JOURNEY OF INDIAN WINE, AND CURRENT INDIAN WINE INDUSTRY.

Presented by – Vikrant (vick) K. Holkar

INDIA ON WORLD MAP

INDIA

ABOUT INDIA

ABOUT INDIA

JOURNEY OF INDIAN WINE.

• Vedic Period (1st to 2nd Millennia BCE)

•Harappan Civilization (2600-1900 BCE)

•Iron age (1200-1BCE)

•Maurya Empire (321-184 BCE)

•Chola Empire (300 BCE – 1279 CE)

•Middle Kingdom (1CE – 1279 CE)

•Gupta Empire, Chalukya Empire, Pala Empire (280-1174 CE)

•Mughal Empire (1526-1858)

•Portuguese (1600)

•British Raj (1858-1947)

VEDIC PERIOD (1ST TO 2ND MILLENNIA BCE)

• In Vedic Period Wine was often referred as “SOMARASA” (Soma- Squeezing juice from plants, Rasa- juice.)

• It was believed to be associated with god ‘INDRA’ (King of Gods / Lord of Heaven)

• It bestowed long life and responsible for removal of sins from the heart and takes away the diseases from the weak and destroy untruth and condemns false dignity.

• Also the reference of Drakshasava (Sanskrit word for wine) is found in Ayurveda texts which was basically a delicious digestive preparation made from ripened red grapes, cinnamon, cardamom, and black pepper and contained natural alcohol.

HARAPPAN CIVILIZATION (2600-1900 BCE)

There were artefacts found at the sites of Harappan Civilization (mature period 2600–1900 BCE).

Surai (Container for Somarasa/Drakshasava) was discovered, which was used to store wine in Harappan Civilization.

Harappa now belongs to Pakistan.

AFTER VEDIC PERIOD AND HARAPPAN CIVILIZATION

• Iron age (1200-1BCE)

• Maurya Empire (321-184 BCE)

• Chola Empire (300 BCE – 1279 CE)

• Middle Kingdom (1CE – 1279 CE)

• Gupta Empire, Chalukya Empire, Pala Empire (280-1174 CE)

Where wine was despaired, and was no more considered as Holy drink.

MUGHAL EMPIRE (1526-1858)

European travellers brought wine to the courts of the Mughal emperors Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jehan.

Red wines (Kandhari, Anguri) and white wines (Bhokri, Fakdi, Sahebi etc.) that were produced for the royal fervour.

The Islamic rulers forbade drinking as per their religious norms. However, during the medieval period several rulers had the habit of drinking in courts during ceremonies and celebrations.

Drinking has always remained a social taboo and therefore no culture of social drinking could ever develop in India.

PORTUGUESE (1600)

Portuguese (1600) settlers who not only improved the wine they found in the 16th century when they came to Goa.

introduced a new variety of wine for the Indian sub-continent.

Vindaloo a dish of meat (pork or rabbit), with red wine and garlic. The practice started by sailors of keeping meat in barrels of wine laced with garlic properly mashed with spices of India.

The famous Persians wine, Shiraz, which was often sent to the Mughal Emperors in India.

Vindaloo Dish

BRITISH RAJ (1858-1947)

Wine began becoming more and more familiar throughout India due to the British influence.

As cost of shipping wine to India was very high, the British planted vineyards, in Surat, and also in Kashmir.

Indian wines were exhibited and favourably received by visitors to the Great Calcutta Exhibition of 1884.

CURRENT INDIAN WINE INDUSTRY.

Several such episodes helped in keeping the interest regarding the wine alive. And eventually after a long pause of several years it was revived yet again in 1985. Chateau Indage winery established in 1985, Studied wine and brought new technology from European countries.

It was 2002 when Vinsura winery (1ST winery at ‘Wine Park’) was established and focused Indian government to look towards winery as a farmers business.

NASHIK “WINE CAPITAL OF INDIA"

Nashik is located in the northwest of Maharashtra, 180 km from Mumbai (Economic Capital of India)

The wine culture is growing at an alarming speed for both growers and wine makers. Nashik was famous for its table grapes for a very long time, early 1925.

Nasik Valley is 2000 ft. above sea level between 19-33’ to 20-53’ North latitude and 73-16’ to 75-6’ East longitude.

80% of grape production in India is contributed by Nasik region.

INDIAN WINE INDUSTRY.

The per capita consumption in India is only 0.07 litre/person/year, not even a tea spoon, as compared to wine consuming countries.

But the wine market is growing at 25-30 per cent a year, nearly three times as fast as beer, whisky or rum, due to Wine is seen as a sophisticated drink and infact considered being healthier than liquor. This factor has made it popular even amongst women and the young starters.

The biggest consumption of wine up to 80% is however confined to major cities like Mumbai (39%), Delhi (23%), Bangalore (9%) and the foreign tourist dominated state of Goa (9%), where as Rest of India has only 20% consumption.

Approximately 38 wineries are presently operating in the country with a total   production of 6.2 million litres annually.

Maharashtra is leading among the states with 36 wineries and 5.4 million litre production.

The Indian government has been the major reason behind the current scenario of the Indian wine industry.

PROBLEMS IN FRONT OF INDIAN WINE INDUSTRY.

Only 11-15 % of Indian population perceive knowledge about wine. Wine is still considered as hard alcoholic drink like Whisky, rum etc., and a taboo.

Many wine shops don’t even have wines in there store, but stilled named wine shop, which mislead people about wine.

Financial problems faced by Wineries due to recession.

Threat from big foreign wineries, from Australia, France, etc.

Heavy drop in tourism, due to Terrorist attack on Mumbai (26 Nov. 2008)

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Wine has travelled a long way through time and the occasion is ripe for claiming the position it deserve. If the policies are set in tune then sooner the status of wine will definitely get a great boost in the Indian scenario.

I think when they see Made in India, they won't say: "What a weird idea." They'll say: "Fantastic! I haven't tried it. Give me some."

THANK YOU