Why we whine

THE WINE CLUB

The run-up to the recent Union Budget had raised high hopes (and some fears) that customs duties on wines and spirits would be reduced.

We in India pay the highest customs duties on imported wines and spirits in the world "" for wines, this varies between 150 and 250 per cent of the landed (CIF) price.

Pre-budget rumours about impending changes favoured either a removal of the Additional Customs Duty "" and the abolition of the Duty Free Customs Exemption Scheme whereby hotels can bring in duty-free items "" or the gradual reduction of duties over the next few years. Indeed, importers played on these rumours to entice many hotels to pick up large quantities of wines and spirits "" enough to last for several months.

Both hopes and fears were unfounded as the government did absolutely nothing "" a not-uncommon course of inaction when faced with a contentious issue.

One hears that Sharad Pawar "" the redoubtable minister for agriculture and patron-in-chief of the nascent Indian wine industry centered in Maharashtra "" played a very effective veto to the ministry of commerce's proposals to reduce import duties.

We also have a series of mystifying comments by Kamal Nath regarding the government's intent to "abide by WTO sentiments" and bring down duties in the near future. Presumably, the minister is awaiting the outcome of some election or the other, or some further arm-twisting by the EU.

No wonder wine consumers in India whine about the high prices of wine. It is stupid for us to have to pay Rs 900 (the equivalent of $20) per bottle for something that sells overseas for $7-8 (no, I won't name names).

This merely curbs consumer offtake and does no favours for the domestic wine industry either: keeping competitive prices unrealistically high merely inflates prices of the locally-produced stuff "" which again curbs growth. That wine consumption is growing overall at 25-30 per cent annually despite all these constraints means that the unfettered demand must be many times higher!

Despite all this, the brand wagon of imported wines rolls on. Bangalore has just seen the introduction of some wines from south Australia: Gum Bear Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (Rs 750) has a classic complex berry and cassis aroma and an intense palate, with balanced tannins and a soft finish; the Gum Bear Unwooded Chardonnay (also Rs 750) has an attractive apple and lime-lemon nose and a creamy yet balanced taste; the Coonawarra Premium Vineyards Cabernet Shiraz Merlot (Rs 1,050) is a nice blend of three grapes, with a spicy aroma of fruits and cherries and well-integrated tannins; lastly the CPV Unwooded Chardonnay (Rs 975), which has a nose of lemons and pears and a soft, clean and crisp palate.

Well worth trying "" the Coonawarra region is known for its Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnays, and one hopes that drinking a nice wine (even at the inflated prices one has to pay in India) will leave a good taste behind.

Here's mud in yer eye, mate!

al.chandra@gmail.com