Indiantelevision.com Team

(21 December 2007 4:30 pm)

MUMBAI: With the festive season in full swing d'Ori Winery has launched its range of local wines. The wines - Viva, Merlot, Savignon Blanc, Cabernot Merlot and Cabernet Syrah were unveiled by TV star Simone Singh.

d'Ori Winery positions itself as being the first Indian winery where the entire process of wine making is inspired by oncology practices prevalent in the Bordeaux region. d'Ori Winery MD Ranjit Dhuru says, "We have endavoured to incorporate the best viticulture and winery practices from the Bordeayx region of France home of the finest wines in the world right from the cultivation of grapes to the winemaking process.

"We believe that this is a first in India. People desire to graduate to a better lifestyle and wine is a symbol of the good life. The Indian wine industry is growing at the rate of 25-30 per cent a year. It is a Rs. 5 billion industry." The wines were developed by French winemaker M Fakorelli who has two decades of experience and is in charge of 25 chateaux in France.

The collection of two white and three red wines is priced betweeen Rs. 350 and Rs. 650. The vineyard Chateau D'Ori is located in Nasik and is spread over 100 acres. Another 300 acres will be developed by 2010.

After Mumbai the company will enter Pune, Goa, Bangalore and Kolkata markets. It will also introduce its wines in Delhi. Dhuru says that the per capita consumption of wuine in India is only six litres per person each year. As the economy booms this can certainly grow. In the US it is 25 litres in Australia it is 20 litres and in France it is 70 litres. Through its price range the company is looking to touch different sections of the population.

The company says that it already has a strong relationship with wine shops in Mumbai due to imported products over the last three years. It will also serve five star Hotels across the country. Going forward it could look to associate itself with other lifestyle brands like say a Dior where it sees a fit. In the past it had associated itself with a Sahara Golf event. The company claims that its Merlot plantation is the single largest plantation in India.