| Photos By:: Subhash Arora
 Hyderabad based Krishna Prasad is the latest kid on the block in the domestic wine scene. If you have not tasted his wines or even heard about him, it’s because his KRSMA wines are not in the market yet and are about to be released in the first week of December in Bangalore, though the wines have been winning medals in the international competitions like HKIWSC in Hong Kong and also in China. He is currently known more for his vast pharmaceutical empire. Granules India is a public limited company with revenues of Rs.1200 crores (Rs. 12 billion) and he manages 1300 employees, with factories spread out as far as China.
The Marathon Couple
The Chigurupatis are listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the only couple in the world who has finished a grand slam in Marathon i.e. running a marathon in all the seven continents and North Pole.
They have run the North Pole, the South Pole, and icy Antarctica - in fact, over 25 races all over the world. They have run with the animals in Kenya, they have run in the Gobi desert in Mongolia and they have run through the Medoc Vineyards. The latest marathon they ran was on the active Lascar volcano in Atacama Desert in Northern Chile on November 14. The couple was flying to Santiago right after attending the 5th edition of the World Wine Symposium at Villa d’Este, where they also showcased 3 of their wines - Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay from 7-9 November and where I talked to Krishna at length.
‘The race was fantastic .Very scenic but very tough and dangerous too. The altitude was 14,000 ft and we were getting continuously dehydrated. Atacama is the driest place on earth, no wonder. We loved it. I just can't find words to describe it properly,’ is how Krishna described his latest adventure.
You might think Krishna has been an athlete for a long time. Hold your thoughts! He had not run a marathon or any long distance race till he was practically 50! ‘In 2003 Uma and I ran a 10 km race organised by a friend in which we also sponsored 10 people. This got us started and we started going first to half marathons and then to full 42 km marathons,’ says the 59-year old Krishna.
Marathon Wine Couple
One thing that running marathons has perhaps taught the KRSMA couple is to treat the wine business as a marathon. Krishna started making wines at the age of 17 and when he was 25, he was making it and handing it out to his friends. ‘When I was in Guntur, I came across wines from the local Bishop. Used in the Communion, it was being imported from the Vatican. I started reading about wines and even bought the Boots kit to make wine as well. I was producing initially from Bangalore purple grapes in Chennai. But when I started my pharmaceutical company in 1981, I had access to the modern pharmaceutical lab and my wine making got better,’ he says.
His love for wine grew as he expanded his pharmaceutical business. “My focus was on export business from day one-especially to the US, UK and the rest of Europe. Exposure to better quality wines led to my passion for wine. Across the world, I started to drink wine.”
 His passion grew enough for him to want to own a vineyard-perhaps in France. ‘I was in Lyon once when I decided to visit some vineyard. But it was a Sunday and it was not possible. So I went to an enoteca (wine store) and bought 6 cases of wine. I did the same thing during my trip to Barossa, thus increasing my collection.’
‘My interest kept on increasing as I bid for 2 bottles of Chateau Lafite in an auction and bought them at $400, in 2004 or2005.I sent them to my brother in USA who collects wine. I made my own cellar of 800 bottles at 12 °C and 65% humidity with proper racks etc. Drinking and collecting fine wines, I was visiting local vineyards in Chile, Argentina, Oregon, New Zealand etc where Uma used to accompany me sometimes too,’ he says.
The desire to produce wine became stronger. ‘I wanted to retire and make wine in Italy or South France. Then I came across a friend who had vineyards near Hampi in Karnataka. I saw the place and was interested. Something told me it was a great site - it had stones like the land in Porto. I had found similar soil in Italy - red and stony. This was in late 2007; I bought 70 acres of land out of which I planted 25.’
One does need professional help to make good quality wine. ‘One of my customers in Australia was also the chairman of Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI). I told him I wanted an agronomist. Peter Hayes, who is a viticulturist and was the then President of OIV, visited us in 2008. He saw the soils and liked what he saw. But he also asked me to rip off everything except 7 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon. We replanted everything and started with 22 acres of new plantings, besides this 7 acre plot.
‘Peter now visits us twice a year. He is more excited about India making good wine. Ronald Solomon, an Australian winemaker, did our first vintage in 2010. There had been a terrible cyclone in the area that year-so we had Powdery and Downy Mildew on the plants. There was no roof on the winery. We did open tank fermentation,’ says Krishna while reminiscing, adding ‘we imported barrels from France directly. Interestingly, KRSMA harvests in January. ‘Before others start, I am done - we harvest before 9:30 in the morning, starting with first light. So the temperature is cool, at around 17°C at the harvest time.’
