LUNCH WITH BS: Rajeev Samant

New shine to wine

With even Bollywood's latest hits showing stars sipping some red, it's safe to say wine has arrived in this primarily Scotch-drinking country.

For a country with an overwhelming number of taboos, dry days and dry states, illogical laws, an illogical drinking age, and an inordinate fondness for "Scotch", 7.5 million litres of wine consumed (in 2006-2007) is not such a bad claim to make. As one of the fastest-growing wine markets in the world, India is, literally, on a high "" a change reflected as much in real sales as in reel-life Bollywood, where a glass of red has suddenly become a cool accessory. That's what I fleetingly discuss with Rajeev Samant, CEO, Sula Vineyards, perhaps the savviest face of Indian wine. There's Preity Zinta, for instance, in Dil Chahta Hai, he says, Priyanka Chopra in Bluffmaster and Hrithik and Aishwarya in the uber-stylish Dhoom II, none the worse in audiences' eyes for a glass of red. It helps, of course, that behind these characters is a generation of filmmakers with newer sensibilities and, er, friendships: "... both Nikhil Advani and Rohan Sippy are friends and you will see a lot of Sula in their films," chuckles Samant. This is possibly the most inconsequential part of our conversation but it is a statement that sums up the marketing savvy of our guest, writes Anoothi Vishal.

The story of a young Stanford graduate chucking his job at Oracle in San Francisco (where an American girlfriend introduced him to wine) to come back home to a 30-acre plot of family land in Nashik is now part of Indian wine's folklore. For the record, Samant teamed up with Kerry Damskey, a leading winemaker from California's Sonoma Valley, and planted his first vines in 1997.

Since then, both Sula (named, I am told, after his mother Sulabha, an accomplished pianist) and the Indian wine industry have grown manifold. The Future Group has just invested Rs 50 crore in the company and ambitious retail and import plans (including for Japan's Asahi beer) are afoot. Even abroad, the "sun" label is making its presence felt in trendy restaurants, like the Tabla, New York. But Sula's spectacular success "" it is the second largest wine company in India in terms of volumes "" is as much due to Samant's sharp acumen as to his wines.

I have a tight schedule and have made him promise to be on time at 1.30 pm, "sharp". "...Sharp, sharp..." messages back Samant. Not too much of a wait later, he saunters into San Gimignano, The Imperial's charming Italian restaurant. Without wasting time, we jump into the serious business of ordering wine. Samant tentatively suggests a bottle of Sula sauvignon blanc (a very pleasant afternoon drink indeed), not listed on the menu, but one that can be made available "" if you are in the know. But considering that I am lunching with who I am, and because Samant admits to having split the very same with his own guests in the same hotel's verandah bar just half an hour ago, I suggest that we go by-the-glass and that he choose for both of us.

The Imperial's wine list (which I have always thought of as being fairly decent) leaves our guest somehwhat unimpressed though. "They believe in favouring international labels," he cribs and truly, it is tough to spot an Indian one. But Samant has made his choice: a viognier for me and a Sonoma Valley cabernet for himself; Napa's "poorer cousin."

While we wait for the drinks, I decide to talk to him about something that greatly bothers the Indian consumer. Despite recent cuts, duties on imported wines continue to be unrealistic, translating into unjustified prices for even average supermarket-type wines. Duties have been kept high allegedly under pressure from the domestic lobby. But isn't it harming the entire market?

Samant's take is unapologetic. His logic is that there should be a flat fee for all wines so that the domestic industry is given some protection from cheap plonk while the consumer benefits from fine wines at reasonable prices. This is an idealistic scenario, he agrees, one that probably will never come into force.

Just then our wines arrive. The waiter shows me the bottle and I go through the motions of tasting "" as anyone keen to be perceived as non-fussy in five-star environs would. In Samant, however, resides another type of diner altogether. One look at the label and he sends the bottle back, "Sorry, I cannot accept that..." The staff is shocked but complies. "Why?" I ask. "Because the label is wrong," he shoots back. This is obviously something that has been printed in India and sent to the US to be pasted on bottles meant specifically for the Indian market, I am told. The clue lies in the French-style label "" certainly misleading in a novice wine country. Mushal, I learn later, is produced by one Avtar Singh Sandhu in California and named after his village in Punjab! Perhaps our guest knew this.

Another wine arrives, this time every thing appears satisfactory until the waiter pours it. Samant now puts his glass against mine to compare the levels "" the pour of his red is slightly lower and the hapless waiter is summoned back. I am beginning to learn some important lessons before we are interrupted once again. This time, it is the expat sommelier, responsible for the choice of wines in this hotel. He arrives, deeply apologetic and assures Samant that the reason he is in India is because he loves its wines! Our guest smoothly invites him to his Nashik vineyard the next season. All misgivings are put to rest.

For a while, we chat about what Sula has been doing lately and what the company hopes to achieve. It now has the country's costliest wine (Dindori, the reserve shiraz, at Rs 700 a bottle), but is looking at the lowest end of the spectrum this year with two new wines made from table grapes. The company also hopes to add 500 acres a year to its vineyards through contract farming, mostly in Maharashtra. ("This is the place that I know, this is where I belong.") Further, Sula is sending its products to some surprising destinations like the Andamans and all its bottles will now have screw caps instead of corks "" a measure that is not only cost-efficient but also effective in preserving quality; a big trend worldwide. The time of sniffing snobbery is well and truly over, it seems.

For the main course, I settle for a vegetarian gnocchi, Samant chooses a squid ink risotto (both excellent). The conversation moves to the investment made by the Future Group and how an IPO may come about some years down the line. But Samant is also saving up other interesting bits: a new retail venture with at least 30-40 wine stores and store-in-stores planned over the next year in Maharashtra, at an investment of Rs 5 crore. Plus, Sula (as well as other labels) will now be available in retail stores even in states like Haryana, at places such as Spencer's, Vishal Megamart and the various Food Bazaar outlets (Sula will manage the wine section here). I am still cheering about picking up a bottle while buying groceries "" if not in Delhi, in Gurgaon "" when our guest takes his leave. There's another appointment before the flight back.