Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa in Nashik launches India Wine Studio showcasing wine from about 35 vineyards

Home to among the greatest winemakers and vineyards within the nation equivalent 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 inside the Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa, Nashik, the studio is a curated assortment of wine, bringing collectively over 90 varietals from almost 35 famend vineyards, predominantly from Nashik.

The wine studio was launched just a few months in the past on the fruits of a two-day path throughout Nashik that pulled again the curtains on India’s burgeoning wine business. According to Jatish Ghai, the resort’s common supervisor, the studio is a strategy to highlight the 40 vineyards throughout town.

Though Sula is without doubt one of the pioneers of wine tourism, different vineyards within the metropolis, equivalent to Vallonné, Chandon, Soma and Grover Zampa, too supply excursions and tasting classes.

“There are extra styles of wine in India than one would count on,” Jatish says. From traditional reds and white, to extra distinctive dessert wines and rosés, town has all kinds of selections, provided that they work with grape varieties equivalent 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 presents a wine path throughout town. “The wine path is to let individuals expertise the range that town has to supply,” says Jatish. The resort presents a two-day wine path expertise, which features a go to to 2 premium vineyards within the metropolis, chosen by the visitor. Those can e-book the bundle via the resort’s web site.  

As a part of the expertise, we get a more in-depth take a look at two wineries — Vallonné and Chandon — the place we study in regards to the winemaking course of from berries to bottles and sampled the varieties on supply.

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 within the quiet village of Igatpuri, simply exterior Nashik.

For founder Shailendra Pai, who has an extended historical past with the wine business, Vallonné, which produces round 15 styles of wine, is a labour of affection. As we stroll via the luxurious slopes of the winery taking within the earthy odor of the ripening grapes, Shailendra talks in regards to the time-consuming and care-driven course of of constructing wines.

Somewhat forward, a small picket 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 supply, Shailendra says innovation is necessary to them.

Apart from its fruity and refreshing rosé, the dessert wine Vin de Passerillage stands out with a candy style that would pair properly with Indian desserts.

Around 60 kilometres away, Chandon vineyard is a sight to behold. A lush, 19-acre property, positioned within the Dindori space of Nashik, Chandon India is a part of the Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy Group.

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 whole property is about up in the course of the room and on the additional finish of the room, two sliding doorways open to a view of the vineyard. Currently, Chandon at present 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 intimately. 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, exact and layered”.

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 need the business to develop there needs to be an training,” says Shailendra.

“What we do via these excursions and tastings is to teach individuals. We inform them a narrative about how wines are made and slowly introduce them to the world,” he provides.

The Indian wine business has undergone a metamorphosis, observes Sonal throughout the tasting. She says the business 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 world wine market was valued at roughly $330 billion in 2023. According to a report by Prowess Group, the Indian wine business, which is at present valued at $175 million, is anticipated to extend to $440 million by 2028.

The author was in Nashik on the invitation of Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa, Nashik