| The Ambassador of Portugal to India, His Excellency Jorge Roza de Oliveira arrived in New Delhi about four and a half years ago. I had met him very soon after, and he was very upbeat about the prospects of Portuguese wine in India. He had a plan to 'fortify' the footing of Portuguese wine in India. As Jorge prepares to leave India to take up his next assignment in Mexico, I took the chance to take stock of his wine endeavours. |
| Before arriving in India, Jorge had enticed many wine producers in Portugal to show their wines in India and when he arrived, he met with all the stakeholders in India – the importers, the food and beverage managers in luxury hotels and the wine press – to impress upon them the missing region i.e. Portugal in their portfolios. |
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The Ambassador of Portugal to India, His Excellency Jorge Roza de Oliveira |
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| According to Jorge, the situation has not changed much in terms of the presence of Portuguese wines available in India. Jorge accepts that "Portugal arrived in the race for the Indian market too late!" It was difficult to penetrate the existing portfolios of the Indian importers, and a Portuguese wine would have been included only if it made a big difference or its demand was very high – that was not to be. And then, soon after he commenced his efforts in India, Portugal was staring a financial crisis in the face. It was not that he was not warmly received, but he recognises in hindsight that there is a big leap from a successful presentation in the boardroom to a wine being made available on the Indian market. |
| India has a small and growing wine appreciating community, and they were surely not hesitant to try Portuguese wines – in fact they were appreciative of them. This was evidenced by the wine activities that he did manage to do. He did not do so many, but he recalls very fondly the port tasting and dinner with Dirk Niepoort that he had co-hosted with FINE magazines in 2012. |
| The Geographical Indication of Port was recognised by India during his tenure, and Jorge feels very strongly about the misuse of the name by many Indian companies that make a miserably below average wine, sometimes bottled in cheap plastic. Indians have built a resistance to "real" port, thinking it would be as undrinkable as its Indian pass-off. Has he ever had the opportunity to taste the Indian stuff? NO, is the emphatic reply. A de-clogger could be injurious to health! |
| Somewhere, Jorge believes it is the responsibility of the Indian government to work to reduce the taxes on wine which created the unfortunate situation where only the one euro bottles are likely to get imported. India deserves better. He hopes that the talks on the FTA with the European Union will be revived, because it is in the interest of both parties. |
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The Ambassador in his office |
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| Jorge is optimistic that the Portuguese producer's will have to continue to knock on India's door. India is a market that they cannot ignore. China and Brazil are not easy, but they are working there. Portuguese wine companies are also exploring the possibility of local ventures, and have been scouting in Nashik. Even if Jorge is frustrated by what he could not achieve, in his own style he says "I did what I could do". |
| "Jorge" is derived from the Greek word "Georgos" that means farmer or someone who works the soil. True to his name, Jorge Roza de Oliveira, has tilled (and toiled on) the soil of the market for wine in India and sowed the seeds for Portuguese wine – he hopes to visit (soon) to see the fruit of his efforts and enjoy butter chicken with a robust Portuguese red with me! |
