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 | Friday the 16th of November, ’07 saw the launch of the Bouvet-Ladubay bouquet of wines from the Loire valley in Delhi. The event was hosted by the suave French Ambassador to India, Jerome Bonnafont at his residence. Guests included diplomats, the city’s socialites, wine aficionados, and representatives of the hospitality and wine industry. |
Vijay Rekhi, the Managing Director of United Spirits Ltd, a part of the UB Group that owns Bouvet-Ladubay specially flew in from Bangalore for the evening.
Pictured above: French Ambassador, Jerome Bonnafont toasts Bouvet-Ladubay with Sommelier India publisher, Reva Singh
| The India Wine Show is being held between November 29th and December 3rd in Nashik, Maharashtra. It includes wine tastings, conference sessions, and vineyard tours. The show is supported by the Ministry for Agriculture, Government of Maharashtra. Sommelier India is the official wine publication of the show. Download the detailed programme (PDF). |  |
And don't miss the show!
The UK Circle of Wine Writers and Pavilion Books, new publishers of Oz Clarke and Decanter contributing editor Michael Broadbent, have selected Ray O'Connor as Young Wine Writer 2007 for his entry on 'Exploring Wine's New Frontiers - India' according to Decanter Magazine. The award was presented by Steven Spurrier who said that he had learnt a thing or two from the winning essay which described India as a vibrant wine producing country with a great deal of potential.
The Award includes a cheque for £1000 and a two-week wine exploring trip to Australia, courtesy of Wine Australia and Qantas. Maybe its time for an Indian airline to sponsor an award.
 | N.D. Wines launched its revolutionary wines in New Delhi on 15th November 2007. The evening included wine tasting and a dinner. There was live salsa dance entertainment throughout the evening. The dancers included Sameer, Kash, Idres, Vaidyehi, Akshat and Suzanne, the members of the Salsa dance troupe from UK, “salsa es vida”. |
The grapes are grown in the Sahyadri Hills in a 700 acre vineyard.
A nearly 10,000-strong global crowd Thursday feted the launch of the 2007 vintage Beaujolais Nouveau, a light young French wine which has become a world brand since its introduction in 1970. The uncorking ceremony held at the stroke of midnight in the small French town of Beaujeu -- the self-proclaimed "historic capital" of Beaujolais wine -- was attended by aficionados from Japan, South Korea, Britain and China says AFP.
What makes Beaujolais special is that it is drunk in the same year as it is harvested. It is one of France's most popular wines though this year exports to its largest foreign market, Japan are expected to be lower than usual. For more on Beaujolais read the Telegraph's coverage and the AFP announcement.
 | The Times of India is reporting that the government may let airlines serve local wine on their domestic sectors. Haryana MP Tarlochan Singh said it was the practice globally. He said that the government should allow small bottles of Indian brands, and restrict it to maybe one per passenger. |
What's driving this sudden support for the local wine industry? Apparently, the MPs have the "farmer interest" in mind.
| Mr. Bernard de Laage de Meux, Marketing Director of Château Palmer is in Delhi for an exclusive tasting on November 15th, 2007 at the Shangri La hotel. The wines being tasted include Alter Ego 2004, Alter Ego 2003, Château Palmer 3eme Grand Cru Classe, Margaux 2002, 2000, 1998 and 1995. |  |
Château Palmer was originally established by General Charles Palmer who served under Wellington in the English army. It is situated in the Haut-Médoc district, in close proximity of Château Margaux, Château Rauzan-Ségla and Château Rauzan-Gassies, and its wine is considered to be one of the two most popular Third Growths.
During the time of Louis XV, it was known as Château de Gasq and the wine was said to be a favourite at the court of Versailles, along with Château Lafite.
The people of Delhi earn more, drink more and die more on its streets, the latest Delhi Statistical Handbook of 2007 reveals according to the Indian Express. The sale of alcohol has seen a steady rise: from 74,703 bottles of foreign liquor and wine in 2005-2006 to 77,582 bottles in 2006-7. Bottles of Indian beer sold in Delhi in 2006-2007 were 80,801. In 2004-2005, that figure was 57,926.
N.D. Wines is launching in Delhi at a press conference and wine dinner on November 15th, 2007. The launch is taking place at Amaltas, India Habitat Centre. The winery at N.D Wines has a tank capacity of 9,000 litres.
 | Our last issue of 2007 has just been dispatched to subscribers. It's our largest issue yet. This issue includes articles on Vin Santo, the rise of Riesling, Loire Valley wines, the evolution of supermarkets in India, the role of Scotch, our ever expanding wine listings and lots more.
