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Sumedh Singh Mandla, 42, CEO of Grover Zampa Vineyards, says, “My real foray into wines started in 2004 when I worked with the Sydney Harbour

Marriott and visited wineries in New South Wales in my free time.”

He enjoyed learning about the winemaking process and tasting different wines, while appreciating the scenic beauty of the wineries and the diversity of the region. This is what inspired him to step into the wine industry and, much later, to take up the reins of India’s second-largest wine company.

Mandla started his career in food and beverages with the Taj Hotels, working at different properties from 1994 to 2001, during which time he learnt the basics of wine. His subsequent move to JW Marriott Mumbai as Director of Beverages in September 2001 deepened his interest in wines and spirits. Mandla worked with the core opening team on designing and launching restaurants and lounges, including the very popular nightclub Enigma, and conceptualizing food and

FROM F&B TO WINERY HEADSumedh Singh Mandla, CEO of Grover Zampa, speaks to Brinda Gill about his remarkable career in wine

beverage related events and experiences. But it was his stint in Australia in 2004 with visits to picturesque wineries that brought him in touch with New World wine culture and led him to make a career change. On his return to India he decided to enter the wine industry. With the help of a financing partner, in 2005 Mandla set up Brandwagon, a food and beverage import and marketing company, whose brands he carried over in 2007 to a new partnership with Dharti Desai and the launch of FineWinesnMore Private Limited.

“At FineWinesnMore, we went on to work with 40 wineries and three distilleries, representing brands from Italy, France, Australia, New Zealand, French Martinique, Chile, Spain and Germany. Within two years, the company was importing over 140 labels, had footprints across key markets in India and was rated among the top ten wine importers in India.” In 2007, Mandla’s success was capped by being honoured with the Commanderie du Bontemps at Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Pessac-Léognan (Graves) by the famous eponymous wine fraternity;

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At the helm of Grover Zampa, CEO Sumedh Singh Mandla has overseen exponential growth at the winery since 2013

he was among the first five Indians to receive this honour and it remains one of his most precious moments.

Ever keen to expand his experience, Mandla moved to a wine and spirits import house, Aspri Spirits Private Limited and was appointed CEO in 2008. In the four and a half years he was there, he furthered both his career and knowledge of wine. “Working at Aspri was great as they gave me the right support and a free hand to develop the business. I felt it was important to import a range of spirits so that when we approached hotels or retailers we would have a diverse portfolio to offer and provide them with a

complete solution. During the time I was there, Aspri grew consistently and became one of the top two importers for wines and spirits. From a few select brands it went on to import over 300 labels covering wines, spirits, beer and cider from 18 countries.”

As a result several key brands were introduced into the Aspri portfolio and thence into the Indian sub-continent. The brands included Roberto Cavalli vodka, Cavalli Tenuta degli Dei wines, Patron group, Gruppo Campari, SPI group, Jose’ Cuervo, Molinari, Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite, Olivier Leflaive, Maison Albert Bichot, Ceretto, Castello di Bossi, Zenato, Distell group, Sogrape Vinhos group, Raventós, Stag’s Leap, Beringer, Schloss Gobelsburg, Zonin and Yering Station.

Interacting with the members of the industry, hosting interesting events and launches, travelling overseas to exhibitions and production facilities expanded Mandla’s

“My real foray into wines started in 2004 when

I worked with the Sydney Harbour Marriott

and visited wineries in New South Wales in

my free time” – Sumedh Mandla

44 Sommelier INDIA June -July 2016

role and professional profile and his achievements were noticed by the industry.

Mandla’s next leap forward was when Grover Zampa Vineyards (GZV) offered him the position of

Chief Operating Officer, which he accepted in February 2013. “I had some apprehensions about leaving Aspri, where the company and I were doing very well. However, I thought working with an Indian winery promoted by industry veterans would be rejuvenating as there would be new learning and new challenges. I was aware that the Indian wine industry was going through tough times, but at the winery level, the Grover Zampa merger had just taken place. This was a development that presented interesting possibilities and overall the new scenario offered many opportunities. For me, professional and personal growth is very important and I had

already gained rich experience as an importer while at Aspri. I felt it was time to move on.”

