 The young and fruity version is made from the classic grapes in Sula’s portfolio, which are blended with the Indian varieties. At Rs.150 a bottle, it is cheaper than most other low-end wines available in India at the moment, including its own Madeira label but it is more expensive than the entry level table wine, Vino introduced by Indage a couple of years ago.
‘The young should love this wine as it is fruity and easy to drink,’ Rajeev Samant, CEO of Sula informed delWine. ‘It is far superior to the competitors’ wine costing more and yet light on the pocket,’ he added
 The wine may not add much to the bottom line but would certainly help the top line and add to the volume which is under pressure right now, acknowledges Rajeev. In most wine drinking countries, the drinkers have been trading down though the consumption levels have practically not been affected.
The alcohol level at 14.5% alcohol seems to be a little on the high side. ‘These wines are ideal with a hearty Indian meal,’ claims Rajeev while advising that they should be served slightly cooled. He claims to maintain his market share through the popularity with the young and novices.
Produced in only 750 mL bottles the wines are available also at all Santé stores which also offers a free delivery and in which Sula is also a partner. Currently, it is available only in Mumbai. Though Rajeev refused to confirm, our reliable sources confirm that Sula is on the verge of signing up an agreement with a Bangalore winery to bottle in Karnataka to save the extra duty imposed by Karnataka on out-of-state wines. This wine would also be bottled in Karnataka once the agreement is in place. |