Indo Vino Nouveau describes the burgeoning Indian wine industry:
Around the world, the best wines usually come from higher latitudes, at least 35 degrees from the equator. Nashik [about four hours' drive northeast of Mumbai, India] sits at just 20 degrees north. So how is it possible to produce sophisticated wines in such a hot climate?The secret is simple: Grow the grapes in the winter. Nashik has long been famous for its table grapes, and the local farmers know how to prune the vines a second time ahead of the summer monsoon so that they are dormant through the hottest period of the year. Then from October to March, the warm afternoons and cool nights approximate the climate of, say, the Rhone Valley in summer. The strong sun brings up the sugar levels, but a chill down to about 7 degrees Celsius (43 degrees Fahrenheit) in the evening brings out the subtler flavors of a wine made in a temperate region.
True, some adjustments have to be made. The vines are grown high and spread out, to help dissipate heat, and with more leaf canopy. At Sula, the grapes are pruned so there are no more than two bunches on each fruiting cane. And the soil needs to be sloping so that there is excellent drainage during the monsoon, lest the roots get waterlogged.
However, the unusual schedule has brought a major advantage to the nascent industry: As the new wineries are doing the critical work of harvesting and fermentation in an unusual season, winemakers from elsewhere have the time to come and supervise. Some highly respected consultants are jetting in during the down time at their own vineyards to lend a hand in Nashik’s rise.