Of all the rivers consecrated by Hindu mythology, Godavari ranks high on the spiritual chart, explaining the many temples on its banks; eight alone are in Nashik. Of these, Ramkund is particularly revered because devotees are convinced that this is where Lord Ram used to bathe when he moved here during his exile. Thus Nasik, as it was formerly known, is reckoned a holy city or Ram’s city in northern Maharashtra, and these aren’t the only shrines here. 

I am of the belief that when the number of shrines is this high in any urban area, in spite of its progress, it breeds blind faith. And needless to say, Nashik does too, as a majority deem abstinence from meat and alcohol brings them closer to god. This is why you won’t find an independent pub for a quick drink here — its survival as a solitary watering hole is slim. 

Ironically, this tier-II has emerged as the wine capital of India. It can be traced back to the growing demand for Nashik’s table grapes that are of the highest grade. “The city gets a cold winter with warm sunny days and cool nights, and the soil is gravelly, which is good for production of healthy vines. That’s what primarily makes Nashik a good area for grape cultivation,” says Shailendra Pai, Founder and CEO of Vallonne Vineyards. 

A study by NABARD — National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development — confirms that Thompson seedless, the highest acceptable grade of table grapes worldwide, is grown in large number in and around Nashik. From the 1,07,257 tonnes of grapes exported by India to Europe, Middle East, and South-East Asia in 2014-2015, about 32,000 metric tonnes were sourced from Nashik alone. 

To boost exports, and keep the quality in check, the government has preconditioned registration of the fruit with Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) to anyone who wishes to export grapes. Hence getting an APEDA certificate is a prestige amongst vineyards. In the last fiscal, about 22,000 vineyards registered themselves, an addition to the 15,000 from 2013-14. 

In fact, this is not the only crop for which Nashik is famous. It has been known as the agricultural city of India, with onion ranking as the other popular harvest, giving us about 189 lakh tonnes in the 2014-15 fiscal year, slightly lower than the usual 200 lakh tonnes average from the previous years due to poor rainfall. Nonetheless, it is only because of Nashik that India ranks fourth after Netherlands, Mexico, and China, contributing to nine per cent of the world’s onion supply as per APEDA. 

The availability of land in thousands of acres has not only helped the agricultural tribes to flourish in Nashik, but have boosted the city’s growth as an industrial one since post-independence. Companies such as Mahindra & Mahindra, Bosch India, Larsen & Toubro, Siemens, CEAT and Crompton Greaves have found it advantageous to set up plants here. Pleasant weather, better infrastructural facilities, and is easy connectivity to India’s finance capital, Mumbai (180km), and Pune (210km), a booming economy (read about Pune in Business Traveller India’s The Deccan Confluence published in July) help. Further, compared to them, Nashik’s real estate is fiscally viable. 

Capitalising on these factors, wineries invested in acres of land at the turn of the century, amounting to more than 3,000 acres of vineyards in the city today. This has pushed Maharashtra as the leading producer of wine-grape varieties, accounting for 91 per cent of India’s total production, of which 80 per cent is attributed to Nashik.

Neeraj Agarwal, executive Vice President of Sula Vineyards says, “Most wine-grape varieties from cool and warm climates grow well here because of the long ripening window and the mild winter season at harvest. Some of the other successfully grapes grown are Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Viognier, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Malbec, Grenache and Pinot.” As for the final product, the city produces about 1.3 crore litres of wine per annum from the small and big wineries in and around the region. However, amongst these, only five to six are major players in the competitive market. 

Last year the industry’s young wineries saw a hit as they didn’t have the technical know-how to market their produce. Further, registration of the labels and excise duty payable for national distribution are a costly affair for small establishments. This led to farmers turning back to harvesting table grapes where they saw better return on investment. For now, categorising wines as an agri-based product, and waving off the excise duty on wines distributed within Maharashtra upto 2021 is an industry-friendly move. 

The bigger players, who can sell outside the region, have taken to exports as well. Sula exports to the US, the UK, and a few European, South-east Asian, and SAARC countries; York exports to Japan, Switzerland, Australia and West Africa; and Grover has found a market in Europe. Besides, awards won by them at an international platform have boosted the stature of Indian wines globally. 

Pai says, “What’s interesting is that the winery owners, although being competitors, share a healthy relationship with each other. We often get together to discuss steps that can benefit the wine industry as a whole. The focus for most is on spreading the wine culture rather than cutting competition. Of course, there are always those who want to cut down competition through unhealthy means, but that’s another story. Having said that, competition is always healthy because that encourages all of us to produce good wines.” 

As for the smaller wineries, they gain from wine tourism. Elaborating on this, Kailash Gurnani, Chief winemaker and director of York winery says, “It’s the best way to showcase our wines. When people see how wine is made and experience it at the winery, they are more likely to consume it elsewhere too. Further, wine tourism to our vineyards almost always convert into sales.” 

On an average, wineries receive anywhere from 1,000 to 1,500 visitors monthly, and the smaller ones may welcome about a 100 people. Of these, most visit only because wine is still an unknown drink from the west for naive Indians. My tour-group around Sula, for instance, had traditional middle-aged Indian ladies in Maharashtrian saris take an interest — not your typical wine drinker! It is the men who are more likely to consume alcohol than women, such is the Indian culture with exceptions in busier metropolises. 

