Indian Wine Industry

The Future of Four Season Wines in India & Abroad

2008-12-24T17:04:00Z

In a brief tête-à-tête with Abhay we discuss some pertinent issues related to the making of Four Seasons wines and its future in India as also in the international market. Abhay Kewadkar has learnt his wine making technicality in France and knows his work well.

What is the concept behind promoting the Four Seasons wines?
The concept of Four Seasons wines has always been to give to the consumer value for money wines, with pure grape varietals expression. We feel that some of the wines available in India today are far too expensive for the quality and do not adhere to information given on the label. This only confuses the consumer, creating another barrier to expand present consumer base which is very small. It took us one year to conceive & execute the whole project.

What production are you aiming for? What is the growth sustainability
plan?
The production in the first year will be 1.5 million bottles, to be scaled up 1 million cases at the earliest. The industry is growing today at 40%. However the base for wine is very small, hardly 1% of spirits sales, by international standards this should be 50%. UB group will expand its growth beyond 40% with focus on education, awareness and accessibility. This will help industry growth much beyond 40%.

Do you foresee a good export market for Four Seasons wines? Do you see it
in the French market too?
We aim to export 30% of our production, with focus on Europe and US. Well, France does export wines to all over the world being a leading wine manufacturing country. But they do import wines from all over the world as well. Wine Industry benefits with more & more choice being offered to the consumer, as regards to Grape varieties, country of origin and different years of
harvest. Also, Indian cuisine today is very popular all over the world; this is an automatic entry for Indian wines in International market.

What do you consider as a true asset of your Indian wines?
Ultimate strength of Indian wine will be what French term as “Terroir”. We have very good sun at the time of harvest, leading to very aromatic and ripe fruit style. Moreover it will have consistent style between one year to other, owing to less variation in the climate as against European climate wherein there can be big variations and some years can be quite disastrous.

Four Seasons wines will be true expressions of Terroir and varieties with good penetration in distribution & marketing strength. Could you sum up the UB group’s current wine interest?
Today UB group has in its portfolio the Bouvet-Ladubay wines; the winery the group owns is in Loire valley in France. Apart from that we have wines made in India there is the Four Seasons and ZINZI wines which have been recently launched. Under United Vintners Ltd the group is importing wines from France, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. Italy, Chile and some other countries will shortly follow under our umbrella.

Courtesy: http://www.ambrosiaindia.com

UB’s Four Seasons Wines Forays In France

2008-12-22T21:48:00Z

The first public tasting of a new wine is a great moment for any wine maker. To be an Indian wine maker and manage that first-ever tasting on an international stage especially in a place like France is an honour worth savouring. Abhay Kewadkar, the Senior Vice President & Chief Wine Maker from UB group lived that moment to the hilt when the four wines under the banner, ‘Four Seasons’, were tasted in France during an annual event orchestrated in Saumur by the Monmousseau family of Bouvet-Ladubay (the winery in Loire Valley owned by the UB group).

The Mood of the Event The triumvirate of wine, music and books comes together in this two day event in France’s Loire Valley held in Angers and Saumur, and 2008 was the 13th edition. The natural beauty of Saumur has been the cradle for many famous French writers and artists apart from some great wines that come from the celebrated region. Component of music is provided by young medical students who come and put together a band that plays at the market place with abandon. The event is attended by invitees who are brought on a train specially hired for the event, all the way from Paris. These are writers who are in the news and they come to celebrate with like minded people, and interact with members of the public. It is an honour to be invited for the event and you are looked after well. It is not a business platform so no publishers are invited but authors come and sign their books for any customers. There are fancy dinners and meals, and a general spirit of joie de vivre.

Each year the theme of the event is different. This year it was focused on Israel and India. Mundane aspects of the event like organising the train, raising the money for the event, ensuring that everything runs smoothly is done so effortlessly that Juliette Monmousseau actually found time to conduct a personal tour for the Indian ambassador in France and his wife to the caves of Bouvet-Ladubay. These caves are a magical part of the city with well orchestrated music playing while one goes through the old sections where old labels are stocked as also the cellars with barrels upon barrels of wines.

Saumur is known for its association with horses and horse riding schools and academies. The Monmousseau family has their own set of handsome horses and a pair even pulls a fancy carriage on the day of the event. Patrice Monmousseau, totally drawn into the mood of the event gets up next to the carriage driver and guides the horses; he even waves goodbye at the station as the band plays and the train pulls out – despite the non stop rain. On the train they offer people wines and before you board the train you are handed a bag that contains a nice picnic – water, chocolates, sandwiches etc. its definitely an event that stays in the memory forever and would often draw a smile when one remembers it.

Notes of Four Seasons Wines
Apart from members of the public, Abhay Kewadkar had two known names – Jacques Puisais and Bruno Li Paumard on April 12th & Bruno Li Paumard on the 13th at “Les Journées Nationales du Livre et du Vin” – Litterature & Wine festival in Angers & Saumur (respectively) – Loire Valley, France, when the Four Seasons wines were tasted. Here Bruno shares his professional view of the wines, and by all indications he was duly impressed with these wines from India.

Bruno says (On picture), ‘When I first tasted the wines of FOUR SEASONS, I was expecting for new world style. I have discovered that the brand new world (Indian vineyards) doesn’t follow the trend in the winemaking of a country

Bruno says, ‘When I first tasted the wines of FOUR SEASONS, I was expecting for new world style. I have discovered that the brand new world (Indian vineyards) doesn’t follow the trend in the winemaking of a country like Australia and looks more for some “Terroir” expressions

like Australia and looks more for some “Terroir” expressions.’ For the FOUR SEASONS - CHENIN BLANC, Bruno says, ‘This wine has got an intense gold dress. This intensity shows how the yield is under control. The nose is very fruity and lemony at the first sight and proposes some balsamic complexity on the end like the great Loire Valley ones. The mouth is full, rich, well balanced with a long perfume flavours on the end. This wine can be drunk before the meal or on its own just for the pleasure’.

