India’s Wine Country: A Charming Work in Progress

When searching for a wine at a market in Goa, the clerk helpfully pointed out that "it's made from grapes."

Having visited Sula and York, I assure everyone that the quality of the wines is quite high and the experience as a tourist is equal to vineyards in Napa and Sonoma. Put aside your prejudices and venture out of the norm and you will be pleasantly surprised, especially if you do a blind fold test with more traditional growing areas. Some comments that allude to heat, transportation of bottled wines, and pairing with local cuisine are valid. But those can be overcome with little effort if you know how.

Perhaps the biggest problem with drinking wine in India, outside of the wineries, is that merchants have almost zero knowledge regarding the storage of wine. Often the shops aren't climate controlled, thus you have bottles of wine sitting in 100 degree temperatures or, worse yet, outside the shops in racks with sun beating down on them. I can only imagine what storage at various warehouses outside of the region must be like. Even at the finer restaurants, storage doesn't seem to be much of an issue. I have yet to taste a single wine in India that was better than a $5 bottle of "whatever" at my local wineshop.

Muslims continue to be murdered by mobs in India out of hatred incited by Modi, but no let's focus on wine, shall we? I really hate this world and people sometimes.

The Indian wine industry needs to produce fortified stuff like port or sherry. That will bring in the bucks. Once their economics are sound, they could focus on small and great batches for the tourist crows. It is unrealistic to expect wine to travel and age well in the hot Indian weather. I have been offered discounts on wine because it was "old stock"! And yes, it had indeed gone off and tasted more like vinegar. Most Indians crave the buzz from a drink, and thus the preference for liquors (primarily whiskey). Beer is considered the thing for the young, but for some reason does give a buzz disproportional to alcohol content.

Mr Goel, you have succeeded in selling us your knowledge of wines, but fortunately you have held back on patronising the Indian wine industry. In your closing paragraph, you alerted us to the fact that it took California several centuries to perfect wine growing; well that’s rich coming from a person who lived there and would have seen the rise of behemoths like Apple, Facebook, Google etc who have risen in the last 10 years. In fact, there are probably 100 sites on YouTube giving good guidance , in the same way they guide on making centuries old food recipies. Some wines do age well , but technology is never stuck in the past. I advise you to stay away from Nascar and writing your next article on how those cars are not so luxurious as a Rolls Royce or a Bentley.

It took some time for Sonoma and Napa Valley to start producing top-notch wines, and it will take awhile in India too. It's good that these pioneers are developing the industry. Gewurtraminer wine goes well with Thai curries, and it would probably go well with Indian food too. Some Indian winery should try producing it. Gewurtraminer retains it's fruity and tropical taste even when it's made into a dry wine.

Great start, small steps leading to bigger ones later in a few years.

We are spoiled here in California Wine Country for many reasons- now I can add lack of poisonous grass snakes to the list!

I do not understand the fascination with wine or “Western” culture by Indians. Most Americans I know won’t visit India for wine. They’re fascinated by India’s rich culture, food, and history. And Indians do not need any more alcohol than they’re already consuming. There are plenty of ways to have fun that don’t involve alcohol. India may have freedom from British rule on paper but there’s no freedom from Western culture. Until Indians develop their own independent point of view derived from their rich cultural heritage, they won’t have a creative society. What makes California great is not wine but creativity.

Not exactly wine, but India has several version of local alcoholic drinks that are used by various tribes and locals. I have extensively traveled in India and have tasted several local version of wine and beer made from rice, palm or other local ingredients. For instance in north east states like Assam, Manipur or Nagaland there is rice wine and some versions look and taste like Sake. And in Goa Feni is common local drink. So the wine that is being referred to in this article is more of a western influence. I would suggest that instead of copying and trying to make it better, why not promote the local versions and create an identity and hence new market.

Like everything else, the big capitalist picture of size, markets etc never emerges in India. Start small, stay small--therein lies the difficulty and pleasure in looking from outside.

Thanks, but I'll stick with French, Portugese and Italian wines. In that order.

