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April 2011 - Posts
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 The Indian wine industry could now look at quality issues as a thing of the past
as they embrace the wine making traditions of the best in the world. Alessio
Secci, one of the key players in the launch of the new wine brand from India,
would like to see their passion reflected in the brand.
The Italian passion for football, cars, bikes, fashion and wine is legendary,
and they now would like to see the same passion for wines in India. “In Wine
there is Truth, so let the Wines speak for themselves” - A philosophy so deeply
rooted that it brought wine enthusiasts together to pursue their passion for
winemaking. A dream to nurture it into a product that is par excellence, gave
birth to a product called ‘Fratelli Wines’ launched recently, amidst huge glitz
and glamour, the brand raised a toast to the likes of Isha Koppikar, Sanjay
Suri, Milind Gunaji, Mr and Mrs.Hiranandani, Ritesh Deshmukh, Maheka Mirpuri,
and many more that were present at the launch event. Fratelli Wines introduced
its first vintage, the Fratelli Cabernet Sauvignon (Red wine), Fratelli
Sauvignon Blanc (White wine) and Fratelli Chenin Blanc (white wine) that brings
the taste of true Italian wines to India.
Fratelli which in Italian means ‘Brothers’ was conceived in the hearts and minds
of three families the Secci brothers
- Alessio and Andrea, the Sekhri brothers
- Kapil and Gaurav and the Mohite-Patil brothers – Ranjit and Arjun; who formed
a joint Indo-Italian venture that gave birth to what we know today as ‘Fratelli
Wines’. The partnership brought in business and distribution capabilities along
with the expertise of a long and historical association with the wine business
in Tuscany. The idea is to make good Indian wines, says Alessio Secci. The high
acidity and low level of sugar makes the wine very refreshing which makes it
pare well with Indian food. The wines are fresh and dry. For the reds we also
have good acidity and the tannins are well structured, he points out. The style
is whites are dry and the reds fruity.
Situated in Akluj which is based in the Solapur district of Maharashtra,
Fratelli Wines is a product of passionate labour, emotional toil and
enthusiastic entrepreneurial spirit. The company owns 240 acres of vineyards in
Akluj that eliminates sourcing grapes from contract farmers and thus having full
control of the fruit.
Cultivated under the watchful eyes of chief viticulturist Piero Masi, every
Fratelli produce bares the characteristic and individuality of its grower that
is very distinct and truly Italian. Piero Masi is justifiably renowned in
Tuscany and more specifically he is credited with production of some fabulous
wines in the Chianti region that are acclaimed by connoisseurs wherever wine is
enjoyed. He is also attributed with the creation of the famous ‘Chianti Classico
Casa Sola’ and Supertuscan red wine, ‘Cepparello’.
Standing by tradition and commitment to the brand, the state-of-the-art winery
houses 58 multi-capacity tanks imported from Velo, Italy; a fully equipped
hightech laboratory for testing at each and every stage of the production
process from grapes to finished product. The winery has an installed capacity of
around 6 lac litres by 2010.
With the birth of Fratelli Wines at Akluj, a small yet very progressive city in
the Solapur district, Fratelli is all set to launch the taste of ‘fine’ wines in
India. Speaking on the launch of Fratelli Wines Mr. Alessio Secci, Co Promoter
and Director, Fratelli Wines commented, “We at Fratelli are very committed to
serving the best taste of Italian wines and thus have taken special efforts in
planting the 350000 wine saplings imported from France by grading every inch of
the 240 acres of virgin land at Akluj to form gentle slopes with ideal lines of
elevation. Extensive tests were carried out to study the region’s microclimate
including summer temperatures, as scorching sun can rid the berries of flavour
and aromas. We ensured that latest irrigation and spraying techniques were
installed and the ‘VSP system’ was adopted for the perfect growth of the wine
saplings. Also our yield is low to improve the quality of grapes. We get 10,000
tons per hectare compared to the average 15,000 to 20,000 tons. The investment
is in the region of six million Euros and will produce around 700,000 bottles of
wine. All the equipment is imported and will be a benchmark. With no stone left
unturned we are optimistic that Fratelli Wines will become one of the most
preferred brands of wines amongst the Indian audiences.”
He further commented “We are very excited with the response received for the
brand so far by our audiences and wine sommeliers. With the launch of our first
vintage we are very optimistic that our brand will capture the hearts of
millions of wine drinkers across the county.”
In the first phase of launch Fratelli Wines will be available across Mumbai and
Pune at a very competitive price point, a bottle of Fratelli Cabernet Sauvignon
(Red wine), in 750ml is at ` 650/- and 375ml is at `335/-, Fratelli Sauvignon
Blanc (White wine) in 750ml is ` 595/- and 375ml is ` 315/- and Fratelli Chenin
Blanc (white wine) in 750ml is ` 495/- and 375ml is ` 260/-. This year we are
focusing only on Maharashtra and in 2011 we will go national.
Fratelli Wines rooted in Italian tradition and cultivated in Indian terrains,
brings the excellence of Italian wine making to the Indian sub-continent giving
its consumers the taste of best quality products.
Curtesouy:
http://www.ambrosiaindia.com/
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The largest volume of wines imported into India are from Australia, selling an estimated 75,000 cases (30 per cent of the total) of all imported wine sales in India in 2010-11, having narrowly overtaken French wines.
The charge is led by wines like Hardy's, Jacob’s Creek and Yellow Tail, with others like Lindeman’s, D’Arenberg, Redvale, Golden Mile, Peter Lehmann, Tapestry, and whatnot bringing up the rear. Most Australian wines are sold at retail shops and in restaurants as five-star hotels in India still tend to favour French and Italian wines.
