Prasenjeet at 07:28, 31 May 2022

2022-05-31T07:28:41Z

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{{Short description|Wine from India}}
[[File:India Wine.png|right|250px|thumb|The major wine regions of India highlighted. To the north is Kashmir and Punjab. To the south (clockwise from top) is Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Goa.]]
The modern '''Indian Wine''' market is small but growing; annual per capita consumption of wine in the country is a mere 9 milliliters, approximately 1/8000th that of [[France]].<ref>[https://qz.com/india/944731/the-average-indian-wine-drinker-cant-tell-a-cabernet-sauvignon-from-a-sauvignon-blanc/ The average Indian wine drinker can’t tell a Cabernet Sauvignon from a Sauvignon blanc]</ref> The main reason for this can be attributed to the fact that Indians preference for [[hard liquor]] and beer boasts nearly 98% of market share whereas wine with low [[Alcohol by volume|ABV]] only has 2% market share.<ref>[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Indians-love-hard-liquor-shun-wine/articleshow/7484037.cms Indians love hard liquor, shun wine]</ref> The [[viticulture]] in India has a long history dating back to the time of the [[Indus Valley civilization]] when [[grapevines]] were believed to have been introduced from [[Persia]]. [[Winemaking]] has existed throughout most of India's history but was particularly encouraged during the time of the [[Portugal|Portuguese]] and [[United Kingdom|British]] [[Colonial India|colonization]] of the [[Indian subcontinent|subcontinent]]. The end of the 19th century saw the [[phylloxera]] louse take its toll on the Indian wine industry followed by [[Temperance movement|religious and public opinion]] moving towards the [[prohibition of alcohol|prohibition]]. Following the country's [[Indian independence movement|independence]] from the [[British Empire]], the government encouraged vineyards to convert to [[table grape]] and [[raisin]] production. In the 1980s and 1990s, a revival in the Indian wine industry took place as international influences and the growing [[middle class]] started increasing demand for the beverage. By the turn of the 21st century, demand was increasing at a rate of 20-30% a year. The city of [[Nashik]] in the state of [[Maharashtra]] is called the "Wine Capital of India."<ref name="Oxford pg 355-356">J. Robinson (ed) ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'' Third Edition pg 355-356 Oxford University Press 2006 {{ISBN|0-19-860990-6}}</ref>

==History==
{{See also|History of India}}
[[File:Rigveda MS2097.jpg|left|thumb|250px|A 19th century reproduction of the [[Rigveda]].]]
Regarding the first wines of India, historians believe that these early plantings were used mostly for table grapes or [[grape juice]] rather than the production of an alcoholic beverage. During the [[Vedic period]] of the 2nd and 1st millennia, the tribes of the region were known for their indulgence in intoxicating drink and it seems probable that wine was a current beverage. The religious text of the ''[[Vedas]]'' mentions at least one alcoholic drink that may have been wine related -''[[Sura (alcoholic beverage)|sura]]'' which seems to have been a type of [[rice wine]] that was [[fermentation (wine)|fermented]] with [[honey]]. The first known mention of grape-based wines was in the late 4th century BC writings of [[Chanakya]] who was the chief minister of Emperor [[Chandragupta Maurya]]. In his writings, Chanakya condemns the use of alcohol while chronicling the emperor and his court's frequent indulgence of a style of grape wine known as ''Madhu''.<ref name="Oxford pg 355-356"/>

In the centuries that would follow, wine became the privileged drink of the ''[[Kshatriya]]'' or dominant class while the oppressed [[Indian caste system|caste]] typically drank alcohol made from [[wheat]], [[barley wine|barley]] and [[millet]]. Under the rule of the [[Muslim]] [[Mughal Empire]], alcohol was prohibited in accordance with [[Islamic dietary laws]]. However, there are written reports about at least one Mughal ruler, [[Jahangir]] and [[Babur]] for example, who were fond of wine. In the 16th century, Portuguese colonists at [[Goa]] introduced [[port wine|port-style wine]] and the production of [[fortified wine]]s soon spread to other regions. Under [[British Raj|British rule]] during the [[Victorian era]], viticulture and winemaking was strongly encouraged as a domestic source for the British colonists. Vineyards were planted extensively through the [[Baramati]], [[Kashmir]] and [[Surat]] regions. In 1883 at the [[Calcutta International Exhibition (1883)|Calcutta International Exhibition]], Indian wines were showcased to a favorable reception. The Indian wine industry was reaching a peak by the time the [[phylloxera]] epidemic made its way to country and devastated its vineyards.<ref name="Oxford pg 355-356"/>
[[Image:India, Day 13 (3430341330).jpg|thumb|125px|Indian variant of ''[[Chardonnay]]'' [[sparkling wine]]]]