If after reading this article I was given the choice to visit Nashik for wine tourism versus its cultural/historical appeal, I would opt for the latter. There is nothing in the piece that makes me excited to try out wines from the region. Interestingly India and China began the journey in producing wine roughly at the same time. Today China is a major market/player in the global wine market. In contrast, India has remained in the dark ages in wine production/market. Most Indian wines that I have tried lacked the characteristics of a fine wine.

I have heard good things about winery near Solapur, called Fratelli, collaboration with Italian wine makers . Unfortunately when I went to buy the wine in Pune the wine shops were closed because of a sudden dry day declared by the Collector. May be the reason wine tourism is not being promoted lies in the religious fundamentalist attitude of the government.

My brother and I visited Nashik about 10 years ago, so I feel really ahead of the curve! We went to a couple of wineries and they told us part of the problem was that in order to meet the price point, they were unable to cellar their wine more than three months - maybe this has changed now, but I had a glass of Sula white wine (forget which variety) in India a couple of weeks ago and it remains somewhat undrinkable. Imported wine is crazy expensive in India - a friend and I went a couple of times to The Table in Mumbai just to savour one glass of imported good wine. It cost certainly more than what we would pay in Canada (which also has big wine importing taxes).

When my husband and I got married (the week before the Prop 8 election in California in 2008) a friend married us in our living room then we went to celebrate with a small group of friends. We ended up at a charming Indian restaurant and when the owner/host found out we had just been married, he began sending wine to our table. We drank three or four bottles of a slightly sweet rose and it went really well with the spice and heat of the food. It was my first exposure to Indian wine (who knew?) and a thoroughly charming one.

Thank you for the write up. The vineyards described here, in Nashik, seem quite similar to the earlier years of the Guadalupe Valley, in Baja California, Mexico. They still have beautiful, boutique wineries, and the roads are almost non-existent to most of them. But the wine is generally very very good. Similar to India the Mexican cuisine is still not "matched" to wines (or is it vice-versa?) and people tend to prefer Beer, Mezcal, and other drinks. But there is an emerging demographic with excellent restaurants and tasting rooms. Being a short-drive from San Diego they are an excellent option for food lovers and travelers. But V of G does not have to become Napa or Burgundy or whatever else. Some vineyards in Napa win awards, others make 5-buck chucks, let it be, let a million flowers bloom. The point is, Nashik does not have to be Napa, India does not have to be France, they can each remain what they are. But India can have excellent domestic wines (and better roads, trains, etc too :)), France can have excellent Indian Restaurants, and we can all enjoy good food wherever we can find it, wherever enthusiastic people can create it for us. Please try switching off the permanent comparison and put down mode we seem to apply to everything in life. Up to a point it makes sense to keep score, but after that point one has to stop and become mindful.

I remember visiting Sula Vineyards few years back and was thoroughly disappointed with the quality of wine. I guess for someone who got introduced to wine in the west, it is hard to like Sula. I am glad you called that out in your article. I also understand that Sula makes what India wants. :) I remember hunting for Chilean and Argentinian wines in Mumbai/Delhi to quench my thirst for nice wine, but due high taxes not many vendors carry them and even if they do the prices are exorbitant. Overall, a very nice read. Vindu, Hope you visited the Trimbakeshwar shrine...ha ha

I was pleasantly surprised to see Indian made wine in a store in Hyderabad (about a decade ago). It was expensive but I was told it tastes good. Most Indians compare alcoholic drinks by their alcohol content and peer recommendations. I bought two bottles (one I consumed; did not like it much and the other I gave to a German friend- who too did not like it). But today they are much more widely available- not the full spectrum- but the Sula ones. But according to the friendly neighborhood storeman, whisky is still the king.

Interesting article. Sonal Holland is described as a “Mumbai wine entrepreneur and educator” - I am surprised there is no mention of her being India’s first (and only?) Master Of Wine!

The big question unanswered is does 'Wine go with Indian food'? and 'Who is going to develop the infrastructure to make these places reachable?

Where is this place in India? How long did wineries exist in India? Do they have ancient roots like in Greece or Turkey? Or are they just western influence? Why is this article so empty in information on geography or history? Isn't it India one of the most ancient places in terms of human occupation? What a waste!

