After almost two years of no social interaction, having the top players and influential celebrities from the world of wine and spirits all under one roof felt like a nostalgic rendezvous. That was the scene at Vinexpo’s second edition held at the Leela in Andheri from 18 to 20 August. The event was organized by Vinexposium, the Leading Global Organizer of Wine and Spirits Events, and InterAds Exhibitions - India's leading exhibition organizer in India.

Vinexpo India is a one-of-its-kind B2B trade show for wine and spirits manufacturers where wine and spirits professionals expand their horizons, network with industry key players, identify and explore the markets, and promote their brands, all under one roof. The three-day free event was power-packed, fizzing with fresh ideas to take the sector forward, witnessing multiple potential collaborations.

Speaking about the event, Rodolphe Lameyse, chief executive officer, Vinexposium, commented, “The second Edition of Vinexpo India in Mumbai had a resounding success, It was inspiring to see the prominent leaders of the industry from all over the world convene under one roof and have productive solution-oriented sessions. Seeing so many faces participating in discussions at the booths and the masterclasses was a true pleasure. It was impactful to associate with Indian Associations and our partners Interads to launch Vinexpo India at the peak of the Pandemic last year. I am already looking forward to the Next Edition in Delhi in December 2022.”

The event witnessed a footfall of 2000+ visitors and over 1300 attendees at the master classes, including the presence of top Indian and international wine and spirits manufacturers and brands such as Sula Wines, Agriment Italy, John Distilleries, Fratelli Wines, Matia Antonia, to name a few. Swiss Luxury Spirits Producer SWISSVÄL showcased the luxury range of Alpine Gin, Single Malt Whisky, and an interesting hot and spicy Drink-Williams with bird’s eye chili that makes an excellent cocktail with Red Bull.

Rajeev Samant, founder and chief executive officer, Sula Vineyards, and SK N Kumar, chairman, Meghalaya Farmers (Empowerment) Commission, delivered an impactful Keynote Address and set the ball rolling for 14 record Masterclasses. These classes were the backbone of the show, had a good number of wineries directly participating from Italy, Bordeaux, and the US importers like Sonarys, Aspri, VBev, and The Wine Park showed their wares- complete with display and tasting.

These sessions were conducted on a wide range of topics. One of the key highlights was an all-women panel discussion moderated by Digital influencer Malini. The panel included the top wine women of India, discussing the opportunities and challenges faced by women in the wine industry.

Other interesting topics discussed at Vinexpo India included the real-life stories of small wine producers in India, Wines of Argentina, and California, The Untold Story of the World’s Rarest wines, wines of Karnataka, and many more.

Roland Coiffe & Associés, wine merchants from Bordeaux (France) and producers of fine wines, brought a range of wines from different parts of France. He said, “Vinexpo India has been very well organized and Mumbai, is a great location choice. At the booth, we witnessed a continuous flow of visitors and this is important as we want to optimize our space and time and showcase our products in the best possible way. We will need to have more such expos in the future. This will attract more producers and exporters from different regions to showcase more wines. I see the great potential and promise for fine wines in India in the coming years. However, there is a scope for improvement when it comes to administration and logistics in India. There are a lot of constraints in bringing wine into the country. Also, a lot of paperwork is involved, so with a little help by the concerned officials and government bodies, the wine market in India will accelerate.”

Another highlight was the session by Top Sommelier of Italy 2019-

Mattia Antonio Cianca from Italy has teamed up with Amrita Singh in Bordeaux to bring an eclectic range of Italian wines from 10 wineries. Agriment Italia brought a range of Italian wines from different regions.

Jayanth Bharathi, deputy general manager-marketing, Fratelli Wines, said, “This has been a wonderful experience to meet so many people and showcase some of our wines. With more education and ability to appreciate wines better, Indians are gravitating towards premium and quality wines.”

Rajan Sharma, director, InterAds, says, “It is encouraging to see such a positive response from an increasing number of wine enthusiasts in India. Am glad we can provide a suitable platform to several wine producers and spirits manufacturers, not only from India but from across the world, thus playing a vital role in the growth of the alco-beverage industry in India.”

India is seeing very healthy growth in the wine industry and is here to stay. Compared to some western regions, India is at a nascent stage, but this is just the beginning. Events like Vinexpo India will help fuel the existing growth in the industry and get more consumers to enjoy and appreciate wines.

After this successful Mumbai edition, Vinexpo India is all set to take place next at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, 03 December 2022.