Mandla soon immersed himself in the work at GZV from developing the annual business plan and marketing strategy to refining company procedures and policies. He applied himself to the different aspects of the functioning of the wineries at Nashik and Bangalore as well as increasing exports. At the wineries, he worked closely with the vineyard and winemaking team on improving the quality of the wines by increased attention to viticultural practices, most notably reducing yield per acre and improving productivity. He also put in place several new initiatives on the marketing, distribution and sales fronts.

Within eight months of his joining the company, Mandla was rewarded with the position of CEO as his efforts began to bear fruit. Since then, the company has witnessed an increase in sales with a Compound Annual

Sumedh Mandla pictured with Vijay Amritraj. The launch of the Vijay Amritraj Reserve Collection of white and red wines marked another milestone

June -July 2016 Sommelier INDIA 45

Growth Rate (CAGR) of over 50% in the last three fiscals; a three-digit growth in width of distribution, with the wines now present in 21 markets and an increase in export markets from eight to 22 countries. This was accompanied by the launch of premium brands and an expanded portfolio of wines. Chêne, an oak-aged tempranillo-shiraz blend has had very good reviews as has the Vijay Amritraj Reserve Collection series. La Reserve Blanc and Art Collection Merlot are the most notable additions. Another feather in his cap was the inclusion of Grover Zampa Vineyards as the exclusive Indian wine brand in the Starwood Group’s Asia Pacific Wine of the World programme 2014-16, which gave GZV

wines access to several Starwood properties across Asia Pacific.

In looking back, Mandla has seen dramatic changes in the wine industry over the past 20 years and feels things

can only get better and better for wineries producing quality wines. “In the early 2000s, people would simply ask for a red or white wine. Now, they are well travelled and better informed. They are aware of different wines and styles. They ask for specific wines and know what to expect. Wine drinking culture is growing in Tier I and II cities. Social functions are a reflection of the times. At weddings, we now see an increasing number of men and women with glasses of wine. Men opt for wine even when whisky and vodka are being served and women feel comfortable with a glass of wine, as it is not considered a hard spirit and has health benefits too. I also

Within eight months of his joining the

company, Mandla was rewarded with the

position of CEO as his efforts began to bear fruit

As a hands-on CEO, Mandla poses in the Grover Zampa vineyard in Nashik

46 Sommelier INDIA June -July 2016

prefer wine over spirits!” smiles Mandla.Turning to the downside, on the national level Mandla itemises the factors that make business very difficult for wineries. Different rules governing the sale of wines in different states, the cost and logistics of setting up business, lack of infrastructure in terms of transport and the storage of wines, heavy trade discounting, restrictions on advertising for wine to reach and educate a mass consumer base, and state policies that bundle wine with the huge spirits and beer industry. On the consumer side, he mentions the need for more wine education and training, remarking that China’s wine market has grown exponentially as there is a focus on wine awareness. He himself is presently pursuing Level 4 of the WSET programme, and rues the fact that there are only a handful of Indians who have completed this level, whereas China has many more qualified wine professionals.

At Grover Zampa Vineyards future plans extend to investment and growth in the vineyard base, modernisation

of winemaking processes and developing hospitality facilities at their Bangalore and Nashik properties. Immediate plans include producing sparkling wines at the Bangalore winery, and generally improving the quality of their wines with more premium wines.

“If Indian wine consumers are willing to pay `2,500 for a bottle of average international wine, they would surely pay the same for a super-premium Indian wine,” says Mandla. “We are working towards producing better wines for this segment along with other wines to cater to both, novice wine drinkers and connoisseurs. With a motivated team, a good portfolio, high quality wines across varied price points, a pan-India presence and growing exports, we aspire to achieve better growth than the industry average.” v

Mandla with Simon Hirst, general manager of The Raffles Hotel Singapore (second from right) and team, at a Grover Zampa wine and Indian food pairing dinner at the hotel’s Tiffin restaurant in August 2015