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Vinod Mathew

Mumbai , Dec. 26

THE new kid on block in the seemingly never-ending line of wineries in India is Renaissance Winery Pvt Ltd. The Mumbai-based company with its production base in Ozar near Nashik has begun a soft launch of its wines - white, red and bubbly - all with Chenin Blanc grape base.

Currently, the wineries in the country number about 35, though only three of them have actually made the cut nationally.

The first year's produce is coming from grapes grown in some 35 acres by some half-a-dozen farmers who have entered into long-term contracts with Mr Shailendra S. Pai, Managing Director, Renaissance Winery. This is the buffer that the company is creating above the 31-acre stretch where the company started plantations some time in 2003.

"Yield from grapes from our own plantation will start only in February 2007. We have contracted 11 farmers to supply us grapes and this year's produce was 120 tonnes, which has produced over 80,000 litres of wine or 1 lakh bottles," says Mr Pai.

The Renaissance team had a tough time convincing farmers to cut down on productivity from 8-9 tonnes an acre to only five tonnes from each acre. This was critical to producing the right kind of grape with fruity aroma that Mr Pai agreed to pay Rs 32 per kg against the normal price of Rs 24. Typically, a farmer selling grapes to Renaissance stands to make anywhere between Rs 75,000 and Rs 90,000 an acre.

With the next harvesting just around the corner, farmers of Ozar are on course to raise production, to around 260 tonnes. Which means, the next season's output from Renaissance would be to the tune of 1.85 lakh litres of wine or 2.5 lakh bottles.

The road map for the winery is clearly laid out; Renaissance will be targeting an output of 5 lakh litres or 6.25 lakh bottles by 2007. By that time, the yield from the company farm will push towards 500 tonnes as more of its land (already acquired 120 acres) will produce grapes; contracted farmers will contribute another 200 tonnes.

"We will concentrate only on the domestic market in the first year; the aim is to have an export share of 30 per cent by our fourth year of operations. We are not sparing on cost as the bottles are imported from St Gobain, labels from Japan and France and the corks, from Altec, France and between the three raises cost by some Rs 40 a bottle. Renaissance hopes to give the Indian palate a taste of premium wine," says Mr Pai.

The first batch of products has made its appearance in the Mumbai markets and is priced between Rs 425 and Rs 475 depending on whether it s white, red or bubbly. But if a true wine revolution is to sweep India, the wineries will need to educate the public on the nuances of drinking wine and the kind of food that will go with a particular type of wine.

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