From good old Sula to Marche Rosso,wine is set to cost less in Delhi. In line with Delhi government measures to promote wine and beer over hard liquor,the Excise department has proposed reducing duty on wine by at least 25 per cent and cutting down the licence fee for wine distributors. Overall,this should reduce the price of wine anywhere between 10-20 per cent,depending on the brand, a senior official said. The duty on wine is close to 200 per cent of its cost. The Excise department has decided to bring it down to 150 per cent. On an average,we sell about three to four bottles of wine. The demand is not high. Price ranges from Rs 200 for a bottle of Samara wine from Nashik to Rs 4,000 for Pian di Nova from Italy. We see a demand for wine only on special occasions such as Valentines Day or New Years Eve, said Sudhir Kumar,who has an outlet in Rajouri Garden. The Excise has drafted a Cabinet note,which has been sent to Finance for evaluation. Once it is cleared by Finance and Law,it will be placed before the Cabinet for approval. If the proposal is cleared,it will be implemented from April 1. Of the Rs 1,668-crore revenue that Delhi Excise earns,only Rs 20 crore is courtesy the sale of wine. The wine market in Delhi is very limited. There are not many takers. We are hoping that if prices are reduced,sales will increase, an official said. Earlier,the Excise department had mooted a licence L4-D exclusively for restaurants and eateries to serve beer and wine. The department has been flooded with applications but so far only eight cases have been cleared.
