https://www.deccanchronicle.

com/151127/nation-current-affairs/article/telangana-wineries-get-
permits

DECCAN CHRONICLE
Published Nov 27, 2015, 10:52 am IST Updated Mar 26, 2019, 11:06 pm IST.

Hyderabad: After giving nod to microbreweries recently, the Telangana state government is

now set to allow wineries in the state. Excise officials have drafted the “Nasik model” wherein
wineries would be linked to grape gardens to encourage farmers to take up grape production.
Initially, five wineries will be permitted on the city outskirts, namely Chevella, Medchal,
Shamirpet and Shamshabad. These areas were once famous for grape gardens but later
sprouted function halls and realty projects following the real estate boom in the last two
decades.
The government is now planning to revive the grape gardens on the city’s outskirts by linking
their production with wineries to ensure good returns for farmers. “There is no wine production
in Telangana at present. The government is forced to import wine from neighbouring
Maharashtra and Karnataka. Even the grape gardens in the city’s outskirts have diminished over
the years due to the realty boom. The government wants to encourage farmers to take up
growing of grapes by setting up wineries,” said excise minister T. Padma Rao Goud.

The government had sent a team of Excise officials to Nasik in October, which is famous for
wine production in the country. The team visited wineries and grape gardens and interacted
with their representatives to devise a plan for Telangana for setting up wineries.
The government is also considering waiving 190 per cent VAT on production of wine to
encourage the existing distilleries to take up the job. At present, Telangana has 17 distilleries.
Of them, only 15 are functional. The government is planning to permit five wineries exclusively
for the production of wine.
The government is even considering to revive the license of the three-decade old Golconda
Distilleries on the city outskirts, which used to produce wines but had stopped production later
due to diminishing of grape gardens.

Love ’em grapes? Pluck and buy straight from this Telangana vineyard
The vineyard, spread over 3.5 acre, has a whopping 59 varieties of grapes, said
Professor G Ram Reddy, principal scientist at the Horticultural University.

Published: 15th February 2020 08:17 AM Last Updated: 15th February 2020 08:17 AM

HYDERABAD: Going to a vineyard, choosing the best bunch of grapes and buying them
straight from the farm is not how it usually works in Hyderabad if you are in a mood to have
grapes. However, for a few days one can have this experience between 9 am to 6 pm at the
vineyard owned by grape research station of Sri Konda Laxman Telangana State Horticultural
University.
The vineyard, spread over 3.5 acre, has a whopping 59 varieties of grapes, said Professor G
Ram Reddy, principal scientist at the Horticultural University.
Reddy, who also heads the grape research station, said: “The harvest is available now after
pruning of grape vines in October. When grape vines are pruned mid-October, fruits are
ready by mid-February. ”
The vineyard is being maintained by the University for the last 11 years. Once the fruits are
ready for harvesting, a committee opens up the vineyard for an auction. Whoever wins the
auction can sell the fruits. Corani Mahesh, who won the auction this week,   said, “Anyone
can walk in, choose the grapes they like, cut the fruits and buy them. The price ranges
between Rs 150 to Rs 250 per kilogram depending on the variety. The sale will last as long as
the fruits last, which would be mostly by end of this week.”

https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/food/grape-fest-konda-laxman-
telangana-state-horticultural-university/article30842348.ece
Visitors are welcome to try their hand at grape plucking here
FEBRUARY 17, 2020 17:14 IST UPDATED: FEBRUARY 18, 2020 15:31 IST

One wouldn’t have asked for anything better than taking a walk in a grape garden during
the weekend. Enjoying the pleasant February breeze and getting to eat farm-fresh
produce was a unique experience. To make Hyderabadis appreciate the yield of nature
and taste the best produce of the season, Konda Laxman Telangana State Horticultural
University organised a week-long grape festival. The Annual Grape Festival aims to
provide visitors with a first-hand experience of grape plucking at its grape research
centre.
The 3.5-acre university at Rajendranagar was teeming with people that Sunday. Children
were thrilled with the vast open spaces and especially at the thought of plucking grapes.
While visitors were given access to the grape garden, there were a few dos and don’ts as
well; visitors could pluck grapes from specific creepers they were guided to, and strict
instructions were issued on how to pluck so as not to damage/destroy the plants.
Visitors were also advised to carry their own bags.

Tasteful lessons
“This is way better than spending my Sunday watching my favourite cartoon shows at
home. I have only seen grapes in supermarkets earlier, this is the first time I visited a
grape garden. I was at a mango farm last year,” recalls 11-year old Anahita Mohan. Does
Anahita like grapes? “Only if they are sweet. Since we don’t know much about varieties,
we tasted every variety we saw and picked only the sweet ones. By the time we were
ready to leave after picking and buying grapes, my belly was full from tasting,” she
laughs.
To help visitors identify the varieties of grapes, each row was marked with names. Some
of the names spotted include Kismis, Navrang, Red Globe, Rose, Sharat seedless, among
many others.