Subscribe now so that you start receiving your copies immediately and renew your subscription if it is ending. And help us spread the word about Sommelier India across the country. With your support the publication is getting stronger and stronger everyday. |
| Bouvet-Ladubay in association with Sommelier India - The Wine Magazine, are hosting a wine appreciation dinner with five Bouvet-Ladubay wines and a five-course western meal at The Intercontinental, Grand Hotel in New Delhi on November 17th, 2007. Guests from the Wine Society and the Delhi Wine Club have been invited. |  |
For more information please email info@sommelierindia.com.
 | The UK's Telegraph is reporting that Hugh Ryman, the maverick English winemaker portrayed by Russell Crowe in A Good Year, has brought another innovation to the wine market – a French wine tailored to the tastes of India's newly prosperous urban classes. Maison Pierre is a joint venture with Sula Vineyards. The article quotes Rajeev Samant as saying, "We've created a brand for the Indian market, which we jointly own. It should ship from France next week.
The movie itself is worth seeing even though it has gotten mixed reviews. |
Directed by Ridley Scott, it is a 2006 romantic comedy film set in Provence, in southeastern France and is about an investment expert who takes over a vineyard and gets seduced by the wine lifestyle.
The vineyard virus scare story originally reported by the Indian Express and picked up by NDTV seems to result in more questions than answers. The facts are few and far between. What we do know for certain is that the Pune-based National Research Center for Grapes has confirmed the story. Not surprisingly, most of the wine producers and grape growers are downplaying the significance of the threat. The truth is it is probably too early to tell.
According to various sources, the viruses detected are rugose wood complex and leafroll and have infected varieties imported from France and Italy. The leafroll virus is well known in the wine industry and a few years ago caused major problems in the Stellenbosch wine region of South Africa resulting in reduced vineyard yields and grapes unripened. For more information on both viruses visit Wine Business.com. Please let us know if you have substantive information on the subject.
| Bordeaux & Aquitaine Wine, India 2007 will be held in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore between November 13th and 17th this year. 34 Aquitaine producers and negociants will meet approximately 120 Indian importers and buyers during this period.
Aquitaine is one of the 26 regions in France along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range bordering Spain. The major Aquitaine cities include Bordeaux, Pau, Bayonne, Mont-de-Marsan, Biarritz, Bergerac, and Périgueux. |
Ulrich Langguth was in India recently with his sons to launch his Riesling wines from the Mosel region in South-West Germany. The vineyard of Goldtropfchen at Piesport is one of the world's most famous Riesling sites with outstanding GRAND CRU wines. The vineyard of Gaispad at Traben produces qualities of great finesse and perfume in its wines. The wines will be sold in collaboration with Finewinesmore through a mail order system. Consumers who sign up can choose to have specific wines delivered to them or they can choose to have six different bottles sent to them each month.
Riesling is a white grape variety grown historically in Germany (see German wine), Alsace (France), Austria, and northern Italy. Riesling wines are often consumed when young, when they make a fruity and aromatic wine which may have aromas of green or other apples, grapefruit, peach, honey, rose blossom or cut green grass, and usually a crisp taste due to the high acidity
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 | Last week we published a note about Nilaya's wine launch here on the Sommelier India blog. Little did we know that the design team behind all of Nilaya's branding work was reading Sommelier India.
Well, they sent us some of their wine label designs that we felt must be published as they're refreshing and modern. Do wine labels influence your drinking habits? More on their story after the jump including information on how Nilaya was conceptualized. |
| Just what the doctor ordered for wine newbies confused about which wine to buy or what they really like. Mini 25 cl taster bottles.
UK supermarket Asda has launched a range of 25cl mini taster bottles, nominally allowing customers to sample wines for free before buying a full bottle, reports Lucy Shaw on Decanter.com on the net. Asda Tasters, priced between £1.50 and £2 enable consumers to sample a range of red, white, rosé and sparkling wines. |  |
After sampling the Taster, buyers can bring their receipt back to Asda and pick up a 75cl bottle of the wine, from which the price of the Taster will be deducted. The supermarket also claims that if customers don't like the wine, they can obtain a full refund on presentation of the receipt.
 | An Indian-born Australian, Paramdeep Ghumman is making his mark on the wine scene down under in the Mornington Peninsula region of Victoria. Nazaaray Estate is a self-professed unique micro boutique winery with an Indian twist. We tried the wines at the Wine for Asia show last year and thought an Australian wine called Nazaarey would make a wonderful addition to a Diwali hamper, if only they were available here! |
James Halliday, one of Australia’s most respected wine writers and most senior wine judges, has given them a thumbs-up, too. Read on...
 | The Sommelier India team wishes all its readers a Happy Diwali and a prosperous new year. Known as the festival of lights, Diwali is one of India's largest and most popular of festivals. It is also recognized as the Indian new year.
