5th Annual Pune Wine Festival-an indicator to rising wine interest in India, has just been held,Saturday,24th and Sunday, 25th December,2011 at the lavish gardens of Ruhi Villa,7th Lane,Koregaon Park,Pune.“Wines are to be savored at the most relaxed and absolute cordial environment “,the loved statement of B Shankaranarayan,the leading personality behind the whole show of Pune Gourmet Club’s annual event is literally translated into action,those two days. He sees to it that the style statement is carried in all his wine events,Bandra Wine Festival,another of his events, included.If the young face of India,is opening its vast consumer’s market to the wine industry, it is to a large extent due to Yeomen’s task being done,years after years, by few senior wine lovers,committed and passionate entrepreneurs like BS.Shankar,as popularly addressed has a good lot of volunteers,support and participation from associates,sponsors,media friends true but the visionary that he is,is something to be admired and looked up with reverence. More so,at these early days,when the nation is coming up in the eyes of world of wines,growing with fundamental facts and figures,intial rudiments of the wine culture.Future shall always hold him in high esteem for his contributions to the industry at large.It will be a gross failure here, not mentioning his super active wife who always keeps the support front alive.Quite a good number of western India’s who s who , from the wine producing units,trade personalities were obviously present,at the 5th annual bonanza,probably the largest of its kind in the country and the most regular,well promoted and happening one.The venue Koregaon Park itself talks about the high prestige the show has earned.Koregaon Park happens to be one of the most upscale residential places of the vibrant and fast growing, industrially rich city, Pune.The sunny and cheerful mid day of Saturday,24th, the Christmas eve, saw the opening of the event amidst music,flowers,colors and merriment.A dozen of prominent regulars at their booths,ready with samples to offer for tasting,ice,bread pieces,cheese and some were with cocktail arrangements too. The organizers,Pune Gourmet Club and Monsoon Winds,Pune,the wine management company ,deserve a heart y kudos for their continued presentation of such festivals to the industry.Two months ago they had their equally pompous,grand and very well attended annual Bandra Wine Tasting Festival.The management and support to the event was neat and well organized.The cool comfort amongst visitors,tasters,wine lovers,press membes,photographers etc. were well noticed as were brightly seen amongst satisfied booth owners too.The holiday mood and a total razzmatazz was evident at the total relaxed scenario all around the festival.Indian wine industry was largely represented and if ANYONE had to sniff at the happenings in the vast upcoming national wine market,the Pune event would have sufficed as an indicator.It will not be surprising to know that few industry front runners do come to Pune Wine Festival on a regular basis to measure and estimate wine world of India.Having attended the event last year and about a dozen more wine events in Mumbai and New Delhi, I am sure to conclude that Indian wine industry is a) there to stay…b) on a massive growing phase…c) lending its support to both local and imported wines…d) open to innovations…The annual event must have been playing a vital role in the working of local producers,distributors,importers and exporters .This year’s major players wereZampa Wines,they call them ‘Hand Crafted’,a bold slogan indeed,a reassuring one too.Reveilo,the vintage wine people.They as always, were present with all reserve labels and once again assured tasters of their astute consideration on quality,before anything else.Senior executive Sunil gleamed stating “rise of awareness and knowledge on wine, amongst my clients in particular and visitors in general”.Other prominent players were Seagram’s Nine Hills,,Jacob’s Creek’s with their ‘true character’,Four Seasons with their varietals and reserve wines,Kingfisher Bohemia,Vallonne, Indus.Fratelli,the strong and aggressively growing ,comparably new entrant in the country with promises to be a formidable national player soon presented Classic Red,13.5% alcohol,2011 verital, pale red in color, had low legs,less tannin,sweetish and well structured wine,keeps a lovely taste