Free-flowing wine and surprisingly authentic Italian food at Sula’s Little Italy restaurant
When I moved to India just over a year ago, I wasn’t sure what to expect. While there has been no shortage of surprises - both the great, and the not-so-great - I certainly didn’t expect to be drinking Indian wine. It’s no secret that India wholeheartedly loves its Johnnie Walker, but perhaps lesser-known is its small but burgeoning wine industry. Once I heard about this, I knew I had to learn more. So Papa Miglani and I booked a trip to check out Sula Vineyards, Nashik - one of India’s largest wine producers - located in the western state of Maharashtra.
And that’s how we found ourselves, one long, sunny weekend in February, hotfooting it to Nashik. The journey from Mumbai is a straightforward one. I chose to take the train from CST station to Nashik Road station - about a 3.5-hour journey. The last leg of the journey is easily done via Ola or Uber in a 40-minute drive (or 30, if my eagerly speeding driver is anything to go by).
Lush morning walks around the grounds of The Source
While there are two hotels under the Sula brand, we chose to stay at The Source, as it’s located directly at the vineyards. Mornings began with a leisurely sunrise walk around the grounds, building up our appetite for the breakfast buffet (an interesting mix of Indian and ‘continental’ fare), which we then polished off with a complimentary glass of champagne. I’d give the buffet a solid 2.5/5 - and don’t expect any good coffee. In fact, on some days, don’t expect coffee at all. But that’s okay, we’re here for the wine.
Which brings us to the wine. If you’re a guest at either one of Sula’s hotels, you’re treated to a complimentary winery tour along with other hotel guests. The tour was largely theory-based; we learnt a whole lot about India’s winemaking history, and Sula’s part to play in it. But we then got to the wine tasting. Much like the savasana at the end of a tough yoga class, it was the part everyone was looking forward to, and it didn’t disappoint. We were treated to a sample of 6 different wines (including a truly delightful dessert wine), and also learnt how to pair wine with classic Indian dishes.
Candidly chilling with barrels of wine, hbu?
Honestly, you don’t even have to like wine - or like drinking at all - to enjoy a weekend at Sula. We spent afternoons lazily cycling through the vineyards (The Source offers free bikes for use), pottering around by the pool, and relaxing on the balcony with a good book. We also loved tucking into wood-fired pizzas (dipping our crusts into a creamy spinach dip sent from heaven) at the Little Italy restaurant.
And indeed, there’s a lot on offer beyond the vineyards of Sula - we ate a delicious dhaba-style dinner at Hira Ka Dhaba, just a 10-minute walk from the hotel. We were also fortunate enough to cross paths with a friendly, bubbly auto driver, who took us on a spontaneous night street-food tour of Nashik city - think endless hot jalebis and mouthwatering pani puris (more on this in an upcoming post). Our driver quickly became our partner in crime, as it is very difficult to nab an Ola/Uber/taxi/auto once you’re at the vineyards. So, if you’re looking for transport when you’re out there, hit me up - I’ll happily connect you.
Book a Vineyard View room at The Source to wake up to stunning scenery
Sun-soaked afternoons of reading by the vineyards
Papa Miglani making the most of happy hour in the hotel courtyard
Sunset over Sula
One afternoon, perhaps emboldened by one wine too many, Papa Miglani and I even decided to brave the intense afternoon heat for a 20-minute trek up to York, a smaller neighbouring winery nestled among the hills. A tour and tasting here will cost around INR 300, and it is absolutely worth it. I preferred touring York, simply because we got to experience a lot more of the winemaking action - interacting with the workers and watching the grape-crushing process - than we did during the carefully-stage managed tour at Sula. York’s tasting room was also a lot calmer - free of Sula’s boisterous crowds and party atmosphere - and so it’s here that we settled, on our final afternoon in Nashik, for a gentle glass of rosé overlooking the stunning Gangapur Lake.
Grapes, off to their crushing fate
World’s most awkward rosé grip
And that was that. After 3 glorious days of rolling around in food and wine, I trundled along back to Mumbai on a sleeper bus. Booked in advance using MakeMyTrip, my INR 600 ticket got me a comfortable sleeping pod - complete with privacy curtains, a blanket, and plenty of space to stretch out (I will admit I am on the shorter side, though).
Candidly self-portraiting in the sleeper bus
Our adventure through the heart of India’s wine country was a beautiful one, and comes highly recommended if you’re looking to mix up your India trip with something a little different.
Until next time,
S