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emergence of India’s growing middle class
fueled the growth and development of the
Indian wine industry.
Climate and geography
While a large portion of the Indian sub-
continent 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 grow-
ing season in India tends to be very hot
and prone to monsoons. Many of India’s
wine regions also fall within the tropical
climate band. Vineyards are then planted at
higher altitudes along slopes and hillsides
to benefit from cooler air and some protection from wind. The
altitude of India’s vineyards typically range from around 660
ft (200 m) in Karnataka, 984 ft (300 m) in Maharashtra, 2,600
ft (800 m) along the slopes of the Sahyadri to 3,300 ft (1000
m) in Kashmir. Summertime temperature can get as hot as 113
°F (45 °C) and wintertime lows can fall to 46°F (8°C). During
the peak growing season between June and August, rainfall
averages 25–60 inches (625-1,500 mm).
Wine regions
Vineyards in India range from the more temperate climate of
the northwestern state of 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 Andhra
Pradesh near Hyderabad. Within the Maharashtra region, vine-
yards are found on the Deccan Plateau and around Baramati,
Nashik, Pune, Sangli and Solapur. The high heat and humidity
of the far eastern half of the country limits viticulture activity.
Viticulture and wine
The heat and humidity of India’s wine region dictates many of
the viticulture 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
fungal diseases.
The canopy protects
the grapes against
sunburn and rows are
spaced wide to help
with
aeration between the vines. Irrigation is essential
in many of India’s wine regions and since the 1980s; drip
irrigation has been widely used. The tropical conditions often
promote high yields, which requires frequent pruning through-
out the year. Harvest normally takes place in September 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.
India is home to several 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) and
Gulabi (Black Muscat). The Turkish grape Sultana is the most
widely planted grape in India, cover more than half of the
148,000 acres (60,000 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.