The second edition of Vinexpo India was held on 18-20 August 2022 in Mumbai. Here is a virtual walk-through and analysis

Day One of Mumbai’s first Vinexpo. There was a palpable buzz in the air in the grand ballroom of The Leela Mumbai as crowds gathered to hear Sula Vineyards’ founder Rajeev Samant deliver his keynote address. Samant, whose company had created a stir in the industry when it announced its intentions to go public recently, struck an optimistic note in his speech. He described the last 18 months as ‘Heady Times’ for the Indian wine industry, with “a real bounce back in wine consumption in India, especially consumption of Indian wines…. we have seen strong double-digit growth across categories, across states… and strong growth in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Haryana…”

Indian wine to the fore

Industry veteran and expert Subhash Arora, advisor and conference chairman for Vinexpo India, acknowledges that Samant is an eternal optimist. “So am I,” he adds. “He spoke of the positive growth and also the pressure that upcoming free trade agreements with Australia and EU would put on (domestic) Indian wine sales in future.”

As premium Indian wine is showing a marked uptick in quality, Arora believes that Indian producers need to participate more in international wine competitions to get an international ’stamp of approval’ for their wines. Referring to Sula’s latest medal – the first-ever Gold for their Sula Tropicale Brut NV at London’s International Wine Challenge 2022 – he said such confirmation of steadily improving quality had resulted in bigger crowds (of wine professionals) at the stands of Indian wine producers.

 But there is a far more practical reason that hope springs eternal in the breasts of stakeholders of the Indian wine industry. Despite being bound by crippling taxes and an opaque system of distribution, the industry (including both domestic and imported wines) is growing at a brisk rate. Sula’s industry report dated June 2022 prepared by Technopak refers to growth by value of 18.3% between 2014-2019, and a projected annual growth rate of more than 14% between 2021 and 2025. In the wine world where there is a constant struggle to achieve volume sales even in mature markets, these figures have sparked no small excitement.

Creating a buzz: Top London wine club 67 Pall Mall‘s owner Grant Ashton was spotted at the venue, taking a keen interest in the people and proceedings. Something exciting brewing for Indian wine lovers?

Small, but growing apace

This edition of Vinexpo saw 2000 visitors – trade professionals including producers, educators, media and importers) over the 3 days of business. A modest start in comparison to Vinexpo Paris 2022 which saw 2,864 exhibitors and 25,739 trade visitors, which included 28% of international visitors from 109 countries. Nonetheless, the level of enthusiasm among attendees was apparent. The relatively cosy ambience (12,000 sq feet) made the atmosphere party-like and there was much clinking of glasses and hugging among wine industry professionals, many of whom had met after three years. Arora explains. “On the afternoon of the last day, there was a very large crowd present, which I haven’t seen at any international of the wine shows I have visited. There, the exhibitors would start packing up at 3 pm on the last day. Here, visitors continued to throng the venue even at 5 pm on the day it closed.”

The Italian Connection

Among the 20 exhibitors, the majority were domestic wine producers and companies while a handful was international. Among the latter, Agriment Italia, representing over 50 Italian wineries showcased a range of Lambrusco from Emilia-Romagna’s Cantina Di Carpi E Sorbara, along with Moscato d’Asti – both eminently suited to a beginner’s palate – and wines from grapes like Brachetto and Barbera – relatively unusual to find in India. Kiran Malasure, Agriment Italia’s India manager spoke of the high level of interest in and knowledge about Italian wines. Several Indian importers had stopped by to taste samples and talk business, although the conversation inevitably veered to Indian state taxes which would bump up the retail prices considerably. “The greatest interest expressed was for wine which could be brought in at around €2-3 – very challenging for us.”

Across the room, Bordeaux-based award-winning sommelier Mattia Antonio Cianca DipWSET conducted a masterclass on Italian appellations and with and his business partner Amrita Singh DipWSET showcased 40 Italian wines at his booth, from regions as famous as Piedmont (Barolo) and Tuscany (Montalcino, Chianti Classico) to those far lesser-known like Puglia and Calabria. A group of certified sommeliers, their pins proudly on display, clustered around the booth, expertly swirling their glasses and comparing vintage characteristics. This was a rare opportunity to taste diverse wine styles, appellations and vintages at one go, one of them told me.

Masterclasses, the big draw

A major draw of the three-day affair was the programme of masterclasses, underlining the great thirst for knowledge within the industry. “We had planned for 50 seats, but there were 95 people waiting to attend the very first class,” says Arora. A wide range of topics was covered, and the 50 wines served over the 15 masterclasses offered visitors a rare opportunity to taste premium offerings. California’s growing emphasis on top quality and diverse grapes was showcased by Sonal Holland MW, while importer and industry veteran Sanjay Menon of Sonarys did an in-depth plunge into Bolgheri’s icon wines. A rare session on sherry styles by educator Kunal Kaul saw great enthusiasm – fortified wines are still little-known in India except by the well-heeled cognoscenti. The sherries for the class were supplied by importer Chenab Impex whose newly-diversified portfolio indicated their inclination to take chances with the Indian consumer’s palate. “Sometimes consumers need the exposure to appreciate wines of different profiles,” said Chenab’s Anmol Chandok, explaining that producers around the world are fascinated by the India story. “Most people don’t even know that there exist sherries beyond the sweeter cream styles, and the response was overwhelming.” After the fair concluded, they received multiple invitations to showcase their samples from the on-trade, and orders are gradually coming in.

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