​Beverage News from India & the World

Mumbai, 31st January 2025 – The Wine Growers Association of India (WineGAI), the apex national body representing Indian wine producers, is set to make history with its first large-scale consumer wine festival in India – The Bandra WineOut 2025. This premier event will bring together India’s leading wineries, gourmet food experiences, live music, and interactive activities, all in the heart of Mumbai’s vibrant Bandra district. Wine lovers, enthusiasts, and curious consumers will have an unparalleled opportunity to explore the finest wines from across the country in a lively and engaging atmosphere. The Bandra WineOut 2025 is designed to demystify wines, elevate the brand image of Indian wineries, and make wine culture fun, trendy, and accessible to a younger and fresh audience. A Powerhouse Lineup of Indian Wineries Attendees will get to sample and discover an incredible range of wines from India’s most prestigious wineries, including:
1. Sula Vineyards 2. Fratelli Wines 3. Grover Zampa Vineyards 4. Good Drop Wine Cellars 5. Reveilo Wines 6. Big Banyan Wines 7. Moonshine Meadery 8. Uniwine Vintners 9. Wildcraft Beverages 10. Sam Agri … and more!

The Bandra WineOut 2025 isn’t just about sipping and swirling – it’s an immersive experience that blends fine wine with gourmet indulgence, music, and engaging activities:
● Gourmet Food Stalls – A variety of curated food stalls offering new and trending cuisines that pair perfectly with different wines
● Flea Market Stalls – A vibrant marketplace featuring artisanal products, handcrafted goods, and unique finds to enhance the festival experience.
● Live Cooking with Wine Demos – Top chefs will craft delectable dishes using wine as a key ingredient, offering visitors a unique food and wine pairing experience.
● Grape Stomping Fun – A classic tradition that brings wine lovers together for a hands-on, foot-stomping good time!
● Masterclasses by Wine Experts – Exclusive sessions to deepen your wine knowledge, from tasting techniques to food pairings.
● Live Music & Entertainment – A festival atmosphere with top artists and DJs setting the vibe.
● Interactive Wine Games & Trivia – Fun and engaging activities to educate and entertain. 

“This is the first event of its kind, and we’re thrilled to create a space where wine is approachable, exciting, and celebrated,” said Ashwin Rodrigues, Secretary of WineGAI. “Our goal is to reshape the perception of Indian wines and make them the drink of choice for the modern Indian consumer.” 

​Event Details: 📍 Location: Dmonte Park Recreational Centre, Bandra (West), Mumbai 📅 Date: February 15 & 16, 2025 🎟 Tickets Available On: Insider.in, District.in
​(Excerpt from a release)

India witnessed a historic milestone as the Sommeliers Association of India (SAI) successfully hosted the grand finale of the inaugural edition of the 2025 SAI Best Sommelier of India competition at the iconic The LaLiT, Mumbai. A Triumph of Talent: Jai Singh Emerged Victorious with a Prestigious Jury Panel of Global Wine Icons. This landmark event, the first of its kind in the country, marked a significant step forward in India's growing recognition on the global wine map.
 
Amrita Singh, Co-Founder and President of the Sommeliers Association of India shared her excitement, "The successful execution of this inaugural event marks a defining moment for the Indian sommelier community. All participants should be proud of their outstanding performances, and we are excited to see how they will continue to contribute to the growth of India’s hospitality culture. We are truly honoured to have had global wine celebrities such as Saiko Tamura-Soga, ASI Vice-President for Asia & Pacific and Nina Basset FIH, Co-Founding Trustee, Gérard Basset Foundation as part of the judging panel, their expertise ensured the competition was both fair and rigorous in line with the International standards. Our deepest gratitude to our Hospitality Partner, The LaLiT, Mumbai and all other partners and sponsors who made this benchmark event possible.”
 
The competition serving as the national qualifier for top international platforms, drew talented sommeliers from across India and Indian Sommeliers working in Dubai, Maldives, Singapore, Italy, New Zealand and International cruise ships eager to showcase their skills. After intense quarter-finals and semi-finals, the grand finale saw Jai Singh crowned as the “2025 SAI Best Sommelier of India”, with Pankaj Singh and Amber Deshmukh securing second and third places. The top three winners will now embark on an exciting journey—attending the prestigious ASI Education Boot Camp in Singapore this July. Jai Singh will further make history by representing India for the first time ever at the 2025 ASI Contest Best Sommelier of Asia & Pacific in Malaysia and the 2026 ASI Contest Best Sommelier of the World in Portugal.
 
Mattia Antonio Cianca, Co-Founder and Vice-President of the Sommeliers Association of India said, “This marks a great beginning for Indian sommellerie, showcasing immense potential and promising talent. The level of skill and passion displayed during the competition, gives us confidence that Indian sommeliers are ready to shine on the world stage.”

Saiko Tamura-Soga, ASI Vice President for Asia & Pacific said, “The inaugural of Best Sommelier of India competition, organized by SAI to uphold world-class standards, has concluded with resounding success. I am deeply impressed by the exceptional talent, dedication, and humility demonstrated by the Indian sommeliers who participated. It is clear that they are on the cusp of achieving outstanding success on the international stage, particularly in competitions organized by the International Sommelier Association (ASI). Although SAI is a young association, having been a member of ASI for less than a year, the sense of unity and dynamic energy it has fostered is a testament to the tireless commitment and visionary leadership of Amrita Singh. I am confident that, under her guidance, SAI and its sommeliers will continue to thrive, furthering the development and recognition of the sommelier profession in India and making a lasting impact on the global sommelier community.”
 (Excerpt from a release)

Business France India, under the tutelage of the Embassy of France in India, will welcome a French delegation of 17 wine and spirits producers for the 8th edition of the Tastin’ France event in India. These producers will showcase their products on November 6th at the Embassy of France in Delhi, followed by a tasting in Mumbai at ProWine on November 8th and 9th in Mumbai.
This year's Tastin'France India brings together renowned estates from all over France, offering Indian importers, distributors, and connoisseurs an exclusive opportunity to discover exceptional French beverages, fostering valuable business opportunities. Attendees will experience a curated selection of wines and spirits, highlighting the rich diversity and expertise of France’s renowned vineyards and distilleries.
"The partnership between India and France in the wine and spirits sector continues to strengthen, driven by a mutual appreciation for quality and craftsmanship. Tastin’France serves as an important platform to deepen these ties, enabling Indian importers to discover the exceptional diversity of French products while promoting sustainable practices that resonate with today’s consumers. Together, we are building a vibrant trade relationship that celebrates our shared values and enriches both markets." — Estelle David, Trade Commissioner of France, and Head of Business France in India.
Highlights of the 8th edition of Tastin’France India
From the emblematic regions of Burgundy and the sparkling vineyards of Champagne to the warm hillsides of Languedoc, and from the unmissable vineyards of Bordeaux to the savoury banks of the Rhône valley, the 17 winegrowers and spirit distillers will take attendees on a sensory tour of France.
The delegation encompasses a diverse range of estates, from cooperatives representing hundreds of winegrowers to exclusive private estates and traders. Attendees can look forward to a comprehensive selection featuring Vins de France, IGP (Indication Géographique Protégée), and AOP (Appellation d'Origine Protégée). This wide array allows for the exploration of various wine styles, including red, white, and rosé wines, as well as Champagne and spirits like Cognac, Whisky, Vodka, each reflecting the distinct terroir and traditions of its region. Amongst the participating companies, several brands are committed to environmental sustainability, with one estate on the verge of organic certification and another using artisanal methods to care for its soils and vines without the use of chemicals.
BWINE, CHÂTEAU LA FRANCE & CHÂTEAU DE SEGUIN | COLLECTION TRAMIER | TUTIAC | LGI WINES | LES VIGNERONS REUNIS DE MONSEGUR | ALMA CERSIUS | VIGNOBLES VELLAS | DOMAINE ANDRE BRUNEL | LA VINTAGE COMPANY | CHAMPAGNE G.H MARTEL & CO | FRENCHIES WINES | LES PRODUCTEURS REUNIS | DISTILLERIE DES MOISANS | FIWINE BORDEAUX / FINESTWINE.COM | CHÂTEAU CHARMAIL | CHATEAU LA FLEUR DE BOÜARD | SLAUR SARDET | BOYER - DE BAR

