UB Group chairman Vijay Mallya and agriculture minister Sharad Pawar are going to crush the first harvest of wine grapes of 2008 vintage to commence operations at the country?s largest winery on Thursday. Four Seasons Wine Ltd, the venture between UB Group, the Pawar family and grape growers in the region, has come up at Roti-Hingnigada at Patas, 35 kms from Baramati.
UB Group owns 5% in Four Seasons while the Pawar family and grape growers in the region own the remaining 49%. The venture promises to break new grounds in the Indian wine market. Four Seasons will have capacity to make six million bottles of still and sparkling wines at the end of five years.
Abhay Kewadkar, business head (wines), United Spirits Limited and director, Four Seasons Wines Limited said the market currently stood at one per cent of the total spirits market and it was only present in A grade cities. The UB Group wants to take wine to B and C cities and expand the wine market. There plans to have wine bars two years down the line either owned or franchised to spread a taste for wine. ?The idea is to grow the market from current consumption of one per cent to 10%? Kewadkar said.
Around 1.5 million cases (1.20 crore bottles) of wine are sold in the Indian market compared to 130 million cases of spirits and 110 million cases of beer. In comparison, around the world 50% of the spirits market is wines. This is the opportunity that Four Seasons will be uncorking with its 10 million litres winery with investment of Rs 25 crore. The winery is going to be surrounded by 300 acres of vineyards owned by the company. The goal is to have another 1,000 acres tied for sourcing grapes.
Planting at the vineyards will start in the next 45 days. The company has had a quiet launch of its first product, the Zinzi, which is a wine for the entry level to expand the base of the market.