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Those rich Kiwi wines
I had almost given up on meeting Paul Topping when there he was on a flight to Hong Kong I was travelling on last week. The 'Labels' owner's globetrotting business lifestyle had precluded me from getting an interview with him for quite some time.

He got straight to the point. "Let’s cut out all the hype about wine. The majority of wine drinkers in Sri Lanka are looking for quality products at good value and in good condition," he said.

Managing Director of Alpha Asia, Paul Topping has been involved in the wine business for over eight years. Whilst handling Alpha Orient Lanka, Paul realized the potential market for wines in Sri Lanka, and he and his team set up a new wine business called 'Labels' two years ago. Paul then devised a scheme to attract more wine drinkers and formed the 'Labels Wine Club'.

To get the club off the ground he offered free membership to all his clients who purchased wines from Alpha Orient Lanka. The 'Labels Wine Club' organizes wine tasting for its members at regular intervals where they are able to sample about six different wines for an evening. Members are also invited for major wine launches. Paul was one of the people to introduce an exclusive wine bar at Odel Unlimited.

Asked how he got into the business of liquor and wine retailing, he expresses surprise himself, as his father, a teetotaller, was a missionary based in Africa. Born and educated in Africa, Paul's love of music introduced him to nightlife at a young age. A keen saxophonist, he has formed his jazz band with some local expatriate residents of different nationalities, called the 'Galle Fingers'.

"Whilst Albert Bichot is the largest wine brand in Sri Lanka, the New World wines are gaining ground as well as they are excellent value for money and have uncomplicated labels," he says. World trends are an influencing factor over here because internationally, wine production has increased to meet the ever increasing demand. Furthermore, thanks to new methods of wine-making, wines travel well and this is one reason why there are so many available in Sri Lanka.

Commenting on other wine importers, Paul says that they are all expanding their range and the wine is stored well. Paul takes pride in their 5000 sq ft temperature-controlled warehouse close to Colombo.

Asked about wine trends in Sri Lanka, Paul is quick to respond with statistics from the continued research undertaken by the wine shops both in Colombo and at the airport. A survey was conducted recently by Alpha Retail Orient Lanka - to ascertain the preferences, country of wine choice, preferred price to pay, consumption, location, and purchasing habits.

* Preferences - Red 72% - White 51% - Rose 4%

* Price point preference - SLR 700 (25% willing to pay SLR 900 and 24% were willing to pay more)

* Consumption - 24% daily - 53% weekly - 13% monthly

* Location - At home 94% - Restaurants 53% - Night clubs 13% - Odel 8%

* Monthly consumption - 6 @10% - 12@21% - 24@ 30%

* 56% kept wine refrigerated

* 59% bought more than 1 bottle at a time.

“One aspect of the wine market with lots of potential is that of the skill and knowledge of the bar and restaurant staff around the island. We undertake extensive training courses and schemes for these staff, inclusive of examinations at the end of the course,” he says.

Paul's idea of promoting wine is fun. By being aware of the drinking habits of men in Sri Lanka and their preference for alcoholic beverages, and for those who find the subject of wine rather daunting and complex, he has devised his own methods to make their wine tasting an unforgettable experience. This is in the form of highly innovative and informative wine related activities such as organizing wacky fun nights such as 'Pink Latino', 'Rumble in the Jungle' and the 'Italian Job'.

The survey indicates that that there is a 30% growth in wine sales over the last couple of years. Topping is confident of the trend continuing with the tourist arrivals, along with a continued shift from hard liquor to wine. The hotel and restaurant industry continues to push wine sales because of availability, realistic pricing and most importantly by having enthusiastic staff serving them.

Paul's choice
The history of fine winemaking in New Zealand has been relatively short. New Zealand, situated farther south than Australia, is a cooler wine area, and its climate is greatly influenced by the ocean. Of the two large islands that comprise New Zealand, the North Island is the warmer, producing red wines around Auckland and Hawkes Bay (especially known for its Cabernet Sauvignon), as well as various white wines from the Muller-Thurgau, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc grape varieties.

On the South Island, Marlborough - the country's largest and most important wine region - only discovered its grape growing potential in 1973. This region is the top production zone for Chardonnay and, especially, Sauvignon Blanc.

New Zealand whites are generally unoaked wines with rich flavour and high acidity. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is so distinctive - pungent and intense, with a flavour that could be compared to asparagus, limes or cut green grass - that it has become recognized almost overnight as a new prototype of Sauvignon Blanc.

Montana Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2002
Montana Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc burst onto the world stage in 1990 when it won the Marquee de Goulaine Trophy for best Sauvignon Blanc in the world. Now considered the benchmark of the New Zealand variety of Sauvignon Blanc, it is crafted in a style that epitomizes the character and flavour of the Marlborough region.

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