Indian Wine News and Messages : South Africa

Reza Mahammad, Spice Prince of India is popular at South Africa’s annual Good Food and Wine show

anisha sharma — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:24:00 GMT

Such is the popularity of Reza Mahammad that he is a sought-after commodity at South Africa’s Good Food & Wine Show every year.

His Food Network show, Reza, Spice Prince of India, is an extension of his success as one of the UK’s top Indian restaurateurs.

As much as viewers appreciate his cooking tips and culinary dishes, they also adore his flamboyant style and charismatic personality.

Now for the good news – his next series will be shot in SA, where he will explore the local gastronomic secrets of the Indian communities.

More: Tonight

Cricketer Jonty Rhodes foray in the Indian wine industry – Business Standard

anisha sharma — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 06:42:00 GMT

Jonty Rhodes, the former South African cricketer who is widely accepted as one of greatest fielders ever, has a new hat: that of an entrepreneur. Evolution Sports Network, the company of which he is a director, will hit the Indian markets in about a week’s time with its brand of “dope-free” certified nutritional supplements catering to the health, wellness, lifestyle and sports categories.

Flashback

Says Rhodes, sitting in the café bar of a Mumbai hotel. “I tried a few business ventures from South Africa like exporting wine into India which didn’t work out too well.”

More: Business Standard

The import scene of South African wines in India – Livemint

anisha sharma — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 06:58:00 GMT

“The percentage of South African wine in India is quite small,” says Neethu Sheth, owner of The Wine Rack, Mumbai, which imports 23 labels of South African wine. “But it has grown steadily in the three years I have been in business.”

Sheth says that as with any imported product, there are challenges in dealing with red tape and customs laws. Since it is a time-sensitive product and falls under the food and beverage category, different organizations are involved in the approval process. Procedures are lengthy. And since it’s a heat-sensitive product, you have to be careful your wine doesn’t get spoilt in storage, says Sheth.

For four South African winemakers and producers who wish to export to India, the challenge was obvious within a week of their presence here. At the India 2011: International Trade and Investment Initiative conference to promote their wines in Mumbai earlier this year, they found their sample bottles never made it past customs, leaving them with no option but to hope that brochures would substitute for taste.

All four representatives have so far had little luck with finding that critical importer. “I need to secure an established importer with the necessary distribution channels,” says Khan. “Though I have sent a lot of emails to major importers, I have not got a meeting with any. I am not sure if the timing is bad, or they have a lot of brands or they are not interested. I haven’t met people from the wine industry, which is sad for me.”

More: Livemint

Valle De Vin's chief winemaker visits Chandigarh - Indian Express

anisha sharma — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 07:12:00 GMT

Nicolas Van Aarde from South Africa, is the chief wine maker of Vallee De Vin at Nasik in Maharashtra. Valle De Vin is known for its five varieties of Zampa still and their range of Zampa Soiree sparkling wines.

In Chandigarh at the picturesque Lake Club, to host a wine dinner in association with Wine Society of Chandigarh, we catch up with Aardre.

Aardre notes the Indian palate, "I find people in India liking wines with a high sugar reserve more. Maybe, that's because the food here is so spicy."

He adds, "Some Indian wines have a lot of potential and given the perfect setting in Nashik for the harvest of good quality grapes, I see no reason why Indian wines can't have a global appeal."

More: Indian Express

South African wines in India, a progress report - The Times

anisha sharma — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:24:00 GMT

Andre Morgenthal, spokesman for Wines of South Africa, said about 700000 litres of locally produced wine was exported to India last year. “This represents a 44% growth on 2007 figures. Morgenthal said about 20 local companies exported between 30 to 40 wine labels to India.

Morgenthal said despite the healthy growth, South African wine was not as well represented in India compared to other international markets. “India’s main wine consuming markets are the cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Goa. Other cities like Calcutta, Pune and Hyderabad are catching up. Nearly two-million people in India drink wine, with about 10% of this figure opting for wine as their preferred choice,” said Morgenthal.

Neethu Sheth, an importer of South African wine, said wine had become one of India’s drink of choice in the last three years. “Wine is quite popular and is becoming a drink of choice. With the terrorist attacks and the global downturn the consumption has reduced drastically due to the high custom duties. That inflates the price of the wine,” she said.

Sheth, a wine lover and enthusiast who started importing 18 months ago, said her target was premium wines for up-market Indian restaurants and hotels.

“I have 19 labels from South Africa, which are a fairly good mix. The popular ones are Pinotage, Laborie, Le Bonheur, Le Riche and Weltevrede.

More: The Times.co.za