FINE Wine & Champagne India - Winter 2018

Landmark Anniversary
We struck silver! Two thousand eighteen marked twenty-five glorious years of the
incorporation of our very first commercial enterprise in India. We very proudly
raised a very special toast to this notable landmark – Group Ritu @ 25. What made
the toast even more special is that the toast was raised at a Pinot Meunier bearing plot in the Vallée
de la Marne region of Champagne that manifests the story of a unique Indian intervention in the
year of the “legendary” harvest.
FINE Editorial
It has been a trail blazing, trend setting and path breaking journey of pioneering initiatives
throughout which we have underwritten risks to chart the unknown. Our commitment to deliver
excellence in the most challenging and constantly changing landscapes (read India) has stood
testimony to our passion, dedication and diligent hard work. The unstinted and unwavering
support of all our stake-holders has been the basis for this coveted milestone.
Through these years, we have been introduced to a cross-section of people – some academically
inclined, some worldly-wise, some masters of jugaad, some great fun, some flamboyant bon-vivants,
some hedonist sybarites, some grounded and down to earth, some bubbling with ideas, some high
achievers, some avoidable like the plague – and new relationships have been forged. Our very
successful sector-agnostic activities have been concentrated in areas that were hitherto ignored.
Early on, we struck off “impossible” as an option from the basket of choices available to us. The
rewards have been somewhat gratifying – time and again, we have been recognised as being “ahead
of the times”. Our give-back has been the encouragement
to new players to break into the “haloed” circles that we
have nurtured.
Notwithstanding the huge temptation to indulge in
self-congratulation, a landmark anniversary is an
opportunity to reflect. We have to remain motivated to
drive ourselves and to challenge ourselves to continue
to create value. We remain mindful that we cannot
afford to take our foot off the pedal. We may have come
a long way, but there is still a long way to go…
Rajiv Singhal
FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA
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