Wines of India

&
India’s Wine
Market

by

Peter Csizmadia-
Honigh
The Wines of
India

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k.com/thewinesofindia

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m.com/thewinesofindia
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hewinesofindia
Wine’s Early History in
India

• 1966 – Shaw Wallace & Bosca

• 1982 – grapes crushed and winery construction
started by Shyamrao Chowgule
• 1986 – Chateau Indage launched Omar
Khayyam, a sparkling wine
• 1996 – Grover Vineyards launched
• 2000 – Sula Vineyards released its first wine
• 2001 – Maharashtra Wine Policy
• 2003 – Delhi Wine Academy
• 2005 – Sommelier India magazine
• 2006 – Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu wine
policy
• 2007 – Karnataka wine policy
• 2009 – Indian Grape Processing Board
• 2011 – OIV membership of India
• 2015 – The Wines of India, a Concise Guide
published
• 2016 – Sonal Holland achieved the Master of
Wine title
 Contemporary
Developments
• 2007/2008 – financial crisis: collapse of
wineries
• 2008 – Mumbai terrorist attacks
• Series of new projects: Fratelli, Charosa,
KRSMA, Vallonne and SDU
• 2011 – Ch. Indage went into liquidation
• 2014 – Domaine Chandon launched,
following Pernod Ricard and Diageo (2005
and 2007)
• 2014 – Diageo gained control of UB Spirits
• 2015 – 2019 – dysfunctional wineries leased
by bigger players
• 2016 – demonetization
• 2014 – 2020 – flavoured wines and coolers,
new styles
• 2019 – Grover-Zampa acquires Charosa, Four
Seasons and Myra Vineyards
• 2020 – Covid pandemic
 Wine Regions in
India
• Madhya Pradesh
• Ratlam
• Maharashtra
• Nashik
• Pune
• Karnataka
• Bijapur & the North
• Hampi Hills
• Bangalore & the South
• Goa
• Tamil Nadu
• Theni
Viticulture

• Subtropical climate
• 30 to 50 degrees centigrade
• Two seasons
• Lack of dormancy
• 2 to 3 harvests possible
• Mostly volcanic soil of the Western
Ghats
• Cordon training mostly
• Some bush (Akluj) and pergola
(Tamil Nadu/ MP) trained vines
• Two prunings per year
• Irrigation key (annual rainfall varies
between 450 and 3,500 mm)
Winemaking

• Picking: late December to April

• Reverse temperature curve in India
• Soaking in skin and MLF the same
as elsewhere in the world
• Open top fermentation rare
• Oak ageing for premium wines
• Sparkling wines from CO2
injection, via tank to traditional
method
• Few late harvest wines
Varieties

• Flagship varieties: • Italian varieties:

• Sauvignon • Grillo
Blanc • Vermentino
• Chenin Blanc • Nero d’Avola
• Shiraz • Sangiovese
• Cabernet • Others:
Sauvignon • Riesling
• French varieties: • Tempranillo
• Chardonnay • Zinfandel
• Viognier
• Marsanne
• Muscat
• Malbec
• Cabernet
Franc
• Grenache
• Merlot
Styles of Wines

• Indian styles:
• Constantly off-dry wines
• Sub-entry level wines
• Indian port
• Wine coolers
• Western styles:
• Dry still wines
• Sparkling wines
• Blush
• Sweet wines (late harvest, VdP,
Santo)
Nashik

• Chandon
• Charosa
• Grover Zampa
• Reveilo Wines
• Some Vine Village
• Sula Vineyards
• Vallonne Vineyards
• York Winery
Pune

• Fratelli Wines
• Four Seasons
Karnataka

• KRSMA
• Grover Zampa
• Bangalore Soma Vineyards
• SDU Winery
Wine Tourism

• Cellar door
experience
• Destination
services
• Harvest events
• Festivals
• Resorts and
restaurants
Wine Market &
Challenges

• 1.35 billion population

• Huge potential, small wine market
• Alcohol is banned by the constitution
• Fragmented regulation by the states
• High taxes and duties
• Lack of separate wine policy
nationally
• Consumption in metro cities
• Low level of knowledge (distribution
& service)
• Indian wine (2% of Bordeaux’s
production)