maintaining hygiene in the entire process is our utmost priority. Currently we have the capacity of 200,000 litres, which can be expanded to five times its current capacity in the current setup. Our state of the art bottling line is equipped to bottle 2500 BPH -- completely automated and with on the line labelling. Our chilling plants run 24x7. We are particular that the cooling is not effected even during power cuts. Although the power bills are very high but again compromising on these things would have immediate effect on the quality of the wines. 8. What does the Indian Wine industry need to develop further? India has a good potential to develop wines as the weather is also suitable to grow some good wine-grape varietals. What we see is that more trained human resource is required in our wine industry in all areas of the process. Right from qualified Viticulturists, Winery Managers, Wine Makers, Plant operators and experienced Sales people are all very limited in the current scenario. Since the demand is high the retention of the people is becoming vital. Currently we do not have any good university or colleges, which are training people specifically to cater to this industry although there is a good number of trained people required. In regards to the marketing what I see is that in the near future, specialized off-trade for exclusive sales of wine would be developed along with the retail boom we are experiencing and with the relaxed policy in Maharashtra for wine & beer. But again the logistic needs to be addressed. Currently there is no proper system in place to transport & store wines at correct temperatures across the nation and thus the wines which are excellent in wineries turn out to perform poorly when transported through different temperatures. Finally there has to be a joint effort by wine producers & govt. bodies to promote the Indian Wine industry and build Brand India wines for the international platform.  At the national level, I would certainly like to see a unified policy across the country on duties and taxes as this would help our Indian wines' accessibility in all cities in India. In the current scenario, I have been told that it is much simpler for importers to promote foreign wines in various states, than it is for Indian companies trying to sell its Indian products in different states of India.    for indianwine.com Venki   Posted May 28 2008, 10:37 AM by venki with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Wine Business, Mercury Wines, Viral

• Lights on, but nobody’s home - Wine Woos

  Craig Wedge shares his views on the wine events and visitors response to it. Over the last month I have been fortunate to have been invited to 2 wine events hosted in Mumbai. The first of these wonderful wine tastings under the mantle of ‘Les 5’ was a re-acquaintance for me with 5 special producers from the Bordeaux wine region of France. Special in so much, first time this programme had been conducted in Mumbai, and as such, confirmed my suspicion that even the highest achievers in the wine world were coveting India as a market. A small ensemble of journalists, foodies and winos from stand alone restaurants and 5 star hotels were in attendance. The second of these events and something on a grander scale was an event named Vinitaly. So here it was! A fabulous collection of near on 60 wine producers, with nearly 1000 wines from every nook and cranny of Italy, in India to showcase their products. They came in their droves, in vehicles of all shapes and sizes. I drove a bus with 16 on board licking my lips in anticipation of the afternoon that was to open up in front of us. I had booked into seminars on wines from Sicily and Montalcino. I had pre warned people I was arriving with a posy of service staff thirsty for knowledge and eager to understand what it was that could make a grown man like me all a quiver with excitement about so many wines in one place. We arrived like a tsunami; the crew from the JW were here! It was bright lights city! An absolutely fabulous setup! Nothing was amiss as far as I could ascertain. This was for all intents and purposes a world class event right in the middle of Mumbai. But something was amiss. Where were the people? Joe public was lamentably absent from the event. I was confident that something as dynamic as wine, would pull a big crowd eager to try what was hot in Italy. I at least thought that all of that booze under one roof would be like honey to a bear. But alas they were not to be. I immediately thought of that one tag line from the Kevin Costner B grade movie Field of Dreams, “Build it and they will come” It was …. And they didn’t!! I assure you I did my best for all that were absent, yet alas, I was somewhat disturbed that these people had invested considerable money and time to be here, yet Mumbai, both professional and personal, had failed to live up to the expectations of the wine makers and vineyard owners that were coveting India as the newest super wine market. The general consensus around the room was that this event was world class, that the intended marketing goals for each of their wines may have been a partial flight of fancy, yet each goal was sound and achievable, that Mumbai and India as a whole, even though a new player on the global wine market, was a fantastic launching ground for both new wine producers, and a re-acquaintance and consolidation of the market for those that had come before. But where were the people? It is a sad enough affair that we deal with idiosyncratic legislation set in place to erode the development and health of the imported wine industry, yet even this falls short of the regrettable lack of enthusiasm from the wine drinking populous. It is events like this and many more of them that are bound our way, whose intrinsic modus operendi is to expose you, the unsuspecting wine drinking public, to the beauty that is the outside world of wine. It is only through exposing you, the people, time and time again to the wine of the world where it is has been at the very heart and soul of civilisation for countless thousands of years, will you hopefully understand and gain the knowledge that empowers you to make more informed decisions on the wines you drink and further enables you to discern what is good quality and what is not. In the end, it is the power of these people that will force the local industry to take note and gauge themselves against the wine benchmarks from the outside world, and truly see themselves for the products they produce. Come on people! By not getting behind the imported wine industry, by not attending these fabulous events in your droves, you are allowing mediocrity to rise to the surface and be accepted as the norm. The light is on, and someone is home!! You just have to knock! Craig Wedge is the Global Wine Consultant at J W Marriott, Mumbai   Courtesy:  http://www.ambrosiaindia.com   Posted May 24 2008, 04:37 PM by admin with no comments Filed under: Wine Business

