Antinori, Bottega, Villa Sandi: Air India renews the wine list during flights and toasts Italian

Italy and India “fly together” thanks also to wine. India is a country on which many hopes are being placed for the future of the wine sector, as detailed by WineNews, not only because it is the most populous nation in the world, with 1.5 billion people. Interest in wine is steadily growing: if the wine market generated 238 million dollars in 2025, estimates suggest it could reach 520 million dollars by 2028. A major impact will also come from the EU-India partnership signed on January 27th in New Delhi by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President Antonio Costa, and described as “the mother of all trade agreements”.
The agreement revolutionizes existing import duties, reducing them from 150% by half, and then gradually down to 30% within 7 years (20% for wines priced over 10 euros per bottle). A separate agreement is also planned for the protection of European denomination-based products. Wine is included, but not only: duties on spirits will fall from 150% to 40%, and on beer from 110% to 50%.
This growing focus on wine is also reflected in other projects recently completed: in recent weeks, Air India, the country main airline, unveiled a fully renewed beverage collection to further enhance the in-flight experience. In First Class, the red wine talks Italian: it is Brunello di Montalcino Pian della Vigne, produced by the Antinori family, one of the most prestigious and historic producers in the world. Italy also features in “Business Class” (where Birra Moretti is also offered) with Prosecco Doc Gold by Bottega, a reference name in the Prosecco world, as well as Villa Sandi, which was chosen with Prosecco DOC “Il Fresco” as the welcome-toast wines for Premium Economy passengers right after takeoff.
“The carefully curated beverage portfolio - affirmed Rajesh Dogra, Air India Chief Customer Experience Officer -  brings together some of the finest wines and spirits to appeal to travelers from around the world, while Air India continues to focus on service excellence and customer centrality”. Not surprisingly, India growing interest in wine and spirits is also reflected in the duty-free alcohol sector. According to Iwsr data, total alcohol volumes in Indian travel retail grew by +13% in 2024, with similar growth rates for spirits (+13%) and wine (+12%), and an impressive +123% surge in the tiny ready-to-drink category. India rise comes as Global Travel Retail (Gtr) is becoming an increasingly important driver for alcoholic beverages during a challenging moment for the industry.