London gears up for first Indian wine fair

The first major showcase of Indian wine is set to take place in London this week.

The first Indian wine fair will take place on 6-8 November at the Millennium Conference Centre in Central London (Photo: APEDA)

The three-day wine tasting event, organised by the Indian Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), will take place from 6-8 November at the Millennium Conference Centre in Harrington Gardens, Central London.

This inaugural trade, press and consumer event will present wines from leading Indian wineries including Sula Vineyards, Grover Zampa Vineyards, Fratelli Wines, Charosa Vineyards and York Winery, as well as UK-based Indian wine brand Soul Tree Wine. Visitors will also be able to attend masterclasses hosted by world-renowned sommeliers and wine industry personalities.

The Indian government agency APEDA hopes the fair will become a regular fixture in the London tasting calendar. More than 1,000 guests are expected to visit over the three days of the fair.

“Indian wineries have tremendous potential to win over the international market. In fact, many Indian wines feature on the wine lists of some of London’s best restaurants,” said Sunil Kumar, APEDA general manager.

“This is the first time we are showcasing Indian wines on a large international platform, but we plan to make this an annual event which wine connoisseurs as well as leading wineries look forward to each year.”

Renowned Indian and international sommeliers will be joined by wine specialists including Steven Spurrier, who will host a masterclass on India’s emerging wine culture, and Peter Csizmadia-Honigh, who will host a masterclass titled ‘The Wines of India’ on the first day of the fair.

“India is the most exciting emerging wine country in Asia,” said Csizmadia-Honigh, who, as the drinks business has previously reported, is writing a book on the Indian wine industry. “I am delighted to lead a number of master classes on Indian wines for members of the UK wine trade, media and consumers.”

Providing insight on the rising popularity of Indian Wines in international markets, Alok Mathur, co-founder of Soul Tree Wine, said: “From our vantage point, in the UK we are witnessing first-hand the rapidly rising popularity of Indian wine in the country.

“Put the quality of the current crop of Indian wines with the sheer popularity of Indian cuisine and the integration of popular Indian art and culture in the fabric of society here, and it is easy to see why this is happening.” 

APEDA will also be organising a specially curated dinner for wine enthusiasts, media and trade representatives at the fair, giving them a chance to pair Indian food dishes and wine.

On the genesis of the fair, a spokesperson for the APEDA commented: “With a rich and colourful history dating back to ancient civilisations, wine has always been an integral part of Indian hospitality and culture.

“In the recent years India has experienced a boom in wine tourism and exports and has been appreciated for good quality wines. This initiative is a definitive step in the direction towards building bridges between India and International wine scene.”

Those interested in attending the event can register here.