Interviews

Icons of any vocation inspire generations to come. Miguel A Torres is one such personality of the wine world. The 4th generation head of Torres wines. that is credited with reviving the fortunes of wine in Catalunya, is known universally for his path breaking service to the wine cause. Among other achievements, his initiatives on sustainability have sensitised winemakers across the world to adopt practices that have since become benchmarks for preserving our natural resources for future generations.

Having been recognized through various awards over the years (see graphic below), it was just a matter of time that Miguel A Torres received a Lifetime Achievement Award. The moment came during Vinexpo 17 when the award was introduced by Patrick Schmitt MW, editor-in-chief of the Drinks Business and presented by Jane Masters MW, chairman of the Institute of Masters of Wine.

Background pic: //charliemahoney.photoshelter.com

The Lifetime Achievement Award, by the Institute of Masters of Wine and the Drinks Business magazine, recognises wine personalities for their contribution to the world of wine during their whole career span. The previous recipients of this award are Robert Mondavi (2005), Marchese Piero Antinori (2007), Jean-Michel Cazes (2011) Baroness Philippine de Rothschild (2013), and Hugh Johnson OBE (2015).

Apart from expressing gratitude to the award conferring agencies, Mr. Torres acknowledged the contribution of the complete Torres family (professional as well as personal) towards this singular honour:

I especially would like to highlight the extraordinary work, effort and dedication of our worldwide Torres team and my family. They all actually made it possible where we stand today as a winery. But allow me to give a very special thank you to my wife Waltraud, who helped build our winery (and the German market!) and raise our three children – Anna, Mireia and Miguel – and of course my sister Marimar and my brother Juan-Maria.

The news of Miguel A Torres being conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award, brought back memories of my visit to Catalunya in 2014. It was then that this grand homme of wine, even though on a tour to Germany, took the trouble of taking a flight back just to share a meal with me and my fellow wine journalist from India.

Apart from Mr. Torres’ humility flooring us at the outset, we silently admired his  leadership persona, even as the afternoon progressed methodically with minimal directions passed around.  His motivated staff with happy faces and  “spring in the step” silently spoke of the work culture that makes Torres one of the most respected wine companies of the world.

Not to miss out on the opportunity, I had arrived prepared for my one-on-one conversation with the “czar of wine” requested earlier to his office. The interaction remains as one of my top cherished experiences of the wine world.

Note: Since this interview happened in 2014 and published for the first time in 2015, a couple of dated elements have been updated by me at the relevant places(text in italics). However, most of the interview is timeless.

Q: Congratulations on Torres being adjudged the Most Admired Wine Brand of the World by Drinks International magazine. What is your next milestone? (Torres was adjudged the Most Admired Wine Brand for two consecutive years- 2013 and 2014 and now in 2017 for the third time).

A: Thank you, any recognition coming our way is obviously delightful but we have consciously never been vying for titles. It also remains a fact that in the previous years, somebody else received this honour, and in the coming years, it may well belong to someone else. What is important for us is to sincerely keep doing what we are best at and that will be our effort.

Q: I have seen the “holy trinity” of Parellada, Macabeo and Xarel lo grapes in your estates. Yet, I am intrigued why Torres has not thought of producing Cava?

A: To tell you frankly, the first batch of Cava is ageing in our cellars as we talk. The project is being closely supervised by my daughter, Mireia, who has crafted a super-premium wine. We have waited all these years, as we wanted to adequately research the optimum production methods, even though we have already gained quite some experience in Chile, making the rosé sparkling “Santa Digna Estelado” from the País varietal.

Q: We are in the Mas Rabell estate, and in the vineyards I saw some varietals that do not have a name but a number. Could you please elaborate on that?

A: We have been consciously trying to revive many of the native Catalan grape varietals that have been lost into oblivion over a period of time on various accounts. They have a number, because they most probably never had a name. The collection you saw forms part of a project that we started in the eighties to recuperate “disappeared” Catalan grape varietals, some of which have their provenance in the nineteenth century.

These “disappeared” varietals were actually more or less hidden in nature, often in the middle of nowhere. Mostly, natural barriers like mountains protected them from being attacked by phylloxera for more than a century.

