Sidharth (Sid) Mehta’s Post

Could the Arabian Peninsula be the Next Big Thing in Fine Wine? Discover how Dubai's evolving market and relaxed regulations are unlocking new horizons for luxury wines in the Middle East. #FineWine #ArabianLuxury #DubaiWineMarket #WineTrends #GlobalWine #LuxuryLifestyle #WineLovers #MiddleEastMarket #WineInnovation #MarketGrowth

Should our future tokenized collections include an Ice Wine from the most renowned Moldovan Winery Purcari Wineries Group ? ICE WINE: Ice Wine, distinguished by its unique production process and flavor profile, is a luxurious dessert wine. It is crafted from grapes harvested while frozen on the vine, which concentrates their sugars and acids. This results in an intensely sweet flavor, balanced with high acidity, and a rich taste profile that often includes notes of tropical fruits, honey, and citrus. It is best enjoyed chilled and pairs exceptionally well with rich desserts and strong cheeses, making it a delightful conclusion to a meal. Due to the labor-intensive harvesting process and the lower yield of grapes, Ice Wine is generally more expensive than other wines, reflecting its rarity and the meticulous care taken in its production.

The success of wine tourism hospitality can turn on small details. For example, a personalized reservation card on a tasting table adds a touch of authentic welcome as guests first come in. Of course, the guest's name has to be spelled correctly! Another touch is a personalized tasting menu for the party, perhaps with the names of all of them.

The French wine region of Bordeaux is outstanding

Dubai’s wine scene is evolving significantly, attracting new consumers and enhancing its market position. Experts like Oliver Dixon from Le Clos - Finest Wines & Luxury Spirits and Younes Zarqoun of 111 MANAGEMENT Group highlight the impact of COVID-19, contributing to this growth with an influx of new restaurants averaging 130 openings annually. This has increased the demand for New World wines and specific champagnes. Despite higher prices, there’s also a rising interest in natural and organic wines. Restaurants in Dubai are adapting to wine trends, employing full-time sommeliers and adopting new pricing strategies. Sustainability practices are also being prioritized, focusing on sustainable farming, lightweight bottles, and innovative packaging solutions. Explore the full story: https://lnkd.in/dpFFn9th #fandb #foodandbeverage #wine #sommeliers #dubai #uae #middleeast #restaurants #dining #luxury #bar #strategy #sustainability #organic #solutions #gcc

🚨 Bing! Amazing Wine Alert 🚨 Spirits Sourcery is not just about discovering the world’s rarest bottles; we are also enthusiastic about finding hidden gems that punch well above their price tag! 🌟 With 42,000 bottles rated on Vivino, you will find everything from the undrinkable to legends like the 1945 Romanée-Conti. (They only made six hundred bottles but yes, we can supply those if you are interested! 😉) But the real thrill? Uncovering wines that over-deliver in every way—like Castillejos from Calvente Winery. 🍷 This remarkable wine has not only featured in the top 1% on Vivino of all wines produced globally but has also graced tables at numerous 3-star Michelin restaurants in Spain. Calvente is a family-owned winery nestled in the stunning mountains of Granada, southern Spain. The passion they pour into their craft shines through in every sip. Although widely distributed across Europe, Calvente offers a unique opportunity for expansion, including in travel retail where there is no representation currently. They may not be a household name yet outside of Spain, but their authenticity and dedication are unmatched. 🌍✨ With the travel retail community about to descend en masse to Cannes for TFWA in the next few weeks, now is the perfect time to share this opportunity. If you are a progressive operation and searching for a partner brand that values quality, collaboration, and storytelling, then please get in touch. #WineDiscovery #CalventeWinery #SpiritsSourcery #HiddenGems #WineLovers #QualityOverQuantity #WineBusiness

