About 100 miles away from Mumbai, a city whose name conjures up a long story ranging from mythology to modern flavour. Where once the stories of Samudra Manthan echoed, today more than 52 wineries create the taste of modern India. The name of this city is Nashik.

Interestingly, Nashik has made its name in the world of wine not because of any sudden ‘boom’, but because of long-term hard work and its unique climate. Wine making in Nashik is not new, but it has gained the status of wine capital of India in the last one and a half decade.

The biggest reason for this is the climate here – hot and dry weather, which creates exactly the same environment for wine grapes as is found in the wine belt of Europe. The abundance of red laterite in the soil here and the natural drainage system give excellent quality to the grapes.

This is the reason why wine grapes are cultivated on a large scale in Nashik. At present, about 8000 acres of land in Nashik is dedicated only to grape cultivation. Every year lakhs of kilos of grapes are sent to the 52 wineries here, so that almost half of India’s wine can be produced here.

The country’s first and most famous winery, Sula Vineyards, was opened here in 1999. After that, it seemed as if Nashik never looked back. People come here not only to taste wine, but the vineyards, tasting rooms, trails and wine festivals spread in the valleys here also make Nashik a ‘wine tourism hub’.

The interesting thing is that Nashik is not only known for making wine, but its historical and religious identity is also equally deep. This unique mix makes it completely different from other cities.

The real attraction of Nashik is that tradition and modernity go together here. On one side, the golden sun sets on the rows of grapes, while on the other side, in the tasting room, tourists from all over the world are seen trying the new flavors of Indian wine.