To identify them, we worked together with the Universities in Tarragona and Montpellier to determine whether a “lost” varietal was really unique because sometimes, it could well be that it already existed elsewhere in the world. Until today, we have discovered 32 “lost” varietals in Catalonia, but we have registered only 8 of them, because we believe that these have the potential to make a top quality wine. The latest “lost” varietal, “Querol”, was named after the municipality where it was found.

Q: International grape varietals being increasingly cultivated in many world regions, including your own vineyards, are these native grape varietals under a threat of extinction?

A: Not at all! On the contrary, since the last thirty years, our priority has been to nurture the native grape varietals irrespective of the international varietals plantings that we also have. The aim is to protect our patrimoine (heritage) which is centuries old and I am determined to see that it is handed down to the next generations.

Q: Torres seems to emphasize sustainability. What is your vision on this and how is it implemented?

A: (Gestures the Maître to fetch something) The whole idea is to be a nurturing custodian to the valuable resources at our disposal. We want to pass these on to the next generations – if not augmented then at least in an undepleted state. At the same time we need to be compassionate enough to give something back to the society in the present day.

(The Maître arrives with a mounted graphic) This is our company’s DNA, describing what makes us tick as a winery, as a company. The 8 core elements are People – Ecology – Fair Trade – Giving Back to Society – Clients – R&D – Closeness to End Consumers and a Close Knit Family Company, which are self-explanatory.

You might have noticed these in some form or the other during your visit, but “Giving Back to Society” is something that I will explain. Each year we are participating in numerous social projects around the world to create better living conditions for underprivileged women and children in our society. This is through the Miguel Torres Foundation which was created in 1986 and is presided my wife, Waltraud Maczassek Torres.

In Guadalajara, Mexico we just laid the first stone for a refuge home for neglected and “at risk” girls, with a contribution of €275,000. In Anantpur, India we have contributed towards education and housing for children, and created a home for abandoned women.

Q: The Torres family revived the wine fortunes of Penedès, post phylloxera and the world wars. And boldly grew their footprint into other Spanish wine regions and overseas. Can we expect to see more expansion?

A: Internationally we have had vineyards in Chile and the US since long. In Chile, we have recently expanded to the southern part with a 200 hectare estate with a nearby river assuring water supply in Itata, which is very well suited to Cabernet Sauvignon. Chile has afavourable climate for producing organic wines as the region does not get rains in the summer, hence the absence of many vine diseases. So we are betting very strongly on Chile, and the project is being overseen by my son, Miguel Torres Maczassek. (In the current day, Miguel Torres Maczassek has taken charge of the overall functioning of Torres S.A. while Miguel A Torres has assumed an advisory role).

Speaking of Spain, we have vineyards in the Denominación de Origen (denominated origins) of Penedès, Conca de Barbera, Priorat, Jumilla and Costers del Segre. Our idea is to represent the best wine areas of Spain, bringing out the uniqueness of each region. We have just bought the winery which we had hired to produce our Verdeo wine from Verdejo varietal in Rueda. In Rias Baixas in the Galicia region, my daughter Mireia, is progressing very well with our project of Albariño wine called “Pazo das Bruxas“.

Q: You have been doing business in India since 2001 and have a unique partnership with Prestige Wines & Spirits. The Indian wine industry has recently seen some international giants like Moët Hennessey set up local ventures. Could we possibly expect to see a Torres footprint in India?

A: The fact that every state of India has different rules related to the alcohol trade is a major hindrance, and maybe it is time to change to promote healthy competition that will eventually benefit the local wine industry. It is difficult to make long-term predictions, but the basic premise of our production philosophy is “Focus“. We prefer to stay committed to the regions where we are already present. We would not want to start producing wines in every possible region of the world. Even within Spain, we will not venture into the most famous fortified wine, Sherry.

Passion knows no barriers of language or nationality, and this was at its demonstrable best as Dr. Giuseppe Martelli, the President of Italy’s National Wine Committee, struck an instant rapport with vinos in New Delhi even as he spoke in Italian with an interpreter at hand. Dr. Martelli was speaking at “The Sweet Taste”, a workshop showcasing Italian food and wine conducted under the aegis of the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) at The Leela Palace, New Delhi.

