Indian Wine Consumer’s Choice Awards on Jan 9 in Mumbai

By BW Hotelier THE FOURTH edition of 'The Indian Wine Consumer's Choice Awards, 2016' by All Things Nice, an annual premium wine competition conceptualized by Sommelier Nikhil Agarwal with an aim to propel wine culture in India to new heights will be held on January 9, 2016 at Sofitel Hotel, Mumbai. The aim of the Indian Wine Consumer's Choice Awards (IWCCA) is to give Indian consumers an opportunity to judge for themselves and on behalf of other consumers the best Indian wines available in the country. This annual accreditation opens the doors for consumers to acknowledge and celebrate new vintages and new wines launched in the market as well as provide insight to wineries about what the burgeoning Indian market is inclined towards. The modus operandi involves bringing together all domestically produced wines in the premium category, have them efficiently categorized into a systematic tasting and then invite the actual wine consumer/enthusiast to judge the wine. ’The Indian Wine Consumers Choice Awards or IWCCA has quickly become a guide for consumers who are interested in purchasing Indian wine. It brings to light, brands and styles that deserve recognition. With more wineries starting up in India and more wines being launched by existing wineries, the IWCCA creates an independent list of quality wines chosen by consumers themselves’, said Nikhil Agarwal, Sommelier and CEO, All Things Nice and the mastermind behind the IWCCA. This competition thereby unearths an independent list of India's finest wines judged by the very people who drink them. The consumers taste the wines blind, unaware of the brand name or price point thereby allowing an unbiased judgment based purely on the quality of the wine itself. The only information provided would be the grape varietal and the wine will be judged on the basis of its aroma, color and palate. The winners of each category of the competition will be announced a week post the judging through the All Things Nice website and other media channels. Winners are accredited with IWCCA Gold, Silver and Bronze certifications and IWCCA medals. The IWCCA takes place on the 9th of January 2016 at Sofitel Hotel, Bandra Kurla Complex. All Things Nice members usually have access to the judging panel however external entries to enrol as a potential judge are also accepted. So if you are a wine enthusiast or simply a regular wine drinker, we-recommend you to contact us to be part of this consumer driven-initiative. Later in the month, winning wines will also be showcased to all consumers at ’Celebrating India’s Finest’ also hosted by All Things Nice. Photo: Sommelier Nikhil Agarwal (standing, middle) with the judges at The Indian Wine Consumer's Choice Awards.