“One In a Billion: Becoming India’s First Master of Wine” by Sonal C. Holland
Who would have guessed that it is possible for an Indian woman to defy all odds to become India’s first master of wine. One in a Billion is an account of how Sonal C. Holland did just that. It is a smoothly written memoir, straddling the space of motivational and narrative non fiction books. There are interesting nuggets of information shared, such as:
p. 173 It’s no secret that Indians love to drink! India is the third largest alcobev market by volume in the world, next only to the United States and China. Every year, Indians guzzle six billion litres of alcohol, over half the world’s whisky ( a staggering 1.5 billion litres) and double the amount of beer. We imported 219 million bottles of whisky in 2023, which was up by 60 per cent from 2011.
A double-digit growth consistently over the past decade makes wine the fastest-growing beverage in the country. Indians are becoming exposed to the wine lifestyle on account of their social networks, international travel, rising disposable incomes and aspirational living. As the demand for luxury products and more spending drives premiumisation across sectors, wine and other alcoholic beverages are the direct beneficiaries of this upward moving trend. Premium vodka, rum, gin and sake, alongside high-quality wines and craft beers, have grown popular too.
Consumers perceive wine to be healthy, see it as a symbol of success and sophistication, and it is socially the most acceptable drink. No other alcoholic beverage enjoys this trilogy of appeal, and it has worked in the favour of wine remarkably.
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Women represent an important demographic for wine consumption in India as they are choosing wine for being a softer, healthier option as well as for its aura of elegance. Research shows that women, in general, feel less inhibited and face less criticism when drinking wine in front of their family members. In a soceity that has traditionally lived in joint families and encouraged only male drinking, women drinking wine at restaurants, bars and at home is a huge opportunity and a real game changer for the industry. In a way, wine has democraticised drinking for women in India, allowing them to join their male counterparts in enjoying a drink. This movement is now reaching smaller cities; with the exposure to urban culture and the arrival of luxury dining options, women finally have the liberty to experience wine regularly.
A book that is far too smoothly written, almost as if ghost written, and not a firsthand lived experience. There is something very sanitised, without granularity in the prose. Definitely has interesting nuggets of information about Sonal Holland’s life and the wine sector in India, but it is almost as if this book is fulfilling the desire to be a calling card of the subject. After all, Indians (possibly globally too), once you have a book to your name, your respectability rises manifold.
Good luck to Sonal on her wine journey.
27 July 2025
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