A Sauvignon Blanc from India has made history by winning the country's first International Trophy, according to results from the Decanter Asia Wine Awards 2014, released online today. Claiming the International Trophy for best Sauvignon Blanc, one of only 15 awarded in this year’s competition was the Grover Zampa, Art Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2014 from Nandi Hills, Karnataka in India. Made by India’s largest exporter of wine, Grover Zampa’s success is the culmination of 22 years work, 9 of which has been with wine consultant Michel Rolland. Despite being unchallenged in its category, judges were unanimous in their decision to bestow the top accolade, reflecting India’s burgeoning wine scene. In another first, winning the Regional Trophy for Asia Sweet Fortified was Hatten’s Pino de Bali NV from Bali in Indonesia. The winning dessert wine, from the country’s first winery, is made by Australian winemaker James Kalleske and produced in limited quantities of 5,000 bottles a year.

Highlighting the wines’ success in her DAWA co-chair report, Jeannie Cho Lee MW called it the ‘surprise of the competition’. ‘History was made when these two wines were not just awarded gold medals but trophies for their outstanding quality’, she said.buy harry potter wine glass Both wines beat stiff competition from a total of 2,500 wines entered, of which 2,227 were medal winners, comprising 15 International, 30 Regional Trophies, 106 Golds and 509 Silvers, 1095 Bronzes and 517 Commendeds.cheap red wine not dry Wines were once again judged blind, in the third year of the competition, which took place in Hong Kong in September. best treatment for red wine stainWines were tasted by a total of 42 judges, drawn predominantly from across Asia, and overseen by competition co-chairs Steven Spurrier and Jeannie Cho Lee MW.buy wine east village

Vice-chairs were Gerard Basset MS MW OBE, Decanter columnist Andrew Jefford, Shinya Tasaki and CH’NG Poh Tiong. Australia led the way with a total of 536 wine entries, winning 4 Internationals, 2 Regionals and 28 Golds. red wine price benefitsItaly followed with 481, 318 from France (including 85 from Bordeaux and 75 from Champagne) and 223 from Spain, from which one International, six Regionals and 9 Golds were given.wine for cold weather New World wines also featured strongly; 180 from New Zealand, 165 from Chile and 143 from Argentina, as were wines from the usually under-represented Central and Eastern Europe and Middle East (88 wines); of which all 22 entered by Israel won medals. The competition also saw 28 Chinese wines tasted, 22 from India and 21 from Thailand, the emergence of which was highlighted by Steven Spurrier in his co-chair report: ‘Ten years ago, such countries would have barely featured at the Decanter World Wine Awards, so to find them here in Hong Kong was very satisfying.’

Jeannie Cho Lee MW says ‘consumers have a lot to look forward to with the announcement of this year’s DAWA results’ and recommends consumers to ‘look beyond just the gold medal and trophy winners’. ‘With our rigorous criteria and dedicated team of talented judges, the results of 2014 DAWA winners will be a useful filter for quality wines in a sea of choices,’ she said. There are a number of opportunities for consumers to taste DAWA winning wines at various promotional events over the coming months. These include a tasting of New World winning wines at the Wine & Dine Festival in Hong Kong on 2 November, a tasting of 80 medal-winning wines on 25 November with leading wine retailer Watson’s Wine in Hong Kong, as well as 16 Gold and Trophy winners on show at Decanter’s inaugural Fine Wine Encounter in Shanghai on 29 November. DAWA wines will also be showcased in a number of retailers, restaurants and hotels in Hong Kong, Singapore and Mainland China when the official tasting series launches on 1 December.