Key Statistics on Wine Production and Consumption
France
In 2023, France reclaimed its title as the world's largest wine producer, overtaking Italy, and Spain with an impressive volume of hectolitres. More than half of all French wines carry the prestigious Appellation d'Origine Protégée (AOP), while 40% are classified as Indication Géographique Protégée (IGP), highlighting the commitment to quality and regional identity. Remarkably, although vineyards account for only 3% of France's agricultural land, viticulture remains the leading agricultural sector in terms of value, underlining its economic importance.
India
The Indian wine market is experiencing a remarkable transformation, reaching a value of US$ 195 million in 2023. Projections indicate that this dynamic market will soar to US$ 803 million by 2032, with an impressive compound annual growth rate of 17% anticipated between 2024 and 2032. Increasing demand for wine, particularly from younger consumers who enjoy socializing at restaurants and bars, is driving this growth. Notably, while Australia leads the way in terms of volume, France remains the top exporter in terms of value, with its wines revered for their premium quality, especially in the luxury and fine wine segments. The trend is clear: wine consumption per capita in India grew by 9% between 2022 and 2023, reinforcing the excitement around this evolving market.
Tastin’ France reinforcing Indo-French business ties.
Tastin’ France is a unique opportunity for wine and spirits enthusiasts, and industry professionals, to immerse themselves in the rich flavours and traditions of French viticulture and distillery. This event highlights the exceptional quality of French wines and spirits while reinforcing the strong ties between India and France. With a growing market for wine in India, the event serves as a platform for importers and distributors to explore valuable business opportunities that can benefit both countries, fostering collaboration and innovation in the wine and spirit sector. Business France invites Importers and distributors in India to join this journey of discovery and appreciation.
(Excerpt from a release)

New Delhi, October 09, 2024: 30BestBarsIndia, the country’s most prestigious bar ranking platform, has unveiled the long list of the Top 100 bars for its 5th edition. The list is based on a special pan-India jury poll, made up of bar enthusiasts, industry professionals and drinks connoisseurs. This year’s voting list for the ‘Best Bars’ category also included more than 150 self-nominations from bars across the country on the 30BestBarsIndia website.
 
AT A GLANCE:

• A record number of 48 new entrants have made the long list this year.
• The bars are spread across 13 cities and Goa.
• Delhi tops the list with 18 bars, followed by Goa at 16, Mumbai at 15, Bangalore at 14, and Kolkata at 12.
• Among the non-metro cities, Jaipur stands with 4 bars, Shillong and Guwahati with 2 each, and Udaipur and Chandigarh with 1 each.
• The awards will honour bars and bar industry professionals in 17 categories.
• These include Best Bar, Best Independent Bar, Best Hotel Bar, Best Restaurant Bar, Best Microbrewery or Taproom, Best Cocktail Menu, Best Bartender, Best Bar Team, Best Bar Design, Timeless Bar, Industry Icon of 2024, Best Work in Sustainability, Best Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Menu, People’s Choice Best Bar, People’s Choice Best Microbrewery or Taproom, The Highest Climber, and The Highest New Entry.

 
The 2024 long list features bars ranging from chic urban lounges and hotel bars to artisanal cocktail rooms and speakeasies, with representation from cities large and small. With almost half of the Top 100 comprising new entrants, these bars have set benchmarks in mixology, service, design, ambience, and sustainability. A larger national jury of more than 250 members is currently voting to determine the final ranking of the 30 Best Bars of India for 2024, based on the long list. The rankings will be unveiled at an awards ceremony at the Taj Cidade de Goa Horizon, Panaji, on January 13, 2025.

Vikram Achanta, Co-Founder of 30BestBarsIndia, said, "In the past year, we've seen a significant emphasis on concept and storytelling, which has now become paramount. Bars are no longer just spaces to drink – they are immersive experiences. The substantial number of nominations we received this year is a testament to our mission at 30BestBarsIndia – to educate and elevate the visibility of bars across the country. We're also witnessing a continued resurgence of hotel bars, which are setting new benchmarks for creativity and hospitality."
 
Radhakrishnan Nair, Co-Founder of 30BestBarsIndia, said, “The record entry of 48 new bars in the Long List is a testament to the constantly improving standards of bars across the country, including in non-metro towns. At the same time, the fact that so many of our regulars have dropped out of the Long List this year is a signal to bars that they have to be constantly innovating to stay in the reckoning and be counted among the best in the country.”
​
The Top 100 bars in India, listed alphabetically, are:
(New entries are marked with an asterisk)
●      7 Rivers Brewing Co., Taj MG Road (Bangalore)
●       AER Lounge, Four Seasons (Mumbai)*
●       Aidu (Hyderabad)*
●       AMPM (Kolkata)*
●       Americano (Mumbai)
●       Bandra Born (Mumbai)*
●       Bar 259, JW Marriott (Kolkata)*
●       Bar Palladio, Narain Niwas Palace (Jaipur)
●       Beno (Goa)*
●       Bob's Bar, Indiranagar (Bangalore)
●       Byg Brewski Brewing Company, Hennur (Bangalore)
●       Cirqa 1960 (Mumbai)*
●       Cobbler & Crew (Pune)
●       Cock & Bull (Hyderabad)
●       Cocktails & Dreams (Gurgaon)
●       Comorin (Gurgaon)
●       Copitas, Four Seasons Hotel (Bangalore)
●       Ekaa (Mumbai)
●       Elephant & Co. (Goa)
●       Elephant & Co., Kalyaninagar (Pune)
●       Fig & Maple (New Delhi)*
●       For The Record - Vinyl Bar (Goa)
●       Forefathers (Hyderabad)*
●       Grumps (Goa)*
●       Hideaway (Goa)
●       Hodd's Bar, Hyatt, Gachibowli (Hyderabad)*
●       HOME (New Delhi)
●       Hoots' (New Delhi)
●       Hosa (Goa)
●       Izumi (Mumbai)
●       Jamming Goat 1.0 (Goa)
●       Jamming Goat 3.0, JP Nagar (Bangalore)
●       Joseph Bar (Goa)
●       Khi Khi, (New Delhi)*
●       Klap (New Delhi)
●       KOKO (Bangalore)*
●       KooX - Rooftop Asian Grill, Novotel Chennai Chamiers Road (Chennai)
●       Koyo Koyo, Hyatt Centric (Chandigarh)*
●       Lair (New Delhi)
●       Little Bit Sober (Kolkata)*
●       LMNOQ Skybar (Kolkata)*
●       Loya, Taj Palace (New Delhi)
●       Madam G (Kolkata)*
●       Malaka Spice (Pune)
●       Masque (Mumbai)
●       Mehico (Kolkata)*
●       Mezcalita, Churchgate (Mumbai)
●       Mia's (New Delhi)*
●       Miguel’s (Goa)
●       Muro (Bangalore)*
●       Native Cocktail Room (Jaipur)
●       Noho (Hyderabad)*
●       O Pedro (Mumbai)
●       Olive Bar & Kitchen, Qutub (New Delhi)*
●       Olterra (Kolkata)
●       Pablo's (Goa)
●       Pandan Club (Chennai)*
●       Papa's (Mumbai)*
●       PCO (Mumbai)
●       PCO (New Delhi)
●       Perch Wine & Coffee Bar, Vasant Vihar (New Delhi)
●       Petisco (Goa)*
●       Piano Man Jazz Club, El Deco Centre (New Delhi)*
●       Radio Room (Chennai)*
●       Red (New Delhi)*
●       Rick's, Taj Mahal (New Delhi)
●       Room One (Goa)*
●       Roxie (Bangalore)
●       RÜ (Hyderabad)*
●       Sanctuary Bar & Kitchen (Hyderabad)
●       SAZ American Brasserie, Vasant Kunj (New Delhi)
●       SAZ On The Beach (Goa)*
●       Shad Skye (Shillong)*
●       Sidecar (New Delhi)
●       Slink & Bardot (Mumbai)
●       Slow Tide (Goa)
●       Soka (Bangalore)*
●       Sorano (Kolkata)
●       Soy Como Soy (Pune)
●       Spirit Forward (Bangalore)*
●       SURA - Cocktails & Cuisine (Jaipur)*
●       Terra Maaya (Guwahati)
●       The Bar, The Oberoi Grand (Kolkata)
●       The Barfly (Goa)*
●       The Blue Bar, Taj Palace (New Delhi)
●       The Bombay Canteen (Mumbai)
●       The Brass Room, ITC Royal Bengal (Kolkata)*
●       The Cheroot Malt & Cigar Lounge, ITC Grand Chola (Chennai)*
●       The Evening Club (Shillong)
●       The Grid (Kolkata)
●       The Johri & Sons, The Johri (Jaipur)*
●       The Library Bar, The Leela Palace Udaipur (Udaipur)*
●       The Library Bar, The Leela Palace Bengaluru (Bangalore)
●       The Library Bar, The Leela Palace (New Delhi)
●       The Living Room (Chennai)*
●       The Maroon Room (Guwahati)*
●       The Piano Bar and Cigar Lounge, The Oberoi (Gurgaon)*
●       The Reservoire (Bangalore)*
●       The Second House (Goa)*
●       TOIT (Pune)
●       Tresind (Mumbai)*
●       Waikiki (Mumbai)*
●       Whisky Samba (Gurgaon)
●       Whisky Samba (Hyderabad)*
●       Windmills, Whitefield (Bangalore)
●       Yauatcha (Kolkata)
●       ZLB 23, The Leela Palace (Bangalore)

(Excerpt from a release)

Delhi's Sidecar walked away with top honors once again at the 4th edition of 30BestBarsIndia, the country’s most prestigious bar ranking and awards platform, at a ceremony held at Taj Cidade de Goa Heritage last night. Besides being ranked India’s #1 Bar for the second year in a row, it also walked away with the Best Independent Bar Award and the Best Cocktail Menu Award - for Arq, a menu inspired by quintessential Indian ingredients.  