Try this Diwali festival website or this one if you are looking for diwali recipes. |
| The booming Indian wine industry is facing a crisis with two deadly viruses affecting farms across Maharashtra, which accounts for 94 per cent of country’s wine production. While the viruses, blamed on imported plants, were first detected in 2002, fresh cases have been reported this year. The Indian Express reports on the virus fears in Maharashtra and discusses the confusion over how big an issue the threat is. Give us your opinion on the virus threat.Pictured are vines infected by a virus. |  |
Viruses have a dangerous relationship with grapes and have certainly left their mark on the evolution of wine. For example, inadvertently introduced to Europe in 1860 on imported North American vinestocks, phylloxera wiped out a significant portion of European wine grapes in the mid-to-late 1800s. Read more on the phylloxera epidemic.
 | Sula Vineyards will shortly vend imported Japanese beer “Asahi” in the premium beer segment. Sula is also going to import “Mateus”, a Portuguese wine which can be a big hit among wine drinkers in Goa. The company also plans to import premium vodkas and single-malt whiskeys in the future too. Sula Vineyards has been growing at 50% annually and sees diversification as a way to better leverage its distribution network. |
It is also a way to sustain its growth as domestic and international competition intensifies. Sula wines are currently available at supermarkets across Mumbai. These include Haiko (Powai), Spencers (Malad), Hyper City (Malad), Food Island (Juhu & Powai), Spinach (Juhi & Andheri), Nature's Basket (Breach Candy) and Shoprite (Mulund). Learn more about Sula's plans at DNA India.
Mint is reporting that Indian wine manufacturers are uniting under a common forum to fend off competition from multinationals. At least 48 local winemakers, including leaders such as Champagne Indage Ltd, Sula Vineyards Ltd and Grover Vineyards Ltd, are proposing a common manufacturing and marketing strategy.
In our opinion, this is a much needed step and one that we hope will be actively supported by the central and state governments. Find the full article at LiveMint.
After launching brands like Blossom Hill, Barton and Guestier and Piat d'Or earlier in India, Diageo has made its entry into the Indian wine segment with the launch of Nilaya, its first domestic wine.
Diageo India MD Asif Adi, "We are proud to present Nilaya which is a bold, unique and an interesting wine meant for a contemporary India. Nilaya exemplifies a cherished lifestyle for everyday living. Nilaya is a celebration of individuality, everyday, everywhere."
UK-based Diageo had recently tied-up with retail giants Reliance Fresh and Shoprite Hyper to distribute its wines portfolio in cities like Mumbai and Pune. It is also planning a tie-up with the Aditya Birla-promoted retail venture 'More' to sell its wines across the country.
| The Indian Government is looking to establish a new wine policy. A policy that will bring uniformity in taxation and duties across all the states. This much needed policy would also allow for the sale of wine in departmental stores nationally and the setting up wine parks with common infrastructure facilities. The policy has already been implemented in Maharashtra and Karnataka. The Delhi government too is likely to allow sale of wine in local stores soon. |  |
The ministry has also set up a National Wine Board to develop standards and promote the domestic wine industry. Competition from foreign wines is expected to intensify with the recent reduction in Customs duties on wines and spirits. These much needed initiatives will be heartening for the domestic wine producers who have felt that the government hasn't done enough to support their efforts.
 | The Wine Park held a dinner at The Leela Kempenski, Bangalore recently. It was a sit down dinner with around 30 people with a 9 course tapas style dinner matched with 13 wines from their portfolio. Executive Chef Mr. Bradley did the food matching. Find a list of wines they import at their website. |
Australian cricketer Stuart MacGill is passionate about something other than cricket. And he probably needs to be as he's had to make room for Shane Warne over the last few years. MacGill has a 3,000 bottle wine cellar and has become such a connoisseur that he is set to host a show called Stuart MacGill Uncorked on the Australian television channel, Lifestyle Food. Besides exploring the history of Australian wine, he will provide tips on how to become a wine snob.
Imagine if Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid or Sourav Ganguly had a strong interest in wine. It would do wonders for the growth of wine in India. Best of all if an Indian cricketer talked about his interest, it would demystify wine and maybe remove some of its snobbery.
| Globus Wines has partnered with Tata's Star Bazaar to open its first store at Dahisar, Mumbai. As per the arrangement, Globus selects the wines and manages the store too. Globus has plans to open 75 more wine stores in the next two years. They launched Miazma nine months ago and is distributing those wines nationally. |  |
Spread across 300 square feet, the Dahisar store will stock almost all major wine and beer brands present in the country, including the company-owned wine brand Miazma. Visit the store and let us know what you think of their wine selection.
Wine manufacturer Champagne Indage was all set to buy stake in a Swedish company by investing about 10 million US dollars (Rs 39.32 crore) through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Indage Holdings.
The company would get access to Swedish company's distillery assets, ownership of luxury vodka brands produced in Sweden and their distribution rights, the company said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange. View the full article at Asia Pulse.
 | Champagne Indage is offering seasonal gift hampers. These include one with two Chantilli bottles, two ocean glasses and a wine opener. Others do not include the wine opener or have different wines. For bulk orders and corporate gifts call ( 9871896409) Hemraj , (9910095951) Kanika , M-9810479011 ( Ajay Kumar Gothwal) |
Indigo Delicatessen is offering a special seasonal Wine Box. This is available with white or red wine and includes Arcorac white wine glass and Chardonnay 2004, Michel Larouche SOF, France or the Arcorac red wine glass and Merlot VDP D’OC 2003, Larouche SOF, France both for Rs.1845. For more information call 022 6655 1010.
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