See the full DAWA 2014 resultsAs reported by The Indian Express, by 2017, wine consumption in India will have increased to 2.1 million cases, up 73% from the 1.10 cases consumed in 2013. According to the Vinexpo survey, Indians are likely to drink 1.15 million cases of red wine, 0.63 million cases of white wine and 0.10 million cases of rosé by 2017. Consumption of red wine is expected to grow from accounting for 61% of total wine consumption in India to 71.6% in 2017. “Many factors are behind it as there is rise in the salary in the country, people are traveling to the West, local production is increasing and people are becoming sophisticated. “For similar reasons, wine consumption in China has increased. It triggers demand in any country,” Vinexpo chairman Xavier De Eizaguirre said. Spirits consumption is also set to shoot up by 20% over the next four years to 373.5 million cases, the Vinexpo study predicted. The 20% predicted growth illustrates a leveling out of spirits consumption in India, which grew by 74% between 2008 and 2012 fuelled by brandy and Scotch sales, which were up by 155% and 110% respectively over the four-year period.

If the forecast is correct, by 2017 India will have be the fourth largest Asian spirits importer ahead of Thailand. Vinexpo also predicts that Indian sparkling wine consumption will have doubled by 2017. While one in four bottles of wine consumed in India today is imported, by 2017 imports are set to increase from 0.28 million cases to 0.48 million cases. The legal drinking age in India and the laws which regulate the sale and consumption of alcohol vary significantly from state to state.[1] In India, consumption of alcohol is prohibited in the states of Gujarat, Bihar, Manipur and Nagaland [2] as well as the union territory of Lakshadweep. The Kerala government has planned to implement almost full[3] prohibition of hard liquor[3][4] in a phased manner,[5] which will take 10 years starting from third quarter of 2014.[5] All other Indian states permit alcohol consumption but fix a legal drinking age, which ranges at different ages per region. In some states, the legal drinking age can be different for different types of alcoholic beverage.

In spite of legal restrictions, alcohol consumption in India has risen over 55% over a period of 20 years (according to OECD figures). Alcohol is a subject in the State List under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India.[10] Therefore, the laws governing alcohol vary from state to state. Liquor in India is generally sold at liquor stores, restaurants, hotels, bars, pubs, clubs and discos. Some states, like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, prohibit private parties from owning liquor stores making the state government the sole retailer of alcohol in those states. In some states, liquor may be sold at groceries, departmental stores, banquet halls and/or farm houses. Some tourist areas have special laws allowing the sale of alcohol on beaches and houseboats. Home delivery of alcoholic beverages is illegal in Delhi.[11] However, in Delhi home delivery of beer and wine by private vendors and departmental stores is permitted. The following list is incomplete. Please help complete the list by providing references

The blood alcohol content (BAC) legal limit is 0.03%[35] or 30 µl alcohol in 100 ml blood. On 1 March 2012, the Union Cabinet approved proposed changes to the Motor Vehicle Act. Higher penalties were introduced, including fines from ₹2,000 to ₹10,000 and imprisonment from 6 months to 4 years. Different penalties are assessed depending on the blood alcohol content at the time of the offence. Dry Days are specific days when the sale of alcohol is not permitted. Most of the Indian states observe these days on major national festivals/occasions such as Republic Day (January 26), Independence Day (August 15) and Gandhi Jayanti (October 2).[38] Dry days are also observed on and around voting days. Prohibited days are also announced when elections are held in the state. Every excise year, the Government of Delhi, notifies the number of Prohibited days in a year. The three national holidays — January 26, October 2 and August 15, are always prohibited days, and additional prohibited days are announced at the start of the excise year (1 July).

†Festival date may be in either month. In addition to the above the following days are also prohibited days: In addition to the above the following days are also Prohibited days: †Date may be in either month. During elections, are observed the day of the vote, the day before the vote, and during vote counting. Sundays are no longer observed as Prohibited days in the state. Gandhi Jayanti (October 2),[46] Independence Day (August 15) and also prohibited days are announced when elections are held in the state. This list may vary depending on the date of festivals as well as specific Prohibited day announcements by the Government of Maharashtra. †Festival date may be in June or July. Prohibited days are designated on election days, plus the two days before and after the vote, and the day(s) of the count, plus one day before and one day after the counting days. The district collector can also designate any day as a Prohibited day by giving seven days notice.