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May 2012 - Posts
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The All India Wine Producers' Association has proposed setting up of Wine Chowpatty, a wine and food plaza, at some locations in the Maharashtra and has submitted its proposal to the state government.
Jagdish Holkar, chairman of Indian Grape Processing Board and president of AIWPA, said the idea was to promote wine and dine culture in the state.
If the government gives its approval, the first Wine Chowpatty in the country is likely to be set up along near Godavari Wine Park at Vinchur.
Today, Nashik has emerged as wine capital of India. Of the country's total 92 wineries, Maharashtra's share is 74. As many as 36 wineries are in Nashik, 12 in Pune, 13 in Sangli, 5 in Solapur, 4 in Usmanabad, 3 in Buldhana and one in Latur.
More: thetimesofindia.com
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Sweet Spanish delicacies like sorbet and ice cream have been created using wine as a base. The smoothness of the champagne sorbet and the red wine ice-cream makes them a must-try for all diners. Along with the wine, try the chocolate created by Zeba Kohli of Fantasie Chocolates especially for Vinoteca by Sula. The chili chocolate was the ‘awesomest'.
You must try the two types of sangrias that have been created which are served by the pitcher or glass. The mix of wine with orange and fruit make it a light, flavourful drink. I love the style of the place and the colours used on the walls along with black and white images taken from the Sula vineyards. The use of ochre, maroon and cream colours blend well. The bar counter is lit and bottles that have been cut are placed in a manner to depict the curve of a wine bottle or the undulating waves of a vineyard. Along one wall all the Sula wines are showcased in a distinctive way with some delicate lighting. It's a treat to go here and drink sensibly.
More: The Hindu
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Mumbai’s wine connoisseurs are getting a chance to sample wine in their dessert too. “Wine in dessert helps cut down on calories; you can replace sugar with wine, which is healthier,” says Chef Juliano Rodrigues, senior sous chef at Out of the Blue, Bandra. He serves Drunken Prunes, made by naturally maturing wine with prunes without adding sugar.
Renditions of classic French and Italian wine-infused desserts have been concocted by city pastry chefs, while original recipes have been introduced by as many as six restaurants in the city, making it official: wine has moved from your stem glass to savoury mains and now, to your dessert plate.
Vikas Bagul, executive pastry chef, Trident Hotel, Nariman Point, recently added Spiced Red Wine Praline Chocolate to The Gourmet Shoppe menu, and plans to include at least four more wine-infused desserts.
More: Hindustantimes.com
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The Mumbai police is planning to book people who drink alcohol without permits at the Juhu sundown party under sections of the 63-year-old Bombay Prohibition Act.
The Act also determines the amount of alcohol you can buy every week. The permissible limit of alcohol purchase a week is fixed at 1500 ml for hard liquor, eight litres for beer or 3.4 litres for wine for every individual.
"The daily consumption and weekly purchase limit of alcohol is fixed. Anyone exceeding these limits can be punished under the Bombay Prohibition Act, even if they have a liquor permit," said Mohan Varde, superintendent of the state excise department.
More: Hindustan Times
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Two Indian wines, Vallée De Vin Zampa Reserve 2010 and Fratelli Chardonnay 2011 won recognition at Decanter World Wine Awards 2012. Zampa bagged a bronze medal with a three star rating, and Fratelli, a commendation with two stars.
The 2012 Decanter World Wine Awards were officially announced By Steven Spurrier, chairman of DWWA on May 22 at The London International Wine Fair.
The Decanter World Wine Awards is known for its championing of lesser-known and smaller regions. India was among the 47 countries which sent wines to the competition.
More: SommelierIndia.com
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The Indian Grape Processing Board (IGPB) plans a comprehensive legislation to regulate wine-making, to improve the standard of the industry.
There will be laws regarding the manufacture of wine, quality, brand and marketing. All wine-related practices-manufacturing, agricultural, critical point analysis, food safety norms-will come under the legislation.
