India Wine

The winegrowers of the Grand River Valley wine region will have their Ice Wine Festival on March 6 and 13. Five wineries in the region, which is just south of Geneva on the Lake, take part in the festival, which is now in its seventh year. The wineries are all within a 10-minute drive of each other.

Patrons begin at the winery of their choice and stop at any or all of the participating wineries, which are Debonn Vineyards, Ferrante Winery & Ristorante, Grand River Cellars Winery & Restaurant, Laurello Vineyards and St. Joseph Vineyards.

Doreen Peitrik, owner of St. Joseph Vineyard, is especially excited this year for the festival as it will be the first Ice Wine Festival at their new location.

Full Story: Grand River wineries ready for Ice Wine Festival - Youngstown Vindicator

In Nashik, India?s wine capital, it will soon be harvesting season and a time for bonhomie. At least 50 wineries have made Nashik and nearby areas such as Niphad and Dindori their homes. They are looking at a resurgence in 2010. ?Post the twin blows of recession and the Mumbai terror attacks (when tourist inflow was severely affected), India?s wine industry had taken a beating for the first time since 2002,? says Jaideep Kale of Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation. Now of course, it is time for celebration.

The just-concluded Sula Festival drew connoisseurs, tourists and revellers. As a market leader, Sula enjoys a special status. Rajeev Samant, founder and CEO of Sula Vineyards, is surprised at the way the wine market has grown. ?Good Indian wine at a good price, that?s what the consumers were waiting for,? says the Stanford graduate, who has in the last decade expanded his operations from the family-owned 30 acres of land to nearly 1,500 acres (both owned and contracted).

Sula?s success story has had a domino effect. Several Indian wine makers have hit the market over the last decade. The Maharashtra Grape Processing Industrial Policy, which waived off excise duty on home-made wines in 2001, had given a major push to the fledgling sector. Though wine is still considered an elite drink, its popularity is largely engineered by upwardly mobile professionals and the new-age Indian woman. ?Wine has become a favourite with women, who form 40 per cent of Sula?s consumers,? Samant says. Reva K Singh, editor of Sommelier India, offers more insight. ?As our economy opened up and we adopted a more cosmopolitan lifestyle, wine became a natural choice for the sophisticated urbanite. And it has become increasingly popular at all levels with exposure and education. It?s stylish, it?s fun, it?s healthier than spirits,? she says.

Full Story: As Sula turns 10, we look back and ahead at India's affair with wine - Indian Express

During an official visit in France, the delegation of the Indian Ministry of Food Processing Industries, accompanied by the representatives of their Embassy, has been received by the OIV President, Mr. Yves Bénard and the OIV Director General, Mr. Federico Castellucci, says the communiqué .

This visit to the OIV headquarters follows on the approach initiated  for the membership of India to the OIV.

The representatives of the MFPI emphasized the growing development of the Indian wine and grape industries, both for the sector of grapes intended for the production of quality wines and for the traditional table grapes.

Full Story: India may be First Asian Member of OIV - Indian Wine Academy

I speak of the present fascination that urban India has with partying. Our national anthem has become Karan Johar’s tune Where’s the party tonight? In hotels, beaches, gardens, drawing rooms, art galleries, heritage spaces, poolsides and parks around India wine glasses clink, hors d’ouvres circulate and air kissing socialites hover around steaming dosa, pasta and sushi counters. Sidestepping microphone wires and large surround sound speakers, these party animals are showing up en masse, masquerading as rasikas and connoisseurs. This is the new sabha for performing artists, the new stage for the biggest and most celebrated names in the dance, music and theatre.

A birthday, anniversary, engagement or product launch in any of the above venues is very often marked by a short music or dance concert by a BIG name.

The artist is placed against a very tastefully designed backdrop of an ocean, a tree, an archway or a historic building. Tender coconut water, jeera pani or champagne welcome the guests and steaming coffee or chai is served to the ‘gown/frock/dress/ kurti mami’ set. Animated discussions are sprinkled with the notes from a sarod, sitar, violin or sarangi ankle bells and percussion beats spray the air but eyes are more focused on the other’s jewels than on the stage where the internationally acclaimed performer is dancing or singing.

Full Story: Between drinks and dinner - Express Buzz

Salony Kane on the other hand believes that wine can be gloriously romantic. “A story in a bottle.” The trick is to find a story that appeals to you.

Brought up in Pune, Salony made an unusual decision for an Indian student, and headed to the University of Adelaide to study wine.

Salony started out as a winemaker with the Nepenthe vinery in Australia (“Back then it was a lovely family-run operation. Now, of course, the big boys have bought them out. That's the story of the industry, really”). She worked with Orlando Wine (a big Australian winery which produces the popular Jacob's Creek), till very recently, and is now in Chennai taking a break.

Full Story: A romance uncorked - The Hindu