Last week, Delhi's beer aficionados raised a toast to the introduction of Paulaner, a new brew from Munich. In the past five years, it has acquired quite a formidable reputation for its light wheat beer, which measured up to its credentials and provided a refreshing antidote to the muggy September evening at Aqua, The Park New Delhi's chic party zone.

The launch saw a lot of the beer being drunk to wash down the Bratwurst, though a couple of guests insisted that here was a brew that paired perfectly with kebabs and tikkas. A guest who asked for chicken tikkas was sadly disappointed when he was reminded by The Park's ever-cheerful serving staff that he had come to celebrate Oktoberfest, so he would only be served Bavarian delicacies.

Sanjeev Gupta, formerly with Rhine & Raavi, is the man who brought this beer into India under the banner of his newly minted company, High Spirits. Heineken now owns a 49% stake in Paulaner and since its entry, the brewery's wheat beer business has really picked up. We believe wheat beer has a decent future in the limited upper-crust market in India, especially because it is refreshingly light. Of course, it will require sustained marketing, if Gupta is serious about a market beyond the diplomatic community.

Gupta's next move will be to put together a wine portfolio. The Indian Wine Academy, which believes the Indian wine market desperately needs new players who'll infuse a new enthusiasm into the business, welcomes Gupta's entry into the business. He has made a good beginning with Paulaner, but it's his wine portfolio that we shall be watching closely.