The second wine of FOUR SEASONS, the SAUVIGNON BLANC, and Bruno says, ‘This wine has a light yellow dress. Its nose is unique Nothing to compare with any of the other Sauvignon Blancs of the world. A noble animal note surrounded with delicacy the fruity power of this wine is different. The mouth starts on the freshness to finish on a very unctuous body. This wine can be paired with fish dishes with a powerful sauce like a meat based sauce.’

The third wine label to be tasted was the SHIRAZ, and Bruno says for this one, ‘A deep purple colour shine on this dress. Its nose reflects the complexity of its “terroir” with spices, and especially a beautiful natural aroma of cinnamon. The mouth starts on sweet tannins to be balanced on a second time and to finish on perfume. Definitely, this wine is made to be married with traditional curries or also with meat cooked with fruits like the famous Duck with Oranges!’

The last label of the tasting, the CABERNET SAUVIGNON, drew Bruno to say, ‘The dress of this wine is just black! Its nose, quite closed at the moment, gives first the typical green pepper aroma underlined by a mineral smoky touch. After a few minutes, a black fruit aroma discloses and makes the real dimension of this wine. A full bodied mouth with a high freshness shows a big potential in aging for this wine. As young as it is right now, I suggest to drink this nectar with grilled red meat in a few years time, I guess that it will be able to be paired with supreme recipes of meats with mushrooms and other strong spices.’ Bruno Li Paumard is a sommelier with books to his credit. He has professional qualifications garnered in France and in England and has been a finalist Best Sommelier of UK. He is the Oenologist and Training Manager of Bouvet-Ladubay since 1993 and the expert at many wine and spirit auctions. At the Saumur event he was accompanied by his charming young teenager daughter who was hanging on to every word of her father with obvious pride.

While conducting the tasting with Abhay, in Saumur, Bruno pointed out the locations of the winery on a map of India and answered some direct questions about the wines, their ageing and questions about the grapes in vineyard. Whatever he did not know was filled in or directly answered by Abhay. It is a mega project being carried forward in the plains of Baramati near Pune; under able guidance and leadership the wines are poised to make a place for themselves in the international and on domestic front too.

Courtesy: http://www.ambrosiaindia.com

Analysis: Wine Prices - A Controversy Uncorked

2008-12-17T19:41:00Z

There’s a storm brewing in the wineglasses of India’s jet-setting drinking hubs. And it’s the hotel industry which is facing flak from the government over taking advantage of duty-free benefits while continuing to price wines at unreasonably high ends. However, in a recent meeting between hoteliers and DGFT, the government has threatened that if the industry continues to charge such rates, they will lose zero import duty SFIS benefit. A report.

The government is looking for action on a commitment by the industry to roll down prices and there’s talk of a threat to withdraw the duty-free benefits. All this does not augur well-especially in light of the Commonwealth Games coming up in two years from now.

The wine industry itself feels the move will boost demand. The Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) has apparently given a `strong suggestion’ to hotels and restaurants to cap the gross margins on wines to 250% of the cost-and liquor margins to four times the total costs. If this line is towed, it could bring down prices to 30-40%.

Wine price spillover
The issue has gone right up to the Commerce Ministry, with the Director General of Foreign Trade asking hotels to present a reduced price list. Apparently, the Taj and ITC Welcomgroup have already fallen into line with wine prices slashed by up to 35%. Tarapaca Chardonnay 2005 was available at Rs 1000 and St. Emilion Philippe Rothschild’03 at Rs 2,500.

The delaying tactics by other establishments has been due to a careful watch on excise policies, which will ultimately affect the margins. They are caught, so to speak, between the economics of the central and state governments-and their own motivations.

The duty-free import of wines was first ushered in after the hotel industry convinced the government that this would boost tourism. But now the government is seeing red over the big killing being made on account of these benefits which it says are not being passed onto the consumer. But that’s just one half of the picture and the FHRAI makes it clear that the perception of hotels ‘cashing in’ on benefits unduly is misrepresented. There is, however reticence to presently discuss the issue openly, since the matter is being thrashed out by all parties concerned-including the Hotels Association of India.

Sources say that what’s really underlying the sentiments is that the pricing formula is the prerogative of the hotel lobby-and they don’t want to be dictated to beyond a point. Firstly, the hotels say they are passing on the duty-free benefit to the consumer and the assumption that this is not being done is incorrect. Sources in Delhi say the excise duties, local taxes, cost of licenses (at Rs 5 lakhs), overheads of freebies thrown in, internal economics etc add up to the costs in any case. However, hotels opine that if there is a case for reduction-they are willing to reduce - but maintain that the reduction can’t be dictated.

Lobbying for profit?
However, some experts in the field have a different take on the issue. In fact, they mince no word in saying that there is a lobby within the hotel industry which has been taking advantage of the benefits in order ‘to line their own pockets’.

Of the total wine imports about 85 per cent is consumed by hotels and about 15 per cent by niche restaurants. After 2002 when the quota regime was in force, the industry began making noises with the government that they be allowed to avail of duty-free benefits on imported wines and liquor. The plea that time was based on making the products available at reasonable prices and in 2003 based on these representations, the government agreed to give duty free licenses. These licenses were granted on a duty-free entitlement provision to those establishments which could show significant revenues of foreign exchange. No demand for a ceiling on prices was at that time made. Some time down the line, the industry got back to the government saying they be allowed to enjoy the credit through these benefits in order to recover from the post 9/11 syndrome which had hit the hospitality sector hard.

However, years onward, the prices remained unchecked despite the recovery made by the industry. It is this which has given rise to the contention that the consumer is not getting what should be an assured benefit in the end cost. In fact, such are the variations, that the cost of a bottle of champagne can vary as much as three-fold within Delhi itself.

