A view of
Sula vineyards in Nashik, about a 2-hour drive from Mumbai.
India's wine
culture stretches back to the dawn of history.
Soma, the ambrosial liquor considered to be the ‘elixir of immortality’. is mentioned
in Vedic scriptures, and the earliest visitors to India were treated
to wines that rivaled anything produced in Europe.
Later, the same 19th
century blight that threatened the crops in France also decimated the Indian wine regions.
Today, notable wineries cover a large swath of the subcontinent beginning with Karnataka and Maharashtra (the latter home to India's largest wine producing areas, Nashik, India's Napa Valley) as leading producers.
Other important regions under vine include Himachal, Kashmir, and coastal Goa. Further south, another important emerging Indian wine region is found in the Nandi Hills near Bangalore which are producing some of India's most popular wines.
These India's regions are helping return Indian wines to the tables of the subcontinent, but the road to success has not been easy. Domestic tastes still run towards tea and beer, and while exports may help keep the industry thriving, more world-class vintages will have to be produced, say experts, before India is ready to join the global market.
More about India wine & wineries around the Web:
Sommelier
India - Daily blogs on the wine biz in India including
information on wine clubs, tastings, events & happenings,
with more on wine tourism and related industry updates.
India Wine, India wine regions - Here's a great overview from the Wine Searcher.com with historical details leading up to the modern India wine industry including guides to climate and terroir, leading wine regions and wine varietals.