Though India’s wine is primarily sourced from Nashik, its consumption rate doesn’t do much for the wineries. Comparatively, Nashik’s disposable income is lower than, say Mumbai for instance. And of course, religious cultures play an influencing role too. 

This is evident from a lull that takes over the city at each sunset, lifted only when wine tourism brings the party to the city on weekends.

Having said that, Nashik’s fame as India’s Nappa Valley isn’t entirely lost on pilgrims. Families who decide to make a holiday of their weekend visits don’t mind touring wineries, more out of curiosity than anything else. 

Travel companies that organise wine tours in Nashik say that their sales increase the most during Kumbh Mela, India’s largest festival that received 14 lakh tourists this year, a steady increase from the previous years. Not just Indians, but foreigners book flights too specially for this festival — photographers, journalists and the intrigued alike. Likewise, the younger generation may travel the distance to Kumbh Mela simply as an experience, because unwinding at a vineyard is the primary attraction. 

With tourism comes an inevitable boom in the hospitality sector. During the two months of Kumbh Mela 2015, Nashik’s hospitality industry touched ₹100 crore. 

It’s interesting to find this paradoxical existence of industries that have some form of codependency between each other. Before wineries were installed, Nashik was never a city of interest to anyone other than pilgrims, visiting family or business travellers. Even when it grew from a township to an industrial city, hospitality groups didn’t find it lucrative to open properties here, leaving a meagre handful of budget accommodations at your disposal. 

In 1997 Nashik saw its first upscale property managed by the Taj Group of Hotels — The Gateway, erstwhile Taj Residency. Following this, a number of other mid-category hotels opened. Their agenda is common — to cater to business travellers and wine-tourists looking for luxury at a basic level. The hospitality sector is only now seeing potential in investing in Nashik, and this development has come about after the two-way support between religious and wine tourism. 

GETTING AROUND 

It is most convenient to hire a car for the day. Rental sites such as savaari.com and carzonrent.com offer chauffeur driven vehicles for four and eight hours. 

WHERE TO STAY 

The Gateway Hotel 

Nashik’s only upscale hotel is surrounded by acres of landscaped gardens. The rooms are situated well into the property, away from any traffic noises. Its 148 rooms are of the Superior and Executive categories, Executive suites, Wine Theme suites, and Junior suites. It has one conference room for 65 people, a banquet hall for 250 people, and a 24-hour business centre. Leisure areas include badminton, volleyball and basketball courts, gym, pool, jogging track, spa bath, two restaurants, and a bar. thegatewayhotels.com 

Lily Sarovar Portico 

This is a three-star hotel that is created keeping the business traveller in mind. Its facilities include 24-hour room-service, currency exchange, travel desk, minibar, tea/coffee maker, safety lockers, gym, toiletries and fruit basket on request. Their boardroom can hold 10 people, The Majestic can hold 70, the Sky Grill can hold 150 and the lawns can be setup for 75 guests. Lily Sarovar has two restaurants and one bar. sarovarhotels.com 

Ibis 

All 123 rooms on the budget property are of the same category. Each room is equipped with the basics such as a tea/coffee maker, digital safe, minibar, television, work desk, and a comfortable bed. The interiors are in shades of white, with splashes of red, lending a spacious and clean feel to the building. Ibis has one bar, a meeting room, a gym, and an all-day dining restaurant. ibis.com 

WHAT TO SEE 

Ramkund 

Taking a dip in this ghat is sacred for religious Hindus. They believe it will wash away their sins, because this is where Lord Ram used to bathe. It isn’t as clean as one would hope, and entering the waters is entirely at your own risk. However, the sights of people lighting clay lamps and floating them in the Godavari is truly breathtaking at sunset. 

Temples 

Kala Ram Temple has statues of Lord Ram, his wife Sita and his brother Laxman carved out of black stone — an uncommon sight. Sundar Narayan Temple has three idols of Lord Vishnu, again in black stone. About 27km from Nashik is the Trimbakeshwar Temple. It is one of the most revered shrines where the holy rivers Ganga and Godavari meet. This is also where the religious Kumbh Mela finds most crowds. 

Pandavleni Caves have carvings that are influenced by Buddhism. They were carved between the 3rd century BC and the 2nd century AD. One of the 24 clusters of these 24 caves is home to the Buddhist Stupa. All etchings are beautifully maintained, and is a delight for any historian and art enthusiast. 

Wine Tours 

A guided walk through the vineyards where you can pluck grapes and stomp them during harvest season is the most fun time to visit (February). Off-season vineyard strolls are just as enjoyable. It is interesting to see your wine in its different stages in the wineries, from being just a grape to casks of fermented juice. The tour ends at the vineyard’s bar where you can enjoy a range of wines with cheeses and crackers. You also have the option to skip the walk altogether, sit back, and sip on your reds, whites and rosés in the balconies overlooking the mountains, lakes and grapevines. 

Always check with the vineyard about dry days before making the trip. 

If you plan a trip in February, it is likely the vineyards are celebrating the harvest season, even better for a visit! 

Sula Vineyards

Monday to Friday 11:30am-6:30pm and Saturday to Sunday 11:30am-7:30pm; ₹250 per person; tel: +91 253 302 7777; sulawines.com 

York Tasting Room 

Saturday to Thursday 12:30pm-6pm; ₹250 per person; tel: +91 96577 28070; yorkwinery.com 

Grover Zampa 

Monday to Sunday 10am-5:30pm; ₹500 per person; tel: +91 25532 04379; groverzampa.in