subject: Gauging Nasik....Napa Valley of India! [print this page] The travel bug bites the exploring heartThe travel bug bites the exploring heart. As I experienced Indian Railways general class, squished between a train window and five other people, I was headed to a much different and rather sophisticated experience in the heart of Nasik Valley.
Right after a popular liquor industry event, INDSpirit, in Mumbai, I was trying to use my time wisely and explore the Napa Valley of India. Luckily, my paternal uncle resides in Nasik (a.k.a Nashik). Nasik has been known for its history, temples and such sights but it has gradually become the hub for grapes & wine.
Daydreaming with the monotonous chug and rattle of the train, I was transported back to the time when my feet would dangle sitting on a motorbike behind my uncle. We would ride to the grape farm and he would show me acres and acres of farms where table varietals were grown. I've heard that now the same table variety has gotten a shock treatment and has been converted to the desired grape varietals that are grown in the other parts of the world.
So, I booked my train ticket three hours before the departure from an Indian website, Cleartrip, that has an API connectivity with Indian Railways yes India is becoming high-tech! Grateful to a friend for letting me crash on the couch, printed tickets in hand, here I was riding in Sewagram Express from Dadar to Nasik. The whole trip was surprising me so far, what with the train being on time and the poor seat bearing 6 when only 4 can be accommodated. Me being the sole legal rider, I was amused by the other occupants speaking of scattering should the train conductor demand a ticket.
I finally reached Nashik greeted by the smell of freshly cut grass. This trip was a great excuse to visit my Uncle as well and I was thankful to have a roof to sleep under. The next day I had arranged for a cab to take me to the vineyards in Dindori, 30 Kms from Nashik. The Cabbie was a friendly chap who claimed to know everything and every place in Dindori, Nashik, and even neighboring towns. I was happy to have found the best cabbie in town who had lots of stories to tell- of course all about his family!
In about 30 mins, we reached Dindori. The aesthetics changed entirely. You could see small mountains with beautiful landscaped vineyards, but in chunks. I had read somewhere about Chateau D'ori and its recently cultivated more than 200 acres of land with different varieties of grapes. So, I started enquiring about this place. Of course, no one there in Dindori had heard of this name and would not know what Chateau is and how it is even spelled. Those who heard me correctly directed me to the shop where one can buy liquor and wine. After searching for over an hour, I finally found it through a local's help. D'Ori was less like a grand Chateaux and more like a UFO spaceship that has just landed. (a Star Wars fan?) The spaceship seemed to be still in construction, therefore, the attendant/winemaker could only show me the area where they had huge stainless steel fermentation tanks used as storage for their wines. After wandering around a little, the winemaker took me on top of the spaceship to show the perimeter where grapes have been growing.
I have to admit, while the futuristic structure did not seem to gel with the delicate art of wine making, the view from this "uran-tashtari" (hindi for UFO) was stunning. The premises also had a couple of man-made lakes, which are currently being constructed to improve the beauty of the winery.
Later I took off from there and headed towards to a new winery, known as YORK. On the same strip as Sula (1.5 Kms down the road) across the Gangapur Dam, I was wondering if the founder was ever based in New York and named his winery on nostalgia for the Big Apple. I walked right into the tasting room and found the staff to be quite graceful and hospitable by their way of greeting. They had tasting flights for seven wines at a reasonable price. Finally, after some deliberation, the mystery unfolded about the name of the winery: the owner named it "YORK" after his three kids' first initials. Touched by the story, hospitality, I picked up their Reserve Shiraz 2008 to bring it home.
Now it was time to visit the granddaddy of Indian wines Sula. The winery is a must-see and has become a popular tourist spot and also the hang-out place for youngsters when evening approaches. Sula's chenins are the biggest hit among the youth as they are crispy, refreshing and sweet. But I enjoyed full-bodied Dindori Reserve Shiraz that is aged in oak for a year. After the delicious wine experience, I went to their elite restaurant, Little Italy, next door to enjoy an authentic Italian thin-crust pizza. Later, I packed my belongings and headed back to their outdoor balcony bar for some fresh breeze and another glass of their Dindori Reserve.
What a perfect way to end such a wondrous day. I will keep my readers posted with many such escapades in the near future. Stay tuned!
