The Indian excise system is convoluted; working within - it can often be difficult. That said, it's only sensible to change with the times and follow new trends. Some states have embraced change. But bringing a personal bottle of wine to drink in a restaurant is still illegal. It's time that BYOB or 'Bring Your Own Bottle', is adopted in the country in some form. We argue for its plausibility.
Why BYOB? Why now?
COVID restricted us to our homes. Oenophiles could neither enjoy frequent shopping at duty-free outlets, nor exclusive labels available at their members-only clubs, hotels and restaurants. So suppliers and retail outlets found creative ways to serve their customers directly through online portals for better visibility and easy purchase of their wines. Vishal Kadakia, Wine Park, Mumbai, purveyor of fine wines observes, "The idea of MRP was a new learning.
That the choicest wines were available - properly stored - at such affordable prices and home delivered, was a revelation for customers." The high mark-ups charged by F&B establishments was exposed. People understandably moved away from these restaurants and patronised them sparingly. So that even now many fine wine dining outlets are struggling to return to their days of glory as people are opting for wine dinners at home.
It's more satisfying than dining out with limited choice of wines at exorbitant prices. Former president of the International Wine & Food Society's Mumbai chapter, Chintamani Kaigaonkar, well-known wine lover and collector, said, "The high mark-up on premium wines is absurd. Hotels will have to give us a rational explanation to spend that much money on wine."
Denne historien er fra Autumn 2024-utgaven av Sommelier India.
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Denne historien er fra Autumn 2024-utgaven av Sommelier India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Intimate and Welcoming
Reserve a table at AI Garamond in the centre of Turin for a taste of authentic Piedmonteset and Sicilian cuisine
Tribute to the Kerala Kitchen
Kappa Chakka Kandhari is a restaurant like no other. Chef Regi Mathew, the presiding genius, speaks to Kaveri Ponnapa about how the award-winning restaurant, specialising in the homecooking of Kerala, came into being
SWIRLING IN THE DIGITAL ERA - How social media is influencing wine culture
The ever-evolving world of wine is currently witnessing a significant shift towards social media. Devati Mallick steers us through the many ways one can navigate the digital landscape with a simple click, tap, or swipe
Bottling It - The times they are a-changing
Wine in glass bottles has been traditional for a very long time but now change is a-foot, says Carol Wright. The carbon foot print of the glass bottle is not planet friendly
BANDOL - The ruby in the Provence crown
If you thought Provence was only about rosés, you are wrong. Bandol, one of the more prestigious appellations of Provence, is renowned for its bold and structured red wines. Here's what Elizabeth Gabay MW has to say
A Splendid Septet of Wines
Raymond Blake tastes seven vintages of the Burgundy premier cru, Gevrey-Chambertin 'Aux Combottes', from Domaine Dujac, owned by the Seysses family
CYPRUS Dawn of a New Era
On a recent visit to Cyprus, Rosemary George MW is struck by the island's numerous indigenous grape varieties and high altitude vineyards
Madeira The world's longest living wine
Carol Wright on what makes Madeira the 'hottest' thing in wine
AT THE FOOT OF MOUNT ETNA
Altitude, fertile volcanic ash, and abundant sunlight create a unique environment for vineyards
Putting their best foot forward
Craig Wedge is bullish about the rising quality of Australian wines entering the Indian market
