 Indage-owned 'In Wine and Beer Stores' claim to be India's first wine retail chain; two stores have been opened recently in Worli and Bandra and more are in the offing. Wines from countries like Australia, New Zealand, USA, Chile, South Africa, Italy, France and Spain are available besides India.
You can buy a bottle of wine for as low as Rs. 62 ($ 1.5)- the half bottle of the low-end sparkling Vino (delWine does not recognise the illegally classified 180 mL Figueira Tawny Port available for Rs.29 as wine).
At the higher-end the champagne thirsty rich denizens can pick up the top-of-the-luxury Dom for under Rs. 18,000 ($430)- not too expensive if you consider there is an excise duty of 200% apart from the 150% customs duty in Maharashtra. VAT of 20% is not included in the prices anyway.
The store is naturally heavy on the in- house product range including the Australian and South African range. The Indian portfolio includes only and the whole range of wine from Chateau Indage which does give the store a slant of prejudice and limitation. However, it does store, apart from multiple number if champagnes many other quality wines like Caliterra and Montes from Chile, Bava and Carpene Malvolti from Italy, Forrest Estate from New Zealand, Xanadu from Australia and Faiveley Burgundies.
Says Dharti Desai, CEO of Finewinesnmore.' We are happy with our association with In Wine & Beer Store as their display and training is very well done and our wines are selling fast in their stores especially our Chilean Caliterra wines. Generally they sell at MRP but have very good schemes that they pass on to the customers-better than most retailers, plus the experience and education in their stores is better.'
In Wine has opened right next to the existing IVY bar at their head office in Worli. 'We have plans to open several outlets in other places as well as in Delhi,' says Ranjit Chougule, Director of the holding company Indrinks Retail. 'Our endeavour is to take wine awareness to the next level. Here, we provide personalised assistance to the consumer so that wine buying becomes a pleasing experience,' he adds.
An interesting feature of the store is that they also loan wine glasses and flutes etc. without any charges with the wine order. Only a refundable deposit is charged to take care of breakables. They also hire out sturdy plastic bins for ice to chill wines and home deliver too.
N there is more than just wines. Accessories, free advice to help select wines, well displayed wines by the price range- all of them make these stores already ahead of supermarkets of Gurgaon and other places like Chandigarh where they have been selling wine in growing numbers.
Whether you are a vino who cannot afford anything better than Vino, a Don who would not settle for anything less than a Dom or simply a wine loving mortal, 'In Wine & Beer Store may be well worth a visit.'
Don Subhash
(In the Spanish speaking world, most of you male readers and I would qualify for the title). |