​Beverage News from India & the World

Fine wines importer Wine Park hosted multiple masterclasses and grand tastings of prestigious Tuscan wine estate Brancaia across Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru in early October. The landmark Brancaia roadshow was hosted by Wine Park Founder and Head, Vishal Kadakia and Lucia Borri, Export Director and Brand Ambassador for Brancaia. The Brancaia wines showcased included the iconic Brancaia, TRE 2020, Brancaia, Chianti Classico 2021, Brancaia, IL BLU, "Super Tuscan" 2018 and Brancaia, ILATRAIA; Super Tuscan ; 2019. Brancaia is a family owned winery based in Tuscany with a history of 43 years and is one of the region’s leading organic wine makers. Brancaia’s wines have been part of Wine Park’s selection for over 15 years.
Brancaia’s three city roadshow included grand tastings at The St Regis and Grand Hyatt in Mumbai while in Bengaluru, the venues were JW Marriott and fine dining standalone restaurant Lupa. The
Delhi venues included The Lalit and Captain’s Cellar at Taj Mahal hotel. Commenting on the Brancaia Roadshow which he co-hosted, Vishal Kadakia said, “Brancaia has been an integral part of
Wine Park’s import selection for over 15 years now and it is incredible how the estate’s popularity has grown in India and come to be closely associated with Wine Park. Brancaia’s wines are a fine representation of Tuscan wines and over the years we have showcased not just the great red wines but white and rose wines as well.”
Borri believed India contains great potential as an market for imported wines. “The Indian market presents great opportunities and there is still so much space to grow. I just got the feeling that
wine is no longer part of a status to reach but something to enjoy and share. Ever since we entered the market in 2008 with Wine Park, we have seen this interest grow and with many more people
asking to visit our winery when traveling in Italy. Thanks to Vishal and Ashu for their partnership in all these years and we look forward to many more years ahead,” Borri said.
(Excerpt from a release) 

Spaceman Spirits Lab of Samsara fame have set foot in the Rum game with the launch of Sitara. They have come up with 2 expressions, a white and a spiced.  The Maiden Voyage, is a blend of the finest rums distilled on the tropical shores of the Indian Peninsula.
The first release from the Maiden Voyage, is a barrel aged white rum, a blend of column & pot distilled Indian rums that are aged in Virgin American Oak barrels and then charcoal filtered to achieve a clear and delicious rum. 
The second release, a Botanical Spiced Rum is also a blend of column & pot distilled Indian rums, however, this expression is aged for a longer duration and then blended with seven botanical distillates to create a spiced rum with a distinctively Indian personality.
SĪTÄRĀ Barrel Aged Rum (INR 1200) and SĪTÄRĀ Botanical Spiced Rum (INR 1350) are now on shelves across Goa with other select states to follow soon! 

Building on a collective of sixteen winemakers from seven different nationalities located in Argentina, Brazil, California, Australia, China, and India, Chandon has thrived since its inception in 1959, on the exchange of ideas and savoir-faire. With a vision to become India’s premium homegrown wine brand, Aurva is the co-creation of a harmonious duet between Kaushal Khairnar,  India’s whizz-kid head winemaker and the youngest of Chandon's chefs de caves, and Chandon Australia’s winemaking director, Dan Buckle, a master in the art of Shiraz winemaking. Together the two experts have crafted a wine that reflects the best of both worlds – a poetic expression of Shiraz that captures the essence of India's unique climate and terroir while benefiting from the shared wisdom, skill, and experience of a talented master winemaker.
The  Indian winery was inaugurated in 2014. By that time, Shiraz had already established itself as a star in the Indian wine landscape. The winemakers saw the potential of Nashik’s unique soils and climate, which, while unconventional for wine, held the promise of producing colourful, aromatic, and sensual Shiraz based sparkling wines. This success of these inspired Kaushal Khairnar and Dan Buckle when they started working on the creation of a new expression for the brand, an exquisite red wine they would name Aurva -the term “Aurva” translates to ‘of the earth’ in Sanskrit- paying tribute to the land and mythic beauty of the unique terroir of Nashik, Maharashtra: ‘the ancient home of the Warli people and their sacred art and culture.’
Concentrating on one harvest per year the winemakers imposed a selective approach that allows focus on the quality, freshness and integrity of the grapes. Meticulously crafted using 100% locally sourced Shiraz grapes carefully hand harvested by the brand's partner growers in Nashik, India’s wine capital, aged in French oak barrels for ten months,  Aurva offers a symphony of rich aromas, velvety smoothness, and flavors of cloves, cherry, blueberry and plum.
“Moët Hennessy is globally recognized and in India, we are not only ‘Made in India’ but ‘India Proud’. Aurva is a significant step in exactly that direction. We are confident in expanding our wine portfolio while maintaining a clear focus on the authenticity and quality of our products. With the launch of Aurva, we aim to showcase Nashik's craftsmanship and encourage people to savor and explore another premium homegrown wine from the Moët Hennessy India portfolio. Aurva is a wine we are honoured to introduce to India and the world.” said  Ipsita Das, Managing Director, Moët Hennessy India.
 CHANDON Aurva, priced at INR 4250 is currently available in Mumbai 
(excerpt from a release)

 Moldova is set to host the prestigious Congress of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) in 2025, a landmark event for the global wine community. This announcement, coinciding with the Moldova National Wine Day, underlines the significant contributions and commitment of the Republic of Moldova to the global viticulture sector
Established in 1924, the OIV plays a crucial role in harmonizing and standardizing the global wine industry, providing support and assistance through its extensive network of over 1,000 international experts from its 50 member states. As the organization marks its centenary, the year 2024 has been declared the “International Year of Vine and Wine”, celebrated under the overarching theme: “The Vine and Wine of Tomorrow”.
On October 4, 2023, Luigi Moio, President of the OIV, expressed joy over the approved request from the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Moldova to organize the 46th OIV Congress in 2025. He stated, “I'm thrilled, as this Congress will be the fifth in the second century of our organization's history and it will take place in Moldova. Congratulations on the occasion of National Wine Day! This significant celebration, observed in various nations, plays a significant role in transferring the cherished tradition of winemaking to future generations.”
Hosting the OIV Congress in 2025 in Moldova is not only an extraordinary honor but also an immense responsibility and an opportunity. This occasion allows us to showcase Moldova’s dedication and passion for winemaking.
Moldovan Wine has tirelessly promoted quality, sustainability, and innovation over the past ten years. The OIV Congress hosted in the Republic of Moldova will be a symbolic event, showing collaboration and commitment to further strengthening Moldova’s status as a significant and respected player in the global wine landscape.
This announcement caps a decade of reform and evolution for the wine industry, celebrated as part of the “10 Years of Moldovan Wine Revolution” campaign, aligning with the National Wine Day festivities held on October 7-8, 2023.
​(excerpt from a release)