WINE TOURISM IN INDIA

With evolving trends in tourism, India is also gearing up to break the shackles of normalcy and venture into new zones. Long known as a country of temples and palaces, India is now trying a makeover to promote itself as a wine tourism destination too. Indian Government has finally discovered the wine hungry market that's growing at a fast pace, and is trying to catch up with the front runners of the industry in a quest to promote wine tourism.

Wine tourism is one of the best ways to take the traveler off the regular track for a wine yard trip to taste, buy and learn about wines and in that process get an insight of the lives of farmers, their food habits and culture. Some of the western countries have perfected the art of wine making and have been promoting their land as a wine tourism destination since years. You will find most of the wine connoisseurs in Italy, France, New York, California, Canada, Colorado, Spain, Hungary, Germany, Argentina, Portugal, Georgia and South Africa.

So to uncork this opportunity, India is bringing more and more of its fertile lands under grape cultivation. Currently more that 50,000 hectares of land in India are used for growing grapes. Pune, Nasik, Bangalore, Belgaon, Bijapur and Nandi Valley are amongst the famous wine destinations of India. Though in the initial stage now, Indian Government is taking proactive actions to enhance the image of India as a world class wine haven.

The focus of Indian Government lies on planning the wine yards of Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka to make them opulent in fine quality wine production and along with that offer best services and travel experience to the tourists. Hotels, guest houses, restaurants and spas are coming up in Nasik and Bangalore to give wine related spa treatments, like champagne showers, to attract tourist footfalls. These regions are being made conveniently accessible for the tourists, so that tourists can easily come and enjoy peaceful strolls in the vineyards.

Steps are also being taken to educate students and hospitality professionals on wine processing and wine tasting. Along with that technical assistance and know how to the farmers is being given, to get best quality produce. Concessions to attract investment in the wine industry is also being given by the state.

Major Wine Producing Regions in India:

Maharashtra

Maharashtra, in western India, is the largest producer of wine in India with a production 10 million liters of wine every year. Nasik, Pune and Sangli are the cities that are largely involved in grape cultivation. Napa Valley in Nasik boasts of being specialized in this industry with international alliances and technical know how. Its climate is said to be similar to that of South France and its temperature and humidity are considered ideal for grape cultivation. The largest wine producing companies in Nasik are Sula and Indage.

Tiger Hills Resort in Nasik is the first wine resort and spa in India. A project of Chateau Indage, it spans to a mammoth 2800 acres and features 20 luxury rooms, a lounge, restaurant and a boutique too. The USP of the resort is its spa that offers unique vino therapies including champagne showers and baths using grape seed oils and extracts. There are more such luxury wine resort projects in the pipeline in Pune, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh. Apart from the resorts, wine bars are also a point of attraction in Nasik. There are currently four wine bars in the city and many more are slated to open up soon.

Karnataka:

Karnataka is the second largest producer of wine in the country, producing 1.8 million liters of wine every year. Around 600 acres of its land is used for grape cultivation. Chikkaballapur, Bagalkot, Belgaon and Bijapur cities of Karnataka have tasted the scope of this industry and are extensively involved in wine production.

Bangalore, known as an IT hub, has also established itself for rich wine produce. Karnataka Wine Board has planned out a three day wine festival here, to boost wine tourism in the state. During this festival, wine connoisseurs from all over the world can taste the Indian wine and attend seminars and conferences on wine production.

So, the next time you are in India, don't miss the magic of wine along with natural beauty, adventure and heritage. Cheers.