BEYOND BORDEAUX, the fourth episode of Inside La Place de Bordeaux by ARENI Global, discusses a pivotal moment in the history of La Place: the exact moment when the fine wine market became a truly international fine wine market. Twenty years ago, wines from countries like Chile, Argentina and Australia accounted for less than one half of one percent of the global fine wine trade altogether — despite the presence of Almaviva and Opus One on La Place. But all that changed in 2010, towards the end of the global financial crisis. The rise of less expensive airfares due to cheap oil prices, and more affordable accommodation options like Airbnb led to the rise of gastrotourism with its focus on visiting the best restaurants in the world. At the same time, both executives and tourists alike started visiting premium wineries directly – and they wanted to experience these wines again once they got back home. By 2016, approximately 30 million bottles of foreign wines were being consumed in France, a figure that wouldn’t have seemed possible just ten years earlier, when “fine wine” in France was limited to Bordeaux and Burgundy and occasionally Champagne. A greater need for global distribution became clear – and La Place de Bordeaux was in the perfect position to respond to this need. #BeyondBordeaux #Bordeaux #LaPlace #ARENI Enjoy the fourth episode of this acclaimed series featuring Pauline Vicard, co-founder and executive director of ARENI Global, and editorial director Felicity Carter by listening here: https://lnkd.in/eRupckG8

Oliver Dixon has worked with MMI since 2002. He leads the Fine Wine and Private Client teams, developing the exclusive portfolio offered through various channels, including our award-winning Le Clos fine wines retailer. Also responsible for the Emirates Airline wine programme since 2010, with the purchasing of MMI and the airline together - the Emirates Group has become one of the world’s most significant fine wine buyers. Oliver has also headed the wine programmes for Cathay Pacific and Etihad, which MMI continues to manage. We wanted to find out more.   What is your proudest accomplishment working for MMI?  The fine wine selection at MMI is I'm told world-class. It takes a lot of work to manage over 300 different supply relationships. I also manage relationships for airlines we don’t have in the MMI portfolio.   I'm also very proud of my time heading up new markets from 2007 to 2011. Opening both Maldives and Zanzibar in the same year was great - they were our first markets beyond the Gulf. Winning the wine category management for Etihad and Cathey Pacific with our Travel Retail team was also a great achievement! What do you wish people knew about your job?  Sourcing fine wine can be harder than selling it. Most vineyards can easily sell their wines as the customer base is there. Persuading wineries to sell to us is much more involved work. We must continue to get better at leveraging our portfolio with customers.   What attracted you to join MMI?  The combination of living in Dubai and working in wine was alluring. It was clear we were at the start of a long wine journey and I could play an important role in shaping the market. I didn’t know much about fine wine before taking on the role. I thought it would take a few years, but it's turned out to be a long journey and the learning never stops. It's a peculiar industry, and often counter-intuitive.   What motivates you in your job?  Working with talented people all driving in the same direction is motivational. And, working with people in wine is great, they are serious, passionate, and fun.    What's one thing people don't know about you? Before working in wine, I went to France to learn French. I worked as a waiter for 6 months in Lyon. It was tough training and long hours. As a waiter, I went from being pretty useless to almost helpful but my French significantly improved!   If you were a superhero what would your name and powers be?  Recently dubbed 'Le Super Sommelier' by Le Monde is very flattering, but Sommeliers work the restaurant floor - I left this behind in 1995. In my role, the ability to read people's minds would be a very useful power. I wouldn't want to know everything everyone is thinking all the time though, it would take the challenge out of what I do!   Read Oliver’s profile feature in Le Monde here - https://lnkd.in/d8seU_eZ

🍷 In the Conca de Barberà there are 20 wineries that can be visited And almost half of the wine tourism experiences offered there combine wine and gastronomy. The average price of the basic visit is the lowest in Catalonia, €9. These are the conclusions of Wine Travel Observer, the study of the wine tourism offer in Catalonia, prepared by the School of Wine Tourism of Catalonia.

Bounce has ranked Moldova second for their Best places to visit for wine connoisseurs (yay) Though it may not be the first country that springs to mind when considering wine tourism, the Eastern European country of Moldova is a hidden gem with a rich winemaking history that stretches back over 5,000 years. Moldova’s vineyards cover 122-kilo hectares, which works out as 3.6% of this small country’s area, more than any other on this list. The Codru region, located in the central part of the country, is one of Moldova’s most important and historically significant wine-producing areas. There are also 21 wine tours and tastings per million people, taking in the country’s extensive network of underground wine cellars, the most famous of which is the Mileștii Mici - Guinness Book Record holder. Read more - here -https://lnkd.in/emp6ANA8