Like a good Bordeaux wine, the IFE-India is maturing every year and getting better every year, felt the exhibitors and visitors alike. The wine aspect of the show was particularly impressive. Thanks to the mature and helpful attitude of the excise department, tastings have been possible at the stands this year and the wine and spirits hall specially erected for the specialty companies proved such a hit that the last day the crowd became unmanageable resulting in the show being closed an hour earlier than the scheduled time.

‘The first day was rather dull for us’ , says Maureen Kerleau who was in the wine hall and took part for the third year in running-only this time through her IFE-inspired distributor, Gold Star and Shah & Co. Mumbai. ‘But as the people came to know about the special wine hall, we were extremely busy the next two days. The Guided Tasting Sessions held in the tasting auditorium also helped increase the foot-falls and we were able to promote our region.’

ND Wines, on the other hand felt they would have had a better response in other halls. Pearls Wines whose main shipment from Australia was cooling heels at the customs warehouse due to formalities had to be content with wine posters with the beautiful sex and a few bottles of wines they had. ‘We hope to be back next year with many more brands and wines,’ claimed Mr. K P Singh, the project in-charge.

Spanish Marife Blanco, export manager of Navarra based Bodegas Julian Chivite was nervous initially, but eventually was very pleased with the enquiries received and feels she has a distributor in hand. Franco Canciani, the export manager of Banear, was overwhelmed by the demand and enquiries generated for his Friuli wines.

The most attractive hall was ‘Italy’, organised by the Italian Trade Commission. Giancarlo Lamio, the Trade Commissioner was extremely pleased with the performance and was confident that they would take part in a bigger way next year. With a 43% increase in trade between Italy and India last year, Nicolo Tossoni, Commercial Counselor of the Italian embassy was very upbeat about the success of participation.

Giuseppe Monforte, President of Federexport Piemonte, which was a part of the Italy pavilion, had mixed reaction. ‘I am not very happy with the quality of the people visiting the show. We have had many enquiries and lots of tastings but I am not optimistic that these will produce results.’ He hopes to return next year though.

Louisi Molinelli, owner of Molinelli Estate and President of the Consorzio di Piacenza was very excited perhaps because Taj Hotel, Diva and the Sheraton loved his wines and were keen on listing his wines the moment an importer was appointed.

Finding an importer is not the easiest job at these shows or otherwise. Cesar Merchàn, from Bodega Viña Extremeña in Extremadura, Spain had come for the third time with a break last year. His company makes some excellent wines but he has still not been able to find an importer.

The Austria, Spain, Germany, Australia, Sopexa, Turkey and South Africa also seemed to be extremely busy.

Guided Tasting Seminars

The five seminars on wines from Italy, France, Spain, World and Sherries of Spain were extremely successful and well attended. In fact, the Spanish one had people waiting outside. Another one organised also by the Indian Wine Academy was for the college students and faculty of Gurgaon was a hit, with over 70 people attending, not counting many outsiders listening patiently to Subhash Arora’s preachings on wine and how to appreciate it better.

What Next

‘We are very happy that we have been so well received,’ said Matthew Benyon, MD of Montgomery International, London who has teamed with Interads Pvt Ltd to organise this and several other exhibitions. ‘We realize there is plenty more to do but we learn from our mistakes and do a better job every year. This is also reflected in the fact that our exhibitor participation and the trade turnout is increasing every year.

K V Rajeevan who is the MD of Interads Montgomery India Pvt Ltd., the organiser of the show had to work double shift as they also held the India Wine Challenge at Hyatt Regency Hotel with Robert Joseph. With enormous amount of excise formalities required, this was a daunting task, which his team was able to manage successfully.

‘Next year IFE-India will be back with more exhibitors, better facilities, more guided wine tastings and seminars and another edition of India Wine Challenge,’ confirmed Rajeevan.