Every year the Horticultural University auctions the grape farm and subsequently, the
buyer, in turn, opens up the garden to sell the produce to the public. Corani Mahesh
who bought the grape garden this season says, “People in Hyderabad must know what
our state produces. The grape varieties grown here are very good and soon the streets
on the highways will be full of grape sellers. By the end of the festival, the farm will be
empty of grapes.”
“It was extremely hot yesterday but the children were delighted to see a real farm.
Living in a concrete jungle, children hardly to get to see and enjoy Nature. This fest at
the University is a good way to introduce children to nature,” says Bharati Raja, a visitor.
Will the visitors return for a festival again? “If any farm is willing to sell pesticide-free
fruits like they did at Konda Laxman Telangana Horticultural University, why not,” says
another visitor.

According to Ram Reddy, scientific officer at the State Horticultural University, “The best
grapes in these parts are known as Anab-e-Shahi,  patronised by the Nizams. With
resilient weather to support, viticulture has never been as good as in 2019-20; a bumper
harvest of over 60 varieties is ready to be plucked at the Grape Research Station farms
near Rajendranagar. The Thomson Seedless variety is the pick of the season. Grape
cultivation in Telangana shows a leg-up despite losing major chunks of grapes garden
land to real estate.”

Prices of grapes at the Grape Research Station farm range between ₹150 and 300 per
kilogram. The fest ends on February 20.
HTTPS://WWW.SPIRITZ.IN/TELANGANA-TRYING-KILL-DOMESTIC-WINE-BUSINESS/

This is how Telangana trying to kill domestic wine business

June 6, 2018

Defying all logic, Telangana government has imposed higher demurrage charges on domestic
wines supplied to state corporation TSBCL, while it is soft for imported wines.

India’s majority of wine companies have submitted a representation to the Somesh Kumar,
Principal Secretary, CT & Excise , Telangana government, highlighting the discrepancy and
appealing for a rectification.

The representation is signed by Pedhapally Kishan, Owner of Asav wines and co-signed by the
representatives of Noble Wines, SDU Winery, Grover Zampa Vineyards, Vijay Durga Amal
Wineries Pvt Ltd, KRSMA wines, Vinbros & Company, Tonia Liquor Industries and Elite Wines.
They have highlighted that the demurrages charged from Imported wines are being charged
with mere  Rs.5 , Rs.25 , Rs.50 slabs, while domestic ( Indian )manufactured wines are being
charged Demurrages on percentage basis of  1.5 % , 6 % , 12 % on TSBCL Basic Price.

The representation argued that margins for Indian wine manufactures are less compared to
that of liquor and beer to absorb the demurrage charged by TSBCL. “With a meager volume of
sale of wines, we incur huge expenses in the form of Inter Depot Stock Transfer ( IDT ) to make
our product available in all TSBCL so that our Brand should be made available in all wine
stores,” it reasoned.

The wine companies also stated that wine, unlike spirits and beer, is not a fast moving product
and it needs time and conduct extensive marketing activities to even get to liquidate the same
from the retail or Institutional shelf and can’t be dumped at any point to just avoid demurrage
Charges.

Seeking corrective steps from the government, the representation said that after the
implementation of very high demurrage charges on percentage basis, for slow moving stocks in
par with spirits and beer which has high volumes of sales is not supportive as far as wine sales
are concerned.

The wine companies requested the government to reconsider demurrage charges imposed on
domestic wines, so that all the domestic wine companies can continue business in Telangana
Market. Also asked the government to re-examine the existing excise policy and devise a plan
for Telangana Wineries for setting up more production of wine and increase Government
Revenue.

Will there be any action from the government ? Nothing has been heard from Mantralaya so
far !

https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/6yiTHcksVjBJ62bcN7QV2K/Your-easy-guide-to-owning-a-
vineyard.html
Your easy guide to owning a vineyard
Poornima Mohandas 5 min read . Updated: 05 Feb 2010, 09:56 PM IST

Some research shows that a glass of wine a day is good for the heart. The stressful process of
making it is probably not.
Winemaking is a romantic idea —the subject of many romantic films. As India’s professionals
turn more intrepid, there is increasing interest in this niche space. But this is where the
romance ends, and the hard work begins.
“About 20 people, mostly software professionals, come to see me every day," says B. Krishna,
managing director of the Karnataka Wine Board, a body set up to promote the state’s wine
industry. “I mostly dissuade them," says Krishna, who has a doctorate in horticulture, “because
it is no easy task".
It takes at least three years after the land has been bought to make wine and over five years to
break even in the business. You need at least 20 acres of land and a long-term contract with a
winemaker since wine grapes are not good enough to eat. Alternatively, one could invest Rs1-3
crore to set up a winery which can fill some 60,000-75,000 bottles a year.

