INTRODUCTION & HISTORY OF INDIAN WINES

  • The modern Indian Wine market is small but growing. The Viticulture in India has a long history dating back to the time of the Indus Valley civilization when grapevines were believed to have been introduced from Persia.
  • The religious text of the Vedas mentions at least one alcoholic drink that may have been wine related –sura which seems to have been a type of rice wine that was fermented with honey. The first known mention of grape-based wines was in the late 4th century BC writings of Chanakya who was the chief minister of Emperor Chandragupta Maurya. In his writings, Chanakya condemns the use of alcohol while chronicling the emperor and his court’s frequent indulgence of a style of grape wine known as Madhu.
  • In the centuries that would follow, wine became the privileged drink of the Kshatriya or noble class while the lower caste typically drank alcohol made from wheatbarley and millet. Under the rule of the Muslim Mughal Empire, alcohol was prohibited in accordance with Islamic dietary laws. However, there are written reports about at least one Mughal ruler, Jahangir, who was fond of brandy
  • In the 16th century, Portuguese colonists at Goa introduced port-style wine and the production of fortified wines soon spread to other regions. Under British rule during the Victorian era, viticulture and winemaking was strongly encouraged as a domestic source for the British colonists. Vineyards were planted extensively through the BaramatiKashmir and Surat
  • In 1883 at the Calcutta International Exhibition, Indian wines were showcased to a favorable reception. The Indian wine industry was reaching a peak by the time the phylloxera epidemic made its way to country and devastated its vineyards.

CLIMATE AND GEOGRAPHY

VITICULTURE AND WINE

  • The heat and humidity of India’s wine region dictate many of the viticultural choices that are made in the vineyards. Vines are often trained on bamboo and wire in a pergola to increase canopy cover and to get the grapes off the ground where they would be more prone to fungal diseases.
  • Irrigationis essential for the vines given the hot weather. The tropical conditions often promote high yields which requires frequent pruning throughout the year. Harvest normally takes place in February and is usually done by hand. In the very warm wine regions of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, grapevines can produce a crop twice a year.
  • Southern India is home to several indigenous table grape varieties that can also be used in wine production with AnabeshahiArkavati and Arkashyam being the most common. Popular non-native grapes include the Bangalore Blue (Isabella) and Gulabi (Black Muscat).
  • The Turkish grape Sultana is the most widely planted grape in India, cover more than half of the 148,000 acres (60,000 ha) planted in the country. In addition to the imported French varieties that Chateau Indage planted, Sauvignon blancZinfandelChenin blanc and Clairette Blanche have started to establish a presence in the Indian wine industry.

BEST WINES & WINE PRODUCERS IN INDIA

  • GROVER ZAMPA LA RÉSERVE

The founders of Grover Vineyards, Kanwal Grover and George Vesselle, are often regarded as the pioneers of winemaking in India. After Vesselle’s retirement, Grover persuaded celebrated oenologist Michel Rolland to join his venture and since then, their vineyard has consistently created some of the best known Indian wines. One among them is the Grover Zampa La Réserve. Ever since it was first introduced, this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz has been widely popular among wine drinkers in the country and was served in the three-Michelin-starred restaurant L’Arpège in Paris, a feat that no other Indian wine had ever achieved before.

  • CHAROSA SELECTIONS SAUVIGNON BLANC

About 160 kilometres northeast of Mumbai lies Nashik. This ancient city, which was once best known for being a Hindu pilgrimage site, is now famous for being India’s wine capital. Home to about half of the country’s wineries, Nashik has quite rightly earned this epithet for itself. A small boutique winery in its midst is Charosa Vineyards, which has created some well-known wines, such as their Selections Sauvignon Blanc, which is a standout. The white wine has rich tropical fruit flavours accompanied by a grassy mineral freshness and is perfect to pair with seafood.

  • SULA CHENIN BLANC RESERVE

If Nashik is now famed as the Napa Valley of India, it is all thanks to Rajeev Samant, who established Nashik’s first winery in 1999 called Sula Vineyards. The region was already growing table grapes and with Samant’s pioneering efforts, it now produces 80% of India’s wine. Sula Vineyards has a wide selection of acclaimed wines and their limited edition Chenin Blanc Reserve is a star among them. This bestselling alcoholic beverage is known for its complex flavours that come from layered aromas of honey and melon. This wine pairs well with rich Indian curries.