About Dr. Giuseppe Martelli

An oenologist and biologist, Dr. Martelli, taught at the Viticulture and Oenology Institute in Conegliano (Treviso). He worked at the Italian Ministry of Agriculture’s Experimental Viticulture and Oenology Institute and at the “Tenute Sella & Mosca” farmstead in Alghero.

Since 2009, he has been the President of the National Wine Committee (under the Italian Republic’s Ministry of Agriculture), which is the major consultation and proposal body in the wine sector. He is also the Honorary President of the Union Internationale des Oenologues, a Paris-based Federation that represents the National Viticulture Technicians Associations worldwide, where he earlier served as full time president from 2003-08. In an earlier role, Dr. Martelli was the Managing Director of the Italian Oenologists Association (Assoenologi), the National Trade Organisation of Viticulture Technicians from 1978-2016.

My interaction with Dr. Martelli was facilitated by Ms. Mahima Yadav, Assistant to the Director of the Italian Trade Agency in New Delhi, who very kindly offered to be the interpreter despite her hair-splitting schedule.

Dr. Martelli’s thoughts

Me: What are the major functions of National Wine Committee (NWC) of Italy?

Dr. Giuseppe Martelli (GM): The National Wine Committee is the most important advisory body of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Italy in the wine sector. It comprises of 28 people representing the main categories of the wine sector, appointed by the Minister of Agriculture. It was established in 1964 and since then, its key objectives remain unchanged. Its purpose is to give opinion, in accordance with current legislation, on questions related to wines in general and on wines with denomination of controlled and guaranteed origin (DOC and DOCG, or DOP in the European Union) and in specific geographical location (IGP in the European Union). The views of the NWC are published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Italy.

Me: According to an IWSR study, Italy doubled its wine exports to India in the period 2008-12 and is currently the second largest exporter to India. France remains the top exporter in terms of value despite not being among the top here exporters to India. Do you think Italy will address this?

GM: France has been investing in the presentation and communication of its wines in India for a very long time, while Italy has joined in only recently as India is a market of rising importance. Hence, it’s logical that French wines are better known in India. But, I believe that the alert and experienced Indian consumer is getting increasingly closer to the Italian producers, and in the coming years, will certainly prefer our bottles, being fascinated not only by the quality of the content, but also by the history and the culture that characterizes every production of ours.

Me: India is among the “significant markets of long term”. What initiatives are planned to promote Italian wines in India?

GM: The Italian Trade Agency (ITA) in New Delhi under their new Director, Dr. Francesco Pensabene, is proposing an initiative to promote Italian products in India with great professionalism. I believe that the exchange of opinions, insights and advice initiated by the ITA have been working well in this respect. “The Sweet Taste” initiative, for which we are here, is concrete evidence of this headway.

Me: The last edition of Vinitaly in India was in 2010. What might be the reason for this? Can we hope to see another edition of Vinitaly in India in the near future?

GM: The Verona fair, Vinitaly, cannot be present everywhere, and has limited its conduct to three markets: USA, Russia and Hong Kong. Personally, I believe that since the consumption of wine is not that high in India, producers prefer to go directly to the importers, buyers, opinion leaders and journalists, rather than approaching the consumer directly. Therefore, I believe that the role of the Italian Trade Agency and the Embassy of Italy in India becomes even more important to promote Italian wines.

Me: The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union is still under discussion. Are you hopeful of its successful conclusion?

GM: This question is complex and demands the attention of the relevant agencies and government bodies. I really hope that it will soon come to a definition where it takes into account the requirements of both India and Europe, in the interests of the wine trade. There is no denying the fact that taxes on imported wine in India are amongst the highest in the world – and this often discourages those who believe strongly in Indian markets and are willing and determined to invest.

Me: In your opinion, what are the factors that may work in favour of Italian wines in India?