A taxing complex Reports suggest that further confounding matters in Delhi, the excise department may ask licensees to declare MRP on the wines. And that seems to be the crux of the issue. Stringent laws and duties and fees such as excise duty, licence fee, sales tax, brand/label registration fee, import/export fee, vend fee, gallonage fee, turnover tax etc. are only complicating the playing field overall.

Since alcoholic beverages are a State subject, differing policies and varying tax structures are adding to the lack of clarity. In India, the annual consumption of grape-based wine was estimated at 66,000 hectolitres in 2006, equivalent to 8 million bottles. It is expected to triple again by 2011. The rapid growth trend of around 30% per year corresponds to the strong growth observed in the economy and tourism sector. The biggest wine consumption of up to 80% is confined to major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and the tourist destination of Goa. The rest of India has only 20% consumption, despite the growing awareness of the health benefits of wine. There are at least 15 main importers who sell about 450 imported wine labels in India.

Thirst for success
Upper crust Indians are taking to wine drinking like never before – with brands like Turning Leaf, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangre de Toro and Rosemount Estate Cabernet Sauvignon doing the rounds.

Ritu Dalmia, owner of Delhi-based Italian restaurant Diva, has gone on record to say: “Since we opened, wine sales have grown three times. Earlier, people used to ask for red or white wine. Now customers ask for specific labels. We are currently averaging sales of 320 bottles a month”.

And wine tasting has become a big affair-with 50 wine tasting sessions held in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore over a year. And yet, India’s consumption is comparatively still quite low. While it has the second largest population in the world and will soon catch up with China in terms of demographic density, India is only the 77th greatest consumer of wine in the world, despite improved growth in consumption over the past five years. Almost a quarter of still light wines drunk are imported. Having supplied 41.7% of all wines imported into India in 2006, France remains the leading supplier of still light wines to the sub-continent. Australia and the US are the other main suppliers. With such potential and with an industry still fledgling in its days, it would not augur well for the great imported wine brands to get lost in the foot-stomping presently going on over pricing between the government and five-star hotels.

Latest On The Tax Issue

The time this article was sent for printing, the union government and the five-star hotels had a meeting to decide upon the mark-up tax rate. In near future, foreign liquor drinks at five-star hotels across the country may come down a little after the government warned luxury hotels that they will lose zero import duty benefit if they continued to charge exorbitant rates.

It all started when a senior cabinet minister recently found out that star-hotels are not passing on the benefits of service from India scheme (SFIS) to customers.

The idea of the service from India scheme (SFIS) was to promote India as an upmarket tourist destination and help earn more foreign exchange. However, hoteliers admitted that the mark-up at some properties was as high as 1,000%, and between 500% and 800% in others. The industry tried to explain that overall costs had gone up and that profit margins on liquor (after recovering all expenses for serving them) were just 15-20%, but the government refused to buy this and insisted on a mark-up ceiling. Although no decision has been taken during the meeting, the mark up could be anywhere from 300% to 350% for imported liquor and 20% to 250% for foreign wines. The industry, keen not to lose the SFIS benefit, is learned to be willing to settle for a 400% mark-up as an upper limit.

However, it is now clear to the industry that it will have to settle for a maximum mark-up and everyone will have to remain within that range. Industry associations could also be asked to submit hotels’ drinks menus as proof of that. Some hotels which were charging below the limit may get the benefit of hiking the prices after the new mark-up comes into effect.

Amitabh Joshi

Courtesy: http://www.ambrosiaindia.com

Indage Vineyards Launches Finest Array of Wines - Press Release

2008-12-05T21:41:00Z

Indage Vineyards, a modern and truly International new collection by Champagne Indage Ltd. has launched a wide and vivid portfolio of wines with Platinum series offering two varietals Sauvignon Blanc (White) and Merlot Shiraz(Red) and Gold series featuring Chardonnay Semillion (White) and Shiraz Cabernet (Red). These wines have been carefully crafted to suit the new age Indian wine consumer that seeks an International style of wine style and packaging and yet, provide great value in the product mix in comparison to the best offerings amongst BIO ( Bottled in Origin ) imported wines in India. These exclusively premium wines are originated from the Sahayadri Valley and come from the 2007 vintage collection.

From the Platinum series, the deep red Merlot Shiraz has aromas of blackcurrant, cherry and plum. The palate shows ripe red berry fruit and is ideal as an early evening aperitif or meat dishes. It tastes best with mature cheese, mild Indian curry and casseroles. Second to the collection is the Sauvignon Blanc which has straw yellow color with a greenish tint with strong citrus on the nose of eucalyptus and mint. Well complimented by the palate with fresh green apple and pepper. It is ideal as an outdoor aperitif or can be served with seafood salads, Thai and mild Indian curry and poached salmon.

In Gold series collection Shiraz Cabernet has a deep ruby red color with spicy characters of cinnamon, mint and blackcurrant. On the palate it provides a warm, long lasting finish and is ideal with lamb preparations, pasta, Indian curries and hard cheese. Chardonnay Semillion is brilliantly clear, golden yellow color which offers aromas of ripe fruits of apricot and peach. Its lingering fruit at the end of the mouth makes it ideal aperitif wine which compliments light food dishes.

The Indage Vineyards collection has evolved from the fruit of passion for wine making that overcomes the intricacies involved in creating each varietal style that is uniquely different with an aim to overachieve quality within given price points. These wines will cater to the ‘discerning wine consumer’.

About Indage Vineyards

Indage Vineyards, established by Champagne Indage Ltd (CIL) in 2002, features a portfolio of new world wines created as a celebration of its 25 year journey of excellence in oenology and viticulture in the tropics. Indage Vineyards wines truly symbolise the Company’s recognition as a quality wine producer through the vast array of global recognition that the Company has won with more than 40 wine quality awards won in just the first 4 vintages. The selections under Indage Vineyards are 100% estate grown and produced and bottled to deliver truly exceptional and unique fruit and flavor profiles. Indage Vineyards wines present a range of brands that reflects a new and emerging India that is fashionable and avante garde yet rich in culture and deeply reminiscent of its illustrious heritage. They are most often found in the finest restaurants in India and the World as they represent a great point of difference to any discerning wine enthusiast.