My wife and I lived in India for two years and developed a strong appreciation for Indian wine. A number of wineries are doing interesting things. Most importantly, they are creating a new market from the ground up. They are figuring out what grapes work best in India (we found Syrahs and Cab Sauvs the best), and they are trying to convince Indians to drink something other than very sweet wines. The big, dry reds stand up nicely to the wall of spice of Indian foods. In addition to Grover Zampa, there are some great small wineries around Nashik. Our favorite was York. They are focusing on developing their process, buying their grapes from other growers while their own vines get older and more complex. As for the price, complained about in both the article and many of the comments, people have to keep in mind the complicated relationship between Indians and their alcohol. First is the teetotaling nature of most Hindus' practice. Second is that many drink to dull the pain of hard lives. People die every year from bad batches of home brewed booze. The result is high taxes on all alcohol trying to dissuade people from drinking. I was excited to see an article about Indian wine, an industry we miss since moving back to the US. It's not great wine yet, but they are doing great work to try to get there. I was disappointed to read this article and find the writer mostly looking down his nose at a brand new element of Indian culture instead of recognizing the entire context.

This is great! I've been to Sula Vineyards and its a great place to explore. The staff is very informative and I'm glad many people are now interested in exploring this culture of Nashik!

I've visited that area without having any knowledge of its viniculture. The temples and the caves are well worth seeing in and of themselves.

With so many other food and beverage options in India, that have centuries or millenia of cultural heft, history and geopolitical intricacies, I wouldn't worry about the lack of "wine tourism" or wine making in India. Indian cuisine and beverage are so much more nuanced than meets the eye. Let the French do the wine, and let the Indians do a biryani. I believe in imbibing it all. Bon Appetit. :)

I do consider Indian cuisine surely among the best in the world. Two most missed items of Indian cuisine are wine and cheese. Few Indian agriculturists told that many places in India are perfectly suited for growing good quality wine producing grape varieties. Buty that potential is hardly even surveyed by any private or even Govt agency. I hope India would start developing its own wine industry to produce some good quality wine and allow foreign wines to have more access to Indian market so that general Indian customers develop a taste of good wine.

I do consider Indian cuisine is surely among the best in the world. Two most missed items of Indian cuisine are wine and cheese. General Indians are more fond of whiskey, arguably the most dangerous alcoholic drink from health point of view, as part of its British legacy. Few Indian agriculturists told that many places in India are perfectly suited for growing good quality wine producing grape varieties. But that potential is hardly been surveyed by any private or even Govt agency. Some districts, including my own native ones in West Bengal, are among the potential sites. I hope India would start developing its own wine industry to produce some good quality wine and allow foreign wines to have more access to Indian market so that general Indian customers develop a taste of good wine at an affordable price. Even the most expensive Indian wines (Sula included, as mentioned in the article), costing way more than a good foreign wine, are among the worst in quality. That's a major reason wine is not much preferred by general Indian food connoisseurs. Wine became more of a status symbol for newly emerging show-off type rich folks (mainly women) than a viable part of so diverse Indian cuisine.

Until half way into the article, I still had no idea where Nishak Valley was. How about stating early on in the article that the Niskak Valley in Maharashtra state in western India is about 120 miles north of Bombay (Mumbai) on the Godavari River? Please include a map as well.

I have been to Nashik a bunch of times and there is definitely a growing understanding of wine making in the region. Wine masters like Kushal at Chadon are doing some really interesting blends. The fact that you have to double prune the stem (to get a stronger character) because of the tropical climate gives wine making an interesting twist. Long way to go but the its a start

This sentence in the articles is important for context. Perhaps the articles should have led with it. "As we joined dozens of people clambering and posing for photographs, it struck me that in the millennial sweep of Indian history, the wine industry is just a footnote."

Good luck to the Indian wine growers! But it would be a long time before India is recognized as a country of good wine.

Nice, interesting article. Lack of wine knowledge not one of our top 1000 problems, but glad someone is working on it.

This is a welcome change in India. Cheers!!