• VERONAFEIRE 2008 - Come fall in love with Wines - Sajan

  Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet, becomes the setting of another legendary love story: Vinitaly. Vinitaly is the landmark event for the Italian and international wine world. The largest wine show in the world has progressively and increasingly become a mainstay even on an international scale by welcoming innovations and appealing to operators not only as a trade exhibition but also as a full-scale reference "event". The visit to VINITALY provides an opportunity to learn more about Italian wines through tastings and discussions, to meet Italy's leading wine makers and to establish new business relationships with producers for those who are interested. Italy is a treasure trove for the wine lover. If you are a fan of international varieties like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir, etc., you'll find plenty to please you. If you like to try indigenous varieties, you won't have to look too hard to find something to pique your interest, whether it's a Nebbiolo, Barbera or Dolcetto from Piemonte; a Teroldego, Marzemina or Lagrein from Trentino; a Montepulciano from Abruzzo; an Aglianico from Campania; a Primitivo, Negramaro or Malvasia Nera from Puglia; or a Nero d'Avola from Sicily. This year it was six memorable days from April 3rd to April 7th in Verona and a dream come true for me to attend VINITALY, the largest and most comprehensive international wine exhibition for the trade, with more than 4,500 exhibitors from 31 countries and more than 140,000 visitors from around the world, offering more than 70,000 square meters of stand space. Over 160 wine manufacturers with a long history of wine making attended from Italy. And as never before - since it is the only show focusing on all the needs of all operators in the field: producers, importers, distributors, caterers, technicians, journalists and opinion leaders. This role has been developed over forty years of activity by accompanying the development of a sector that in turn has become the best ambassador of "Made in Italy" worldwide as the flagship of excellence in the quality agro-foods system. VinItaly embraces traditional appointments alongside several innovative events designed to involve operators from all over the world. The impressive line-up includes: Tasting Express - international wines presented by leading wine-sector magazines; Taste & Dream - great historical Italian wines; Trendy today, Big tomorrow - selected companies investing in the future; Taste Italy, the tasting of "Lista dei Buoni 2006" wines presented to 5000 foreigners journalists and buyers; Designer Restaurants - outstanding performances by the best Italian chefs; Citadel of Gastronomy - interpreting the best regional Italian cuisine; the Haute Cuisine Area, trait d’union among High Gastronomy, Oil and Wine world; JRE On Tour Restaurant: every day three different chefs propose a special menu, while close circuits monitors show the "back stage" during cooking. Though there’s lots to taste, unfortunately, the show's timing is horrid, falling at bottling time, which means that most of the wines being poured are freshly bottled, shocked to death, and very closed -- or they're barrel samples. Barrel samples are unfiltered and therefore not nearly as likely to be shocked (though they do get shaken up in getting to Verona). Their bouquets tend to be badly skewed, showing a strong predominance of oak if it was used, while the fruity/floral aromas that develop in the reducing environment of the bottle are weak or simply not there yet. I got to visit many wineries, some of them with history of over 150 years. Marco Felluga, Bertani, Maculan were undoubtedly my favourites. Maculan winery is situated in the hills north of Venice. Fausto Maculan has done an amazing job. They are famous for their dessert wines; Dindarello and Torcolato can stand firm against the world’s best. Even his reds Fratta and Crosaro are exceptionally great ones. 1994 Le Lave was my favorite amongst the white, an unique blend of Chardonnay and Garganega grapes. I even got a chance to visit Jacob Poli the great Grappa makers; where one can feel time has stopped, the visit to the Jacop Poli was one of my cherished moments. I must say the wines made in this era are better ones and easily liked by consumers. The major reason behind such great results is the technology used for viticulture and vinification. Of the countless wines I tasted in the fair I can count on my fingers few I may have disliked. Wines were like stars unlimited, each portraying its culture and terroir. Fascinating at times, I think, as its all coming from a small fruit called grape. For a wine lover like me a country like Italy can offer a lot. What more can I say when you know they grow over thousand indigenous grapes apart from the classic ones. Undoubtedly, Italy has lots more to offer than any other Wine growing country in the World. for indianwine.com Sajan K.I. Group Sommelier and Wine Columnist Savvy Cook Book Magazine. Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt Ltd.   Posted May 23 2008, 10:50 AM by sajanibrahim with no comments Filed under: Wine Business

• Why the Indian Wine Industry needs its own Wine Council? To make Indian wines a global success...