About Champagne Indage Limited:

Champagne Indage Limited CILL), established in 1982, is India’ oldest & largest wine company and one of the fastest growing wine businesses globally. Within India, it produces more than 1.5 million (9 liter) cases of wine from 4 state of the art wineries and has complete backward integration from nurseries, biotech to its own estate vineyards of more than 2,000 acres. The Company controls more than 70% market share of wines produced in India utilizing a product portfolio of more than 40 brands in every price point and product type in the Indian wine industry which has given the company recognition of more than 70 International awards of quality from IWSC, Decanter and IWC. Globally, CIL owns a 3.5 million case winery called Thachi Wines in South Australia that produces a large range of Australian and New Zealand wine brands such as Red Sky, Broken Earth and South Bay. CIL’s Australia operations are based out of Vinecrest, a boutique estate winery in the famous Barossa region of South Australia. CIL also owns and operates, under Indage UK Ltd, a fully integrated wine supply chain management business which is an importer, bottling plant with a capacity of 3.5 million cases and a distributor to more than 4000 outlets in the UK.

In India, CIL is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and is part of the Indage Group that has interest in Restaurants & Leisure, Construction & Retail.

Robert Joseph's view of 2008 India Wine Challenge

2008-11-23T22:21:00Z

Robert Joseph has just completed the 2008 India wine challenge. He shared his experience exclusively with indianwine.com. The complete results of 2008 India Wine Challenge can be downloaded from here.

1. How do you feel about this year competition? Like response etc.
This year's competition was around 50% bigger, and attracted 77 Indian wines, the largest number ever judged in a blind competition. This, and the enthusiasm of the local and international judges gives me great optimism both for the Indian wine market and for the future of the Challenge. However, I was also pleased to see that the judges this year were tough in their allocation of awards. I would always rather feel that good wines were unlucky to miss out on a medal than that poor ones were lucky to get one

2. How do you compare the quality of the Indian wine from the Previous year?
There is a definite improvement, but much remains to be done. There is too much unripeness and too many winemaking faults that keep Indian wines from living up to their potential. There were many Seals of Approval; next year, i'd like to see many of these producers get Bronze medals.

3. Any wine particular wines very interesting to you this year?
I was particularly interested to see the success of Chateau d'Ori which has great potential for the future and currently seems set to take on Grover's mantle; and the Sula Late Harvest Chenin which may do more to build Sula's reputation than its well regarded Sauvignon Blanc

4. What is the next year goal?
The mission statement if the UK Challenge - and all other Challenges - is "to encourage more people to drink more good wine". And that's what I'd like to continue to do next year.

Venki
for indianwine.com

US Report on Indian Market Released - Subhash Arora

2008-11-07T14:36:00Z

Much awaited report on the study of the Indian wine market, has been finally released by the Wine Institute of California. Perhaps, a first comprehensive report of its kind, it is first being published by the Indian Wine Academy.

'Comprehensive Study of the Indian Wine Market' is a 37 page document supported by a 41-page Reference Guide Section detailing the Indian drinking culture, demographics, Geography, Import procedures, Supply chain, wine pricing structure, state laws, Foreign Trade Agreements and several other issues related to the Indian wine market and marketing wines in India.

Expected to be quoted very highly, it clocks the growth of the Indian wine market at a conservative 20-25% and concludes that there is a strong market potential for the California State producers who represent 95% of the US export market.

The study was instituted by the Wine Institute late last year and was conducted by Washington-based JBC International, a consulting firm. The objective was to help the California wine producers to understand the Indian market and psyche to enable then to penetrate the market under the existing conditions.

A team sent to India visited Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Goa meeting importers, retailers, hoteliers, government officials and those related with the wine trade- including the Indian Wine Academy and the Delhi Wine Club. The report draws and recognizes significantly from the published portion of the respective websites.

The study has been designed to serve as a guide for wineries and producers intending to sell in India. Current and projected market overview of the consumption, production, government regulations, state laws including labelling etc have been lucidly explained. The Indian Constitution would be helpful to understand why India is a Paradox.

The study has however limitations- insofar as the data accuracy is concerned. Admits Jim Gore, lead author of the study, 'wineries, importers and retail shops are privately owned and were wary of sharing their proprietary information on sales related figures. Despite the study and the research we made in the US before coming to India, the limitations regarding the accuracy of the data remain to an extent, an issue.'

While being optimistic about India as the emerging market and the opportunity it provides, it does warn the US producers about the protectionist regime of alcohol control and taxation, an underdeveloped supply and distribution chain that threatens the product integrity and a culture that has not been wine-oriented so far.

Although there has been a significant change in the economy since the report was signed off on August 21- there is a sudden recession and the Rupee which was selling for less than Rs. 40 to a dollar has devalued around 25% to go to Rs. 50 to a dollar-making the imports from the US that much more expensive, the meticulous details of the factors involved in wine trade within the Indian system make it a handy tool for anyone interested in the wine industry-within India or overseas.

Click here to download the complete report.

Subhash Arora

Winemaker Stephen Donnelly relates his impressions of the Indian wine industry

2008-08-12T21:11:00Z

An introduction to Stephen

British winemaker Stephen Donnelly set foot in the Sahyadris to take up the position at Viral Pancholia's Mercury Wines. Stephen has been around in the wine-world for the past 23 years, and his current association with the Indian wine industry has added to the tempo of progress here.

