Vinexpo India, the Indian edition of Vinexpo, the prominent global wine and spirits exhibition, held its second edition from 18th to 20th August 2022 at The Leela Mumbai. Vinexpo India is a B2B trade show for wine and spirits producers that offers them an opportunity to meet and network with members of the industry, identify and explore markets, and promote their brands. The event was organised by Vinexposium and InterAds Exhibitions Pvt Ltd.
The event started with the lighting of a lamp and a keynote address by Rajeev Samant Founder CEO of Sula Vineyards in which he encapsulated the progress made by the Indian wine industry; mentioned the challenges faced by the industry during the pandemic; and said he foresees a big come back for the industry. This was followed by masterclasses attended by sommeliers, members of the trade and wine enthusiasts, while many visited the exhibitor stalls, showcasing wines and spirits from India and abroad, to meet with representatives, and winemakers and taste wines and spirits.
Among the exhibitors were Sula Vineyards, Fratelli Wines, Grover Zampa Vineyards, Krsma Estates, Good Drop Wine Cellars and Virgin Hills from India; Agriment Italy with a range of Italian wines; SWISSVÄL showcasing luxury spirits from Switzerland; Bordeaux-based Mattia Antonio Cianca and Amrita Singh presenting 42 labels from Italy; Roland Coiffe, Founder and General Manager, Roland Coiffe & Associés, a wine merchant from Bordeaux, who brought a range of French wines; representation from wineries from the US; and importers including Sonarys, Aspri, VBev, and The Wine Park.
The masterclasses and sessions, held on all three days, spanned a number of subjects. These ranged from a presentation by Sanjay Menon, Founder-CEO Sonarys, on Bolgheri Wines of Tuscany to Grandi Vini Italiani featuring top DOCG Appellations of Italy by Mattia Antonio Cianca DipWSET, Top Sommelier of Italy 2019; a presentation of SWISSVÄL- Luxury Spirits of Switzerland by the company’s co-founders Jenith Aiyappa and Swapnil Yalgi; a session on the Wonderful World of Sherry by Kunal Kaul, Sherry Educator with a choice of sherry wines from Chenab Impex; Wines of Argentina by the Consulate General and Promotion Centre of Argentina in Mumbai; the Wines from Small Producers of India- by Ajoy Shaw, Consultant Winemaker; and Wines of Karnataka by Dr T Somu MD and Sarvesh Kumar GM of Karnataka Wine Board.
Speaking about the event, Rodolphe Lameyse, CEO of Vinexposium, commented, “The second Edition of Vinexpo India in Mumbai had a resounding success. It was inspiring to see the prominent leaders of the industry from all over the world, convene under one roof and have productive, solution-oriented sessions. Seeing so many faces actively participating in discussions at the booths and at the masterclasses was a true pleasure. It was impactful to associate with Indian Associations and our partners Interads to launch Vinexpo India at the peak of the Pandemic last year. I am already looking forward to the Next Edition in Delhi in December 2022.”
Roland Coiffe said, “The fair has been very good. Mumbai is a great location choice. At our booth, we witnessed a continuous flow of visitors and this is important as we want to optimize our space and time and showcase our products in the best possible way. We will need to have more such expos in the future. This will attract more producers and exporters from different regions to showcase more wines. I see the great potential and promise for fine wines in India in the coming years. However, there is a scope for improvement when it comes to administration and logistics in India. There are a lot of constraints in bringing wine into the country. There is also a lot of paperwork involved. So with a little help by the concerned officials and Govt. bodies, the wine market in India will accelerate.”
All eyes are now on the next edition of Vinexpo India, taking place in Delhi at Pragati Maidan from 1st to 3rd December 2022.