India's first master of wine scripts her step-by-step journey in a memoir

Hindustan Times

12 hours ago

MUMBAI: Sonal C Holland has shown that it is possible to scale new peaks from humble terroirs. Early in her new memoir, 'One in a Billion: Becoming India's First Master of Wine', she writes that only 512 people have earned the title of Master of Wine (MW) since 1953. Created by the Institute of Masters of Wine, UK, it involves assessment at three stages, including theoretical essays on topics such as viticulture, vinification and pre-bottling procedures, the handling of wine, the business of wine and contemporary issues; three 12-wine blind-tastings; and finally, a 10,000-word research paper. India's first master of wine scripts her step-by-step journey in a memoir
'More people have scaled Mount Everest,' writes Holland. 'In 2016, a woman from India achieved this, where the per capita consumption of wine is less than a teaspoon.'
Holland was a pioneer in treating wine education with the seriousness it deserved. And, her million-plus following on Instagram; her eponymous Sonal Holland Academy in Mumbai, which offers specialised certification courses; and her new book are some of the ways in which she's spreading the seeds of knowledge.
From Bombay to Bordeaux
Holland grew up in a 1BHK house in Reserve Bank Quarters, near Maratha Mandir. Her parents were government employees (RBI and BMC), and despite showing early promise in school, she was sent packing from both St Xavier's College and KC College for low scores and low attendance respectively. By the late 1990s, however, she had cleaned up her act, with degrees in hotel management and business administration; stints at President (Cuffe Parade) and Oberoi Hotels & Resorts; a Y2K romance with British expat Andrew Holland; and eventually, a six-year-long, seven-figure-salary job at Kelly Services, a recruitment and staffing agency. It was then, at age 33, when she chose to walk away from spreadsheets and subclauses, and into the warmth and wisdom of wine.
'I do believe my journey has been unique and unconventional,' says Holland, over a phone interview. 'I hope this book will uncork something powerful within people, by helping them realise that regardless of their age or juncture in life, reinvention is possible. I started in 2007, and by 2009, I had already finished a few elementary courses in wine. Yes, it took me 10 years to earn the title of MW. But, in two years, I had already entered a new landscape, a new line of work, and started to gain some early recognition.'
With degrees from Wine & Spirit Education Trust, UK, Holland enrolled for the MW programme in 2010. She distils some of her key learnings as follows: 'From day one, I knew I wanted to become an MW. I never allowed myself to believe that I couldn't be India's first. When you're looking to change tracks, it's crucial to listen to the right people and understand that self-investment is the best investment. You need to invest in upgrading your knowledge, in refining your skills, in broadening your experiences. You can't be cheap on your way to greatness. And, once you've set yourself a goal, you can't take your foot off the pedal. In a race, it's a microsecond that differentiates the winner.' She continues, 'As an entrepreneur, it's important to act on your ideas. It could be something as small as a reel idea, which I didn't execute, but someone else did and it went viral. So, ideas don't belong to the person who gets them, but the person who acts on them.'
Despite her heavy-duty qualifications, demystifying wine and other inebriants on Instagram has been one of her biggest successes. In a cheerful and accessible manner (sometimes in Hindi and Marathi), she talks about Breezers, explains pronunciations (Glenfiddich ends with an ick), differentiates sake from soju, and holds forth on spirits created from the rare Mahura flower. 'The best way to popularise wine is to simplify it,' she says. 'It isn't to intimidate people or to scare them off. I've met wine critics who will make derogatory remarks about a particular wine at tastings or overcomplicate things because it is their way of showing supremacy and maintaining authority. That isn't my style. Snootiness is just another form of ego, which exists either when you don't know enough or when there's a lack of respect and appreciation for the industry.' Although those French labels were tricky even for her. 'Pronunciation is a challenge for every professional when they begin in this industry. I don't speak French. But, when you go through a structured learning programme and when you are in the industry, you obviously learn. They are important to show your expertise.'
Often the only Indian in these rarefied rooms, Holland has found herself in unusual company. For instance, at Château Lafite Rothschild, in France, she was seated next to film-maker and vintner Francis Ford Coppola. 'Every time I meet a great person, I see how humble and real they are. It further reinforces my belief that success isn't about walking in the clouds. It's about walking on the ground with your feet firm and your head held high.'