From India’s railways to its architecture, the remnants of its colonial past still hold strong in this diversified country. In terms of drink, anyone who has been to India would agree that the most prevalent scene is a glass of whiskey or a bucket of beer enjoyed by a roadside stall on plastic tables and chairs. And this image suits India, I think. It spans space and time, as the casual drinking culture will always seem to prevail in those areas of India that are drinker friendly. There are also the rheumy-eyed untouchables, those who look like they have never stopped drinking since their first sip and who fuel the back

street alcohol peddlers nestled in side streets all over the vast swathe of country. It does have a certain unpretentious charm of its own. Life is what it is.

Does wine, then, possess a place in this wonderfully…