Wine Society Of India

The smiling visage of Dr. Vijay Mallya, very thoughtfully featured on 'Page 3' of the annual report, by the script writers, says it all. The chairman of the board in his annual pontification to the shareholders chortles that in FY10, the company achieved landmark sales of over 100 m cases, with prospects of double digit growth. It also marks he adds and I quote 'the company's position as the world's No. 2 player, but the differential growth rates that we expect in India vis a vis the current world leader, gives me good reason to believe that we shall shortly seize global leadership.' Making the present scenario possible was the merger during the year, of Shaw Wallace with United Spirits Shaw Wallace is the repository of such fine whisky brands as Royal Challenge, Haywards Fine Whisky, and Director's Special, which the Mallya group, try as they might, had never been able to replicate.

In a manner of speaking, it was also a homecoming for Vijay Mallya, who it is believed, had first bought this company from its foreign principal's way back in the 1980s. In any case, all's well, that ends well. In its humungous scale of operations, USL sources nearly 100 brands, in an average four pack sizes each in 28 differentiated markets from 80 manufacturing facilities (the company per se has 27 facilities). Scotch whisky continues to be in short supply globally it says, with rising demand in markets such as China. This bodes well for the company, given its significant investment in Whyte and Mackay (the 4th largest scotch producer in the world). It has also set up a state of the art winery at Baramati with a capacity to bottle 4 m bottles per year, to complement its acquisition of Bouvet Ladubay, a French winery, which was founded in 1851. The other nuggets of information is that the global spirits industry is estimated at over 2 bn cases ?with the Indian industry accounting for about 12% at 236 m cases. India is also predominantly a 'browns' market with whisky, rum and brandy being among the predominant players. 'White' spirits, gin and vodka have only a 5% share.

It is of course amazing to note that the Indian spirits industry is under an 'informal' price control, or so the annual report informs. To quote: 'A substantial portion of the company's sales are to monopoly distribution agencies owned by state governments. Consequently, price increases even to negate inflation are difficult to come by.' There are several other 'garam masala' disclosures, which reveal a less glamorous side of this company, and shows out glaringly the less than professional face of the management.

This lag in profits is inspite of the fact that production volumes of Beverage Alcohol during the year were higher by 35% at 252 m litres. Sales of Beverage Alcohol cases were also higher by 13% at 61 m cases. Input costs of major raw materials like spirits and molasses were also well under control. But higher manufacturing costs, and interest costs, put paid to its hopes.

United Spirits: Cheers, but where are the profits? - Equitymaster.com

Luxpresso.com , a luxury site that, from what we’ve heard, is a part of its blog network. The site focuses on luxury goods for the India market, and looks like it will offer competition to the likes of the Vogue India and GQ India combine, with lifestyle content on fashion, accessories, travel, gadgets and celebs.

Also note how the ‘Ads by Google’ is barely visible. Perhaps the site is currently testing ads, and will incorporate luxury brand advertisers later.

Technoholik earlier this year, and the pilot and puzzling disappearance of two other blogs – more on that below. Earlier this month, Alootechie had reported that other Indiatimes properties like Zigwheels (Auto), Golfingtimes (Golf), Wine Society of India (Wine) and iDiva (Women) are being transitioned to the blog network.

Technoholik earlier this year, and the pilot and puzzling disappearance of two other blogs – more on that below. Earlier this month, Alootechie had reported that other Indiatimes properties like Zigwheels (Auto), Golfingtimes (Golf), Wine Society of India (Wine) and iDiva (Women) are being transitioned to the blog network. iDiva appears to have already made that move.

Indiatimes Launches Luxury Blog Luxpresso; HealthMeUp & DigitalBE? - MediaNama.com

Cocooned in the lush locale, 25 heavyweight CEOs alternated between luxurious spa sessions and a forum where guest speakers touched upon diverse industry topics. Ironically, the person who was most sought after was not â??one among themâ??. It was Kapil Grover, owner of Grover Vineyards in Bangalore, who was invited to talk about wine appreciation. â??They wanted to know everything! From â??how do I know my red?â?? to â??how to pair champagne with tandooriâ??,â?? says Grover.

