Grover Launches Viognier Clairette In Delhi
At a wine dinner organised at Olive by the Delhi Wine Club recently, their winemaker Abhay Kewadkar presented the latest wine from the stable of Grover Vineyards. A blend of Viognier, the North of Rhone, French grape and Clairette which they have been using in their white Blanc de Blanc, this wine is expected to replace the current, their slightly insipid white table wine. Also present at the event were Kapil Grover and A D Singh, owner of Olive. Other wines served at the dinner were Rose', Sauvignon Blanc and the La Reserve'97.

Bordeaux Bazaar
Vinexpo, the wine event held once every two years in Bordeaux, France, spread over five consecutive days (19 to 23 June this year) and 41,000 square metres is set in the most fabled wine region of the world, and is an ideal location for this kind of fair. In fact, it is right here that the first Vinexpo was held back in 1981. The fair has come a long way since the original 524 participants to 2,400 exhibitors (from over 45 countries) this year.

Molasses Price Reduction Will Not See Cut In Liquor Prices
Liquor companies can breath easy following indications of molasses prices easing out. Prices have now dropped to Rs 4,000 per metric tonne in Maharashtra and Rs 3,000 per metric tonne in UP in anticipation of bumper sugar crop. Molasses prices had peaked to around Rs 6,000 per metric tonne in Maharashtra in May 2005 from Rs 2,200 per month in May 2004 and from Rs 5,600 in Uttar Pradesh from Rs 1,850 during the same period.

MIDC Brews Trouble For Beer Industry
Aurangabad, which is fast emerging beer as the beer capital of the country recently suffered a setback when the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) issued a notice increasing water royalty rates by four times.