Evolution of KRSMA wines
Krishna was in need for a permanent person on site, to look after the viticulture and winemaking. ‘I advertised in Napa, Australia and Italy etc. I finally settled for a lady-Jennifer Bound from the Northland region in New Zealand since it has similar weather. She came with her boyfriend and a 4-year old daughter. She made her first vintage in 2011. I was wondering what to do with 2010 vintage wines. The 2011 was decidedly better. In 2012 we also had a small harvest of Sauvignon Blanc - only 1 ton of grapes. I was told to throw it away but I said let’s do it. So we produced small quantities of wine.’ I had tasted this wine earlier this year and found it to be very clean, dry and crisp but too citric.
 ‘The 2012 Cabernet was still better. In 2013 we had a bit of chardonnay. Jennifer wanted us to throw out the grapes. But we decided to make wine anyway. Similarly, Sangiovese was first harvested in 2012. We picked up the rootstock from Yatin Patil of Reveilo and did the grafting ourselves. Some of the Cabernet rootstocks were imported from Australia.Similarly, a part of Sauvignon Blanc was picked up from Yatin and from different clones,’ says Krishna, while admitting that Merlot is still a problem.
He recently planted 10 acres of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet and plans to plant another 13 acres next monsoon with Grillo and Muscat from Reveilo and Syrah from Barossa and some from Rhone.
Krishna doesn’t mind admitting that his winery is quite basic at the moment. ‘We have neat and clean tanks and our cellars are at 12°C. Bottles are also stored at that temperature. All the stones we found in the vineyard, we used them in the winery.' He has spent only Rs.1 crore (Rs.10 million) on the winery, not including the barrels. He believes in barrel ageing and has 110 barrels, spending heavily on them. He has already discarded 60 which he is going to use to make barrel furniture which he plans to sell in a specialty furniture show-room soon.
Hands-on winemaking
With all the technical help, Krishna drives the entire winemaking. ‘The whole idea is to develop something I like-the winemaker has to follow my style. For instance, we added tannins and acids in the first year, but not now.’ No wonder, despite the advice from his resident winemaker, he decided to make the Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay which were quite liked at the World Wine Symposium where Krishna had participated with Uma, showcasing these wines as well as the Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 and 2012. He left a marked impression on the wine experts who were pleasantly surprised to know that he has had basically 3 vintages only.
Sticking to his guns, Krishna also insists on using heavy bottles for his Cabernet Sauvignon - the kind used mostly by some Spanish and Italian winemakers. ‘Despite what you may think, many of the customers we have been talking to, including the Chinese customers, believe that the better quality wines are in heavier bottles.’ He is looking at the Chinese market very seriously with his representative Robin from Melbourne, who was earlier with Cape Mantelle, visiting China the day I was chatting with him in Villa d’Este.
He is already working on the UK market where he has hired an English girl and plans to send his first shipment in December. Similarly, he is very optimistic about the US market too. ‘It helps that we have our offices in several countries where wine can be exported.’
Indian Launch
Krishna and Uma are planning to launch their wines in Bangalore in the first week of December-with Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 and perhaps 2012, says Krishna. Both 2012 and 2013 vintages of Sauvignon Blanc will be launched. Registration process is going on through KSBCL, the government monopoly through which one has to sell all wines and spirits.
 KRSMA Cabernet is expected to be priced at Rs. 1500, making it marginally cheaper and in contention with Fratelli Sette and Grover Zampa’s Chene. Sauvignon Blanc will be around Rs.800 and Chardonnay, of which only 600 bottles have been produced, will be priced around Rs. 1000.
Helping him and working alongside is Uma who goes more often to the vineyard-maybe 2-3 times every month, he says. She is as active in the winemaking as she is in running marathons alongside him. She has also made small quantities of Muscatel, slightly sweet wine that she likes for herself and primarily for friends. The way it has found acceptance, it may be in the market soon.
Being veterans in running marathons, the couple understands that the wine industry in India is not a sprint-it is a marathon and they are running with patience, with full knowledge and a desire to win in the end. With the passion, drive, business acumen and deep pockets that this marathon couple has, they seem to be well equipped and are running well, keeping good time.
Subhash Arora
Tags: Krishna Prasad Chigurupati, KRSMA, Bangalore, KRSMA wines, HKIWSC, Granules India, Peter Hayes, Ronald Solomon, Jennifer Bound |