Now the European Union is concerned about the wine taxation across India. The European commissioner for agriculture and rural development, Mariann Fischer Boel, said the state variations in taxes was unacceptable to them when talking to the press in Delhi.

Can you imagine a world in which you walk into your local Barista coffee shop and order a glass of wine instead of a coffee? According to the COO of Barista, that world may not be too far in the distant future. The company intends to invest Rs. 40 crore in opening new outlets and plans to sell wine and beer too. One can only imagine what that would do for the growth of wine in India and for the producers who appear on the menus. But questions remain. Shiv Singh reports.

The judges for the Sommelier India Wine Competition (SIWC) have been identified. And we are very pleased that they have agreed to judge the wines. After all, a competition is only as good as its judges. The judges are experienced wine professionals from around the country representing importers, producers, hoteliers, restaurateurs, journalists and wine consultants. As chairman, Steven Spurrier will ensure that the wines are judged impartially. Importers and producers will not judge their own wines. View the list of judges on the SIWC website.

Here's your chance to get a diploma in wine studies. Christ University in association with United Vintners Limited is offering students the opportunity to learn about wine and the wine industry at the University Campus in Bangalore.

Every economic crisis brings innovations as people test the limits of their imaginations to hold onto their businesses. The Italians get full marks on the creativity front (not surprisingly) with the floating of an idea that Italian banks should accept expensive wines as collateral on bank loans from crisis-hit producers. For this to work in India, the wines would need to be age worthy, expensive and with an obvious track record of appreciating in value. Shiv Singh reports.

Trouble at Indage Vintners seems to only get worse by the day. Employees have taken their salary issue to the police according to The Economic Times. Apparently, they have not been paid in three months and are concerned that the company has no intention of paying them. When we first reported that the Indage Vintners financial crisis was deepening, we did not believe it would be getting so bad so quickly.

In the midst of helping to organise a screening of "Bottle Shock" for Terroir (the Madras Wine Club), an unexpected email. Would I agree to take part in a wine competition as a member of a panel of judges headed by (no less than) Steven Spurrier? By Mukund Padmanabhan.

The third "official" event organized by the Chennai Wine Club, Terroir, was a well-balanced brew of great ingredients: a thoroughly enjoyable film about the grape titled Bottle Shock, some appropriate grape to keep the film company, and great company that stayed to chat about the grape, writes Parvathi Nayar.
Right: Members of Terroir watch the film, Bottle Shock

The closing of their Delhi and other regional sales offices is just the latest sign that Indage Vintners, the grandfather of the Indian wine industry is rather suddenly in a precarious position. A lot of different factors are potentially at play but what's certain is that the market was flooded with more Indage wine than it could stomach and the special two for one deals devalued its brands too.

With the global economy just about recovering from the recession, Champagne sales are still down. LVMH whose portfolios includes the likes of Moet & Chandon, Dom Perignon, Veuve Clicquot and Chateau d'Yquem, said that revenue had fallen by 17%. According to the Federation des Exportateurs de Vin et Spiritueux de France, exports of Champagne to India dropped by 70% so far this year. With these statistics, it begs the broader question is there room for more foreign labels? Shiv Singh reflects on the question.

Our never-ending wine taxation saga truly never ends. The latest salvo in this ongoing tug a war has the Maharashtra state government reducing the VAT (value added tax) from 25% to 20%. The government will also provide a 16% rebate to wineries thus reducing the VAT in effect to 4%.

It has recently come to our attention that retailers planning to setup wine retail outlets in basements below their main shops may run afoul of the local government. This state law seems extremely restrictive.

As Reva Singh wrote in June (Ed's Note, SI July/August 2009, which many of you would have seen by now) Sommelier India - The Wine Magazine in association with The Wine Society of India has embarked on an exciting new project that will help consumers decide between the good and the not-so-good or the good and the excellent - the Sommelier India Wine Competition (SIWC).

Kevin Zraly runs one of the top wine schools in the United States. Windows on the World Wine School based in New York and through it he's known to have educated an entire generation of sommeliers and wine enthusiasts alike. Some people consider him the best known Sommelier in New York if not the world! His book (with the same title as his wine school) is a bestseller in its own right. Here he is being interviewed discussing wine pairings with spicy food. Don't miss it. You'll learn a lot in the 60 seconds!

In another sign that the Indian wine market is contracting with the global economic downturn, Diageo has decided to exit the Indian wine market. They have taken their only brand - Nilaya off the retail shelves and are focusing on their hard liquor business in the country. Nilaya was launched in November 2007 less than two years ago amid much fanfare. Shiv Singh reports.