Raise a toast to recession, be a wine connoisseur

A younger, more varied audience is what The Wine Society of India is looking to woo. “There is a wide range of wine available in the market but most people don’t know how to identify the good from the bad,” said Steven Spurrier, chairman of the Board of Wine Advisors, The Wine Society of India.

“We would like to educate and inform them through specialised programmes and wine tastings,” he added. But why now, when people are looking to spend less and cut back on luxuries? “We realise that a bottle that costs less than £5 can be a great wine. It does not need to be an expensive one. Yet, there are many bottles that are under £5 and are of poor quality. We will point out the difference,” Spurrier said.

Through their new Vineyard Visit programme, the society offers to take wine enthusiasts on tours to various parts of the world. The first of their visits is due from Mumbai to Margaret River, in Western Australia. The date is yet to be announced. The list of events for this year include a number of formal and informal wine-tasting sessions in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata, served with Japanese and Italian cuisine.

The Indian market for wine, which progressed at a generous rate of 25 per cent and was one of the fastest growing worldwide until last year, has seen a sharp decline of late, and sent winemakers and dealers into a tizzy. They are now looking to push cheaper wines and increase membership to expand base.

“Membership is free and all you need to do is order two shipments (equivalent to 12 bottles of wine) a year,” said David Banford, director of The Wine Society of India. “At the moment, the average order is 3.5 shipments a year,” he added. He also discussed the prospect of weaning the younger crowd out of vodka-whisky swinging habits, and replace it with a glass of wine.

The Society guarantees that prices will not cross the MRP and the price range for each 6-bottle quarterly shipment will be between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000, including taxes and shipping charges.

Imported, distributed and sold through licensed retailers, these wines will be delivered to your doorstep. “By temperature-controlled methods,” Banford is careful to add, for it is the one thing he believes keeps the country from enjoying a real wine culture. “Once, in Mumbai, I ordered a crate of red wine from a retailer and it was all spoiled. Later, when I checked with the retailer, he said he didn’t have facility to store wine the way it should be kept,” Banford said.