Pune’s Cobbler & Crew (#2) took home 4 awards this year – Highest New Entry, Best Bar Team, Best Bartender (Aashi Bhatnagar), and Best Work in Sustainability (along with Pune’s Soy Como Soy). Notably, Pune also captured the People’s Choice Awards – with Elephant & Co. Kalyani Nagar (#47) deemed People’s Choice Best Bar and TOIT awarded People’s Choice Best Microbrewery or Taproom. 

 Bangalore bars stepped into the spotlight as well, with ZLB 23 – The Leela Palace (#6) bagging Best Bar Design. It was also awarded the Best Hotel Bar alongside Copitas – Four Seasons Hotel (#4). The city’s favourite watering hole, TOIT (#29), was the winner of the Best Microbrewery or Taproom Award. 

 PCO New Delhi was this year’s Highest Climber – jumping eight spots to #12. The Best Restaurant Bar went to Gurgaon’s Comorin (#11). The Best Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Menu was awarded to Chennai’s Pandan Club, for its innovative storytelling and presentation of Zero ABV drinks. Additionally, AD Singh, Founder & MD, Olive Group of Restaurants was honoured with the Industry Icon Award while Polo Lounge, Hyatt Regency Delhi took home the Timeless Bar Award.  
 Vikram Achanta, Co-Founder, 30BestBarsIndia says, “The anticipation for the awards increases year-on-year, and this year, we saw noticeable jumps in the list. Eleven new bars made their way into the top 30 list, showcasing the pace at which Indian bars are innovating. As standards continue to increase in the industry and global eyes watch India’s beverage landscape evolve, bars need to continue pushing boundaries across cocktail programs, adopting new techniques, and enhancing bar talent to stay relevant.” 

 Radhakrishna Nair, Co-Founder, 30BestBarsIndia added, “Many rankings this year were closely fought affairs, especially among the top bars in the country, with very few votes separating them. Every year, we re-evaluate our award categories to stay relevant with what’s taking place in the bar landscape, both nationally and internationally. It is in keeping with this strategy that we introduced the Best Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Menu award this year to recognize bars that are making strides with zero-ABV drinks.” 
 Appended is the Top 30 List: 

1. Sidecar - New Delhi 
   
2. Cobbler & Crew - Pune 
   
3. Lair - New Delhi 
   
4. Copitas - Four Seasons Hotel, Bangalore 
   
5. Hideaway - Goa 
   
6. ZLB 23 - The Leela Palace, Bangalore 
   
7. The Bombay Canteen - Mumbai 
   
8. HOME - New Delhi 
   
9. Masque - Mumbai 
   
10. Slink & Bardot - Mumbai 
    
11. Comorin - Gurgaon 
    
12. PCO - New Delhi 
    
13. Hoots’ - New Delhi 
    
14. Americano - Mumbai 
    
15. Cocktails & Dreams, Speakeasy - Gurgaon 
    
16. PCO - Mumbai 
    
17. Slow Tide - Goa 
    
18. The Bar - The Oberoi Grand, Kolkata 
    
19. Whisky Samba - Gurgaon 
    
20. Bob’s Bar - Indiranagar, Bangalore 
    
21. Native Cocktail Room - Jaipur 
    
22. O Pedro - Mumbai 
    
23. Olterra - Kolkata 
    
24. Windmills - Bangalore 
    
25. Pablo’s - Goa 
    
26. Joseph Bar - Goa 
    
27. Ekaa - Mumbai 
    
28. The Library Bar - The Leela Palace, New Delhi 
    
29. TOIT - Bangalore 
    
30. For The Record: Vinyl Bar - Goa 
    

 Jury Vote 

• Best Independent Bar - Sidecar, New Delhi (#1) 
  
• Best Hotel Bar - ZLB 23 - The Leela Palace, Bangalore (#6) AND Copitas – Four Seasons Hotel, Bangalore (#4) 
  
• Best Restaurant Bar – Comorin, Gurgaon (#11) 
  
• Best Microbrewery or Taproom - TOIT, Bangalore (#29)  
  
• Best Cocktail Menu – Sidecar, New Delhi (#1) 
  

 Technical Jury Vote 

• Best Bartender: Aashi Bhatnagar, Cobbler & Crew, Pune (#2) 
  
• Best Bar Team: Cobbler & Crew, Pune (#2) 
  
• Best Bar Design: ZLB 23 - The Leela Palace, Bangalore (#6) 
  

 30BestBarsIndia Decision:

• Timeless Bar - Polo Lounge, Hyatt Regency, Delhi 
  
• Industry Icon - AD Singh, Founder & MD, Olive Group of Restaurants 
  
• Best Work in Sustainability - Cobbler & Crew, Pune (#2) AND Soy Como Soy, Pune 
  
• Best Non-Alcoholic Bar Menu - Pandan Club, Chennai 
  

 People’s Choice Awards  

• People’s Choice Best Bar - Elephant & Co. Kalyani Nagar, Pune (#47) 
  
• People’s Choice Best Microbrewery or Taproom - TOIT, Pune  
  

Other Categories 

• Highest Climber - PCO, New Delhi (#12) 
  
• Highest New Entry - Cobbler & Crew, Pune (#2)
  

The Vault Festival, Asia’s premier craft spirits festival is back with its highly anticipated third edition to take place at the Jio World Garden on February 17 and 18, 2024. The event is an unparalleled experience for those with a curious inclination to the world of craft spirits. Limited early bird tickets are live and start from INR 999 till INR 2999 for the platinum passes, all inclusive of taxes. 
Akin to the previous two editions, the festival presents four unique experiential pillars with an added edge of Certification Trails, for visitors to hone their skills in spirits, mixology, and hosting from the best minds in the game. Pre-book certifications will be available at INR 599 (All Incl.) for a limited time.  With the core vision of creating a conversation-forward platform for connoisseurs, new-age experimentalists, and driven enthusiasts of the spirit community, it invites visitors to come forward and transform their understanding of spirits and mixology. The 2024 edition will have specific pavilions dedicated to Tequila, Rum, Whisky, Gin, Saké, and more with over 50 boutique international labels and Indian craft creations. 
Speaking on the occasion, Keshav Prakash, Founder of The Vault and Curator of The Vault Festival, said, “We are thrilled to bring back The Vault Festival for its third edition, promising an unparalleled experience as Asia’s premier craft spirits event for aficionados and enthusiasts alike. This year, we've curated a lineup that celebrates the ‘slow-drink’ movement of craft spirits and provides an immersive behind-the-scenes journey into their production. To give our audience a truly holistic experience, we’re all set to launch our Certification Trails for our visitors to take away authentic learnings from the festival. By providing an open forum between luxury craft spirit makers and the burgeoning spirit community, we want to bring forth the culture of spirit appreciation, rather than promoting casual consumption.”  
 The festival is designed keeping in mind four distinct experience pillars to provide an immersive deep dive into the world of craft spirits:  
- Taste – A space to experience global boutique spirits and Indian craft distillations directly from their makers. Nose-sip-savour, with other fine spirits enthusiasts and connoisseurs. 
​- Discover – Think multi-sensory experiential venues, where one can explore what goes behind the scenes in crafting a spirit, with small, artisanal bites to pair. 
- Listen – Engage with stories, conversations, and masterclasses with the who’s who of the Food & Beverage space. 
- Indulge – A spread of cutting-edge cuisines and new-age bar inventions by gourmet chefs and leading mixologists celebrating exquisite food and drink pairings.  
 A journey through tastings and immersive masterclasses, the festival is a cultural phenomenon spread over one weekend of exclusive learning with spirit-focused arenas, bold cocktails, exquisite food pairings and dialogues with the best minds of the Food & Beverage industry. Visit - https://thevaultfest.com/. for more details.
​(Excerpt from the release)

  Indian alco-bev start-up, Incredible Spirits Private Limited (“ISPL”), has launched India’s first premium spirits-based Ready-to-Drink (RTD) shots, under the brand name SWIGGER. The premium crafted product, blended with natural and organic flavours, has been unveiled in two Gin and two Vodka variants, to begin with.

