ProWine Mumbai, organized by Messe Düsseldorf India and All Things Nice is an international event held in Mumbai each year, which brings together professionals and business firms from the wine and spirit industry from around the globe.
In addition to wines, this year’s event organised at the swanky Jio World Convention Centre at BKC Mumbai, also introduced the ‘ProSpirits’ section.
Great Britain & Northern Ireland Stall
Personally I have always been interested in the wines and spirits of the United Kingdom and so it was a great delight for me to visit the enclosure of Wines and Spirits of Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the ProWine Mumbai 2024 venue.
Scotland Gins
A young man in the traditional Scottish Kilt was first to catch my attention. It was very interesting to listen to him as he explained about a range of his Scottish Gins from the west of Scotland. This included information on flavour profiles and various botanicals used in making these Gins followed by a tasting of Gin samples of different flavour profiles.
Beckford’s of Bath
My next stop at the at the stall of Beckford’s Rum which comes from the City of Bath in UK.
Beckford’s Rums, named after Henry Beckford, a freed slave and abolitionist, has made a name in the spirits industry. Beckford, who attended the first anti-slavery congress in London in 1840, is the inspiration and namesake for this brand. His image is featured on every bottle, especially on the premium rum called “Henry,” symbolising triumph over adversity.
The brand which is based in the City of Bath in the Southwest of England, follows a philosophy that centres on luxury and pleasure and targets adult drinkers seeking unique and premium flavours. I tasted a range of their flavoured rums including the award winning winning Caramel Rum.
Gusbourne Estate
Next I hit the Gusbourne Estate corner where I was lucky to get a sound bite from their Asia Regional Manager Mr Thomas Roche, who explained wonderfully about their wines, with a special mention of their English Sparkling Wines, which are made by the traditional method (same as champagne). These English bubblies are finding favour amongst wine enthusiasts worldwide and is being touted as the next big thing in the world of sparkling wines.
Roche also explained about their vineyard holdings. Gusbourne has 60 hectares at Gusbourne Estate in Kent and 30 hectares in West Sussex that are planted with the three classic varieties of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
The distinct terroir and unique microclimates add depth and complexity to their wines. The notable aspect of Gusbourne is that they only release Vintage Sparkling Wines which means that grapes from only the best harvests end up in bottles as sparkling wines.
Great Scotch takes more than a moment
To be the Great Britain’s enclosure and miss out on their Scotch Whisky is just unthinkable. I had a first hand exposure to some exceptional selection of Scotch Whisky being showcased in the enclosure.
Spirited Tales from the British Isles : A Masterclass
The Masterclass on Spirits of Britain on the second day of ProWine Mumbai 2024, proved to be a perfect forum for me to not only brush up my knowledge gained during the previous day, but also to learn certain new things.
This excellently conducted masterclass started with familiarisation on non alcoholic spirits, which is a new trend catching up fast. Prominent amongst these was the Tea Liqueur from a British company, which had the tannic taste of tea, but at the same time packed with a spirited punch. You could have it neat or maybe with a cube or two of ice or even with water or soda. If you’re sleepy, a shot of this tipple will certainly make you wide awake again, with a pleasurable kick, proverbially speaking. This was followed by a comparative tasting of a flight of Gins.
To sum up, it was a great experience for me to learn about the excellent wines and spirits from Britain at their enclosure at the ProWine Mumbai 2024 in Mumbai and I do hope that you all also shall share your views about similar experiences. Cheers !!
