Indian wine viewed through Bordelais eyes
Sommelier India|Summer 2023
What do producers from Bordeaux think about Indian wines? Ruma Singh elicits their frank opinions
Ruma Singh
Indian wine viewed through Bordelais eyes

India is one of the world’s fastest-growing alcobev markets, but wine consumption in the country is still low, less than 100ml per capita. Yet, the country also has a large young population, eager to adopt new trends yet conscious of health, and this is where wine fits in better than most other alcoholic beverages. Although Indian wine’s potential for growth is slowed down by high taxes and red tape, this has not deterred the country’s top wine companies from laying out ambitious plans. These companies have been experimenting with innovation in viticulture and vinification in an effort to bring better quality to Indian consumers. Technological innovations — from agri-voltaic systems to optical sorting machines, from amphorae to precision irrigation systems — are all there in the mix. Focusing on lower yields to give better grapes, on soil suitability and clonal section are becoming commonplace for premium wines. And the results are showing. More Indian consumers are opting to drink Indian wine than ever before, and are increasingly ready to spend more on these premium offerings.

Offering a knowledgeable outsider’s viewpoint on Indian wine, as it is today, are some interesting excerpts from Ruma Singh’s inteaction with a group of Bordeaux wine producers who visited India in December 2022. The producers, representing notable estates from SaintEmilion, Sauternes, Margaux and the Haut-Medoc, visited Mumbai and Bangalore, during their week-long visit — including the vineyards of Grover Zampa outside Bangalore — and tasted several Indian wines.

Ruma Singh: Indian wine companies have been making significant changes to their viticultural practices, employing modern technology and a deeper understanding of grapes. What were your impressions during your visit?

Bu hikaye Sommelier India dergisinin Summer 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Sommelier India dergisinin Summer 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

SOMMELIER INDIA DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
Godinho Historic family owned restaurant
Sommelier India

Godinho Historic family owned restaurant

Feasting on Portuguese and Indigenous Goan flavours, relive the calm and quiet of a time long gone by,

time-read
3 dak  |
Winter 2024
Laurent Ponsot is one of Burgundy's most celebrated winemakers
Sommelier India

Laurent Ponsot is one of Burgundy's most celebrated winemakers

Jon Wyand finally captured the mercurial Laurent Ponsot - a renowned winemaker and vintner known for his exceptional Burgundy wines - on camera

time-read
2 dak  |
Winter 2024
Exploring Brunello vintages
Sommelier India

Exploring Brunello vintages

Ten years in the bottle, a long decant, and yet the harsh tannins overshadowed everything.

time-read
4 dak  |
Winter 2024
An ode to the diva grape
Sommelier India

An ode to the diva grape

It is worth tasting Pinot Noir in all its varied roles - from the shy, delicate ingénue, and simple yet intense New World newbie to the full-on Grand Cru prima donna

time-read
4 dak  |
Winter 2024
Best ways to explore wine in a new city
Sommelier India

Best ways to explore wine in a new city

The first thing most of us want to do when we go to a new city, be it Dallas or Boston, is to enjoy a few good wine tastings

time-read
4 dak  |
Winter 2024
Champagne Billecart-Salmon
Sommelier India

Champagne Billecart-Salmon

One would think that a 200-yearold Champagne as renowned as Billecart-Salmon did not need any marketing, yet Billecart-Salmon AsiaPacific head, Sebastien Papin was recently in India to tell us about the brand and how the wine is best appreciated.

time-read
2 dak  |
Winter 2024
A thoughtfully curated wine experience
Sommelier India

A thoughtfully curated wine experience

Wine tastings at Vintage Wines in Karjat, Maharashtra, are designed to enhance the appreciation of wine and deepen our understanding of it, writes

time-read
3 dak  |
Winter 2024
The legacy of Henri Gouges
Sommelier India

The legacy of Henri Gouges

The wines of Maison Henri Gouges from the commune of Nuits-Saint-Georges are considered among Burgundy's hidden gems

time-read
6 dak  |
Winter 2024
An overview of Sussex and
Sommelier India

An overview of Sussex and

Rosemary George describes the importance of Sussex as an appellation and its potential for tourism

time-read
5 dak  |
Winter 2024
Shades of Rosé
Sommelier India

Shades of Rosé

Rioja and Navarra share a love for Grenache, producing two very distinct styles of rosé, writes Elizabeth Gabay MW, which succsesfully enrich the category as her tasting notes illustrate

time-read
5 dak  |
Winter 2024