If one believes in the prophesy of Adam Strum about the future of Indian wine it will strike a sweet sounding chord in the ears of the producers. As the publisher of Wine Enthusiast, the second highest circulated wine magazine in the world and owner of the largest wine media empire, with annual sales ringing up more than 80 million greenbacks and with the business experience of over 26 years, Adam can nose a winner when he sees one. And India is set to ride high in his crystal ball.
Adam was on a personal visit to India for the first time with his two wine-loving daughters Erica, Jacky and his Eve Sybil with whom he co-founded the business of online marketing wine accessories, from wine cellars to corkscrews, in 1979. He sensed a great demand for wine education.‘ The USA then was where you are today in India in terms of non-wine drinking and lack of wine knowledge’, says he and started the magazine Wine Enthusiast in 1988, which at a monthly circulation of 120,000 copies is higher that the combined circulation of Decanter and Wine Advocate
‘We are one company which has perhaps made the biggest difference in influencing the wine drinking habits of the Americans’, he told me at the breakfast at Oberoi Hotel where he was staying with his family.’ He should know. With an annual mailing of 15-20 million of his online marketing catalogues to his existing database of 2million people and with a total posting of over 300 million since he started his business, even the subliminal effect can be significant.
He is very pleased with the first encounter with Indian wines. ‘The one thing that struck me in general was that the varietals are true to their taste. Sauvignon Blanc from Grover and Sula were crisp, herbaceous, and fresh- very similar to New Zealand wines. Chenin was particularly impressive, it was fruit driven and like in Loire Valley. The sparkling Ivy from Indage was full of bubbles, crispy and light on the palate. I think it will go very well with the spicy Indian food,’ he felt.
What amused and pleasantly surprised him was the Zinfandel from Vinsura. Americans generally, and Californians in particularly revere the grape, thinking of it as a native grape. Wondering how they got the clones from California he was impressed by it being so fruity and light in comparison with some Californian Zins which tend to be too powerful, big and tannic.
So what did he think of the future of Indian wine industry? ‘Very, very promising, I feel,’ was his instant response. The emerging middle class with increasing spending power, a penchant for quality lifestyle, potentially makes it one of the two largest wine markets in the world. Even the domestic sales make it a very lucrative market. If I owned vineyards in India, I would go for more plantings.’
During his 2-day stay in Delhi he was able to taste quite a few Indian wines including Grover’s La Reserve 1997 and Sula’s Dindori. ‘The success story of Indian wines will be written around these two type of wines’, he felt. For a person to start liking wine as a beverage it is very important that he or she finds the first tastes very pleasant. ‘And these wines make you enjoy wine drinking,’ he felt.
Comparing the Indian market with the USA, he talked of the days in the late seventies and early eighties there when people preferred beer and liquor. With improving Californian and US wines and increased imports it has evolved to be a wine drinking society, especially in coastal areas and certain pockets. However, he is confident that in India it will be a revolution.
I agree. With a bit of help and change in the attitude of the Central and state government when they not only reduce import duties to make wines available cheaper but equally importantly, change in the stringent excise laws to make wine available more easily. The defining moment, according to Strum came in the USA in 1991 with the advent of French Paradox on the national TV. The health benefits made people take to wine in a big way. There is no reason whey the Indian government should not encourage wine for the same reason.
But, hopefully soon the importers, stockists, retailers and consumers have also to realize that wine storage too,is a critical factor in our climate. Wines tasted by Adam may not be the wines we may get on your table to enjoy, thanks to the supply chain and our own oversight in not storing it properly.
In the meantime Indian wine producers can keep their chin up and say Cin Cin ( Italians’ way of saying cheers; pronounced as chin-chin!)
Subhash Arora
President, Indian Wine Academy
President, Delhi Wine Club>