Over the last three years, nine new wineries have come up in state-desginated areas. Nandi
Valley in the south, which includes parts of rural and urban Bangalore, Chikballapur and Kolar
district, and Krishna Valley in the north, which includes Bijapur, Bagalkot and Belgaum, are
popular wine regions. While some of these have started selling their wines through contract-
farming arrangements, others are awaiting their first harvest.

B.N. Nanjundaiah is one of the nine new entrepreneurs. A former chief adviser to the managing
director of the Bangalore-based liquor company Khoday India Ltd, he decided to start out on his
own in 2005. Inspired during his many business trips abroad, Nanjundaiah felt it was time
Indians developed a taste for wine over traditional hard liquor. He hired a French wine
consultant who identified 100 acres of land in Bijapur in north Karnataka, which he soon leased.
With an investment of Rs15 crore, he set up Naka Spurt Pvt. Ltd and built the brands, maya and
naka.
For the last two-and-a-half years, Nanjundaiah, who has a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy, has
test-marketed his five wine labels in Bangalore. “I have got an extremely good response," he
says.
He has sold 5,000 cases, each containing 12 750ml bottles, so far. In April, he hopes to enter the
markets of Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, targeting sales of 7,000-8,000 cases a month. He
believes he will be able to break even in three years. Ask him what makes him tick in a long-
gestation business and he replies, “The concept of selling wine and building a brand excites
me."
So if you are inspired by Nanjundaiah and have the patience and the money, here are some tips
on how to set up a vineyard. The process has been corroborated through conversations with
winemakers, industry experts and farmers.

Get the plot

The grape will be determined largely by terroir, a French term for the combination of climate,
soil type and topography. It is always better to buy a piece of land suitable for grape cultivation
rather than grow on the land you already own. Buy the land only after studying the region’s
microclimate—dry, cool climes nurture grapes. Low humidity and rainfall are preferred for
healthier crops. Too much rainfall will push up the water content in the berries, diluting their
fruity flavour.

Valleys are better than plain fields because water will not collect. A valley also has more breeze;
aeration is essential for the berry to develop colour. Summer temperatures should not exceed
36 degrees Celsius as a scorching sun can rid the berries of flavour and aromas. Land prices
typically depend on factors such as availability, demand, going rate, access to roads, water and
electricity.

Ground realities

Virgin soils are better for grape cultivation as intensive farming leads to fertilizer residue and a
polluted ground-water table. Avoid fertile, clayey, black-cotton soil as this would lead to too
much yield. For wine grapes, the less the yield, the better the quality of the berry. Well-drained
and sandy soil works well for grapes. Apart from the regular Ph and nutrient tests, also check
for porosity to see how easily water permeates, and a soil structure test to determine the level
of pebbles.

Fruit of labour

Most winemakers in India grow well-known French grape varieties such as Shiraz, Cabernet,
Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc since they are popular and easier to market. “In 15 acres,
plant well-known French varieties. These have been successfully grown in India and are less
risky," recommends Abhay Kewadkar, business head (wines) and chief winemaker, director,
Four Seasons Wines Ltd, part of the UB group.

In 3-4 acres, he adds, one could experiment with highly-regarded French grapes such as a
Chardonnay or a Pinot Noir, which have so far not succeeded in India owing to the higher
temperatures here. “If you crack it, the returns are high," says Kewadkar, who has been
instrumental in setting up vineyards for Grover and Four Seasons. In the last 1 acre, he
recommends grapes from warmer climes which have not been tried much in India—Carmenere
from Chile, Sangiovese from Italy or Tempranillo from Spain. This way, the risks can be
minimized and the scope for higher profit remains.

Cover story

The canopy system, which can range from a pergola to a trellis, is critical to giving the grape the
right amount of sunlight. It also affects the vines’ yield, quality and susceptibility to diseases.
For Indian conditions, a cordon is most suitable, says G.S. Prakash, principal scientist at the
Bangalore-based Indian Institute of Horticultural Research. In a cordon arrangement, poles are
erected in a straight line, with wires laid horizontally for the vines to climb on. “A horizontal
arrangement limits yield, gives plenty of sunlight, enriching the colour of the berries, and makes
them less prone to diseases," says Prakash.

No walk in the park

This is, however, just the beginning. Maintaining a vineyard is a continuous process. Multiple
books have been written on the viticulture practices to follow. In short, these include: Prune
branches twice a year (October-November, March-April) to limit the yield, drip-irrigate
adjusting to the rainfall received, plow the land to aerate the soil and watch out for pests.
Grapes are typically harvested in March-April; the berries take 135-150 days to ripen from the
last prune.
If you get all this right, celebrate with a glass of bubbly. If you intend to make your own wine,
that’s another story altogether.

http://www.nhb.gov.in/Horticulture%20Crops/Grape/Grape1.htm
Details regarding Grape!

https://www.mgsarchitecture.in/architecture-design/projects/622-fratelli-wines-industrial-
project-solapur-maharashtra.html
Fratelli wines Industrial Project

https://www.archdaily.com/search/projects/categories/winery

For some International Projects