   The Gin-based RTD shots have been distilled with Elderflower & Berries and Pink Grapefruit & Lime while the Vodka-based offerings have been distilled with Mandarin and Lime, Lychee and Cinnamon. The flavourful SWIGGER shots have been introduced in 60 ml double shot glasses with a pull rip cap closure, ensuring a safe and unadulterated, convenient experience for consumers.

   Speaking on the launch, Mr Arun Raina, Co-founder, Incredible Spirits Private Limited, said, “We are excited to launch the country’s first spirits-based Ready-to-Drink premium shots brand.  The RTD shots category is a completely new segment in India and, therefore, presents an enormous opportunity.” Recently, leading Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) manufacturer Tilaknagar Industries, the country’s largest manufacturer of premium brandy, invested Rs 1 crore for a 19.50 per cent equity stake in Incredible Spirits Private Limited.

With the tagline ‘Inspire fun’, the premium RTD shots brand SWIGGER has been introduced in the beach capital of India, Goa, in the first phase of its launch. This will be followed by more markets across the country. This launch will be followed by the introduction of more premium shot variants with Cognac, Bourbon Whiskey, Dark Rum & Tequila. According to the IWSR May 2022 report, the RTD market in India is a 3 million cases category in 2021, and is expected to grow at more than 9 per cent annually over the next 5 years, reaching 4.5 million cases in 2026.
​(Excerpt from a release) 

India’s largest and most influential wine competition India Wine Awards 2023 presented by Sonal Holland Wine Academy in association with ProWine Mumbai announced 219 winning wines across  Best in Show, Gold and Silver categories at a glittering India Wine Awards Winners Night held on Friday, 24th November 2023 at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai
For its fifth edition, India Wine Awards hosted the country’s largest-ever blind-tasting competition of domestic and international wines available in India, receiving a record-breaking 460  nominations. Sake was inducted as a new category as well to expand the scope of the awards and acknowledge the increasing popularity of the beverage among Indian consumers. The nominated labels were judged by a panel of 20 jury members featuring experts from the country led by Sonal C Holland MW -Founder and Chairperson of India Wine Awards.
The India Wine Awards 2023 Winners’ Night brought together 600 eminent members including luminaries of the wine and spirits industry, hospitality leaders, global trade councils and winemakers from across the world. The guests came together to  celebrate the best in-market wines in India and to applaud the spirit of resilience and innovation that has helped the Indian wine industry grow at a steady and assured pace year after year. 
As part of the fifth edition of India Wine Awards - Personality awards, the night celebrated Rajeev Samant -Founder and CEO of Sula Vineyards for his contribution as a visionary excellence entrepreneur whose pioneering work has helped lay the very foundation of the wine industry in India awarding him with the Indian Wine Industry Leader and Champion Award which was felicitated by Sonal C Holland MW and Wolfram N. Diener, President & CEO of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH. 
Speaking on the fifth successful edition of the awards, Sonal C Holland MW, Founder and Chairperson of India Wine Awards, said, “With every passing year, we are growing bigger, better and even bolder and that only reflects where the Indian wine industry firmly stands today. This year, we are raising a Toast To Excellence in recognition of the top quality of wines nominated in the competition and those available in the country, at large. This is testament to the phenomenal evolution of India as the most coveted, fast-emerging wine markets in the world. With the ongoing success of our wine market, the narrative of ‘Incredible India’ is surely changing on the world stage to ‘Credible India’ that poses itself as a robust and reliable markets, with India Wine Awards offering an unparalleled opportunity for winning brands to reinforce their image and positioning in the minds of the curious and enthusiastic Indian consumer.”
Each wine was judged on a 100-point score sheet in a blind tasting format by the esteemed panel of 20 jury members who were encouraged to put on their consumer hats to ensure that the winners reflected the taste and preferences of Indian customers.
79 wines won in the Gold category, securing more than 90 points, while 110 wines won in the Silver category, securing 85-89 points. The 30 Best in Show winners were the highest-scoring wines in the competition. This year, the Best in Show award had multiple categories, with five high-scoring wines nominated in each category. The wine with the highest score among these nominees was then named as Best In Show for the said category. The jury had a hard time selecting a single winner for some categories, leading to a two-way or a three-way tie.
Building on previous editions, , this year the India Wine Awards launched a new segment IndiaWineAwards’ 50 Best Places To Drink 2023 -   a digital list of the best restaurants and bars in the country that create excellent drinking experiences for consumers. The list was curated on the basis of public and jury members' votes. This annual list not only pays homage to India’s finest drinking spots but also recognises the hard work, professionalism and congeniality of all the employees who make these establishments memorable. 
Mumbai-based Americano emerged as a favourite ranking no.1, followed by The Bombay Canteen (Mumbai), Hideaway (Goa), Masque (Mumbai), Comorin (Gurugram), Slink & Bardot (Mumbai), Sidecar (New Delhi), Sula Tasting Room (Nashik), Copitas (Bengaluru) and Slow Tide (Goa) making the Top 10 Best Places to Drink across the country. 
​(Excerpt from a release)

For the first time in France, players from the global rum ecosystem will meet for three days to
discuss the major challenges and opportunities that shape the future of the sector. Buyers
and public institutions from more than 20 producing countries, as well as players from the
entire rum value chain, will be expected in Paris. The World of Rum 2024 is a dynamic forum
for announcing new initiatives in the Rum Ecosystem and sharing experiences and
innovative ideas. This first edition will have no less than 50 exhibitors and 22 countries
representations. As a partner of the event, Business France will be supporting a group of 20
companies in its Overseas pavilion. The opportunity to discover exceptional artisanal rums,
with more than 25 brands: agricultural rums, arranged rums, amber rums, white rums, old
rums and many more.
A pioneering event: rum beyond tasting
Unlike traditional events focused on tasting, the World of Rum stands out for showcasing the
entire Rum Ecosystem: producers, distributors, manufacturers, harvesters, international
buyers, influencers, manufacturers of bottles, casks, yeast, etc. A unique opportunity to
discover young French distillers, new 100% ecological packaging solutions, the prowess of
artificial intelligence in serving the Rum Ecosystem and the virtues of sugar cane for the
benefit of the pharmaceutical industry. For Patrick LOGER, event organiser: “Given the worldwide craze for rum, this first international edition in Paris is an opportunity for all the players in the Ecosystem, from all horizons, to explain and understand the strong international growth of the market for this spirit.”
France and rum: an artisanal revolution underway
At the heart of this taste revolution, France is a pioneer for the rum industry. The creation of
new distilleries right in the heart of the metropolis is testimony to this rise, propelling the
country to the forefront of the international scene. Young French entrepreneurs are starting to
create spirits and embody a revival in French-style artisanal excellence. From Saint Pierre to
Miquelon, via Brest, rum has the wind in its sails and is asserting itself as the only spirit to
record growing demand for the 26-49 age group. A trend that highlights the flourishing
innovation that characterizes the French rum landscape.
An exploration of trends and mixology
The World of Rum acts as a catalyst for emerging trends in the world of spirits. International
speakers and professionals will share their success stories in the Wines and Spirits industry.
With in particular Japan and its high-quality whiskeys, Mexico and its tequila and of course
France with its champagne. The new French rum players will join the discussion to highlight
their innovative production practices and their relationship to sugar cane cultivation.
Internationally renowned bartenders will decipher the exciting evolution of mixology, which
contributes to the development of rum, particularly in Asian countries.
(Excerpt from a release) 

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) 