GM: By increasing the knowledge of our wines, first at the level of opinion leaders and trade and then at the consumer level, a perception of “value for money” can be instilled. I know that the Indian consumer, as generations before him, is pre-disposed to aperitifs with a super high alcoholic base. I hope that the new generations appreciate Italian white wines as aperitifs, not only for their alcoholic strength but also for the delicacy and fragrance that the wines express and allow you to drink more – hence allowing a longer socialization. Having said that, I feel that Italian wines are more suitable to the high temperatures of the climate in your country, as well.

However, given the delicacy, the tastes, the strength and the variety of your Indian kitchen, I am sure that a better understanding of the potential success of classic Italian red wines – robust and appropriately aged – will happen in India. And of course, all the above is subject to the level of duties and import taxes that your country upholds!

(This interview was first published in vino india)

If you have had more than a fleeting encounter with Australian wines, chances are that  you would not have been untouched by the Hardys name. Adjudged the seventh most powerful wine brand in the world according to “The Power 100 report 2015” by Intangible Business, Hardys is Australia’s biggest wine producer identified largely with  easy drinking and affordable wines. But there’s more to Hardys than just approachable wines. It has a vast repertoire that honours their founding fathers as also the terroirs from where their wines originate. And I had a priceless opportunity to converse about these wines with none other than William (Bill) Hardy who was on his second all time  visit to India towards the end of August 2015.

Bill, a fifth generation member of this wine family arrived as Hardys Brand Ambassador to launch his eponymous “William Hardy Collection”- a range that honours his contribution towards the family business. The meeting was at the initiative of  Prarrthona Pal Chowdhury- the livewire Head Marketing, Brandy Project and International Brands at  Sula wines- Hardys importers in India.

The interview took place immediately after a wine masterclass by Bill Hardy at ITC Maurya- a premier property of the ITC conglomerate of India. We promptly took our seats within the same precincts for this stimulating conversation:

Me: Welcome to India Mr Hardy and congratulations on the launch of the William Hardy collection.

Bill Hardy (BH): Thank you! It is indeed my pleasure being here to introduce the new label here with all humility.

Me:  Hardys winemaking philosophy is generally recognized as being centered towards blending cuvées from your vineyards in different regions, does that mean that emphasis on terroir takes a back seat for you ?

BH : Not entirely ! Though our easy drinking daily wines may be inclined towards blending for the sake of a consistent wine style,  we also have certain wines that bring out respective regions quite emphatically. A classic example would be one of our top wines- the HRB (Heritage Reserve Bin) which includes cuvées from two to three distinct regions. I remember James Halliday (Australian wine writer and critic) tasting these wines for the first time and saying “I can see the exact terroirs associated with this wine!” I consider myself a champion of blending and believe that this is one of the greatest skills a winemaker can have. It often happens that once a winemaker is through with making some great wines from individual parcels, he sits back and asks himself ‘this is nice, but can I make something even better by putting some of these wines together ?’ And there comes the art of blending into play. There is a beautiful quote by Hugh Johnson-  “Dom Perignon was the first deliberate  blender. Also the first perfectionist”.

Me : With relevance to the Indian market, do you see competition coming the Aussie wines’ way in the event of the proposed Free Trade Agreement  between India and the European Union (EU) that is likely to soften trade barriers on wine from EU.

BH : Firstly I am positive that if any such agreement favourable to the wine trade is worked out, it will not be implemented selectively by the Indian government for different trading zones. But if it happens otherwise and if the same level of duty cuts are affected on high value as well as daily drinking wines from EU then it would indeed be serious competition to Aussie wines, as Australia is the biggest volume exporter of wine to India.

Me : The Hardys portfolio has a vast range of wines. How does a consumer differentiate between similar varietal blends across these ranges ? For example, how does one differentiate between Eileen Hardy Shiraz (named after Bill’s grandmother) from the now launched William Hardy Shiraz ?

