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Subhash Arora
Subhash is a pioneer of the wine culture in the endless Indian
subcontinent. He founded and runs in New Delhi the Indian
Wine Academy, where he teaches knowledge important to
consumers and wine connoisseurs. He publishes the online
magazine Delwine, which is a quality source of information for
Indian wine lovers and for the entire world about Indian wines.
He contributes to international wine magazines. Subhash is a
popular international judge.
INDIA IS THIRSTY, BUT...

India is a big market, unfortunately, with Indians generally prefer younger and fruitier
only a shallow wine tradition. Your institu- wines. Novices prefer slightly sweeter styles-
te is doing a lot in education. Let the world -particularly as such wines pair better with the
know more! spicy Indian food. We need to entice the huge
Indian Wine Academy and I have been trying population of liquor drinkers (consuming over
to educate people through our eNewsletter 600 million liquor and beer cases) to at least
“delWine” where we give India-centric current add wine in their portfolio with food.
news and information about wines (873 editi- Surprisingly, despite our generally warm
ons so far!). We help various wine clubs across weather, people still prefer red wines because
India to propagate wines; I organize several of their health benefits. I believe sparkling and
wine dinners and masterclasses (I organized rosé wines will sell better though sweet des-
300 events for Delhi Wine Club alone, which sert wines are still not fancied and will not be.
I founded in 2002). We do not limit ourselves It’s the same with fortified wines though there
to wines from a particular country though we has been a good demand for the cheap ones
founded Indian Wine Day in 2017 on Novem- like Goan Port.
ber 16 to popularise Indian wines. We have
also been celebrating women in the industry What if some good wineries from Europe,
and have instituted a Recognition as Top Ten traditional countries at the foot of Kaukasus
Women of Wine in India Award since 2013. (Georgia, Armenia) or South America will try
We mentor people and guide them to wine to sell wine on the Indian market?
courses in India and overseas. We organize They have to compete with the most pro-
multiple wine appreciation evenings with di- minent imported brand, Jacobs Creek from
verse groups, including ladies, to educate them Pernod Ricard. Unfortunately, people are not
about wine in an informal atmosphere. We generally aware about the quality and histori-
even offer consultancy to overseas producers cal background, and the 2,500 years of history
about doing business in India and sometimes of wines from Georgia, Armenia, and Moldova.
help them in sourcing importers/distributors. Concerted efforts are needed to disseminate
such information and with limited financial re-
Which styles are welcomed? How will the sources, perhaps they need to pool resources
Indian wine/alcohol market evolve to meet and organize marketing campaigns in signifi-
consumer needs in 2021 - 2024? cant cities.
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