Adrián Michalčík, Diageo World Class Global Bartender of the Year 2022, will be embarking on a 10 day tour of Asia to showcase new and delicious ways to enjoy Single Malt Scotch Whisky in collaboration with The Singleton. The tour, which kicks off on Wednesday 15th March, will begin in Seoul before continuing onto Manila, Ho Chi Minh and Taipei with a final stop in Tokyo. The region will be the first to showcase Adrián’s journey with The Singleton, following an exclusive preview at Adrián’s bar, Pier 42 at the Amerikalinjen Hotel, in Oslo at the end of last month.
In each market, Adrián, alongside The Singleton Global Brand Ambassador Ervin Trykowski, will be hosting a series of events, providing local industry with an opportunity to work with the World’s Best Bartender through seminars, cocktail cartography, and guest shifts. Prior to the guest shift, Adrián will be visiting local suppliers, exploring regional ingredients and fresh produce that will be used to inspire a unique cocktail menu to be served that evening, made in collaboration with Adrián, The Singleton, and the bar team. 
Alongside the trade events there will also be exclusive ticketed events for consumers, where guests will be invited to enjoy a host of cocktails made exclusively with The Singleton alongside special pairing dishes designed in collaboration with Adrián and inspired by the cultural terroir, pushing the boundaries where mixology and gastronomy collide. 
Among Adrián’s successes at the World Class Global Finals this year, he was named the winner of The Singleton challenge for his cocktail, Equality, inspired by The Singleton’s incredible flavour that disrupts expectations about Scotch Whisky, how and who it should be enjoyed by. The Singleton is proud to be supporting Adrián’s journey to make beautiful Single Malt Scotch cocktails enjoyed by the many, not the few. 
Adrián Michalčík, Diageo World Class Global Bartender of the Year 2022, says: “I am honoured to partner with The Singleton on this journey to explore the unexpected ways that Single Malt Scotch Whisky can be enjoyed, and to have the opportunity to share these experiences together with the amazing mixology community across Asia. I cannot wait to also explore the outstanding offerings of these great cocktail cities and meet with the bartenders that make it happen.”
The Singleton Global Brand Ambassador Ervin Trykowski said: “The vibrancy of scotch cocktails in Asia is a testament to the region's innovative spirit and enthusiasm for experimenting with new tastes, making it the perfect place for us to bring this unique concept.  We’re looking forward to inspiring cocktail lovers in each city to discover a new way to enjoy The Singleton with the Best Bartender in the World.” 
In addition to his role as Diageo World Class Global Bartender of the Year in 2022 Adrián is Director of Mixology at the award-winning Pier 42 at the Amerikalinjen Hotel in Oslo, Norway. Adrián has a passion for whisky and in particular whisky aperitif cocktails. He also has a keen interest in the relationship between gastronomy and mixology and combines these passions to carefully balance flavours to create simple yet sophisticated drinks delivered with warm hospitality.
World Class x The Singleton Asia Tour Agenda
15th-16th March - Seoul
17th - 19th March - Manila 
19th - 21st March - Ho Chi Minh 
21st - 22nd March - Taipei 
22nd March - 24th March - Tokyo
(Excerpt from a release)

​This March, sip on Sabatini as you welcome the summer! Leading Importer of Wines and Spirits Anggel’s Share takes the team behind the award winning family-owned Tuscan brand Sabatini Gin on a 3-city tour of India.  Immerse yourself in the Spirit of Tuscany as Sabatini’s very own Co-Founder Enrico Sabatini and Mattia Lotti – Sabatini’s Global brand Ambassador take you through a gin-filled week filled with refreshing guest shifts and masterclasses across the country to be-GIN summer on the right note from Tuesday, 14th March to Saturday, 18th March 2023 across Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore.
Leading the tour across India is the Italian Co-Founder Enrico Sabatini who will be meeting with guests and introducing them to the first gin that combines classic London Dry Gin distilling techniques with Tuscan botanicals and herbs into a stunningly designed bottle resembling the Tuscan landscape.
Come experience exclusive cocktails created by the global brand ambassador Mattia Lotti specially for the tour made using Sabatini Gin like Sabatini Mule which blends the gin with Lime Juice and Ginger beer topped off with a garnish of sage leaf; Tuscany Negroni which mixes the gin with sweet vermouth, dry vermouth and red bitter liqueur and Beetini’s Knees which mixes Sabatini Gin with Lemon Juice and a honey mix. Gin Lovers, A must try is the Last Word is Sabatini an intriguing creation of Sabatini Gin with Green Chartreuse Maraschino Liqueur and Lemon Bitters beautifully decorated with a Lemon Zest and Maraschino Cherry among other creations you can expect!
SCHEDULE FOR THE GIN TOUR :
Wednesday, 15th March 2023 | 8 PM onwards: Guest Shift by Mattia Lotti at Koko, Mumbai
Thursday, 16th March 2023 | 8 PM onwards: Guest Shift by Mattia Lotti at The Library Bar at The Leela,  Chanakyapuri, New Delhi  
Friday, 17th March 2023 | 8 PM onwards: Guest Shift  by Mattia Lotti at Ophelia, The Ashok, Chanakyapuri
Saturday, 18th March 2023| 7.30 PM onwards: Guest Shift by Mattia Lotti at Daysie – All Day Casual Bar, Bangalore
Coming from the recent success of winning the Silver medal in the World Gin Award 2023 in the London Dry Gin category, Sabatini Gin can best be described as a London Dry Gin with a Tuscan soul. Since 2015, the Sabatini Family has been devoted to developing a unique product that is capable of bringing the best of Made in Italy to the world. In a labor of love for their land, the family’s work transmits the story of the natural beauty of the Tuscan hillside, complete with its scents and incomparable views. Four members of the Sabatini family are responsible for creating the Sabatini Gin - Ugo, his two sons Enrico and Niccolò, and Ugo’s cousin, Filippo. 

The Sabatini Gin is a fruit of a perfect union of flavors and aromas, suggestions and history, that of the Sabatini’s who conceived and created it with passion, in love with their land, proud of their origins. There are nine strictly Tuscan botanicals present in Sabatini Gin: obviously juniper, but also coriander, iris, wild fennel, lavender, olive leaves, wild thyme in the Tuscan version called savory, lemon verbena and sage, most of which come from wild plants collected in the gardens of the villa.
“We at Anggel’s Share are thrilled to associate with Sabatini Gin. Our shared commitment to offering gin lovers high-quality handcrafted spirits has made this partnership a natural fit. We’re excited to enhance everyone’s gin experience with Sabatini Gin, and we believe that our collaboration will not only bring a new flavor experience to gin aficionados but also showcase the importance of artisanal craftsmanship in the world of spirits. We look forward to continuing a long and fruitful partnership with Sabatini Gin and can’t wait to introduce gin lovers to the Italian crafts spirits scene” says Vaishali Shah, Partner at Anggel’s Share.
Come sip on Sabatini with us as we welcome the summer together – Tuscan-style!
(excerpt from a release) ​

The newly introduced award for Best Work in Sustainability was won jointly by two Pune bars, Malaka Spice and Cobbler & Crew. Noted restaurateur Riyaaz Amlani was honoured with the Industry Icon award, while Mumbai's three-decade-old Toto's Garage took home the Timeless Bar Award. Other big winners of the evening include Pune bars Elephant & Co. (People's Choice Award for Best Bar) and TOIT Pune (People's Choice Award for the Best Microbrewery/Taproom).  
Among the major cities, Mumbai made the most significant strides in new bar openings and the strength of beverage programs, with 8 bars making it to the Top 30 and four Pune bars taking away awards in individual categories. Cities such as Kolkata and Jaipur also emerged as markets to watch due to the growth of quality cocktail bars and a discerning audience. 
30BestBarsIndia's 2022 ranking is based on a jury poll of more than 250 members across the country. The bars were judged on various parameters, including service, design, ambience, bar menu, bartending team, etc. This year, bars also had the option to self-nominate themselves, and 500 nominations were received from 15 cities. 
The Top 30 bars in India for 2022 are listed below in order of rank*:   
#1 - Sidecar (New Delhi), 2 - Copitas - Four Seasons Hotel (Bangalore), #3 - HOME (New Delhi), #4 - Lair (New Delhi), #5 - The Bombay Canteen (Mumbai), #6 - Comorin (Gurgaon), #7 - Americano (Mumbai), #8 - Slink & Bardot (Mumbai), #9 - Hideaway (Goa), #10 - The Living Room by Masque (Mumbai), #11 - Miguel’s (Goa), #12 - Hoots’ (New Delhi), #13 - Masque (Mumbai), #14 - Cocktails & Dreams (Gurgaon), #15 - The Grid (Kolkata), #16 - Raahi Neo Kitchen and Bar (Bangalore), #17 - Bastian - Worli (Mumbai), #18 - Byg Brewski Brewing Company - Hennur (Bangalore), #19 - Windmills Craftworks (Bangalore), #20 - PCO (New Delhi), #21 - Sanctuary Bar & Kitchen (Hyderabad), #22 - Elephant & Co. (Pune), #23 - AER Lounge - Four Seasons Hotel (Mumbai), #24* - The Library Bar - The Leela Palace (New Delhi), #24* - Whisky Samba (Gurgaon), #25 - Bar Palladio - Narain Niwas Palace Hotel (Jaipur), #26 - Sorano (Kolkata), #27 - Ekaa (Mumbai), #28 - Joseph’s Bar (Goa), #29 - Olterra (Kolkata), #30 -Room Two (Hyderabad). 
*Rank #24 is shared by two bars and hence the number of bars total to 31. 
Speaking on the occasion, Vikram Achanta, Co-Founder of 30BestBarsIndia, said, “Keeping current factors in mind for every edition, last year we focused on the COVID responsiveness of bars and this year we introduced a new category to promote sustainability in the bar industry. Establishing categories ahead of what the industry is building towards will continue to help raise the standards in the country. This year, the introduction of thematic menus and the usage of more Indian ingredients in beverage programs is inspirational and aspirational. The emerging vibrant bar culture coming out of cities like Pune, Jaipur and Kolkata is also encouraging to see.” 

