According to Assocham more Indians will consume wine in the next two years. The industry association projects that the country's wine consumption will nearly double to 9 million litres, from the current 5 million litres by 2010. Assocham has estimated that the Indian wine market is approximately 5 million litres in terms of volume and Rs 500 crore in terms of value.
Wine sales in India were 8,20,000 cases in 2007-08. Major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune, Bangalore and Hyderabad account for 80% of the demand for wine, the chamber said.
September 15, 2008
Graze & Wine Spectator's ‘Award of Excellence’
When the management team led by F&B Manager Suman Sharma was given the task of revamping the old favourite Jockey Club at the Taj Residency hotel in Bangalore, their brief to the designers was simple, writes Alok Chandra. Create the best contemporary fine-dining restaurant in the city, with the largest wine list.
The outcome was a radical change and Graze opened to a lot of incredulity from the old-timers. The management must have had some anxious moments as their traditional customers deserted the place.
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Ivy Cafés pair Indian wine with light meals
“Drink healthy, eat wise,” says the line outside the Ivy Wine Café, Pune, one of the six such cafés opened in Mumbai and Pune, inviting diners to step in and enjoy a food and wine pairing. The café serves reasonably priced light meals and beverages along with a selection of about 40 wines that are either produced by Champagne Indage Ltd or imported by them, writes Brinda Gill
Spurrier accepts SI’s invitation to join Advisory Council
In the world of fine wine, few names are held in as high regard as Steven Spurrier. He is the British wine authority who organized the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976, which unexpectedly shattered the myth of French wine superiority and promoted the expansion of wine production in the new world. He is also the founder of the Academie du Vin and Christie's Wine Course in addition to authoring and co-authoring over a dozen wine books.
The International Women’s Association in Chennai was founded by seven women in 1986, and Reva Singh, publisher and editor of Sommelier, The Wine Magazine was one of the founders.
Having lost touch with the organization all these years, she flew out to Chennai a few weeks ago to attend the Founders’ Day celebrations, and was delighted to discover that the club was not only alive and thriving but had grown to 300 members!
Reva Singh addressing members of the IWA at its Founders celebrations
Karnataka establishes wine parks, UB Group & Report
In an attempt to encourage grape cultivation and promote the wine industry, the Karnataka government has announced the establishment of two wine parks at Chickaballapur and Bijapur as public-private partnership projects. Business Today has the story.
In separate news, the Business Standard is reporting on United Breweries importing South African wine. Cinemawalla enters the Indian wine market and RNCOS publishes a report on the Indian wine industry.
Exciting Gift Ideas from Vin Opera
The Festive Season is just around the corner and, as always, we are all on the lookout for suitable gifts. In an attempt to move away from those tired old presentation packs and hampers and move, instead, into the exciting and exquisite World of Wine, Vinner Enoteca Wines Pvt. Ltd. – VIN OPERA has come up with some super gift ideas. VIN OPERA’s fine Italian wines can be presented in leather Wine Cases or Wine Boxes with Accessories.
Indian wines are attracting attention in all quarters and here's another angle in the "Can Indian wines compete internationally?" blog debate. It's an internet clip that you might find interesting. Although I've watched Gary's show and exchanged notes with him, I don't know if I agree with him completely, but listen to what he has to say and tell us what you think.
August 26, 2008
Sommelier India Issue 5 of 2008 soon to be dispatched!
Wine enthusiasts and people in the business turn to Sommelier India – The Wine Magazine for a variety of reasons and I hope the publication continues to surprise and please you with something of interest for everyone. As you pick up this issue you will notice that it offers a bumper crop.
Like Brian McGuigan who set up a vineyard in the City of London, we want to bring our readers closer to wine, build up their confidence and bring wine to life. On page 10, Sandra Westbrooke describes how Londoners responded to McGuigan Wines vineyard in their midst.
Reva Singh discusses the latest issue which is being printed as we speak. Subscribe today!.
Are Indian wines ready to compete internationally?
If a perspective in Business Standard is to be believed, Indian wines need to do more to meet international standards. Australian wine technologist and viticulturist Diana Davidson expressed concerns over Indian wine and predicted that wine-makers from China, Argentina, Chile and South Africa could easily wipe out Indian wine from the international market. Do you agree?
So you have a half finished bottle of wine. It’s one of your favourite wines and you’d like to keep it for a couple of days to drink later. Well, now you can.With Sowine, EuroCave’s latest home wine bar, you can keep opened bottles for up to 10 days in good condition.
Sommelier India wishes all its readers a Happy Independence Day for August 15th. If you are wondering how to celebrate it, considering the country has just won an Olympic Gold, here's the scoop. Head Sommelier Stephane Soret at The Imperial, Delhi has received 12 bottles of 1947 Bas-Armagnac from Marc Darroze in France just in time to celebrate Independence day.
An Australian vacation, 17 acres of vineyards in the Nashik valley and Italian wine imported into India under a local label – Vikash Gupta, Director, Vinner Enoteca Pvt. Ltd., tells Avininder Singh how he got into the wine business.
Back in March we announced the launch of the 2008 India Wine Challenge. It is now officially accepting entries. Download the entry form for more details or use the online entry form. The international judges will include Robert Joseph, Roberto Bava, Vanya Cullen, John Forrest, Gina Gallo, John Quarisa and Mike Ratcliffe. The Indian judges are still being identified.
Deadline to make the London tasting is September 19th and the deadline for the Delhi tastings is November 1st.
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Wine Cellar Catches the Eye at The O Hotel
“Wine drinking is at a nascent stage in India. There is a lot of curiosity about it, and at times guests are a bit hesitant to try out wines. A lot of mystery has been created around wines by traditional wineries and wine makers”, says Avijit Chaturvedi, Vice President-Operations, The O Hotel, Pune. Brinda Gill has the story for Sommelier India.
Tucked away on the eighth floor, far away from the buzz of The Leela Kempinski hotel at Sahar, Mumbai, is Stella, an exclusive Italian fine dining restaurant. As you enter the elegant establishment you pass through a wine library which, it is whispered, stocks an incredible 250 labels at any given point of time! writes Suneeta Kanga.
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