It was a long road for the Indian wine industry to recover from the devastation at the end of the 19th century. Unfavorable religious and public opinion on alcohol developed and culminated in the 1950s when [[Alcohol prohibition in India|many of India's states prohibited alcohol]]. Vineyards were either uprooted or encouraged to convert to table grape and raisin production. Some areas, like [[Goa]], continued to produce wine but the product was normally very [[sweetness of wine|sweet]] and highly alcoholic. The turning point of the modern Indian wine industry occurred in the early 1980s with the founding of [[The Tonia Group]] in the state of [[Goa]]. With the assistance of [[France|French]] winemakers, The Tonia Group began to import ''[[Vitis vinifera]]'' [[List of grape varieties|grape varieties]] like [[Cabernet Sauvignon]], [[Chardonnay]], [[Pinot blanc]], [[Pinot noir]] and [[Ugni blanc]] and started making still and [[sparkling wine]]s. Other wineries soon followed as the emergence of India's growing middle class fueled the growth and development of the Indian wine industry.<ref name="Oxford pg 355-356"/>

==Climate and geography==
{{See also|Climate of India|Geography of India|Geology of India}}
[[Image:Barrels outside Chateau Indage Vineyards, Narayangaon - Pune, Mah..jpg|thumb|Vineyards of [[Chateau Indage]] in [[Pune]]]]
While a large portion of the Indian subcontinent is not ideal for viticulture, the large diversity of climate and geology does cover some areas with suitable ''[[terroir]]'' for winemaking to thrive. The summer growing season in India tends to be very hot and prone to [[monsoon]]s. Many of India's wine regions also fall within the [[tropics|tropical climate band]]. Vineyards are then planted at higher [[altitude]]s along slopes and hillsides to benefit from cooler air and some protection from wind. The altitude of India's vineyards typically range from around 200 m in [[Karnataka]], 300 m in Maharashtra, 800 m along the slopes of the [[Sahyadri]] to 1000 m in Kashmir. Summertime temperature can get as hot as 45 °C and wintertime lows can fall to 8 °C. During the peak growing season between June and August, rainfall averages 625-1,500 mm.<ref name="Oxford pg 355-356"/>

==Wine regions==
{{see|Nashik valley wine}}
Vineyards in India range from the more temperate climate of the northwestern state of [[Punjab (India)|Punjab]] down to the southern state of [[Tamil Nadu]]. Some of India's larger wine producing areas are located in [[Maharashtra]], [[Karnataka]] near [[Bangalore]] and [[Telangana]] near [[Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh|Hyderabad]]. Within the Maharashtra region, vineyards are found on the [[Deccan Plateau]] and around [[Baramati]], [[Nashik]], [[Pune]], [[Sangli district|Sangli]] and [[Solapur district|Solapur]].<ref>[https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/month-long-wine-festival-in-maharastras-nashik-from-feb-1-all-you-need-to-know/982141/ Month-long wine festival in Maharastra’s Nashik]</ref> The high heat and humidity of the far eastern half of the country limits viticultural activity.<ref name="Oxford pg 355-356"/>

==Viticulture and wine==
{{see also|Category:Wineries of India}}
[[Image:The Tasting Cellar.jpg|thumb|Tasting cellar at [[Sula Vineyards]] in [[Nasik]]]]
The heat and humidity of India's wine region dictate many of the viticultural choices that are made in the vineyards. Vines are often trained on [[bamboo]] and wire in a [[pergola]] to increase canopy cover and to get the grapes off the ground where they would be more prone to [[List of grape diseases|fungal diseases]]. The canopy protects the grapes against sunburn and rows are spaced wide to help with aeration between the vines. [[Irrigation (wine)|Irrigation]] is essential for the vines given the hot weather. The tropical conditions often promote high [[yield (wine)|yield]]s which requires frequent pruning throughout the year. [[Harvest (wine)|Harvest]] normally takes place in February and is usually done by hand. In the very warm wine regions of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, grapevines can produce a crop twice a year.<ref name="Oxford pg 355-356"/>

Southern India is home to several [[Indigenous (ecology)|indigenous]] table grape varieties that can also be used in wine production with [[Anabeshahi]], [[Arkavati]] and [[Arkashyam]] being the most common. Popular non-native grapes include the Bangalore Blue ([[Isabella (grape)|Isabella]]) and Gulabi ([[Black Muscat]]). The [[Turkey|Turkish]] grape [[Sultana (grape)|Sultana]] is the most widely planted grape in India, cover more than half of the {{convert|148,000|acre|ha}} planted in the country. In addition to the imported French varieties that Chateau Indage planted, [[Sauvignon blanc]], [[Zinfandel]], [[Chenin blanc]] and [[Clairette Blanche]] have started to establish a presence in the Indian wine industry.<ref name="Oxford pg 355-356"/>

==See also==
* [[Globalization of wine]]
* [[Agriculture in India]]
* [[History of wine]]
* [[List of Indian beverages]]
* [http://www.sommelierindia.com Sommelier India]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Wine by country}}
{{Indian beverages}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Indian Wine}}
[[Category:Indian wine| ]]

Indian wine - Revision history

Prasenjeet at 07:28, 31 May 2022