|  This is one invite the owners of The Wine Company may regret sending for the official launch of the restaurant that started serving wine on December 26. The event hosted by J.J Valaya yesterday was a huge success, going by the number of people and the food, wine and Champagnes like Mumm’s flowing freely till they started disappearing gradually with an unprecedented number of people who may not have yet realized that they would be paying for the lunch during future visits.
But, the Wine Company has also quietly increased the prices of wines by as high as 30% within a month!
“The unprecedented USP of the restaurant is that the prices are kept the same as Retail. ‘We have kept the prices same as the wholesale prices in Gurgaon-what a customer pays at a Retail shop.’ You will be pleasantly surprised to see a Sula Dindori Reserve priced at under Rs.800; ditto for Fratelli Chardonnay at Rs.770. The imported wines are priced as low as a red and white Emiliana from Chile at Rs.990. Champagnes and Prosecco are also on display at the wholesale prices, affirms Kapur.” This is a paragraph borrowed from an article in delWine on January 6, 2014.
Emiliana now sells for Rs.1290 at an increase of 30%. Similarly, Claar Cellars has been increased from Rs.1320 to 1490 (13%), Viña Sol sees a jump of Rs. 270 (17%) from Rs.1620 to the current Rs.1890. Even Tignanello has been hiked by Rs.2000 (14%) at Rs.15990.
Indian wines have not been spared either. Fratelli shows an increase of around 35% on Chenin. The Chardonnay Fratelli selling earlier at Rs.770 is now at Rs.990 (29%). While the lowest price wine was available at Rs.770 a bottle, the current spot price has moved up to Rs.990 for Indian wines. Grover’s La Reserve sells for Rs.1100.
So what caused the company to change the declared policy? Are they also like politicians who declare their mottos only to forget them once the wind starts blowing in their direction? The unstinted support from all quarters including delWine which exhorted all wine lovers to support the restaurant might be a reason. What started with a 22-bottle a day sale has seen a whopping jump of almost 450% with the current sale of around 100 bottles a day. In fact, Ajay Saini, the enthusiastic COO of the restaurant says they are next only to Hotel Leela in the Gurgaon area to have such a sale.
 Although almost 50% of the sale is of Jacobs Creek, as Saini admits, yet it is a commendable performance and shows the latent demand of wine in a proper atmosphere and attractive prices. With Chef Saby stepping in as the food consultant, one already sees a significant improvement in the food quality and variety as noticed yesterday at the event.
Of course, food quality is making strides with additions of more varieties of food - the Raclette and pizza were particularly impressive at the launch. At the current increase in prices one may see a slowdown-and then one may not. Beyond a certain point, the customers are not as resistant to the price change and that is perhaps what the management has been banking on. The new concept of Sunday picnic baskets as suggested by Chef Saby may find many takers for the wines too.
Interestingly, a quick survey of the wine vendors revealed that there has been no increase in prices from their warehouses. The increase in prices is only due to reasons known to the management. Only time will tell how the law of supply and demand operates in the case of The Wine Company. In the meantime, please do not go there with the illusion that you will find the wines at the wholesale prices as we had mentioned in the earlier article.
Subhash Arora
Tags: The Wine Company, Gurgaon |