  • MYRA RESERVE SHIRAZ

Myra Vineyards is owned by former banker Ajay Shetty and has its headquarters in Bengaluru. Although they entered the market only in 2011, Myra has created some great wines at affordable prices in a short period of time, offering stiff competition to the big players, such as Sula. The Myra Reserve Shiraz is an easy drinking and elegant wine and its spicy, oaked and fruity flavours are of great appeal to the Indian palate.

  • KRSMA SANGIOVESE

Krishna Prasad and his wife Uma, founders of the boutique winery KRSMA Estates, have always loved new challenges. First, they built a successful pharmaceutical company and then went on to get their names etched in the Guinness World Record for running marathons in all seven continents back in 2010. They then went on to set up a world-class winery in Hampi Hills, just 70 kilometres from the famous World Heritage Site. KRSMA Sangiovese, the fruity red wine made rich by warm spices and nuts, is one of their best creations. Unfortunately, it’s available only in the state of Karnataka.

  • FRATELLI SETTE

Fratelli is one of the leading wineries in the country. It is an Indo-Italian venture, founded in 2007 by a set of three brothers— the Seccis from Italy and the Sekhris and Mohite-Patils from India. Sette is the premium offering from this award-winning winery and has been hailed by wine critics as the best Indian red wine so far. This blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon uses only the top one percent of handpicked grapes of a vintage year from Fratelli’s vineyards – located in Akluj near the city of Pune – and are then matured in French oak for 14 months.

  • ZAMPA SOIRÉE BRUT ROSÉ

Zampa Soirée Brut Rosé is a sparkling wine and one of the finest in India. The salmon-hued drink smells like red cherries and strawberries and scores high on the quality of its effervescence. This is another great wine from Grover Vineyards, who offer a tasting trip to either of their vineyards in Nashik or Nandi Hills in the state of Karnataka. The latter is about 60 kilometres north of Bengaluru.

WINE NAME

DESCRIPTION

Fratelli Sette

Fratelli Sette is the India’s finest red wine, a blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon from the Akluj vineyards region near Solapur. The Fratelli Vineyards and winery is one of the India’s largest privately owned wine estate.

Chene

India’s first premium wine Chene by Grover Zampa, Is the most graceful red wine and inspired from the symbol of strength. Chene Grande Reserve was awarded as Indian Super Premium Wine with a signature blend of Tempranillo and Shiraz.

Dindori Reserve Shiraz

Dindori Reserve Shiraz from the handpicked grapes of own estate vineyards in Nashik is possibly India’s best reserve Shiraz. The red wine from American oak with different flavours are first ever Indian wine to make in the list of world’s leading wines.

Big Banyan Merlot

Big Banyan Merlot from Bengaluru vineyard and winery that produced world class red wines. The red clay soil Big Banyan vineyard is located to the north of Bengaluru and the handpicked grapes with distinct flavor reflect the best of red wines.

seagram’s Nine Hills Shiraz

Nine Hills wins by Seagrams is one of the finest Indian Red Wine with cherry, strawberry and vanilla flavours. The Seagram’s Nine Hills wine from the winery and the vineyards around Nashik is one of the renowned wine brands in India.

Rasa Shiraz

Rasa Shiraz from the Nashik vineyards in French oak barrels with berries is a complex wine and is the finest red wine from the vineyards of Sula. Rasa red wine is a limited edition wine and should be opened 30 minutes prior to serving and goes smoth with Barbeque, Chocolates and Gouda Parmesan cheese.

Barrique Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Cabernet Sauvignon grape is one of the best three varieties of red grapes, Shiraz and Merlot being other two and aged for a year in French oak barrels. Four Seasons Wines produces from the handpicked grapes around the Sahyadri valley in Maharashtra provides red, white, and rose wines in India.

POPULAR WHITE WINE BRANDS WITH PRICES ( Year, 2020)

  1. Fratelli Sangiovese Bianco – INR 3750
  2. J’NOON White – INR 1850
  3. Fratelli Vitae Chardonnay – INR 2,400
  4. Château d’Ori Sauvignon Blanc – INR 1450
  5. Reveilo Chardonnay Reserve – INR 1345
  6. Sula Riesling – INR 895
  7. KRSMA Sauvignon Blanc – INR 1200
  8. Sula Chenin Blanc – INR 675
  9. Vallonne Vin de Passerillage – INR 895
  10. Reveilo Late Harvest Chenin Blanc – INR 895

There are 6 basic types of White wine.

