Home to a few of the finest winemakers and vineyards in the nation akin to Sula, Chandon and York, Nashik is also known as India’s Napa Valley. A four-hour drive from Mumbai, Nashik’s panorama and local weather (cooler nights) make it fertile for wine cultivation. The metropolis has now impressed the creation of India Wine Studio. Located throughout the Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa, Nashik, the studio is a curated assortment of wine, bringing collectively over 90 varietals from practically 35 famend vineyards, predominantly from Nashik.
The wine studio was launched a number of months in the past on the end result of a two-day path throughout Nashik that pulled again the curtains on India’s burgeoning wine trade. According to Jatish Ghai, the resort’s basic supervisor, the studio is a approach to highlight the 40 vineyards throughout town.
Though Sula is without doubt one of the pioneers of wine tourism, different vineyards in town, akin to Vallonné, Chandon, Soma and Grover Zampa, too provide excursions and tasting classes.
The wines from totally different manufacturers served through the wine tasting session in the India Wine Studio
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“There are more varieties of wine in India than one would expect,” Jatish says. From basic reds and white, to extra distinctive dessert wines and rosés, town has all kinds of decisions, on condition that they work with grape varieties akin to chenin blanc, Shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and sauvignon blanc.
A testomony to that is the guided wine-tasting occasion led by Sonal Holland, the primary recipient of the Master of Wine title in India. On the menu are wines from seven manufacturers — rosé from Chandon, Grillo from Reveilo, chardonnay from York H Block, Signet Shiraz (Amphora) from Grover Zampa, RĀSĀ Cabernet Sauvignon from Sula, Anokhee from Vallonné and Antaraa Cabernet Sauvignon from Good Earth.
The resort additionally affords a wine path throughout town. “The wine trail is to let people experience the variety that the city has to offer,” says Jatish. The resort affords a two-day wine path expertise, which features a go to to 2 premium vineyards in town, chosen by the visitor. Those can ebook the bundle via the resort’s web site.
As a part of the expertise, we get a better have a look at two wineries — Vallonné and Chandon — the place we study about the winemaking course of from berries to bottles and sampled the varieties on provide.
Boutique wine
Surrounded by the Sahyadri mountains, Vallonné Vineyards is a boutique wine property that was arrange in 2009. The yellow constructing, which homes a vineyard, a restaurant and a small resort, stands tall in the quiet village of Igatpuri, simply exterior Nashik.
For founder Shailendra Pai, who has an extended historical past with the wine trade, Vallonné, which produces round 15 types of wine, is a labour of affection. As we stroll via the luxurious slopes of the winery taking in the earthy odor of the ripening grapes, Shailendra talks about the time-consuming and care-driven course of of constructing wines.
A view of the Vallonné Vineyards positioned in Nashik.
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A bit forward, a small wood desk is about up with some picks from their wine assortment.
The Anokhee Cabernet Sauvignon shortly turns into a crowd favorite. Crafted in 2009 and 2016, it’s a part of their grand reserve wines, that are barrel-aged for twenty-four months and additional aged in bottles for a minimal interval of two years. With a bouquet of different wines on provide, Shailendra says innovation is vital to them.
Apart from its fruity and refreshing rosé, the dessert wine Vin de Passerillage stands out with a candy style that would pair effectively with Indian desserts.
Around 60 kilometres away, Chandon vineyard is a sight to behold. A lush, 19-acre property, positioned in the Dindori space of Nashik, Chandon India is a part of the Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy Group.
A chicken’s eye view of the Chandon India Winery
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A tour of the property begins on the gallery room, which showcases the model’s historical past and its beginnings in India. A miniature mannequin of the complete property is about up in the center of the room and on the additional finish of the room, two sliding doorways open to a view of the vineyard. Currently, Chandon at the moment makes 5 varieties: Brut, Rosé, Delice, Aurva, and the Chandon Vintage 2015 version.
From berries to bottles
Winemaker and model ambassador of Chandon India, Amrut Vare, who leads the tour, explains the wine-making course of in element. From the winery the place the grapes are grown to the manufacturing unit the place they’re aged and bottled, he walks us via the steps: the crushing of grapes, fermentation and rigorous testing. The tour ends with a wine-tasting session with Kaushal Khairnar, head winemaker at Chandon India.
Chandon makes glowing wine in two variants — brut and rosé. Last yr, additionally they launched their first nonetheless crimson wine, Aurva. Kaushal engages the gang with the fundamentals of wine tasting. He additionally comes up with three-word descriptions of the wine, simplifying the session for first-timers. For instance, he describes Brut as “vibrant, precise and layered”.
A wine tasting session led by head winemaker Kaushal Khairnar at Chandon India Winery.
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A studying expertise
The wine market in India remains to be in its nascent levels however is slowly rising. For winemakers, these trails are a way to demystify the beverage and make it extra accessible. “If you want the industry to grow there has to be an education,” says Shailendra.
“What we do through these tours and tastings is to educate people. We tell them a story about how wines are made and slowly introduce them to the world,” he provides.
The Indian wine trade has undergone a metamorphosis, observes Sonal through the tasting. She says the trade has grown leaps and bounds with many Indian wines now bagging awards, each domestically and globally. And Nashik is an enormous a part of that journey. The international wine market was valued at roughly $330 billion in 2023. According to a report by Prowess Group, the Indian wine trade, which is at the moment valued at $175 million, is anticipated to extend to $440 million by 2028.
A wine tasting session led by Master of Wine Sonal Holland on the launch of the India Wine Studio on the Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa, Nashik
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The author was in Nashik on the invitation of Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa, Nashik