More: The Times of India
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The Palace on Wheels train was started on 26 January in 1982. It runs in August to April. Palace on Wheels train tour or Destination is New Delhi, Jaipur, Sawai Madhopur –Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bharatpur-Agra and then return back New Delhi. It starts on every Monday from New Delhi Railway station.
This train also has well decorated bar which serves Indian wine, liquor, and spirits as well as it serves International brands too.
More: Spyghana.com
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Nashik has emerged as the wine capital of India as around 50% wineries are located here. Jagdish Holkar, president, All-India Wine Producers' Association and chairman, Indian Grape Processing Board, talks about the status of the industry:
Q: What are the problems faced by wineries?
Holkar: There is no proper wine policy in the country. Every state has its own policy. Hence, there are problems if one decides to go to another state. There are several marketing hurdles and barriers. Disparity in duty and tax structure is a major problem the wine industry is facing. In Andhra Pradesh, there is a 70% value added tax (VAT) on wine, while wineries from Maharashtra have no entry into Tamil Nadu. Hence, wine should be included in the coming goods & services tax (GST), to have a uniform duty and tax structure throughout the country. If this is not possible, all states should adopt the same wine policy. It will also help control wine smuggling.
Q: Table grape-growers, who turned to wine grapes, had suffered losses and they returned towards table grapes. What went wrong?
Holkar: Around 2007, maximum wineries were established, causing excessive production. Demand was less compared to production volumes. Secondly, most farmers had planted wine grape varieties without signing contracts with companies. Basically, grapes are contract farming and farmers should not plant wine grape varieties without signing contracts. The industry has its own planning and if someone is doing anything without planning, there is no guarantee whether it will sustain.
More: The Times of India
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To make good wine in India we would need not just winemakers but people who actually drank the stuff. – Magandeep Singh
I count many among the new breed who will do us proud: Fratelli, York, Reveillo, Alpine, Mercury… all these are governed by ideas of people who wouldn’t be caught dead drinking plonk so have imposed upon their winemaking teams the same stern standards.
Another addition to this string of pearls is now KRSMA. What was that you ask? Is that ‘Charisma’, in English, or Karishma, meaning miracle, in Hindi? Well, the wine has a bit of both. It is the brainchild of Krishna and Uma Chigurupati and they have chosen a site not too far from Hampi as their proving ground. They do show more than an inclination to promote and practise ‘Sustainable Viticulture’.
More: Magandeepsingh.com
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The current levels in India allow a maximum of 45.5 per cent alcohol content in distilled spirits such as whisky, rum, gin or vodka, 12 per cent for wine and 8 per cent for beer. With an aim to maintain the safety standards of alcoholic beverages, the food regulator — Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) — is ready to set permissible limits of alcohol in alcoholic beverages like wine, beer, rum, gin, vodka etc.
The move has already drawn criticism. Citing the existing state laws governing the manufacture and sale of liquor under the Excise Act, the manufacturers of alcoholic drinks under the banner of the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies have already moved the Bombay high court challenging the FSSAI’s move to set alcohol content standards.
Liquor manufacturers have also moved the Jabalpur high court, challenging the inclusion of alcoholic drinks in the definition of food under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which was implemented in August 2011. The Act says anything consumed will be considered as food.
FSSAI officials maintain that they have the requisite powers under the FSSAI Act to set standards for anything consumed by humans as food or drink items and ensure that whatever is consumed is fit for human consumption.
More: Deccan Chronicle
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The Union des Grand Crus des Bordeaux (UGCB), a collective of the top wineries of Bordeaux, presented their wines for tasting in the country, at the Sofitel in BKC.
While the UGCB conducts trade tastings globally for its members, it has shied away from India, though French wines account for the highest sales by value. So what accounts for organising this tasting? Jean-Marc Guiraud, Director of UGCB explains the shift in perspective, “UGCB is a private body, belonging to the chateaux themselves. The function of the body is to organise tastings in the major markets. Every one once in a while we organise tastings in what we perceive as potential markets. India is a small market for us; it ranks only 61st amongst the markets for UGCB. We came here to see the response and gauge potential.”