It was in the year 1985 that he completed the Wine Chemistry Course from Davis University, CA, USA, which was followed by a Wine Analysis and Wine Faults Course in the year 1986 from Wine Lab, Napa, USA. Since then, he has worked in Napa Valley, UK, Hungary, Romania, South Africa and has recently added India to the list.

Over to the winemaker...

Stephen Donnelly speaks his mind

In December 2006 I was contacted by Viral Pancholia, the owner of the newly built Mercury Winery in Nashik to become their consultant and head winemaker.

Destination India :-)

As a consultant winemaker I find myself travelling to lots of different countries not knowing what to expect. This was my first visit to India and I only had two days to prepare for vintage, so it was all hands on deck. But first I had to get there and I can quite honestly say that the road from Mumbai airport to Nashik was a four hour, hair-raising experience! So it was a nice surprise for me to arrive at the Mercury Winery and find it to be a well equipped, modern winery.

Hands on...

As I like to actually make the wine physically myself, it's important for me to set in place strict quality control and hygiene practices. I believe that it is the attention to detail that makes the difference between a good wine and a great wine.

Getting to know the potential of Indian wines

To get a feel of wines available in the Indian market and to give me some idea of the characteristics to expect with Indian wine, I tasted around 40 wines of both red and white, but I was surprised that many of them had common faults like oxidation, hydrogen sulphide, cork taint and both high and low levels of sulphur dioxide. However, of those wines which were good I managed to get an idea of the full potential of the grapes grown in India.

There is a definite need for a good commercial laboratory in India for the analysis of wine which can give more data to the winemaker .Winery labs in India are only set up for basic analysis so a commercial lab will also help improve the standards of the winery labs.

My first harvest at Mercury Wines

The harvest went surprisingly well and with some surprising results. The Sauvignon Blanc surprised me the most as it is like the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, having good gooseberry and asparagus flavours and aromas. This shows me that the Nashik soils really suit the Sauvignon Blanc grape, even though the climate is much hotter.

Chenin Blanc is the most widely planted white grape variety in India which also impressed me with its fruity characteristics. In fact the Aryaa Chenin won a recommendation in the Decanter Magazine International wine competition 2008. There were also some good write ups for the reds as well as the whites from Steven Spurrier, which is not bad for my first year in India.

Work at the vineyards

After the successful 2007 vintage we made plans to improve the quality of both the vineyards and the wines for the 2008 vintage. This meant getting more involved with the actual growing of the grapes and setting strict guidelines with the Mercury winery viticulturist. I encouraged more responsible spraying programmes and correct use of fertilisers and less irrigation before harvesting. Regular visits to each grower throughout the growing period helped with the grape quality. However, it wasn’t all plain sailing as some growers opposed changed, especially if it meant reducing the crop to improve quality.

I also changed some small winemaking practices like using different strains of yeast to improve the wine. There are still lots of things to do to improve the quality further but that will take time and more perseverance.

What ails the distribution system in India?

It is one thing producing wine and another thing selling it! From what I've observed it is difficult for a small winery to sell wine in India through a distributor because bigger companies are giving wine free to distributors as part of their promotions. Therefore distributors expect this as part of the deal. It is difficult for small producers of wine to give away part of their profit when they have worked hard in producing the best quality they can, compared to some bigger companies producing lower quality wines at cheap prices. I believe there should be more government regulation and support for wine producers and not just the lowering of taxes.

Here to stay

The 2008 harvest proved to be better than the previous year and even the road from Mumbai to Nashik has shown some improvement! It’s an exciting time for India and the wine industry as it can only go from strength to strength and I look forward in being part of its future development.

Venki
for indianwine.com

Karnataka Wine Board - Wine Policy

2008-07-27T15:59:00Z

Note: The following are the information provided by the Karnataka Wine Board.

Karnataka is one of the important states growing different wine varieties of Grapes. In Karnataka, the important Grape growing districts are considered as Nandi Valley and Krishna Valley. Grape cultivation requires heavy investment of capital. In addition, to produce grapes of high quality, the farmers have to put in hard efforts and additional investment. Nevertheless, the grape growers are always found to suffer from the variations in the prices of grape in the market and often fall into severe economic crisis. To over come this problem, there is need for value addition of the grapes and promoting grape products in both the local and the international markets. One such important product of grape is Wine. In Karnataka, there are plenty of opportunities for production of wine. The climatic conditions in the state are best suited for the production of grapes suited for wine making. There is a very good demand for wines both in local and international markets.

Compared to the other countries of the world, the rate of wine consumption is minimum in India. In our country, the rate of consumption of wine is growing at 25-30% per year. By providing congenial atmosphere to the wine industry, giving up the thinking that wine is an alcoholic beverage, and simplifying the taxation system, it is possible to boost the production and consumption of wines. By providing proper impetus to the wine production and marketing, it is possible for the farmers to get good remuneration to their produce. Farmers are going to come out of the market uncertainties, by linking grape production with wine processing. Since the export prospects for wine are huge, always there is an opportunity to get additional profit. With this background, there is a need for an integrated policy as related to production and marketing of wines in the state. Understanding the need for supporting wine production and marketing, the Government has declared a “Wine Policy” in the state.

Karnataka is one of the largest producers of table grapes in India, has two well established wineries one in Bangalore and another in Bijapur. In Karnataka the total wine sales in 2003-04 comprised 4.9 lakh litres which grew by 13 lakh litres in 2006-07 and 16.6 lakh litres in 2007-08. Karnataka Grape Wine Board is formed generally to promote the wine industry and to motivate the wine grape growers of Karnataka. Two potential regions have been identified for the development of wine industry, the regions are named into Krishna Valley which comprises Bijapur, Bagalkot and Bagalkot districts and Nandi Valley which comprises Bangalore Urban, Bangalore, Rural, Chikkballapur and Kolar Districts. Karnataka government has declared the grape wine production units as “Horticultural and Food Processing Industries”, and accordingly is liable to receive all the incentives and facilities that are meant for such industries.

