Into French-inspired wine, from Goa, via Maharashtra
FN
After studying Economics and Philosophy and working in Japan
for nearly two decades, Karl Coelho of Margao took to wine.
Not in the sense as you might think, but in terms of being
part of an endeavour to create a vineyard and creating
quality wines to be marketed in India.
He calls himself a "passionate wine lover" and someone
exposed to both old and new world wines. So, with Shailendra
Pai, Alan Viegas, Prashant Thanawala and Aditi Pai, the team
ventured to build Vallonne Vineyards.
"It was the first boutique winery in India," he emphasises.
To get things right, they launched as a "full
French operation". All the machines are imported
from France. "We even use French bottles and
Portuguese corks. Our winemaker is French, Marie
Barbe from Bordeaux," he explains. Also imported
are oak barrels, bottles, corks, capsules, fining
chemicals et al, all coming in from France.
Wine maker Marie Barbe has made wines in various regions of
France, Chile and Russia. From near Nashik, their vineyard is
into making Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc and
Sauvignon Blanc wines.
How does their result compare with global wines then?
Coelho says: "This is probably the first winery in
India focussing on making quality wines. We have
been acknowledged unofficially as the first making
wine to quality standards. But we have a very long
way to go. We are into young wines, and only a year
old. We hope to be of international standards. As a
young wine we are already out there though..."
Despite the global competition, very few good wines are
entering the market. Most cheap wines come in bulk and get
re-bottled in India; others are of an extremely lower,
mass-produced kind, he contends.
"Our pricing starts from Rs 475 and goes up to Rs 750 (a
bottle) for our premium wine," he adds.
The team's managing partner Shailendra Pai has been in the
field for many years. "We have the expertise, we got the land
on hire, so we decided why not move ahead, and create a
winery which makes good wine. Something that we would like to
drink," he says.
Coelho feels an educated appreciation for wine is growing.
But people still go by "hearsay". For instance, when it comes
to drinking red-wine, people believe it has to be drunk at
"room temperature". But room temperature refers to 16th
century France, which was a cold 16-18 deg C. For us, room
temperature could be wine at 38 degrees, he points out!
Right now, three places across India are tuned into wine.
Mumbai tops, then Delhi and Bangalore.
"We're hoping to have the same in Goa. Unfortu-
nately or fortunately, here we have had the 'port'
wine," he says, twisting his first two fingers of
both hands into the inverted commas sign as he
speaks. "We can't really call that port wine,
because it has to come from the region of Porto (to
be called Port)."
What are the new challenges and markets?
"As I was based in Japan for a very long time, I definitely
want to see our wines being exported and sold in countries
like Japan, Canada and Australia. Taking Indian wines and
having them appreciated -- not just sold in Indian
restaurants abroad. We hope to change that perception (about
Indian wines)."
Vallonné Vineyards is some 156 km north-east of Mumbai ,and
calls itself "the first boutique winery in the country. It
was built on the lines of a "quaint chateau". It sits amidst
the Sahyadri ranges, around Kavnai village near the Mukne
Dam. Its name in French refers to an "undulating" landscape.
Located in the Igatpuri taluka of Nashik district,
Maharashtra, they have offices in Mumbai and Goa (Citi
Centre, at Pato, Panjim).
Their vineyards are irrigated with "clear mountain water",
and they stick to the belief that the best vineyards are
those on south-facing slopes. Their cellars are "tucked away
20 feet" below the ground, to protect the wines from heat and
light, and in French oak casks.
They are online at vallonnevineyards.com
See also:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fn-goa/5282636204/in/set-72157625650681808/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fn-goa/5282045057/in/set-72157625650681808/
First published in Gomantak Times.