“We are providing a platform for bars across the country to elevate the standards of India’s bar programs. The ranking has become a coveted industry standard, and having five bars from last year’s Top 30 list in Asia’s Top 50 bars is a great testament to our efforts. It’s exciting to see bar teams constantly re-invent and push boundaries – whether it’s by paying more attention to their menus or innovating with ingredients to create hyper localized cocktails,” added Radhakrishnan Nair, Co-Founder of 30BestBarsIndia. 
​(excerpt from a release)

The forthcoming BBW, which will take place from 6th to 8th February 2023 at Fira de Barcelona’s Montjuic venue, will be attended by around 700 exhibiting companies, 15% more than in 2022, increasing the event’s surface area by 5%. Four months before it’s due to be held, 80% of BWW has been booked, with the participation, among others, of firms such as Protos, Matarromera, Rioja Vega, Recaredo and Freixenet and Designations of Origin (DOs) like Cava, Bierzo and Valderroas.
 With more than 60 DOs on display, the fair will promote the plurality and territorial diversity of wine in Spain more than ever before.
Under the slogan Spain, a unique mosaic of soils, BWW 2023 will offer a programme of talks, tastings and food and wine pairings conducted by around a hundred renowned experts, who’ll highlight the great wealth of soils that make up the Spanish winegrowing territory. This geological diversity and the climate make Spain one of the countries with the greatest potential for wine production.
We should highlight the tasting that will bring together four Masters of Wine turned winemakers from different areas of Spain for the first time. These include Norrel Robertson, who’s been producing wines in Calatayud since 2003, Almudena Alberca, the first female Master of Wine in Spain and now a producer in La Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Valdeorras, and Fernando Mora, who owns vineyards in different parts of Aragón. Multi-award-winning sommeliers who have become winemakers will also take part in a joint tasting.
In order to promote the international projection of Spanish wine, the fair intends to invite more than 500 key international buyers with the strategic involvement of ICEX Exportación e Inversiones. These purchasing decision-makers will come from the main importers of Spanish wine, including the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Colombia, Mexico, China, Hong Kong and Poland.
Spain is the world’s leading wine producer and the third largest exporter, according to the data provided by ICEX. In 2021, it exceeded €2,956 million in wine exports and was very close to its record. €3,006 million, reached in 2018.
Another of the major challenges for the sector is increasing domestic demand, which is why BWW 2023 will invite 1,300 key buyers from the domestic market (large-scale retail, wholesalers, specialised distributors, retailers and gourmet stores). A total of more than 8,000 business meetings between the fair’s exhibitors and professional buyers are expected to take place.
 The most recent BWW in April 2022 brought together more than 650 exhibiting companies, 60 Spanish Protected Designations of Origin (PDOs) and over 18,000 professional visitors. These included 470 major international buyers from strategic markets, who participated in more than 6,600 business meetings with the exhibiting companies.
(excerpt from a release)

 

 Grey Goose’s “House of Change” is a specially curated multi-faceted series that focuses on providing expertise to bartenders to help them go beyond their bartending skill sets. The program aims to set them on a journey to discover a clear, defined, and purposeful career in mixology. In its effort to give back to the community that has been supporting the brand for so long, Grey Goose is all set to revisit another series of scouting and celebrating India’s behind-the-bar talents. With its fourth edition on the horizon, the ever-evolving “House Of Change” program by Grey Goose will  collaborate with the Singapore Tourism Board to create an experience that brings the program to a higher level.
 
Adtnu Tiwari, Senior Brand Manager, Premium White Spirits, Bacardi India Private Ltd., says, “Grey Goose’s “House Of Change” initiative has come a long way. From a nascent stage to now entering its fourth edition, the program focuses on providing value to the mixology community by strengthening their foundational skills. We aim to propel, encourage, and inspire the creative geniuses behind the bar by setting forth an engaging series of experiences and providing a platform for emerging mixologists. With The Singapore Tourism Board coming on board as a collaborator, the experience will surely be elevated.”
​
Singapore, known for its lifestyle, events and entertainment scene, was a natural choice for this partnership as it is a treasure trove of vibrant bar and cocktail cultures. The city boasts of some of the top tier bars that have been on the list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars. The partnership with Singapore Tourism Board will scale up this year’s edition, making it bigger than before. With some of the best bars in India enrolling for the program, Grey Goose will appoint mentors across the bar industry that specialize in the trade of Entrepreneurship, Content Creation, Grooming and Styling, Travel and Luxury.
 
These mentors will impart a few tricks of the trade and conduct masterclasses and training sessions. The second phase of the program will evaluate the candidates through observation of skill sets acquired during the masterclasses. Finally, a selection of 8 bartenders will be rewarded with a trip to Singapore to further ignite their passions and be inspired by their counterparts and mentors from Singapore.
(Excerpt from a release)

The World’s 50 Best Bars today announces the launch of its inaugural 50 Best Bars Scholarship, in partnership with The Blend – the global trade advocacy programme for the hospitality industry by Beam Suntory. This marks the first time in 50 Best’s storied history that the organization will offer a scholarship to an aspiring bartender. 
The 50 Best Bars The Blend Scholarship is open to any bartender from anywhere in the world aged 21 or over with fewer than three years’ experience. The winner will be rewarded with a trip to complete two bar stages (internships) in London and New York. The first will take place at Connaught Bar, the two-time winner of The World’s Best Bar title, in 2020 and 2021. The second will be at Katana Kitten, a previous winner of the Best New Opening Award in 2019 and currently ranked No.10 in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2021 list. The winner will then be hosted by The Blend Global Team for an experience of a lifetime in Madrid. Flights between these destinations will be included and the lucky winner will receive £500 per week living expenses to enjoy the host cities. 
The details
Applications will open on 19th May via The World’s 50 Best Bars website and close on 20th June. Applicants can find further information to help with their entry at www.theblend.world. The winner of the scholarship will be announced at the ceremony for The World’s 50 Best Bars later this year.
The launch of the 50 Best Bars The Blend Scholarship represents a key moment in the brands’ drive to prioritise development opportunities and experiences for aspiring bartenders across the globe. The theme of the Scholarship for 2022 is Future Positive, which comes with the ambition to cultivate practices and attitudes that will have a positive impact for the planet, for guests and the hospitality community. It will reward bartenders who take a low-waste or local approach to ingredients and push for greater diversity, better representation and balance within workplaces. Applicants will need to show a readiness to contribute to this outlook in order to be selected by the illustrious judging panel as the inaugural 50 Best Scholar (see The Selection Process below).
 
The team says
 
Mark Sansom, Director of Content for The World’s 50 Best Bars, says: “We could not be more excited to launch the 50 Best Bars Scholarship, in partnership with The Blend by Beam Suntory. It’s an initiative we have been planning for several years and it is truly excellent to be able to work with a brand such as Beam Suntory, which shares our vision to professionalise the craft of bartending and support bartenders with a future-gazing ideology. We look forward to receiving applications from all over the world as we give this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to someone that will undoubtedly set their career into overdrive.”
Agostino Perrone, Director of Mixology at Connaught Bar, says: "We at Connaught Bar are very excited to host the first-ever winner of the 50 Best Bars The Blend Scholarship for a learning experience with us. I look forward to assessing the applications and giving the opportunity to the deserving winner to take part in this amazing experience."
Further details, including the date and location of the awards ceremony for The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022, where the Scholarship winner will be announced, will be unveiled on 25th May.
Applications to 50 Best Bars The Blend Scholarship officially open on 19th May at 09:00 GMT+1. Enter at: Worlds50BestBars.com/scholarship 

The selection process
The 50 Best Scholar will be selected after a three-stage judging process, which will feature leading lights of the bar industry
·  Round One: Applicants will be asked to share their vision of Future Positive and what it tangibly means to them as a bartender as part of a video application and questionnaire format. A total of 25 applicants will be selected to go through to Round Two.
 
·  Round Two: The shortlisted candidates will be asked to design a drink inspired by the theme and that heroes one local ingredient as well as documenting the research, development and process that goes into making their chosen cocktail. For this second stage, 50 Best has recruited previous winners of its Sustainable Bar Award and other stalwarts of the bar industry. The guest judges include: Vijay Mudaliar (Native and Analogue, Singapore), Ashish Sharma (The Surf Club, Miami), Jean Trinh (Alquímico, Cartagena), Kelsey Ramage (The Trash Collective, USA), Claire Sprouse (Hunky Dory, Brooklyn) and Luke Whearty (Byrdi, Melbourne), to help select the top five applicants who will make it to the final round. 
 