Wine Board Establishment
• Setting up of Wine Board during November 2007.
• The constitution of the board will be as follows:

1. Dr.B.krishna, M.Sc(Horticulture), Ph.D
Managing Director (On picture)
2. Mr.B.Manjunath B.Sc(Horticulture), M.Sc. (Botany)
Manager
Office address
Karnataka Grape Wine Board
#78, KSBCL Office,
Seethalakshmi Towers,
Mission Road, Bangalore 27

The Objectives of the Board are as follows:
a) Inspection and control of Quality of grape crop.
b) Formulation of standards for quality of grape varieties suited for wine making, approval of the same and putting them into practice.
c) Rendering approval to labels to grape wines.
d) Devising and putting into action / implementation of various programmes and practices for the promotion of cultivation of wine grapes, wine industry, research, exhibitions, trade fairs, tour programmes and visits both within India and Abroad, sales of wines and market promotion.

• At present the total area under Grape Wine cultivation in Karnataka is around 600 acres and the total Grape Wine production is around 8 lakh litres.

• Karnataka state has two wineries.
a) Grover Vineyard in Dodballapur
b) Hampi Heritage in Bijapur

· Total Wine sales in Karnataka (including fortified Wine)

	in lakh litres
Source of Supply	2006-07	2007-08
Foreign	0.8	1.2
Imported (Within the Country)	3.4	3.9
Local (Within the state)	8.9	11.5
Total	13.1	16.6

• Total area increase in Grape Wine crop is going to reach around 1600 acres in the short time.

• Another 5 new wineries will be added to the Karnataka state in the year 2008-09.

Future plans of Wine Board:
1. To increase the area and production of Grape wine crop in Karnataka state by encouraging the large numbers of farmers.
2. Making Contract farming agreement compulsory to all the Grape Wine growers and should register in the Wine Board.
3. Creation of institutional support for farmers and industry to easily access technology support for cultivation of Grape Wine through IIHR, Bangalore and UAS, Dharwad.
4. Development of short term skill based training courses (Diploma and certificate courses) in Grape Wine cultivation and Industry.
5. To create database on Wine by developing the Wine Board website with all the advanced information on Wine cultivation and Wine industry.
6. Conducting promotional activities for creating awareness about Wine Grape Cultivation, Wine Production and Consumption. (Wine festival, Wine Tour, Seminars on Wine and Wine Etiquettes)

Proposed Wine Policy Part 1

Proposed Wine Policy Part 2

Sample Winery Project

Progress report Powerpoint Presentation (Download)

VINITALY INDIA RECEIVES A MIXED RESPONSE - A Report by Rojita B. Tiwari

2008-06-18T16:15:00Z

The third edition of Vinitaly held in Mumbai and New Delhi had been special for the wine connoisseurs as they had a chance to try the just released 2003 vintage of Brunello di Montalcino wines.

The event was not only marked with a good review from trade but also from the media apart from the fact that the discussions also revolved around the difficulties of the Indian market including the heavy tax structure and a relatively low response to the event in terms of visitors.

A report:

The trade, press and the wine lovers in Mumbai recently got a taste of some great Italian wines at the Vinitaly, Mumbai. Vinitaly-the world’s largest wine exhibition is held annually in Verona in April and attracts over 140,000 visitors and 4000 exhibitors from around the globe. Over the past decade Veronafiere has been investing in promoting Italian wines through a series of events held in some of the most interesting and evolving markets. In 2007, Vinitaly events were held in India, Russia, Japan, China and the USA.

The one-day dedicated wine events was held on 15th January at the ITC Grand Central hotel, Mumbai and was held on 17th January at The Grand Intercontinental Hotel in New Delhi and had included a series of informative seminars and a walk-around tasting.

The event saw over 100 of Italy’s top wine producers from almost every region of the Italian peninsula showcasing their wines along with selective producers of distillates, olive oils and balsamic vinegar - most of which were not yet available on the Indian market and were being showcased for the first time ever in India.

A range of informative seminars were run alongside the walk-around tasting and were hosted by leading experts from both India and Italy including Magandeep Singh, Michele Shah and Prof. Atilio Scienza. These seminars were focused on giving a broad perspective of Italian wines and also a deeper analysis of specific wine-producing zones such as Montalcino in Tuscany and the island of Sicily.

Present at this occasion were few consortiums of Italian wines growers like the Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico represented by Silvia Fiorentini, the Marketing & Communication Manager and Consorzio del vino Brunello di Montalcino represented by its President, Francesco Marone Cinzano.

Excited to be a part of this event for the first time, Silvia Fiorentini, Marketing & Communication Manager Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico, said, “I believe there is a great future ahead for Chianti Classico wines in India. Though it seems like a difficult market at the moment, we are aware of the fact that India is one of the emerging markets.”

The Consorzio has already planned to come back to India next year with an aggressive marketing and promotional strategy. Silvia added, though we are aware that the prevailing tax structure ultimately makes Chianti Classico wines expensive for the Indian consumers, we hope that a positive change in future will surely help us invest further in the Indian market. Under a European community financed project, various promotional programmes and seminars will be conducted next year in India.

Chianti Classico represents 17 different wine estates from the Chianti region, Italy which represents 95 per cent of the Chianti Classico DOCG wines.

Silvia is looking at two possibilities to promote Chianti Classico wines. First through an efficient importer and distributor and secondly through hotels and restaurants.

However, “We are here to invest first on communication. A lot of educational and trade trips to Italy are in pipeline”, she added.

Alessandro Bindocci from Tenuta IL Poggione said, “We have never sold our wines in India but we are here to create awareness about our brand. We will be introducing two Montalcino wines, Brunello di Montalcino and Rossa di Montalcino very soon.” The company produces ½ million bottles of wine every year out of which it produces about 200,000 of Brunello and around 1,50,000 bottles of Rossa di Montalcino. We export around 60 to 70 percent of our production. We will be increasing our production to 30,000-50,000 bottles by the next 5 years.”