There was a sizable representation of wine importer as well as several prominent Indian wine makers and producers, in attendance. The event clearly had wide-ranging significance not just for French and Bordeaux wines but also for the wine trade in India. According to Abhay Kewadkar, Chief Wine Maker and Business Head, United Spirits Ltd (Wines), “That the Grand Crus, the super premium wines of France, thought it was important enough to come to India and do a tasting like this, is a very positive sign. It only confirms the potential the wine industry has for the future.”
The 42 wines that were presented by the chatueax owners themselves came from the prestigious wine appellations of Pessac Leognan, Saint Emilion Grand Cru, Pomerol, Moulis en Medoc, Haut Medoc, Margaux, Saint Julien, Pauillac, Saint Estephe and Sauternes et Barsac.
All the wines were from the 2009 vintage which has been rated as one of the best vintages of Bordeaux in almost 60 years.
More: Afternoon.in
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Career for the young and famous in the Indian wine industry :)
Shamita Singha went abroad and studied at the Saint Emilion wine tasting school in Bordeaux, France and the Beaune School of Wine in Burgundy, and attended workshops in Spain, London and the U.S.A. “I started studying wine as a hobby and then it turned into a profession because very few people in India are studying the subject. Word went out and wine companies started approaching me, asking me to conduct tasting and training sessions.”
And now she is waiting to get her degree that will earn her the qualification to be a sommelier. “I learnt about everything in the wine-making process from grape to glass, from what happens in the vineyard and how the grapes are grown to which varieties are used for which vine. I also learnt about the tasting notes of the wine, how wine is identified, apart from the various flavours and aromas of wine. It's a massive study and I'm still studying.”
More: The Hindu
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The Maharashtra government is planning a tourism makeover for the state in order to promote it as India’s first Wine Tourism destination. Many measures as part of this master plan, including the opening of wine bars and cafes at tourist spots, and state-run luxury trains and resorts, were announced by the Maharashtra Excise and Tourism departments recently.
More: TravelBizMonitor
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Praveen Krishnamurthy is a co-founder of Orcus Capital Advisors, a wealth management firm, and calls himself a ‘Fine Wine Investment Specialist'.
Indian scenario
Wine, as an investment asset class, is just beginning to happen in India. Unlike other beverages, wine matures with age, and therefore its value increases. So you buy a case of wine, keep it for a few years, then sell it for a profit. Simple, right?
Wrong. To invest, you need to know wine. Praveen, come in, please.
How it started
The fascinating story of investing in wine begins in France, circa 1855, when Napoleon III made an epochal order, to grade the 60-odd vineyards (chateaux) in the Bordeaux region. This classification, says Praveen, is still a crucial factor in price discovery.
There are eight chateaux in the ‘investment grade'—La tour, La fite, Margaux, Haut Brion, Lynch Bages, Mouton Rothschild, Petrus and Cheval Blanc. These are geographical appellations and what is produced in one terroir cannot be produced by others. Consequently, there is a natural limit on how much each chateau produces each year. It is in the order of 15,000 cases (12 bottles of 750 ml) each year. Usually, the cases are bought en primeur even before they are bottled and there is an active future markets here.
How do you invest in wine? An expert such as Praveen Krishnamurthy will give you several options of wines with value appreciation in mind. Many factors affect the prices—vintage, of course, but also, the weather conditions of the year of bottling, availability and importantly, the rating given by a man called Robert Parker, an expert wine valuer hated in Bordeaux, for he has got it wrong only three times in the last 35 years.
More: The Hindu
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Aneesh Bhasin, the photographer-***-wine connoisseur, along with partner Shiladitya Mukhopadhyaya, recently founded an iOS application — Indian Wine List (IWL). They’ve had great reviews — and in under
three weeks, over 1,200 downloads. Other platforms such as Android, Blackberry and Windows will also have their version soon.
Indian Wine List is available for download on iOS devices for free. Upcoming initiatives include wine tastings, deals and discounts every Wednesday and mystery boxes at retail stores. They are also planning a few trails people can undertake by themselves.
More: Hindustan Times
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