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 For Rojita Tiwari, many things have changed since her first entry into the Top Ten WOW list came out in 2013. After a long stint with reportedly India’s largest circulated wine and spirits magazine Ambrosia, she has forged ahead to become an independent writer and consultant in the field of wine and spirits, travel and hospitality.
‘These 13 years of working as a journalist and editor for several publications on subjects such as bi-lateral trade, retail industry and wine & spirits have been a great learning curve’, says Rojita. Since the last 10 years she has been actively involved in writing about the liquor industry in general and wine in particular.
Her concentration in wine writing has grown manifold in the last few years. Visiting several wine regions such as Tuscany, Veneto, Sicily, Germany, Bordeaux, South of France, Champagne, Priorat and tasting hundreds of wines at numerous tasting events held in India and abroad, being certified with WSET L2 qualification, has just reiterated her deeper desire to learn more about the intrinsic ways the wine world operates. She took the initiative to organise the first ever Indian wines tasting in Vinexpo, Bordeaux in 2013 marking the only presence for India in the international wine and spirits event. The tasting was conducted at Ambrosia's stand and attended by six prominent internationally renowned MWs and wine experts. During her tenure with the magazine, Rojita has successfully organised a number of wine and spirits tastings, conferences and managed awards for four editions of the alcobev trade exhibition INDSPIRIT.
Since August 2014, she has established her own venture called Drinks & Destinations and her blog site www.drinksanddestinations.wordpress.com. She is actively involved in educating consumers and trade about wine through training sessions and master classes and offering consultancy to a number of brands. “For me a significant accomplishment since working independent has been curating of ‘Celebrating India’s Finest 50 Wines’, the first ever list. A prestigious selection of wines, result of a two-day long blind tasting and judging of 82 Indian wines by 8 qualified and experienced, well-known wine professionals. The event took place in October 2014 and those wines were showcased at the recently concluded Mumbai Wine Festival”, says Rojita.
As an independent writer, she is contributing to several publications and websites in India and abroad such as Decanter, Just-drinks, A Luxury Travel Blog, Luxpresso, Sommelier India, delWine and thewineclub.in. She is also working as a Consulting Editor for a newly launched wine and spirits information website.
She has been invited as a wine taster/writer to several international wine events and has been a judge at the international wine competition, Concours Mondial de Bruxelles twice. Besides writing, judging, educating and tasting wines.
“The journey so far has been interesting yet challenging. The wine industry in India is much diverse than its international counterparts as is the Indian wine drinker from its European, American or Australian counterparts.”
“From understanding wines to actually putting it into practice (having the choice to pick up the right wine, proper glassware, serving at right temperature etc.) the Indian wine consumer has come a long way but it is still just the beginning. Same is the case with wine writing in the country; the wine writer’s experience and knowledge of wine is yet to be translated into her/his writing”, admits Rojita, who is determined to contribute every bit to elevate wine knowledge in the country through her writing.
For her commitment to wine writing, tastings, education, judging and working as a wine curator, we welcome Rojita Tiwari to India’s Top Ten WOW 2015!
Subhash Arora
Earlier articles
WOW 2015: Sonal Holland from ITC Hotels
WOW 2015: Karishma Grover-Winemaker at GroverZ
WOW 2015: Rupali Bhatnagar-Winemaker at Sula |