Wine consumption in India growing at 30%

Kochi, Aug 22 (UNI) Wine consumption in India is growing at a brisk 30 per cent annually, compared to ten to 12 per cent increase in Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), Grover Vineyards Director Aman Dhall said today.

Addressing a press conference here, after launching the company's leading wine brands in Kerala, Mr Dhall said wine was generally seen as a ''healthy drink'' with medical studies showing that moderate wine consumption was good for the cardio-vascular system.

In fact, in Maharahstra and Karnataka there were zero excise duty on wine as it was categorised as a 'fruit drink', he said.

Assistant Winemaker at Grover Vineyards, the first woman winemaker in the country, Yashoda Devi said even diabetics could enjoy a drink of wine occasionally as there was no added sugar content in it.

Mr Dhall said, in Kerala the consumption of wine was growing at about 40 per cent, which was higher than the national average.

He estimated the total market for wine in the country to be about 4,00,000 cases, of which 25 per cent was imported wines.

Stating that Indian wine was beginning to be accepted abroad, including France, the heartland of winemaking, Mr Dhall said Grover Vineyards was exporting wine to US, France, UK and Australia. About 25 per cent of the company's total annual production of 1,00,000 cases was exported, he said.

In view of the rising demand for wine in the country, Grover Vineyards planned to produce 1,60,000 cases by the end of March 2008.

The company's vineyards were spread over 400 acres in the Nandi hills near Bangalore. Its brands included 'La Reserve' and 'Cabernet Shiraz', both red wines, and white wines - 'Sauvignon Blanc', 'Viognier Clairette' and 'Sante Chenin Blanc'.

The products were priced between Rs 382 and Rs 684.

UNI