·  Round Three: For the five finalists, the third stage will comprise a rigorous interview process with 50 Best; The Blend by Beam Suntory; a representative from B-Corp; Director of Mixology for Connaught Bar, Agostino Perrone and Masahiro Urushido, Managing Partner of Katana Kitten. 
The three finalists will be hosted at The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022 awards ceremony, where the winner will be announced. The internships will take place in 
(excerpt from a release)

One of India's top annual  bartender extravaganza, Diageo's World Cocktail competition has announced 13 finalists for the 2022 edition. 
​Here is where you can connect with these bartenders on Instagram or find them behind the bar in action at their place of work. 
Aashie Bhatnagar / @tiny_drinks / The Ritz Carlton Pune
Arati Mestry/ @the_negroni_moron / 7 Rivers Brew Co, Bengaluru
Kshitij Goel / @thecocktailtimes / The W; Goa
Kumar Mongalam / @kumar_mongalam / Farzi Cafe; Kolkata
Md Shabaz/ @md._.shabaz / The Saz; Kolkata
Navjyot Singh/@the_baldbartender / Lair; New Delhi
Prakhar Singhal/ @prakhar.singhal96 / Prost; Hyderabad
Pratik Gusain/ @pgmixologist / Elgin Cafe, 
Rohil Kalita/ @rohil_kalita / Hotel Four seasons, Bengaluru
Sahil Essani/ @sahil.essani / Tajmahal Hotel; New Delhi
Saurav Samanta / @cocktail_junction / Opa Kipos, Mumbai
Shobith Salian /@mr_liquidchef / Mato Mato, Thane
Sia Negi / @sianegi_ / The Leela Palace, New Delhi. 

The second edition of the annual national ranking of the best bars in the country takes one more step towards the finale with the announcement of the shortlist of the 50 top-ranked bars and 20 top-ranked microbreweries. These lists are based on the votes cast by a jury of 200 bar enthusiasts and industry experts spread across 10 cities in the country.
 
Besides the Best Bar, each jury member was asked to vote in the following six categories:  Best Hotel Bar, Best Restaurant Bar, Best Independent Bar, Best Microbrewery or Taproom, Best Cocktail Menu, Best Bar Design. A special technical jury of 25 industry professionals also voted for two additional categories - Best Bar Team and Best Bartender.
 
The 50 top ranking bars and the 20 top ranking microbreweries are now eligible for the People Choice Awards for the Best Bar and Best Microbrewery or Taproom. These awards are based on an online public poll on social media. This poll will open on January 30 and end on February 15, 2022. 
 
The Best Pandemic Response Award, which has been specially introduced for the year 2021 for a bar whose owners and managers used the best of their creativity and innovation to keep their business running during the dark days of the covid-forced shutdown. The top 100 Bars were asked to submit their entries to share the measures they implemented that saved jobs and helped the bar stay connected with the community.
 
The best bar ranking for 2021 will be unveiled at the 30 Best Bars 2021 Awards ceremony. The Gala night which was to be held on January 19, 2022, has now been rescheduled keeping in mind the ongoing pandemic. The new dates will be announced as soon as the government eases restrictions.
 
There are a total of 53 bars on the 30 Best Bars 2021 list, as three sets of bars polled the same number of votes leading to three positions in the ranking being occupied jointly by two bars each. Out of the 53 bars, as many as 32 are new entrants. Only 21 bars survive from 30Best Bars 2019 top 50 list.
 
An interesting mix of cities feature in the 50 best bars list. New Delhi & Bangalore lead the way with 9 and 8 bars respectively. Mumbai & Goa follow with 7 bars each, Kolkata with 6, Chennai & Hyderabad with 4, Gurgaon & Pune with 3. Interestingly Jaipur and Guwahati also feature on the list, with one bar each.
 
A total of 21 microbreweries make it to the top 20 ranking, with two outlets polling the same number of votes. Bangalore, expectedly leads the list of cities with the best microbreweries, with 8 outlets on the list, followed by Mumbai with 4, Pune with 3, and Gurgaon with 2. Goa, Kolkata, New Delhi, and Chandigarh contribute 1 each.
 (Excerpt from a release)

Barcelona Wine Week (BWW), the flagship event of the Spanish wine, has decided to postpone two months and will finally take place in April from 4th to 6th of 2022. The decision has been endorsed by the organizing committee of the event, which brings together the main players in the wine industry in Spain, given the uncertainty and mobility restrictions generated by the current context and to guarantee a great edition.
The new dates of the event are endorsed by most of the viticultural firms and wineries participating in BWW, represented by the Spanish Wine Federation (FEV), the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA), Spain Export and Investments (ICEX), the Spanish Confederation of Wine Regulatory Councils (CECRV) and the Catalan Wine Association, among other bodies and institutions that make up its organizing committee. In this way, the second edition of the event, initially scheduled for February 7th to 9th, 2022, will take place next spring, at the Fira de Barcelona Montjuïc venue.
With the expected participation of more than 600 wineries and practically all Origin Denominations and Regulatory Councils, BWW is currently the largest international promotion showcase for Spanish wines. "It’s clearly international positioning has conditioned the movement, since our main objective is to increase the
business opportunities of the exhibiting companies, providing them business meetings and contacts with international buyers, distributors and importers to increase their exports or facilitate access to new markets”, explains Javier Pagés, president of the show.
New dates aim to celebrate the show in a more suitable context “that allows to preserve its value proposition, guarantee the maximum ROI (Return of Investment) to all companies and ensure the future projection of the exhibition, as per its successful first edition”, says J. Antonio Valls, managing Director of
Alimentaria Exhibitions, a Fira de Barcelona company who organizes BWW.
Valls expresses its confidence that “international trips and meetings are more standardized on the new dates”, a key factor of the show that invites more than 350 international buyers, interested in Spanish wine, from more than 40 countries. This Hosted Buyers program of the event gives rise to more than 4,000 business meetings with the exhibiting companies.
After this next edition, the show will be held every year, so it will return in February 2023, occupying the first place in the international calendar of wine events. BWW 2022 foresees the participation of more than 600 wineries and the visit of about 20,000 professionals. Its first edition in February 2020 was attended by 550
exhibiting firms and 15,600 professionals, 13% of them from 54 countries.
(Excerpt from a release)

Bengaluru, India
Salud Beverages, the makers of Ready to Drink brand G&T 2.0 is is now launching 3
more pour and enjoy variants; a Watermelon & Mint G&T 2.0, Salud Strong, and Salud Sonic. They are price at Rs 130 for 275 ml
WATERMELON & MINT G&T 2.0
The oh-so-cooling vitality of watermelon and the zesty thrill of mint meet for an experience like a summer holiday in a bottle.
STRONG (8% alcohol)
Classic English Juniper-crafted gin gets an update with an effervescent aerated twist and a stronger kick.
SONIC
SOda and toNIC – a classic Japanese mix – with an Indian twist highlights this low-sugar gin refresher with just 99 calories.
For more details , go to https://www.salud.co.in/

After a hugely successful first edition that ranked and celebrated the 30 best bars in the country in 2019, Tulleeho and Man's World Magazine in association with Teacher’s now announce the second edition of 30 Best Bars India 2021.
Based on a nationwide poll of more than 200 bar enthusiasts and industry experts from a countrywide longlist of over 500 bars, the rankings and awards show honours India's 30 best bars, bartenders and bar teams whose impeccable service has set new standards in the country. The ranking for the year will be unveiled at the 30 Best Bars India 2021 Awards ceremony at The Leela Ambience Gurugram on January 19, 2022.
Announcing the second edition of India's 30 best bars, Mr Vikram Achanta, Founder  and CEO Tulleeho  says,"The past two years have been extremely hard for everyone, and the bar industry was no exception. It saw its share of business devastation with many bars shutting shop for good, a flurry of job cuts and staggering losses. It was certainly a grim phase for the businesses to navigate ,yet most sailed through despite the hard times, which is worth every bit of appreciation.30 Best Bars India 2021will be a celebration of the bar industry's resilience and its promising future."
Award Categories & Voting Process:
The first stage of thepoll over the last few months led to the creation of a Long List of
over 500 bars spread over more than a dozen cities in the country, based on the recommendations of 11 jury chairs and 70 bar enthusiasts & experts from across the country. The Long List is currently being pruned to a Short List of 100 bars based on three criteria, vote each of the bars got in the Long List jury poll, the size of the
bar industry in the individual cities, and geographical representation.
In the second stage, a jury of more than 200 bar enthusiasts, industry experts, connoisseurs and writers will vote for the 30 Best Bars in the country from the 100 bars ShortList, as also the best in the following categories,
Best Hotel Bar
Best Independent Bar
Best Microbrewery
Best Cocktail Menu
Best Bar Design,
Best Restaurant Bar which will recognize the best of bars in restaurants which are otherwise known for their dining experience.
Besides the awards listed above, five more important awards will be presented at the ceremony.
People's Choice Award for the Best Bar
Best Microbrewery based on a national online poll
Best Vintage Bar will recognize a bart hat has been at the forefront of service and quality for more than 30 years and selected by MW & Tulleeho teams with inputs from industry experts.
A second nominated award will be the Industry Legend Award, which recognizes the lasting contribution of an industry veteran.
A one-off special award for 2021,Best Pandemic Response, will honour a bar that "turned defeat into victory" by reinventing itself during the pandemic through innovative new lines of business, which not only helped them survive the bad times but also saved jobs and continues to be an essential revenue stream
Cocktail Carnival:
In the run-up to the 30 Best Bars India 2021 awards, 30 Best Bars in association with our sponsor partners will host a series of Masterclasses  for the bartending community, Cocktail Workshops for consumers and a vibrant, week-long celebration of the best of the bar scene across 6 to 7 cities in India.
(Excerpt from a release)
Top 100 Bar shortlist 2021 

