Feb 06: After lying low for over a year, Abhay Kewadkar, the stalwart of Indian wine industry who left Four Seasons Winery owned by Diageo (earlier by United Spirits Ltd.) over a year ago, has announced his entry into import of wines, starting with the private label Early Dark from France, already available in Bangalore, besides signing up with two big wineries GCF and Borie Manoux to represent them in India, writes Subhash Arora who has known him from his Grover days before he joined USL (Diageo)
Abhay Kewadkar has partnered with Rishad Minocher of Bangalore with decades of experience in the hospitality industry to form Tetrad Global Beverages Pvt. Ltd in their city of their residence. One of their first projects has been the Launch of their private label EARLY DARK in collaboration with Vignobles Arbeau, award-winning winemakers from France. Based in South West of France, Vignobles Arbeau is a multiple award-winning winemaker exporting to over 35 countries worldwide.
The Arbeau family has been making quality wines for 5 generations and became a sustainable farm in 1998 and continues to do so. The vineyards follow traditional winemaking techniques and use state-of-the-art equipment combined with a modern approach to winemaking. Vignobles Arbeau produces wines from the areas of Bordeaux, Fronton, Gaillac and Compté Tolosan.
The Early Dark portfolio boasts of a Reserve Range of 3 varietals & Blends, and a special Regional Range (IGP) of another 3 varietals. The red blend of Syrah, Negrette and Gamay (the grape used in Beaujolais wines) in their Reserve Range has won many awards that include a rating of 90 points by Wine Enthusiast.
The wines in all the 6 variants are already available in the warehouse of KSBCL in Bangalore and for sale. Abhay Kewadkar explained thus to delWine,’ after quitting Four Seasons, it was my plan to import good quality wines at affordable prices. But I lay low and did not talk about my project till the wines were actually available in Bangalore.’ He plans to release them in Delhi as well but for the prohibitive costs of label registration in Delhi.
Tetrad is also representing two of the largest privately-owned wine companies in France – Groupe GCF and Borie Manoux. Groupe Grands Chais de France (GCF) has uncountable numbers of labels some of which are already being imported by Hema Connoisseurs. It produces 1,500,000 hL of wine with a revenue of over € 1 billion and global sales exceeding 44 million cases. Based in Alsace in France, they have vineyards, chateaux, winemaking & bottling operations in Germany, Spain, Hungary and now also in China. It is anyone’s guess if Tetrad has the exclusive rights on wines from the second biggest family in France, owned and run by Joseph Helfrich and his family.
Borie-Manoux is one of France’s largest family-owned wineries and wine merchant groups. Founded in 1870, they own over a dozen Grands Crus and Classical Chateaux in Bordeaux and hold a good position in French market, exporting to around 90 countries. Philippe Castéja, Chairman of Borie Manoux, is currently President of the Conseil des Grands Crus Classés de Bordeaux. It has been a French wine of preference for diplomats in India during the last many years, even when wine was not allowed freely to be imported in India- to non diplomats before 2002.
For an earlier related Article on Joseph Helfrich, President of Les Grands Chais de France (GCF), please visit,
Joseph Helfrich- President of GCF Group of France
For any enquiries contact Abhay Kewadkar of Rishad Minocher at Abhay@ abhay@tetradbeverages.com or rishad@tetradbeverages.com or visit their website http://tetradbeverages.com/
Subhash Arora
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