  Maharashtra Chamber of commerce requested indianwine.com to suggest few points that helps to improve the Indian winery industry. We have strongly suggested to create Independent Wine Body council. Shorter version of this document is appeared in the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce monthly magazine. Our community member Puneet Dhall also contributed few points here..... 1. Create an Independent Wine Body/Council: It is imperative to have an independent body in India that takes care of all aspects of the wine industry here. A holistic approach to integrating the wine industry in India will have a bigger impact on all areas of operations, including marketing, credibility and sales of Indian wines in the local and global markets. This is a lesson we should have long learnt from Australia. Despite being a new world wine producer, the Australian wine industry has benefitted. As of now, Australian wines illicit better brand recognition than Indian wines, because the Indian wine players are going entirely on their own steam, while the Australian industry has a support system by way of their Wine council. 2. Indian Wine Council should work independently and without any favors to a particular company or group of companies: No favours please! With established players in the arena, it is only fair that no undue advantages are allowed to individual beneficiaries at the cost of holistic growth for the Indian wine industry which includes the farmer growing wine grapes, the winery technicians, sales and marketing team, and of course the owners of these enterprises. 3. This independent Wine Council should work with Indian wine exporters and foreign agencies to create brand awareness: Brand awareness is the ultimate tool to introduce any product to its consumers, new and old. Any effort at boosting brand awareness for Indian wines will benefit all cadres of the industry here, and open choices for consumers -- I repeat, local and global. The domestic consumer market is as important as the international consumer base. Increase in exports build brand credibility among local consumers too. 4. Independent Wine Council should work with major wineries to commit to build 'Branding for Indian Wine region': The Indian terroir needs to be talked about. It is what gives Indian wines their substance and identity, everything else from grape varietals to winemaking technology and winemakers being the same as available elsewhere in the world. Branding for the Indian Wine Region is hugely unexplored at the moment and presents lots of potential to show Indian Wines in an even better light to build its consumer base. It just takes a consecrated effort to grow up from an individual company identity to the bigger entity of being part of 'The Indian Wine Industry'. There is a saying in Indian scriptures: 'Sangho Shakti Kaliyuge', meaning, in modern times there is strength in unity, in coming together for a common cause. 5. Independent Wine Council should work with wineries to maintain good quality in wines, at the same time striving to reduce cost of production which is till now much higher than the global norm. This will keep Indian wines competitively priced for the global market. 6. Integrate 'Indianness' in the brand building process. Branding should reflect ethics such as honesty, culture, tradition and spirituality: May be we can take a cue from our national motto, 'Satyameva Jayate' to streamline our branding exercise. Truth and transparency, especially when an honest effort is in action to maintain high quality and competitive pricing, naturally endear the product to its customers, old and probable. We need to bring out the Indianness of Indian wines, and what better way than coming together for a mindshare session under the umbrella of an independent Wine Council... 7. Independent Wine Council should share the global laws and varying cultural experiences with every winery in India: This will educate all wineries about ground realities in the global consumers' mind and rules of the land. Knowledge will help wineries expand their potential and take Indian Wines to greater heights. 8. Independent Wine Council should assist the regulators and the government to create unified laws in India: An independent Wine Council will be the Indian wine industry's leverage to ask for unified laws in India. Presently the highly varied taxation from state to state is a challenge for wineries and wine players' optimal functioning. 9. Independent Wine Council should assist the wineries to approve and ensure the quality of the wine, labels and packaging: Packaging and labelling is a weak area with Indian wines, but surely gaining in strength by the day. With a Wine Council to support these aspects of the industry, all wineries would have the benefit of expert guidance and not only the moneyed niche. Overall improvement in quality of wine, its labelling and packaging will result in greater consumer confidence for Indian wines as a whole. 10. The bottom line is that the independent Wine Council should make the Indian wine-producing regions famous through appellations: This will surely add to consumer confidence in the international market. With a Wine Council guiding the Indian Wine Industry it can be safely assumed that wine lovers around the world would come forward to buy Indian wines with increased confidence, from knowing the brand, appreciating the packaging and tasting the great quality of our wines . Venki Posted May 19 2008, 06:13 PM by venki with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Wine Business