Australia has some 2,300 wineries, produces about 1.26 billion litres of wine, and exports 60 per cent of that, mostly to the UK and USA. While the market is dominated by a handful of large companies (14 corporations account for 70 per cent of total production), there are hundreds of smaller family-owned and-run wineries that turn out high-quality wines — some of great value.
More: Business Standard
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Shagger Jacks restaurant at 8004 E. Oak Island Drive in Oak Island is hosting a wine fundraiser, in conjunction with The Wine Rack of Southport and Choice Specialty Wines of Wilmington, to benefit Wine to Water. This Boone, N.C-based non-profit provides clean water and sanitation to countries around the world, from Ethiopia to Haiti and India.
The free tasting is 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, and food will also be available. In addition to donations, proceeds from wine sales will also go to the organization.
For more information, call 933-4103.
"If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."
~(Mathew 10:42)
More: Wine to Water
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The Chariot Resort & Spa Puri is planned to be fully operational by mid 2011. It’s Tide Bar offers an array of liquors, cocktails, wine and snacks. The place nestles amidst a natural lagoon with a private beachfront on the New Marine Drive of the Bay of Bengal, 65 kilometers away from Biju Pattnayak International Airport in Bhubaneshwar ( the capital of Orissa) and 7 kilometers away from the Puri Railway Station.
It has 102 rooms and 42 suites (35 sqm – 90 sqm) fitted with luxury amenities, internet access, IDD telephone, tea/coffee making facilities, in room entertainment systems and a deluxe TV channel selections with private balconies. Guests can enjoy ocean views and breezy ambience from all of the resort’s rooms and suites.
The restaurants and bars:
- The Upper Deck: Offers all day dining with a choice of international dishes and authentic Indian cuisine,
- The Laguna: A multi cusine specialty restaurant open for dinner only offers the finest Indian and international contemporary favourites.
Other services include spa facilities with meditation room, a gym, outdoor swimming pool, business center and Wi-Fi internet access.
For meetings and events, the conference room can accommodate up to 300 guests. Outdoor functions can be hosted on the foreshore lawns and pool side depending on the season and number of attendees.
More: Travel Daily News
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One-fifth of the world’s Masters of Wine have gathered in London to begin the annual Decanter World Wine Awards judging week.
214 judges, including 58 Masters of Wine and 12 Master Sommeliers, will judge over 12,000 wines from 44 countries.
The DWWA judges come from 23 different countries. Wine experts such as Fabrizio Portelli from Argentina, Jeannie Cho Lee MW from Hong Kong, Ignatius Chan from Singapore, Cathy Van Zyl MW from South Africa, Mai Tjemsland MW from Sweden, and dozens of others, are tasting all week under the overall chairmanship of Steven Spurrier.
Sarah Kemp, Decanter’s publishing director said, ‘We continue to attract the world’s best palates – and we are ruthless in our selection of judges.’
The Decanter World Wine Awards results will be announced on 17th May 2011.
The competitors:
As well as every major wine-producing region, countries sending in wine include India, Thailand, Macedonia, Japan, the UK, Luxembourg, Egypt, Turkey, Malta, Romania, Russia and China.
More: Decanter.com
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Careers in the Wine/Hospitality Industry:
Rachna Sharma of the SCS Group shares her observations of current trends in the hospitality industry in India.
Her company handles American whiskey tasting on behalf of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) says, “Indians are now fast adapting to global tastes; the Indian hospitality industry needs to evolve constantly to cater to the global customer. This can be achieved through training programs and seminars. With the spurge in number of players in the market, there is a growing trend of catering to a niche class of customers and providing unique services. Exclusive whiskey bars, wine and cigar lounges, sheesha and hookah bars are the new trend.”
“An important requisite of these niche services is skilled personnel who have the knowledge to cater to different tastes and preferences of the customer. Therefore training programs have become both essential and popular, and provide exposure to global trends.”
More: Times Ascent
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Belvedere Group, an international wine and spirits company plans its entry in India with the launch of Sobieski Vodka, due for roll-out in India in May 2011.
At a later stage, THEY India will help Belvedere launch Sobieski Impress, a range of ready-to-drink flavored beverages, in the Indian market. THEY, an Amsterdam and Delhi-based communications agency, has been appointed as lead agency for the Belvedere Group. The new account will be handled by THEY’s India office.
Xavier Degroote, international development director, Belvedere Group added, “India is a high priority market for us. We have selected THEY to help us build the SOBIESKI vodka brand and create a premium position.”
On the agency's thought behind setting up shop in India, Walvis explained, "We believe that for all the economic growth in India, one of the biggest opportunities for Indian companies is to build strong, valuable and exportable brands. We work hard to bring the best of East and West together, to build strong brands that resonate with Indian people."
More: Campaign India
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Pick your wine at Spar Store, Pune, Maharashtra
Spar, one of the largest independent food retail chains spread across 34 countries, unveiled its first hypermarket, spread over 37,000 square feet, at the Inorbit Mall in Vimannagar, Pune.
Max Hypermarkets India Pvt Ltd (part of the Dubai-based Landmark Group) has a licence agreement with Spar International to open Spar stores in India. This is the seventh Spar store in India, with the other six in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mangalore and Delhi.
Viney Singh, managing director of Max Hypermarket India Pvt Ltd said, “We hope to take the shopping experience in Pune to a new level. At Spar, we get international best practices and adapt them to best suit the needs of the local shopper. Because of our sharp pricing, promotions and loyalty programme, the largest fresh produce section and customer-centric service, our customers look forward to shopping with us every week.”
For ease of shopping, the categories on offer are merchandised in “worlds” i.e children, living, kitchen, gifting, small appliances, fresh produce (including fruits, vegetables, meat and fish),delicatessen, in-store bakery, specialty food concepts, staples, health, beauty, wine and beer.
More: DNA India
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