BH : We have consistently made an effort towards educating the consumer on our different wines. I am quite proud of having elaborated on these wines through personal writings on the philosophy, style and characteristics of each wine. I also love to present our wines to people, highlighting the USPs of each range so that they understand as to why they should be paying more for a particular wine vis-à-vis a lower priced one.
Coming to your specific query, the essential difference between the Eileen Hardy Shiraz and the William Hardy Shiraz is that while Eileen Hardy range is an example of the very best of wines we make, William Hardy range is a more commercial wine. Both these wines are single varietal single region wines with Eileen Hardy Shiraz being produced from 2-3 selected vineyards in McLaren Vale. Compared to this, William Hardy Shiraz currently comes from vineyards in Langhorne Creek with subsequent plan to shift the sourcing for this range to McLaren Vale as well. In terms of ageing potential, while Eileen Hardy Shiraz comes from  vines upto 110 years old and has an ageing potential between 12-15 years, William Hardy Shiraz  can currently be aged upto 5-7 years. In short you can say that while Eileen Hardy is our Prestige range, William Hardy range is growing to be one.

(Prarrthona signals me to  hurry-up as Bill has to leave for the next engagement- a dinner featuring the William Hardy Collection where I am also invited).

Me : How does your marketing plan look like in India ? Specially with reference to another competing Aussie brand Jacob’s Creek  that seems to have an ostensible advantage of leveraging on the Spirits brands in the Pernod Ricard portfolio .

BH : I do agree that Pernod Ricard have managed their marketing well through well placed sports sponsorships and  leveraging their Spirits brands for wine promotion. At Hardys our focus is on spending our dollars on opening and sharing wine bottles rather than spending big time on advertisments. As for sponsorships and endorsements, we may have faltered earlier by spreading ourselves too thin, but in the present day we are very much  focussed on the subject. A good example of this is the recent launch of the Art of Cricket collection with Glenn McGrath as the brand ambassador, which has magnified awareness of our brand amongst the target consumer.

Me : A last question on the personal front. Since you are here with Mrs Hardy, are you visiting the Taj Mahal ?

BH : Certainly ! As a matter of fact we are doing a tour of the “golden triangle” (Delhi-Agra-Jaipur) starting tomorrow. We have been looking forward to it.

 

* This interview was published as a narrative in vino india.

Miguel Torres Maczassek  is miles ahead of earning his spurs. This  fifth generation scion of the Torres wine empire is accredited amongst other achievements, as being  the driving force behind their ever expanding  business in Chile. Now back in Vilafranca del Penedès at the Torres headquarters as Director General, Torres S.A. . Torres Jr. (as he is popularly known) is  assisting his father – the inimitable Miguel A. Torres, Chairman Torres S.A.  in developing new business strategies  for  world markets.

Recently when Torres Jr. stopped over for a few hours on a hopping visit to India, I was one of the privileged few to meet him. And it instantly brought back memories of my meeting with his father less than a year back in June 2014.  I reveled in the moment of probably being one of few to get this rare opportunity of   meeting  leaders across two generations of the same wine family in such a short span of time! It was opportune too,  as Torres has just recently been adjudged as  “World’s most admired wine brand”  by Drinks International magazine for the second time in a row.

My agenda however, of meeting Torres Jr. was a little different than rote. Having covered much of their wines in the preceding duration, I though of getting some gems on their brandies straight from him. With news about Torres brandies having broken into the top 10 rankings in bars  across the world , I had all good reason too.

Torres has five brandies in their portfolio each being distinct in a striking way. I tasted all these variants in 2014 when  visiting their cellars located amidst the enchanting Mas Rabell Fontenac estate. The three important points summarising their brandy production philosophy are:

• Extensive use of autochthonous (native) Catalan grape varietals.
• Use of base wines low in alcohol and high in volatile substances.
• Use of  static (standalone barrels) and dynamic (solera) ageing.

The brandies in details are listed towards the end of this post. I have put these in image form for convenience of saving/sharing by right clicking.

The sixth floor lounge at hotel Hyatt Regency New Delhi offered a perfect backdrop with panoramic view of the Indian capital for our conversation . Here is what transpired:

Me: (Showing a photo on my smartphone of myself with Torres Sr. in Mas Rabell restaurant). Last year I started my conversation with your father by congratulating him on Torres being adjudged the most admired wine brand of the world. Should I call it a coincidence that I start the same way with you?