Delhi Wine Club president Subhash Arora recalls the day he was whisked away in a VIP car to the Presidential Estate, the residence of the private secretary to the President of India, for a dinner party. Arora was to â??enlighten the august gathering on wine pairing and storing.â?? He was amazed by the enthusiasm people showed. On any given week, Arora gets at least one request from corporates or private groups, especially society ladies, to teach them wine etiquette. A consultant usually charges Rs 20,000 from corporates (excluding the wine) for an hour-long session and Rs 2,000 per person.

So, what are the doâ??s and donâ??ts for starters? â??If you are gifting, then it has to be an imported Bordeux or Champagne, or any good brand from Italy, France or Australia,â?? says Craig W Wedge of Fine Wines n More, who likes to gift Salvatore Ferragamo wine to special clients and friends. â??If you are stocking up at home, keep a mix of white and red wine. Though itâ??s a matter of personal choice, the popular labels would be French Bordeaux, Australian Shiraz, Italian Chianti, Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, French Beaujolais and Californian Zinfrandel.â?? Wedge says the biggest hurdle is to store wine at home, especially in the Indian climate. He advises his clients to invest in a good cabinet, available between Rs 30,000 and Rs 2 lakh or build a basic cellar.

Full Story: Don't be a wine ignoramus! - Times of India

It’s a facility to allow everybody who has an interest in wine to access exceptional-quality wine which has been stored in temperature-controlled conditions all the way from the producer to the end consumer. We consider this unique for India because the climate is so hot here (and) there are many breaks in the chain, which result in wine being damaged by heat. There are a few temperature-controlled wine stores in India, but these aren’t enough. Besides, I don’t think there are any stores in India that have a hand-picked selection of wine.

The store isn’t too big; it’s about 800 sq. ft, and with about 50 wine bottles on display. These come from all over the world, including India, because India is now producing wine of world-class stature. They’ve all been tasted by a board of wine advisers who are out to make the best wine available to connoisseurs at modest prices, unlike most wine shops that sell what their distributors give them. We come from a different cultural background and we want to pass on the joy that is wine to Mumbai, and hopefully to people in the other cities of India.

A lot of the wines are exclusive selections for the Wine Society of India. There are one or two labels that you will find elsewhere as well. Our latest selection features wine from Spain and Portugal. Riojas from Cvne Vineyards in Spain, Vinho Verde from Portugal White Rioja (from Spain) made from the Viura grape, and Indian Rosae wines. We also have Chateau de Pez Saint from the South of France. Each wine is chosen to be top of class for the region it represents.

Full Story: Old wine in a new store - Livemint

Mr Spurrier's myth-shattering persona is famous - he was responsible for the 1976 blind tasting competition, "The Judgement of Paris" which made the world sit up and take notice of Californian wines. The story was given the Hollywood treatment in the Alan Rickman starrer, "Bottle Shock". Interestingly enough, a screening of Bottle Shock paired with wines, was one of the activities that Terroir members enjoyed last year.

Quite appropriate then, that Terroir's 10th event was an evening with Mr Spurrier himself. Today, Mr Spurrier is Chairman, Board of Wine Advisors, Wine Society of India, as well as consultant editor to Decanter and director of Christie's wine course among other wine-related activities.

The evening's liquid refreshments opened with a sparkle, an Italian Ti Amo Prosecco. Mr Spurrier recalled how, in Italy, his preferred mid-morning drink was always a glass of Ombra Prosecco; adding, his choice of beverage was influenced by the knowledge that you risk being labelled an ignorant tourist if you ask for a cappuccino any time after 10 am.

Full Story: An Evening with Steven Spurrier at Sheraton Park Hotel and Towers - Sommelier India (blog)