Beating The Heat In Akluj
Sommelier India|January/February/March 2018

Five cool-climate grapes are growing well at Akluj in southern Maharashtra in the vineyards of Fratelli Wines and their wines are making exciting, unusual blends. Brinda Gill reports

Brinda Gill
Beating The Heat In Akluj

Fifteen years ago, no one would have imagined wine grapes growing here,” says Craig Wedge, Brand Manager, Fratelli Wines, looking at the vast spread of vineyards across the undulating stony terrain of Akluj. “You come here now and see a dozen grape varieties growing in Fratelli’s 300 acres of estate vineyards. And then you see cool-climate grape varieties among them and you say, ‘What the hell! What is going on here?’ These vines should be growing in the foothills of the Himalayas where the temperature is between 0°C and 18°C, and not here where the temperature is between 15°C and 45°C. That prompts the question – how did Fratelli make it happen?”

Once a dry, barren land, Akluj became arable and witnessed a transformation through the vision of cooperative leader, Shankarrao Mohite-Patil (1918-1979), who spearheaded the growth of sugarcane plantations, established a sugar factory and undertook several development initiatives.

Denne historien er fra January/February/March 2018-utgaven av Sommelier India.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra January/February/March 2018-utgaven av Sommelier India.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA SOMMELIER INDIASe alt
Godinho Historic family owned restaurant
Sommelier India

Godinho Historic family owned restaurant

Feasting on Portuguese and Indigenous Goan flavours, relive the calm and quiet of a time long gone by,

time-read
3 mins  |
Winter 2024
Laurent Ponsot is one of Burgundy's most celebrated winemakers
Sommelier India

Laurent Ponsot is one of Burgundy's most celebrated winemakers

Jon Wyand finally captured the mercurial Laurent Ponsot - a renowned winemaker and vintner known for his exceptional Burgundy wines - on camera

time-read
2 mins  |
Winter 2024
Exploring Brunello vintages
Sommelier India

Exploring Brunello vintages

Ten years in the bottle, a long decant, and yet the harsh tannins overshadowed everything.

time-read
4 mins  |
Winter 2024
An ode to the diva grape
Sommelier India

An ode to the diva grape

It is worth tasting Pinot Noir in all its varied roles - from the shy, delicate ingénue, and simple yet intense New World newbie to the full-on Grand Cru prima donna

time-read
4 mins  |
Winter 2024
Best ways to explore wine in a new city
Sommelier India

Best ways to explore wine in a new city

The first thing most of us want to do when we go to a new city, be it Dallas or Boston, is to enjoy a few good wine tastings

time-read
4 mins  |
Winter 2024
Champagne Billecart-Salmon
Sommelier India

Champagne Billecart-Salmon

One would think that a 200-yearold Champagne as renowned as Billecart-Salmon did not need any marketing, yet Billecart-Salmon AsiaPacific head, Sebastien Papin was recently in India to tell us about the brand and how the wine is best appreciated.

time-read
2 mins  |
Winter 2024
A thoughtfully curated wine experience
Sommelier India

A thoughtfully curated wine experience

Wine tastings at Vintage Wines in Karjat, Maharashtra, are designed to enhance the appreciation of wine and deepen our understanding of it, writes

time-read
3 mins  |
Winter 2024
The legacy of Henri Gouges
Sommelier India

The legacy of Henri Gouges

The wines of Maison Henri Gouges from the commune of Nuits-Saint-Georges are considered among Burgundy's hidden gems

time-read
6 mins  |
Winter 2024
An overview of Sussex and
Sommelier India

An overview of Sussex and

Rosemary George describes the importance of Sussex as an appellation and its potential for tourism

time-read
5 mins  |
Winter 2024
Shades of Rosé
Sommelier India

Shades of Rosé

Rioja and Navarra share a love for Grenache, producing two very distinct styles of rosé, writes Elizabeth Gabay MW, which succsesfully enrich the category as her tasting notes illustrate

time-read
5 mins  |
Winter 2024