Wine Tourism is slowly but steadily becoming a reality in India and we decided to head off to the Fratelli Vineyards in Maharashtra to get a taste of touring in an Indian vineyard.
How to get there?
Most of the vineyards in India are located in the Deccan region and centered around the Vidarbha region. Fratelli has vineyards and a winery in two different villages in the Akluj district in Maharashtra. The nearest international airport is Pune and you can take a 3 hour drive from there. If you’re planning to come directly from Mumbai, it will be an extra 4 hours.
The history of Fratelli
Fratelli in Italian means brothers and it is an Indo-Italian collaboration which has led to the creation of this brand. The first vines were laid down in 2006 and production of wine started in 2008 under the watchful eyes of Piero Masi, the master wine maker from Tuscany.
The beauty of the vineyards
The endless rows of grape vines offer some stunning locales for you to click some photographs. The round, full grapes are the perfect accompaniment to your travels as you while away and enjoy your time. The vineyards at the Motewadi allows you an undulating view of the valleys while you can head over the winery to have an in-depth knowledge of what goes into the making of wines. The other vineyard at Akluj is situated at the base of the mountain and offers one of the better views we have seen in recent times.
Learning the art of winemaking
Vineyards are not just for clicking wanderlust pictures, which many of the travelers are guilty but it is one of the most informative places to learn. Learning about the art of winemaking and the difficulty that goes into making the wine is one of the most interesting activities that you can do. We had visited during the harvesting season and we got to interact with women involved in the grape picking. The winery also allowed us to witness the crushing of the grapes, followed by fermentation and then bottling.
Accommodation and Hospitality
The Fratelli Vineyards offers 4 rooms along with an open kitchen where food can be cooked according to your liking. Be it trying out a traditional Indian plate with a glass of Sparkling Wine or Chicken Cooked in Wine with my favourite red from the Fratelli stables: the M/S Red which combines Cabarnet Franc, Sangiovese and Shiraz.
Check out this post to know which Fratelli wines you should try out
A visit to the Fratelli Vineyards in Maharashtra is the perfect way to enjoy wine tourism in India’s Napa Valley and you should be planning your visit here soon. You can book your stay here.
