These sommeliers are making wine tasting unpretentious with the Viva La Vino festival

The third season of Viva La Vino brings Indian and international labels, and highlights trends such as natural wines and zero proof alcohol. We speak to founders Devati Mallick and Gargi Kothari, about what to expect from the festival

Updated - September 24, 2026 10:58 pm IST

Devati Mallick and Gargi Kothari, founders of the Viva La Vino festival | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

If you have ever felt intimidated at a wine tasting, trying to discern the notes of oak, tobacco or leather, two sommeliers are setting out to strip the stiffness from the experience.

“To a newbie, wine tasting can sometimes feel very formal and technical. We wanted to change that,” says Devati Mallick. The Viva La Vino festival is the brainchild of Devati and Gargi Kothari to make wine tastings fun and social. The third season of the festival kicks off in Bengaluru this weekend, with six other cities in the pipeline.

Guests at previous editions of the Viva La Vino festival | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Highlights of the festival

Happening at The Lalit Ashok Hotel Bangalore, Viva La Vino will bring together Indian wine labels, with unique international producers and importers. Names such as Fratelli Wines, Chenab AlcoBev, Grover Zampa from the Indian landscape will be present, and globally, you can sip on wines from France, Spain, Italy, South Africa and other wine-producing regions. Guests can sample up to 100 wines across vendor stalls and pre-order their favorites on the spot. Naturally, no wine tasting is complete without the proper pairings. The festival features artisanal cheeses from brands like The Cheese Collective, Melchior, Farmstead Bazpur, Meraki Cheese, and Kase, alongside hand-crafted chocolates from Pascati, Darkins, and Noel.

“This year we wanted to make the festival bigger and better,” says Gargi about the third edition that is scheduled to travel to cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Jaipur, Goa and Pune in the coming months. One of the highlights of the fest include a Grand Cru Lounge. The limited access lounge has wines by the glass, an elevated dinner and afterhours access. To highlight the social aspect, Viva La Vino has a Wine and Vinyl DJ set. Local acts Sunil Hubli and Arjun Hora will spin their records poolside.

What kind of clientele is the duo expecting at the festival, we ask. Is the new generation interested in wines? “ That is the thing about wine, it brings all kinds of people together, from various age groups,” says Gargi. “There are of course seasoned wine drinkers who are there for the wines, but the younger generation is more interested in the story behind what is in their glass.” The wine, music, chocolates, and community play a big part in those looking for a complete experience.

While low-ABV drinks have been having a moment globally for a few years now, India’s scene is quickly catching on now. The organisers got the memo too. This year’s lineup features a stall by Dry Drnks, an online marketplace dedicated entirely to zero-proof spirits. Natural wines are also having their well-deserved time in the sun. Grown and produced with low-intervention in the vineyard and the cellar, these are prized for their organic approach.

Devati says, “We have a dynamic mix of importers from many regions and are expecting around 300-350 people at the event. Every year, we are seeing more interest and are increasing the scope, but we do not want it to be a massy event, we want to keep it a curated community gathering.”

The tickets for the Viva La Vino festival are priced at ₹2,750 upwards. On September 26, 6 PM. At The Lalit Ashok Bangalore, Kumarakrupa Road. For more details and tickets, visit urbanaut.app

Published - September 24, 2026 10:57 pm IST

malts and wines / food / The Hindu MetroPlus / Bengaluru / Delhi / Mumbai

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