Last week, I drove 800 km from Pune to Sangli, Akluj and Baramati to visit seven wineries still operating in southern Maharashtra. I say "still operating" because at present only 10 of the 40-odd wineries set up in this region are still open - the rest have died a natural death.
The heyday of the wine production boom in the region was between 2003 and 2008, immediately after the announcement of the Maharashtra Grape Processing Policy 2001. Suddenly, everybody and his uncle wanted to start a winery, particularly grape growers who saw wine as a vehicle to add value to their crop. After all, the reasoning went that wine grapes fetched only Rs 25 a kilogram, while wine was selling for Rs 400 per bottle, and if there was no excise duty involved, one would be able to make a tidy profit!
Sadly, most of the wine produced was of fairly poor quality, and, of course, the wineries knew nothing of what it takes to market wine. Too many had contracted with Indage Vintners to supply bulk wine, and when Indage imploded in 2009, people not only lost sales but were also left with both unsold wine stocks and large outstanding dues for past supplies.
Today, in this entire area there are only two wineries worth visiting: the Four Seasons winery near Baramati, and Fratelli Wines, further down off the Solapur highway, near Akluj.
Four Seasons Wines is owned by United Spirits Ltd, which in turn is now owned and managed by Diageo. Its building is a humongous chateau-style edifice atop an escarpment. It was completed in 2008, at a reported cost of Rs 25 crore, and is situated amidst 50 acres of land where the company is still struggling to grow wine grapes. The winery itself is so discreetly tucked away behind the facade that if one didn't know of its existence, one would never suspect that wine was being produced and bottled here. There are 14 well-appointed rooms but a no-visitors policy (or guidelines about staying) stated on their website, so those interested in visiting will just have to try their luck and send an email.
The packaging and marketing of Four Seasons wines are excellent and the wines are distributed pan-India through the United Spirits network: seven varietals in the "regular" range and two barrique-aged reserve reds (Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz). Inexplicably, the brand has struggled to establish itself in most markets, which one can only attribute to the grapes and wine having being sourced from third parties across the state.
Fratelli Wines is a very different kettle of fish: a post-modern building set among 65 acres of vineyards, with another 150 acres planted nearby. The winery strictly uses its own grapes, and the wine quality reflects the close attention paid to grape-growing and viticulture. The property has four rooms available and the rates/ facilities are clearly stated on its website. The stay is a bit expensive at Rs 11,000 per couple (all-inclusive), but then where else can one look into the winery from the guest house and see the wine maker in action.
Wines I've been drinking: The Fratelli Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Fratelli Shiraz 2014, and the Fratelli Merlot 2014 - all from the barrel, personally drawn by wine maker Piero Masi. The wines are all outstanding: inky black in colour, with an immense and complex aroma of fruit, with soft chewy tannins, and a long generous finish. Gorgeous wines - I rated all of them at least 90 points, and also the wine that goes into the Fratelli Sette; so try it sometime.
Alok Chandra is a Bengaluru-based wine consultant
