So what did he think of the future of Indian wine industry? ‘Very, very promising, I feel,' was his instant response. The emerging middle class with increasing spending power, a penchant for quality lifestyle, potentially makes it one of the two largest wine markets in the world. Even the domestic sales make it a very lucrative market. If I owned vineyards in India, I would go for more plantings,.' he said with confidence.

During his 2-day stay in Delhi last weekend he was able to taste a majority of Indian wines including Grover's La Reserve 1997 and Sula's Dindori. ‘The success story of Indian wines will be written around these two type of wines', he beamed, enjoying their flavour. For a person to start liking wine as a beverage it is very important that he or she finds the first tastes very pleasant. ‘And these wines make you enjoy wine drinking,' he felt.

Comparing the Indian market with the USA, he talked of the days in the late seventies and early eighties there when people preferred beer and liquor. With improving Californian and US wines and increased imports it has evolved to be a wine drinking society, especially in coastal areas and certain inland pockets. However, he is confident that in India it will not be be evolution but a revolution.

I agree. With a bit of help and a more positive attitude of the Central and State government when they not only reduce import duties to make wines available cheaper but equally importantly, change in the stringent excise laws to make wine available more easily. The defining moment, according to Strum came in the USA in 1991 with the advent of French Paradox* on the national TV. The health benefits made people take to wine in a big way. There is no reason whey the government should not encourage wine for the same reason.

Hopefully soon the importers, stockists, retailers and consumers must also realize that wine storage is also a critical factor in our climate. Wines tasted by Adam may not be the wines you may get on your table to enjoy, thanks to the indifferent supply chain and your own oversight in not storing it properly.

In the meantime Indian wine producers can keep their chin up and say Cin Cin ( Italians' way of saying cheers; pronounced as chin-chin!)

Subhash Arora

December 28, 2005

* For an earlier Article click here

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