If someone had predicted a decade ago that urban Indians would turn to wine as the drink of choice, the comment would have elicited a laugh. With a delightful array to pick from, wine has become the libation with everyday lunches and dinners and is no longer hoarded for special occasions. Although spirits still have a strong sway over many Indians, wine is here to stay and its attraction, availability and quality seems to be growing. The Indian wine market is growing at an impressive 30 per cent annually and this growth shows no signs of slowing down. Bangalore itself consumes 30000 cases a year and is the fastest growing wine market in the country. A remarkable aspect is that Indian wines are not only being increasingly consumed at home, but are also exported across the world.

So what has made wine so popular in the city? The IT boom has created cross-cultural influences with people from many countries working here. Frequent foreign travels undertaken by Indians, who come back with a penchant for wine, has added to the drink’s popularity over the last decade. Many Bangaloreans cite health reasons for switching from spirits to wine, and for a city that has always identified itself as cosmopolitan, drinking wine is also a style statement. The biggest factor in the growth of the wine market and culture is the production of quality Indian wines. Wines imported from the bastions of the wine world such as France, Australia and Chile have long been available at fine dining establishments, but local manufacture has made this drink accessible to the growing urban middle class. With wine clubs and interest groups sprouting up in the city, it is more than just the drink that fascinates people. Visits to vineyards, wine tastings led by experts and wine based events whet the appetite of people who long to know what they are drinking. Five star hotels regularly hold wine and cheese events and one would be hard pressed to find a fashion show, book launch or any high profile event without a range of Indian wines.

Ramaa and Pritham Basappa, wine connoisseurs

In the midst of this flurry of excitement surrounding wine - enter the UB Group. This conglomerate is a major player in the Indian spirits and beer market. The spirits division of the UB Group contributes to almost 80 per cent of the company’s turnover, estimated at Rs 4000 crore (US $1 billion) and holds a 60 per cent market share in India. Sensing the potential that the Indian wine market holds, the UB Group has taken the initiative in this sector. With a knack for entering new markets as a leader, the group looks set to do booming business in India’s wine market. Abhay Kewadkar, reckoned amongst India’s first winemakers, heads the UB Group’s Wine Business. In 2006, the group acquired Bouvet-Ladubay, a premium French wine manufacturer from the Loire Valley, which offers a range of top quality red and white sparkling and still wines.

The Group is setting up what promises to be India’s largest and most sophisticated winery – The Four Seasons, in Baramati, Maharashtra, to produce quality Indian wines under the brand names Zinzi and Four Seasons. Zinzi wines, both red and white, which have just entered the market, have been crafted from hand-picked French varieties of wine grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Shiraz, Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc. These fruity, approachable, and easy going wines have been blended to be enjoyed by the versatile Indian palate. Four Seasons wines will be available in six varietals in the first year and will expand with subsequent vintages. The first vintage has three red varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Shiraz), two whites (Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc) and one rose (Zinfandel).

Although the UB Group has entered the market after many other Indian wine companies, its multi-pronged approach of import, production, distribution and marketing ensures it a firm foothold in the market.