MTM: Coincidence yes, but it also means that you have been meeting the right kind of people! (Laughs) . Seriously, we have not worked towards any particular award and have been doing what we are best at. The award coming our way is of course a reassurance of our efforts.

Me: Coming  to another accolade, Torres has made it to the list of top ten selling brandies as per a survey conducted by Drinks International in 100 top bars of the world. Are you betting strongly on brandy ?

MTM: We’ve always accorded due priority to our brandy business since we started distilling in 1928. This recognition for the quality of Torres brandy is special to us as it coincides with the 150th anniversary of Juan Torres Casals our forefather from the  second generation. That said, our brandies have been receiving recognition over a period, through numerous other  awards  like the gold medals for Torres 20 in the International Wine & Spirit Competition (United Kingdom) in 2006 and in the Internationaler Spirituosen Wettbewerb (Germany) in 2014.

Me: I had the opportunity to visit you brandy facility last year in Pacs del Penedès and  also had the chance of making my own blend from different eaux de vie.  The brandies were quite complex and appeared in similar league as cognac. What do you think about this  perceived likeness to cognac?

MTM: Our brandies are certainly closer to the cognac style as these are aged for significant periods in  French oak. We even use the traditional cognac grape varietals in some of our brandies. But we also have a very distinct identity by virtue of using autochthonous Catalan grape varietals and incorporating  both static and dynamic (solera) methods for the production. This affords us an unmistakable style that the consumers   have been warming up to.

Me: Asia is the biggest market for brandy if you look at the consumption figures for past consecutive years. How do you plan to promote your brandies in this region?

MTM: For one, many Asian brandies can be a blend of grape and non grape spirits. Hence  we are keen to highlight that our brandies are made in the traditional way i.e. entirely from grapes. We also like to highlight our advantage of being  blessed as a wine producer who can afford to incorporate French oak barrels that can cost as much as € 900  a barrel- a price  largely  affordable  to Bouilleurs de Cru (producers who uses their own wine for distilling brandy) only.  All these factors  help us in presenting ourselves in the right spirit to the consumer.

Me: Given that India is also a large market for brandy, particularly towards the south, do you have any brandy plans for India ?

MTM: Our current focus in India is on wine  though our brandies are already present in several Indian cities. In the Asian market we currently look to promote our brandies in China where the consumer is looking for novelty in the premium segment. We are advantaged by the fact that lots of Chinese tourists have been visiting Spain, thus establishing an initial connect. Nevertheless, we see good potential for brandy in several other Asian countries but would like to take a step at a time.

Me: Brandy is made mostly from white grape varietals. Why can’t it be made from red varietals in a similar fashion as a Blancs de Noir champagne?

MTM: White grapes have more acidity and lesser alcohol potential which is a desirable characteristic for making brandy. This is one of the reasons why we extensively use the Parellada varietal in making our brandies.

Me: How about producing a brandy in Chile where your footprint has significantly grown. Is there a possibility to make one-  for example from Chardonnay grapes?

MTM: In Chile we are already making Pisco which is similar to brandy but produced using single distillation method to preserve the native grape aromas- in this case Moscatel. The project was initiated three years back  in Ovalle (Limari valley), a dry region ideally suited for  Pisco’s production. and has been hugely successful. So much so, that our stocks have fallen short to meet the surging market demand.

Me: With the growing brandy demand worldwide, are you likely to face the  danger of depleting stocks like in the case of Single Malt?

MTM: I do not think so. We have sufficient stocks and are investing in newer ones as well. Our brandies have both mature and growing markets. What we do not sell in mature markets like in Spain, we sell in the growing markets. Hence there is always a balance where we can cater to the demand-supply equation.

The world of Torres Brandies

Out of the aboove, Torres 5, Torres 10 and Jaime I are available in cities across India at prices ranging from ₹ 2000.00 to ₹ 13,500.00 through their importers Prestige Wines and Spirits Pvt Ltd.  According to Sumit Sehgal, CEO Prestige, the most recent introductions of these brandies have been in the southern Indian cities of  Chennai and Puducherry, They expect to expand the ambit to more cities in the near future.