It was exhilarating to see one of the best Italian white wines produced by Jermann wines at the event. Speaking of the specialty of Jermann whites, Angelo Jermann said, “The region Fiuli, situated close to Venice has a perfect climate and soil to produce white wines. These factors make Fiuli the best place to produce white wines. Around 90 per cent of our production is of white wines.” The portfolio of Jermann wines has varieties including Jermann Chardonnay, which is the king of international white wines portraying elegance and a good body. Other important wines from Jermann portfolio are Jermann Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio. Angelo added, “But our most important white wines are blends, from different grapes planted in the same vineyard. We pick them altogether-from a vineyard which is a Grand Cru to the vineyards which produce wines from a single vineyard. For example, the Vintage Premiere is the best white wine produced by our company. For this wine, we have been receiving awards since many years. It is a blend of 5 different grapes. Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Malvasia, Picolit and Ribolla (locally produced grape varieties).

Jermann wines are available in India since 4 years through its local partner Brindco. The wines that Angelo showcased in this year’s Vinitaly were, ‘Vinnae’- which has 100 percent Ribollozzala which is a typical local grape variety indigenous to Fiuli, rich with mineral. Second wine was Tunina Venezia Giulia, which is a combination of Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio. “Pinot Grigio is the most successful and highest selling brand in India. In total we sell about 500 cases of Jermann wines in India and bout one fifth of it is Pinot Grigio”, he added. The price of a Pinot Grigio bottle in a restaurant in India is around Rs 5000/- and a bottle of Tunina Venezia Giulia is about Rs 8000/-.

The well known Sicilian wine brand, Donnafugata has just recently entered the Indian market. Elena Bortoletto, who represented the company, said “Finewinesmore, the importer and distributor of our brands in India, sells 2 whites, 3 reds and one sweet wine from Donnafugata’s portfolio. The entry level white wine is a blend of Pinot Grigio and Catarratto. There are also two Sicilian blends Ansonica and Catarratto in the brand called Anthilia. In red wine, at the entry level we have SEDÀRA, which is a 100 per cent Nero d’ Avola, TANCREDI which is a blend of 70 per cent Nero d’ Avola and 30 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is aged in oak barrel for 14-16 months. Another red wine which has been getting good response in India is MILLE E UNA NOTTE with 90 per cent Nero d’ Avola and 10 per cent indigenous Sicilian grape variety. For vinifications the MILLE E UNA NOTTE grapes are harvested in September during the middle of the night. The night harvest provides cooler temperatures and less oxygenation of the grapes before pressing. The juice is fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel and skin contact lasts about 12 days. After malolactic fermentation, the wine is aged in new French barriques for two years and in bottle for one year before being released.”

The company also sells its top sweet wine called BEN RYÉ. It is a white wine naturally Sweet DOC Passito di Pantelleria Zibibbo. The wine displays its extraordinary personality and depth initially with its bright amber yellow color.

Donnafugata produces 2 million bottles in total every year. However, just 250 cases are sent to India yet.

Italian wines are amongst the best and the vast range of wines produced in this country makes it one of the most interesting wine-producing regions of the world. Over recent years the popularity of Italian wines has increased significantly. This can be attributed to the qualitative improvements introduced by the producers thus enabling them to offer great value-for-money wines. More specifically, in India, another reason for this surge is the increasing number and popularity of Italian fine-dining restaurants across metros.

WINES OF BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO

The evening tasting session of Brunello di Montalcino wines was conducted by Michele Shah, the well known journalist and wine writer and author, a specialist in Italian wines. Happy to see the level of awareness, she said, “Brunello is not an easy wine to taste so, I was impressed with the awareness level of the people during the tasting session.”

Speaking of the wines from cloned sangiovese grapes, she said that Brunello wines are from cloned sangiovese grapes too which the producer selects from its own vineyard. Cloned sangiovese represents few of the finest wines of Italy. It is worth mentioning that there is a lot of research work going on regarding the cloning of sangiovese grapes in Italy at the moment.

Some of the wines tasted during the session were:

1) Poggione 2003– Produced by Franceschi Leopolde e Livia – In south of Montalcino, the winery is of 19th century. The producer uses new clones of sangiovese and there is new vinification cellars used for this wine. The producer is keen to maintain and retain a traditional style of wine making. The winery is spread over 100 hectares of land. The wine is stored in large oak barrels for 36 months. The wine is soft at the palate with long tannins. It is a well balanced wine.

2) La Poderina 2003– Produced by Saiagricola S.p.a – The wine comes from the south western part of Montalcino. It’s a medium sized estate with the vineyard situated at 350 meters above sea level. The winery is built on a less traditional model.

La Poderina is a ruby red with a good concentration, nice hint of cherry berry, fairly tannic but young. The wine fruity on nose but has a solid structure underneath. This wine goes well with food.

3) Ciacci Piccolomini d’ Aragona 2003- Produced by Bianchini Societa Agricola S.s- The winery is situated in the South Eastern part of Montalcino. The winery is spread over 200 hectares. The wine has a sweet aroma and a balanced taste.

4) Banfi 2003- Banfi S.r.l. – Established in 1960, the winery is owned by Mariani Family. The winery is spread across 800 hectares. Banfi is one of the largest wineries in Montalcino region. The vineyard produces Rosso – 7, 20,000 out of 100 hectares and Brunello – 7, 00,000. The winery uses 50 different clones of Sangiovese grape. Banfi 2003 is a nice and fruity wine with an aroma of cherry and silky tannins, great acidity. It has a round and fullness on the palate.