  • Chardonnay -It is the most popular variety of white wine in the world. It comes in both varieties sparkling & still. You will get the richness of fruits like lemon, Green Apple, pineapple & grapefruits with a hint of Vanilla & creamy after taste.
  • Riesling– It is yet another popular variety of white wine around the world. It is usually light & thinner than other varieties. The nose if usually green apple with hints of honey, lime & apricot. The flavor enhances with aging.
  • Sauvignon blanc– It has the highest acidity level & pungent white wine. Sauvignon blanc shows a strong herbal character with notes hinting to freshly mown grass & yellow pepper.
  • Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris – It gives a good dose of green apple. It is a fruity wine with crisp & light flavor.
  • Moscato – It is a fresh & light wine that goes well with almost any food.
  • Gewürztramine – It is a sweet wine not as sweet as Reisling that it can be enjoyed as a dessert wine but good enough to go with spicy food.

WINE & FOOD HARMONY

Meat Items:

Meat curries will naturally make a great match for red wines. Smart picks would be aromatic, fresh reds such as Grenache, cool-climate Shiraz with more delicate flavours (newsflash: Shiraz isn’t always big, rich and powerful), or fuller-bodied Pinot Noir – nothing too fragile.

Vegetarian:

A mild, creamy dal made with lentils, split peas or dried beans opens the door to a range of white wines rather than red wines, which will be too harsh for the softness of the dish. A rich, buttery white such as Chardonnay, or toasty honeyed aged Semillon or Marsanne will have the ideal character to complement the lightness of the dish.

Eggplant (Baingan) tends to absorb the flavours in which it’s cooked, so choosing a wine will depend on the spices and flavours of the dish. Dark spices will suit lighter-bodied red wines like Grenache, Sangiovese, Tempranillo or Merlot, whereas lighter spices will sing with the aromatic qualities of white wines like Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Grigio and Moscato.

Creamy spinach dishes such as saag paneer with spinach and Indian cheese or saag aloo with spinach and potato match beautifully with the richness and creaminess of rich white wines such as Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Semillon or even fruitier whites like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio or Riesling.

Desserts:

Indian desserts tend to be intensely sweet and often incorporate milk, rice and nuts. The delicate flavours of Indian desserts deserve equally delicate wine matches such as Moscato, sweet-style Riesling or dessert wines. Avoid wines with too much acidity and they will taste harsh alongside the sweetness of Indian desserts, instead look for wines with softer acidity and sweet fruit.

White Wine

Type

Food Pairing

Chardonnay

Light, classic, velvety

Creamy Sauce, Seafood

Riesling

Sweet Dessert Wine

Spicy Food, Rich Gravy, Tandori dishes

Sauvignon blanc

dryer, tarter taste, Fruity

Cheese, Seafood

Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris

Strong Fruity

Light Sauces, Seafood

Moscato

Fresh, Light

Spicy Food, Salads, Thai & Chinese food

Gewürztraminer

Combination of dryness and sweetness

Spicy Preparations, Seafood

INDIAN SPARKLING WINES

Sula Seco

It is a great option for those looking for the classic sparkling wine experience on a modest budget. “Seco” means that it’s a little sweeter than most sparkling wines. It has with peach and citrus aromas. Medium to low on the acid, and a light sweetness.

Casablanca Vino Spumante

It is a blend of Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, and Symphony.

Zampa Soirée Brut

It is a blend of 100% Chenin Blanc. It has Prominent aromas include toasted brioche, fresh cut grass, and lemon zest. Crisp and bright to taste, with the right amount of acidity, and consistent, tiny bubbles

Fratelli Gran Cuvee Brut

It is a blend of 100% Chenin Blanc. The aromas are correspondingly rich, with more focus on oak than fruitiness with definite hints of pear, passion fruit, and honeydew.  On the palate, is a burst of acidity, which quickly fades.

York Sparkling Cuvee Brut

It is a blend of 100% Chenin Blanc. It boasts a rich fruitiness, even more so than the prosecco-style, with aromas like raw mango and pineapple among other tropical fruits.

Chandon Brut / Brut Rosé

It is a blend of Brut – Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Brut Rosé–Shiraz and Pinot Noir.  It has Smoke, hay,  and mellow citrus on the nose at first, but opens up to ripe fruit and buttery toastiness with time. Powerful acidity, and quite dry, but finishes with a beautiful, sweet aftertaste.

Sula Brut

It is a blend of Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Shiraz, Pinot Noir and Sultana. It screams of warm, tropical aromas like pineapple and ripe mango, while on the other, it has crisper, stone-fruit aromas like peach, lychee, and apricot. The oak aging is evident, with the signature woodfire and toasty aromas. With a refreshing and persistent acidity, and decent quality of bubbles, it’s a very smooth wine to drink