Guillaume Deglise has his hands full. The recently appointed (Sep 2013) CEO of Vinexpo is actively helming two expositions this year- one in Hong Kong (Vinexpo Asia Pacific from 27-29 May ) and the other  in Japan (Vinexpo Nippon in Nov). Established in 1981 at Bordeaux, France, Vinexpo is the largest gathering of wine and spirits professionals from around the world aimed at promoting the  trade, as also to addressing socially relevant issues such as responsible and balanced consumption of alcohol.

Guillaume, with the Chairman Vinexpo M. Xavier de Eizaguirre was in New Delhi  this March to present the 5 yearly forecast report for the alcoholic beverages trade, that Vinexpo periodically commissions with International Wine and Spirits Research (IWSR) – an apex trade body situated in London. I had the opportunity to interact with him one-on-one at the über chic Royal Club Lounge at Hotel Leela Palace, courtesy Mr Rajiv Singhal, Vinexpo’s key person in India and one of the most well known Indians on the international wine scene. Here are the excerpts of the conversation:

Me: It is momentous to have two expositions in a year. When do we see a Vinexpo happening in India.

Guillaume Deglise (GD): To be frank, it could be a while. The Indian market is growing fast and generating a lot of interest in the global wine and spirits community, but in terms of volumes it still has a lot of catching up to do. For example if the Chinese consumption of wine per year is estimated at 171 mn cases by 2017, for India it is just 2.1 mn cases. Having said that, the projected growth rate on Indian consumption (73.5% in the period 2013-17) has a lot to cheer about and I suppose when the cost benefit analysis is favourable, we will be happy to host a Vinexpo here.

Me: I have interacted with some exporters from Europe who opine that the current hotshots of the Asian market are witnessing a saturation in demand and so, emerging markets like India are likely to be the new poster boys of the trade. Do you concur with it?

GD: China in some ways has seen saturation but that has been mainly in the higher end wines like the Bordeaux Cru Classé. This is apparently due to the fact that there have been new importers in that country who have not taken the industry quite seriously. However, I think that the market in China will get more structured and we may well be just at the beginning of what the Chinese market will be in the coming times. Japan on the other hand is a very sophisticated market and cannot possibly be compared to China. The Japanese economy is doing extremely well and hence the Japanese market has been continuously growing. So overall, the entire Asia Pacific market is a promising prospect and momentary dips in trade are not a very big concern .

Me: What is the status of South Korea  in this milieu?

GD: South Korea could be considered as being between China and Japan, and is a much smaller market. It is getting quite structured as well and we expect a good growth rate there too.

Me: In case of India, spirits is considered a more lucrative market as compared to wine. What is your opinion on this?

GD: Yes, in India, spirits is a huge market and  fuelled mostly by the domestic industry. But it is  significant that India also happens to be the fifth largest importer of spirits worldwide- tipped to become the fourth largest by 2017, overtaking Thailand. As far as volumes are concerned, it would be unfair to compare the two ( 373.5 mn cases of spirits vs 2.1 mn of wine)  so the rightful parameter to adjudge the progress would be the growth rate and  wine has a bright future in India going by that.

Me: There have been speculations since long that the import duties on alcoholic beverages in India are likely to be slashed by up to one thirds of the current level -thus benefitting the business and the consumer equally. However, during one of my interactions with a key person in the Federation of Indian Chamber of Trade and Commerce and Industry (FICCI) – a premier trade body of India,  it came to the fore that unless the European Union (EU) agrees on certain ‘give and take’ concessions demanded by the Indian side, this may well remain a speculation. Could Vinexpo organization facilitate this understanding by  making the right noises to the decision makers in the EU?

GD:  Well, Vinexpo could do very little in this respect- to be honest, since we are not a lobbying agency to the EU. We obviously have some connections with the main federations internationally but it is not the role of Vinexpo to interfere in the political issues. However we are following all these discussions very closely and are ready to contribute in any way we can.

Me: But if this were to happen, I see both the trade and the consumer benefitting tremendously.

GD: Of course! In fact, coming back to your first question of the possibility to conduct Vinexpo in India, a better Return on Investment will be the key consideration for companies to come here to showcase their products, and a friendly trade structure would definitely be desirable for that.