 Brand Finance, the world's leading brand valuation co published its annual report 2021 on  alcoholic drinks, wines, beers, spirits and some highlights are as below:

• World’s top 50 beer brands lose 16% of cumulative brand value due to COVID-19 pandemic
• Despite unfortunate name association, Corona is once again world’s most valuable beer brand, brand value US$5.8 billion
• Mexico’s Victoria is strongest beer brand, AAA brand strength rating
• Chinese baijiu brands dominate spirits sector: Moutai, Wuliangye, Yanghe, Luzhou Laojiao and Gujing Gong Jiu make up top 5
• Don Julio is strongest spirits brand with AAA brand strength rating
• Moët et Chandon is most valuable and strongest wine & champagne brand
• Dom Pérignon only brand in wine & champagne sector to increase brand value, up 2%

World’s top beer brands lose 16% of total brand value
The total value of the world’s top 50 most valuable beer brands has declined by 16%, from US$94.9 billion in 2020 to US$80.2 billion in 2021. Most brands in the Brand Finance Beers 50 2021 ranking have been negotiating the effects of social distancing measures brought about by the widespread global lockdowns over the last year, which severely diminished demand for beers and wider alcoholic drinks.
​Corona has retained the title of the world’s most valuable beer brand, despite recording a 28% drop in brand value to US$5.8 billion. As the bestselling imported drink in the United States, with an additional presence in over 120 countries, the Mexican brand has also recently become one of the fastest growing grocery products in the United Kingdom.

Moët et Chandon fizzes in first place
The total value of the world’s top 10 most valuable champagne and wine brands has declined by 10%, decreasing from US$7.4 billion in 2020 to US$6.7 billion in 2021. This is a natural consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, where restrictions on socialising and the shutdown of the hospitality sector limited opportunities for wine and champagne brands.
Despite recording an 11% drop in brand value to US$1.2 billion, Moët et Chandon has retained the title of the world’s most valuable champagne and wine brand for the 2nd consecutive year. While the brand continues to negotiate the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, Moët et Chandon remains one of the most renowned and prestigious luxury items in the world, aided by its numerous celebrity partnerships and association with high calibre events such as the Golden Globes and Royal Ascot.
Dom Pérignon is the only brand in the Brand Finance Champagne & Wine 10 2021 ranking to record a growth in brand value this year, following a 2% increase to US$820 million. Owned by the champagne house of Moët et Chandon, the prestigious vintage champagne has remained in the public eye over the last year, most recently through a campaign with Lady Gaga and Nicola Formichetti, where proceeds from sales of the limited-edition Dom Pérignon Rosé 2005 will be donated to charity.
​Chilean wine brand, Concha y Toro, is a new entrant to the list entering the ranking in 10th position with a brand value of US$293 million. With distribution in 135 countries, Concha y Toro is the largest wine producer and exporter in Latin America. Over the last year, the brand has benefited from a sizeable uptick in sales, particularly in the United Kingdom and Nordic countries. With plans to focus on its premium brands portfolio and further expand its Casillero del Diablo range, Concha y Toro is showing no signs of slowing down in the coming year.
(Excerpt from a release)

The Asia's 50 best bars in a virtual ceremony announced the 50 best bars of Asia 2021 and Sidecar was the only Indian bar to be in the top 50. It not did come in the top 50 again but went up the ranking from 40 to number 16.  The rest of the list is as follows

1. COA, Hong Kong, China 
2. Jigger & Pony, Singapore 
3. The SG Club, Tokyo, Japan 
4. Indulge Experimental Bistro, Taipei
5. Sober Company, Shanghai, China
6. Manhattan, Singapore,
7. Atlas, Singapore
8. No Sleep Club, Singapore 
9. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo, Japan
10. Caprice, Hong Kong, China 
11. The Bamboo Bar, Bangkok, Thailand 
12. Bar Trigona, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 
13. Charles. H Seoul, South Korea 
14. Native, Singapore
15. Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou, China
16. Sidecar, New Delhi, India 
17. Bar Mood, Taipei, Taiwan
18. Bee's Knees, Kyoto, Japan
19. Room By Le Kief, Taipei, Taiwan
20. The Diplomat, Hong Kong, China (
21. 28 HongKong Street, Singapore
22. Tropic City, Bangkok, Thailand
23. Tell Camellia, Hong Kong 
24. AHA Saloon, Taipei, Taiwan
25. Quinary, Hong Kong, China 
26. The Pontiac, Hong Kong, China
27. High Five, Tokyo, Japan
28. The Wise King, Hong Kong, China
29. Barbary Coast, Singapore 
30. Penicillin, Hong Kong, China 
31. Union Trading Co, Shanghai, China 
32. Speak Low, Shanghai, China
33. Union Brasserie, Bakery and Bar, Jakarta, Indonesia 
34. Bar Cham, Seoul, South Korea
35. Backstage, Bangkok, Thailand
36. Tippling Club, Singapore
37. JungleBird, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
38. The Curator, Manila, Philippines 
39. D.Bespoke, Singapore
40. Darkside, Hong Kong, China
41. Alice, Seoul, South Korea
42. The Old Man, Singapore
43. Bar Trench, Tokyo, Japan
44. Le Chamber, Seoul
45. MO Bar, Singapore
46. Vesper Bangkok, Thailand
47. Three X Co, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 
48. Teens of Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand 
49. Sago House, Singapore
50. ​Star Bar, Tokyo, Japan 

Mumbai, India
Are you looking for a cheap hotel management course in Mumbai or  anywhere in India? Then it time you stop looking for cheap courses! Cheap often comes at the expense of quality and hence you lose on valuable 3 years and money also. So it is better to look for hotel management alternatives than to do a hotel management degree for the sake of it. 
What should you look for in a hotel management college?
- Faculty & Curriculum. Speak to someone experienced and take opinions for the same. 
- Alumni connect. You can speak to alumni from that institution to get a first hand perspective. 
- Infrastructure. Does the college have proper labs for practical learning? Some college may be located in large campuses with mediocre facilities, so don't be fooled by the façade. 
- Location. Better to be close to metro cities for better industry connect unless if these colleges in non-metros are exceptional. Do not consider a college because it is close to you. 
Try to aim for the best as this will be your foundation, the learnings, the friends that you will make for life and the proud alumni status that you will treasure. 

What if you cannot afford hotel management fees ?
No problem, you can still achieve the same like a hotel management by starting off with a vocational course in kitchen, bakery, bartending  etc. 

Bartending course versus a hotel management degree?
Pros:
- Broadly one will start at a similar salary like a hotel management graduate
- One can start working post HSC or 12th  or graduation in any other stream after taking a bartending course
- A Bartending course gives one exactly those skills that most hotel management students lack
- One can start working and earning early at a young age.
- A lot of bartenders with a bartending course background follow the same career as hotel management graduates.
Cons:
- One will have to complete a bachelor's degree for future growth or getting into certain hotel chains.  One can do a degree by distance learning whilst working.
- A non hospitality graduate lacks knowledge about food and other departments of the hotel  and hence will need more effort to put whilst working. 



The Happy High Bartending Academy, Mumbai offers a 4 week full time program for 12th pass candidates or graduates with good level of conversational English.  The courses are designed by industry professionals for the industry. You can find more about the bartending institute in Ghatkopar, Mumbai here