afterwards.Priced Rs.395.00. Fratelli’s Cabernet Franc Shiraz(Rs.650.00),Merlot(Priced Rs.795.00) dark red, good legs,more tanin,oaky flavor was an easy drinking wine and Sangiovese (Rs.795.00) with tempting taste,sweetish tinge,good body another easy drinking wine,were all NEW launches in recent time. York,Pause with their sermon,’life can wait’, Good Earth Winery,another enterprising presence with cocktail varieties with wine,kept audience enthralled round the hours.Silk Route Wines,headed by Ankush Mittal,headquartered at New Delhi,the fresh and just started wine maker from their Nashik vineyards, participated for the first time and launched their maiden labels ,Cabernet Sauvignon, red and the other,Sauvignon Blanc,white, at the start of the event on 24th.Dec..The Sauvignon Blanc was sweet,flower and fruit at the nose was a well balanced,easy to drink wine.Cabernet Sauvignon,the red was sweetish at the edge,spicy,fruity and had 13.5% alcohol.Both priced at Rs.550. Deccan Plateau the only vineyard from vicinity of Pune(within an hour’s journey from Pune,off Pune Nagar Highway) whose pride label Trivalli, a master combination of Shiraz,Cabernet and Merlot,has been picking up its market and steadily growing the label’s close and dedicated client groups.Welcoming in nose,it tasted a real matured and complex wine of good bouquet.Fairly pleasant after taste.Not too long a wine.Shall pair well with Indian mild to heavy vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes.Director, Nitin Shinde(he alongwith his GM,Girish Kamble hosted the writer and his wife,during the later’s maiden vineyard visit in India.),attending the booth expressed his confidence on the market,”market is turning brighter”.Pune Wine Festival, had every reason to be happy with their success in bringing almost all the top wine producing players of the country and giving a platform for the new ones and/or new labels too to take full advantage of the platform. Amongst wine importers of repute were Kiara Wines who offered various wine cocktails at their stalls,and Elkay Spirits P Ltd.both from Western India.While Kiara has a long list of countries they import from,they offered Italian and Spanish samples for tasting.Elkay has been importing from France,Italy,South Africa and California and had a good array of labels for tasting.Kiara offered Uggiano,Chianti of 2009,a 12.5% alcohol,a good wine.Priced at Rs.1290(US$25) and Bardolino Classico,a 13% alcohol of 2008 varietal,priced at Rs.1447(US$30).One of their Spanish offers was Gran Coleciata-Barrica of 2008,a 13.5%pale red, alchol wine of very good body ,oaky flavor,spicy in nose. While tasting one remembers of Indian Biriyanis to pair with the wine. Sommelier Omkar R Phadke equally talked high of Gran Coleciata-Barrica specially for its rustic flavor mixed with herbs and soil.The only exclusively fruit wine label was that of Rhythm from Hill Crest Foods & Beverages P Ltd.,Pune.They offered well composed Pineapple wine and had quite a good number of enthusiast for the new product.Vallone of Nashik adopts Bordeaux standard and claims to be the first in India for boutique wines.Their stall as usually,was busy with tasters and interested buyers.A space within the venue was exclusive domain of local painters and artists who were doing their art works there and also offered their works for sale.It rendered a healthy change of taste at the gathering.The festival had sponsors like Kotak Mahindra Bank and had associate stall owners like regulars,Café Arabia with authentic Arabian food,Silk Route,the oriental restaurant,Louisiana Kitchen,Kohinoor,Gardenia Italia,Coastal Randezvous and others with cookies,cakes and chocolates.They added to the sparkle of the event.Kamaltara Enterprise displayed wine accessories and furniture.As the 2 days’ event concluded,I am sure, organizers,participants,sponsors and guests have all wished the 6th event to come soon.Congrats!! Pune Gourmet Club and Monsoon Winds Enterprises (P) Ltd.Shows the large scale popularity of wine as a culture soon getting inside the Indian social matrix.No wonder,local and overseas investors are exploiting the huge untapped market and serving keenly interested patrons to learn and be aware of the subtleties of wine.It is still a long way to go when India shall also reign in the field of wine production,innovation and networking.(Sidd banerji,wine writer,PR and Marketing,Mumbai 9321147797).