Me: So  I derive that my first question (of holding a Vinexpo here) is higher on the ambition side in the present day context.

GD: (laughs) Yes, but ambition is a must to make things possible at the first instance.

Me: Post inclusion of some Eastern European nations (e.g. Romania and Bulgaria) into the EU , the wine quality and trade in these countries has witnessed a quantum jump primarily due to technology and investments flowing in, as also planting of international grape varietals in place of some less than average local varietals. Is there a possibility of  such an inflow taking place from the EU towards the APAC region so as to dramatically boost the wine quality and trade here?

GD: Investments and technology is already flowing into this region by virtue of collaborations with renowned groups like LVMH and Pernod-Ricard. Also, expert consultants are being engaged individually by wineries, so there isn’t really a restriction on the expertise and funds being available. I think all such collaboration is bound to further increase with the increase in business thus resulting in the same benefits accruing as you have mentioned.

Me: But in India, winemaking is largely concentrated in the Deccan plateau region, which may be just a tip of the iceberg given the size of the country and the vast terroiravailable. I particularly believe that some regions in the lower Himalayan ranges may prove excellent for making wines if a proper study is done. Don’t you think there is lots more that could possibly be done in collaboration with experienced winemakers from the Old World?

GD: It would be difficult for me to comment unless a proper feasibility study is carried out in this respect. In my opinion it may be challenging to produce very high quality wines in many regions of India due to its tropical climate.

Me:  The region I am talking about has average temperatures ranging from  5-20 ° C  and is quite similar climatically to certain wine producing regions in Europe- except for the monsoon phenomenon- but then there are some rain shadow areas too.

GD: Is there any tradition of fruit producing in these regions?

Me: Certainly! There are lots of tree fruits like apples, peaches, apricots and pears being produced in large quantities in these areas. Even fruit based wines are being produced by certain estates in these regions.

GD: I think it could be worth exploring then. But I would re-emphasize that a comprehensive study on the terroir elements would have to be the first step in this direction.

Me: An interesting conclusion I have drawn from the IWSR study report commissioned by Vinexpo is that in the period 2008-13, Australia, Chile and Italy have become the leading exporters to India with impressive growth rate but France has slipped down.  In case of Australia and Chile, this statistics is plausible because of the inherent ease of identification of New World wines by the label. However, from the  Old World, Italy gaining two folds and France ceding nearly 22% is a matter of intrigue. What would you attribute this trend to?

GD: It is probably because the wine consumption in the past few years has been growing but not exploding. Surely France has let some market share slip by to other countries and it is because the Indian people are getting more and more interested in wines and they want to taste different things. But France is still exporting to India more than the double of what Italy does. In the present Indian context, the imported wines are driven by Australia by volume and France by value, with countries like the US, Argentina and Chile making significant progress.

Me: Counterfeit wines are a big issue in Asia Pacific to the extent that in one of the years, the annual production of a Grand Cru estate was outstripped by sales of the same vintage in China alone. Is  Vinexpo taking some proactive steps in controlling this scourge of the wine industry?

GD: We have periodically been cautioning all producers against this menace by giving out as much information as we can. We have been having conferences during various expositions and will continue doing so. It’s very important for us to provide a deep insight to the wine trade about the latest happenings in the market place.  I would also like to add that most of the Grands Crus have already organized their own defence against counterfeit wines by taking a number of initiatives like putting in place, a mechanism to  identify a real label from a fake one.

Me: Lastly, what is your take on hi-tech gadgets steadily proliferating the wine world? For example, there is a particular gadget called “Coravin” originally designed for the medical industry that now realizes wine being  drawn from a sealed bottle  without having to pull out the cork. Do you think it is a welcome development or is it making wine drinking too much of a mechanical experience as some people think?

GD:  I believe that wherever technology is enabling wine appreciation, it is a progressive step. In case of the gadget you have mentioned, it may be a good means to appreciate wine by the glass without compromising on the storage life . Personally speaking, I would like to use it.

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Vinexpo Asia-Pacific, Hong Kong will take place from 27- 29 May 2014 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

To register online for the event,  visit  www.vinexpoasiapacific.com