5) CoL d’ Orcia Riserva 1999– Tenuta Col d’ Orcia S.p.a. – The winery produces 4, 30,000 bottles of wine in total. The wine has a dense ruby red colour and it offers a lot of complexity. The first batch of Riserva was produced in 18th century. The winery produces nice and elegant wines most of it stored for 4 years in oak barrel. This winery belongs to Franchesco- the president of the Consorzio of Brunello di Montalcino. The winery is based at 450 meters above sea level and the vineyard faces direct south. The climate and the soil are just perfect for Brunello.

A TASTE OF ITALIAN CUISINE WELL PAIRED WITH WINE

The same evening, Finewinesnmore and Hyatt Regency celebrated the introduction of some great wines from Donnafugata and Carpene Malvolti vineyards along with great Italian cuisines prepared by the new Chef Giuseppe Zanotti.

Chef Giuseppe presented hot Neapolitan puttanesca sauce of olives, tomatoes ,capers and fresh parmesan cheese, rich, satisfying wines with a smooth satiny texture from the valleys of Sicily “An Italian table is incomplete with out its wine said Chef Giuseppe.

The dinner included Chef Giuseppe ‘masterpieces’ steamed prawn salad with heart of artichoke, parmesan shaving and lemon dressing; Tortelli Piacentini with spinach, ricotta filling and butter sage sauce. The chef's artistic influence was obvious in tuna tartar that comes heart-shaped, with chopped red, green and yellow bell peppers, zucchini and saffron sauce.

This Magical Combination of Excellent Italian Cuisine and the Finest Wines transported the guest to the world of Fine dining Italian Haven.

- Rojita B. Tiwari

Courtesy: http://www.ambrosiaindia.com

Interview: Dr Jaideep Kale -- View from the Grape Wine Park, Maharashtra

2008-06-05T14:47:00Z

Dr Jaideep Kale, Technical Coordinator, Wine Park, Maharashtra tells IndianWine.com about how he found his place in the Indian wine industry...

Q. Please tell us about your background, especially how you came to join the Indian Wine industry?

A. I completed my Bachelors degree in Horticulture Science from College of Horticulture, Pune, Maharashtra. I followed it up with a Masters degree in Agriculture Plant Pathology from University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, in the state of Karnataka. I pursued my Doctorate in viticulture from Agriculture University, Gujarat.

After these years spent in academic pursuits, I took up jobs with multinational companies like Synjenta, State Grapes Association and Seed company.

Since I had pursued the study of grapes for my PhD, grapes were my latest interest. It was opportune that at the same time, the Central Government of India was taking a serious interest in establishing Food Processing Industries in India, particularly Maharashtra.

At that point of time in India, particularly in the grape growing and winemaking industry, we were all new. Maharashtra was just exploring its grape growing and winemaking potential. The time was just right for me to join the Indian Wine industry and pitch in with my academic expertise. Those were the beginnings, and we have come far, but still there is way to go!

Q. What are your personal favourites in wine?

A. In white wine I like Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and in red Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel.

Q. Please update us with the latest news from Wine Park, Maharashtra...

A. I am working with Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation as Technical Coordinator for Agricultural Export Zone for Grapes and Grape Wine. Over the past seven years, my work at Maharashtra Wine Park and consequent close interaction with the grass-root farmers, has been a very interesting one. For an update: Today as in the year 2008, 8000 acres of land is under cultivation for wine grapes and 57 wineries have been established in the state of Maharashtra under our guidance.

Q. What is the role of MIDC's Wine Park and how are farmers and entrepreneurs benefitted by it?

A. We have been giving guidance to farmers and entrepreneurs about cultivation of wine grapes, production of quality wines, marketing of wine and also effort for export of Indian Wines for the last five years. I have visited Italy and Germany for research in the wine sector there. I learn from domestic and international exhibitions on wine also, and share useful information with the wine industry participants back home in Maharashtra.

Q. What would you consider your special contribution to the Indian wine industry?

A. Though I have been actively involved in the growth of all aspects of the wine industry in Maharashtra, it is my book in Marathi about grape growing and the Indian wine industry, aimed to benefit local farmers, entrepreneurs and all grass-root people involved in the industry, that gives me a special sense of satisfaction. This book in the local language is the first of its kind. Recently, Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation has recognised my contribution to the Indian wine industry with an award.

Q. You have seen the local wine industry grow from strength to strength, and would be in a position to comment on gaps and opportunities for further growth. What improvements do you suggest for the Indian wine industry?

A. It is a pleasure to be part of the revolutionary change that has come about in the Indian wine industry. Well, it all started with Maharashtra! It has been a remarkable experience, watching the Indian wine industry grow and at such a speed, yet there is more that needs to be done. Suitable growing conditions for the Indian wine industry will enhance all aspects of the grape and grape-wine industry here. I look forward to the following developments in the Indian wine industry:

1) Increase in cultivation of wine grapes

2) Increase in wine units

3) New ideas for marketing of wine

4) Increase in export

5) Joint ventures with foreign developed wine industry for nursery, varieties, technical know-how, marketing, etc.

6) Research

Presently, the government of Maharashtra through Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation has got into a joint venture with the government of Italy in grape wine sector. This project is under my guidance and still underway. It would translate as growth for Maharashtra's grape wine industry.

Q. How do you feel when you look back at your decision to join the Indian wine industry?

A. It feels good. I took up the challenge which suited my interest in grapes as well. It was passion and patience that I invested in my work, and still do. It has been seven years. And it has been a very satisfactory investment, seeing the Indian Wine industry grow from scratch. We are now going places, domestically and internationally, and not to forget the benefits to farmers here. It is good to belong here :-)

for indianwine.com Venki

Interview: Viral Pancholia (Mercury Winery Pvt Ltd)

2008-05-28T19:37:00Z

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

Lights on, but nobody’s home - Wine Woos

2008-05-24T17:37:00Z

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

VERONAFEIRE 2008 - Come fall in love with Wines - Sajan

2008-05-23T17:50:00Z

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.
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