Tea, Wine or Tea wine Anyone?

TTRI Director Dr Anup Baruah said at the launch on Thursday at the Tea Research Association’s AGM in Jorhat in Assam, “The scientists from the Department of Mycology and Micro-Biology of the pioneer tea research institute developed three varieties of tea wine–CTC wine, Orthodox wine, and Green tea wine. Tea wine from the three varieties of tea so far is in the pipeline to go commercial.”

Rajasthan has already announced that it will soon become the first state in India to produce wine from date palm (khajoor). A winery set up near Mount Abu in southern Rajasthan will also develop wine from pomegranate and citrus fruits later. According to the Agriculture minister Prabhu Lal Saini, a winery has been established by Harpreet Singh, a farmer from the dry state Gujarat. “We changed the excise policy of the state to set up the winery. We will soon have wineries for pomegranate and citrus fruits,” he said.

Dr. Baruah said the work to make Tea wine had been progressing since the end of 2015 and was completed a week before the launch. He also conceded that there were hurdles to cross before it could be commercialised. He cited the benefits for the residue-free wine prepared from organic tea with totally pesticide free green tea which would benefit human health functioning.

Tea wine is a new approach of TTRI to develop diversified products from Assam tea. Fermentation of different types of tea with a symbolic culture of beneficial microbes in association with different stimulating organic agents yields tea wine. This can be consumed for its refreshing and beneficial properties on human health, according to TOI quoting Dr. Baruah.

While explaining the benefits of drinking tea wine, he stressed that polyphenols present in tea wine helps to prevent cardiovascular diseases, controls sugar, fights off cold, prevents dementia, and some cancers.

DelWine Point of View

It is commendable for our scientists to experiment with a health product known for its anti oxidant properties similar to wine and bring out what they claim is even a healthier product and create a new market. Tocklai is a 117- year old establishment with impressive achievements and one may not take its research lightly.

However, the news item does bring to mind the infamous quote of Queen Marie- Antoinette of France in the late 18th century. When there was acute bread shortage, she told her subjects to eat cake. With wine industry (wine made from grapes; others are known as fruit wine) being still in doldrums after existence of over two decades, it is any body’s guess how this project would be viable commercially, especially as the flavours of tea-wine are yet to be tested widely. In fact, it is significant to note what Dr. Baruah emphasises. ‘Tea wine from the three varieties of tea so far is in the pipeline to go commercial,’ he emphasises. (It reminds us of several wine studies on a few rats and inferring the same results soon for the humans consuming wine). Great experiment that would await the results in the market place.

Anyone who dares take the risky step would hopefully conduct an extensive market survey before venturing into it, even after the TTRI declares it commercially feasible. It is likely that once the long overdue wine laws are enacted in India, it may not even be allowed to be classified as wine though, as in the case of the recent adventurous Blue Wine from Spain, which may not be called ‘wine’ according to the EU laws but is nevertheless being exported to the US where novelty-smitten drinkers are waiting to taste as it becomes available.

Dr Baruah and the Institute assume that the benefits of polyphenols present in tea and wine individually, helping to prevent cardiovascular diseases, controls sugar, fighting off cold, preventing  dementia, and some cancers. It is an unjustified assumption that tea wine will have more or the same benefits until new health studies are carried out with the new concoction. After all it’s not a mere blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot that one can possibly find synergy in the flavour and aroma profile of the blend. An irreversible chemical reaction takes place in fermentation and one would need to study the effects of this wine; it took hundreds of studies on thousands of subjects to claim with some confidence that both tea and wine are individually good for health, thanks to the anti-oxidants.

It may be too early to reflect on the cost factor (tea prices fluctuate heavily every year in auctions) but it would come into play significantly and would certainly be a part of the study for commercialisation. One hopes the State where it is produced-ostensibly Assam, would waive off the excise duty. Wine has a big and expanding market in Northern States as  smart producers and importers have already found to their delight. With proper promotion and ‘commercialisation’ tea wine might just work, in the excise-duty free segment.

In any case, this ‘Make in India’ concept would certainly please our tea-Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi. Who knows it might even get a boost from the government that has been eluding wine which might get the attention and focus it deserves as a low alcohol, healthy, lifestyle drink.

And for Me?! I love tea (I have even been to tea tastings and on occasions have tasted 8-10 premium teas at breakfasts). Of course, I love wine. But I am not sure I am ready to add T-wine to my portfolio-not yet anyway.

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