Sula Vineyards

Sula Vineyards owes its existence to a chance encounter between ambition and terroir. Rajeev Samant, born in Mumbai and educated at Stanford University where he earned degrees in Economics and Engineering Management, returned to India in the early 1990s after working at Oracle Corporation in Silicon Valley. A visit to his family's land in Nashik in 1994 sparked the idea of growing wine grapes in a region long known for table grape cultivation. Samant spent time at a small winery in California's Sonoma Valley belonging to Kerry Damskey, a Californian winemaker who would become Sula's founding master winemaker. The duo planted the first vines in Nashik in 1997, choosing varieties never before commercially grown in India, including Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc. The winery was formally established in 1999, with the first vintage released in 2000. The name 'Sula' was drawn from Samant's mother's name, Sulabha, grounding the enterprise in personal heritage.

• Rajeev Samant identified Nashik's wine potential after visiting family land there in 1994
• First vines planted in 1997 in collaboration with Californian winemaker Kerry Damskey
• Winery formally established 1999; first commercial vintage released 2000
• Name 'Sula' derived from founder's mother Sulabha, symbolizing Indian heritage

Nashik sits at an elevation of approximately 600 metres above sea level in the Western Ghats foothills of Maharashtra, giving it a climate that defies the tropical expectations of a region close to the equator. The diurnal temperature variation, with warm sunny days and cool nights, preserves natural acidity in the grapes while ensuring full phenolic ripeness, creating a balance rarely found in sub-tropical latitudes. Soils range from volcanic basalt and red laterite on hill slopes to heavier clay in valley floors. The Dindori sub-district, one of Sula's key vineyard sites, is particularly prized for its well-drained laterite and basalt soils on hillside slopes, which are ideally suited to premium red varieties like Shiraz, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The region experiences a strongly seasonal monsoon, which Sula harnesses for water harvesting. Nashik is now home to over 50 wineries and has earned the informal title of India's Wine Capital.

• Vineyards situated at approximately 600 metres above sea level in the Western Ghats foothills
• Soils include volcanic basalt, red laterite, and heavy clay; ideal drainage on hillside sites
• Diurnal temperature variation preserves acidity while warm days ensure ripeness
• Dindori sub-district is Sula's prized red wine estate, known for Shiraz, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon

Sula produces an unusually broad portfolio for a single producer, spanning 56 wine labels across entry-level, premium, and prestige tiers. The flagship Sula Chenin Blanc holds the distinction of being India's first Chenin Blanc and its best-selling white wine. The Sula Cabernet Shiraz is India's best-selling red wine by value. At the top of the range, the Dindori Reserve collection draws on estate fruit from the higher-altitude Dindori vineyards, with the Dindori Reserve Shiraz aged in American oak for 10 to 12 months and recognized as the first Indian wine to appear in Wine Enthusiast's Top 100 Wines list. The Rasa Shiraz, a prestige label blending approximately 95% Syrah with Viognier and aged 12 to 14 months in French oak, is considered Sula's benchmark red. The Source collection includes the Grenache Rose, India's first Grenache Rosé, modelled on Southern Rhone styles. Sula also produces sparkling wines, including the Brut Cremant de Nashik, a sparkling Shiraz (India's first and only), and the Brut Tropicale, a Blanc de Noirs bottle-aged for 18 months. The Dia range, launched in 2019, introduced India's first wine-in-a-can format.

• Flagship Sula Chenin Blanc is India's first and best-selling Chenin Blanc; ABV 12%
• Dindori Reserve Shiraz was the first Indian wine in Wine Enthusiast's Top 100 Wines
• Rasa Shiraz is the prestige red, approximately 95% Syrah plus Viognier, aged in French oak 12 to 14 months
• Sula Sparkling Shiraz is India's first and only sparkling Shiraz; Dia (2019) was India's first wine in a can

From a 30-acre family estate, Sula has grown into an operation managing over 1,800 acres of vineyard land, with long-term supply arrangements covering approximately 2,290 acres of contract-farmed vineyards as of late 2022. The company operates four owned and two leased production facilities across Maharashtra and Karnataka, with a combined production capacity of approximately 14.5 million litres. Annual sales exceed one million cases, a milestone first crossed in 2019, making Sula the first Asian winery outside China to reach that volume from domestic production. Sula commands a market-leading position across all four Indian wine price segments: Elite (above Rs 950), Premium (Rs 700 to 950), Economy (Rs 400 to 700), and Popular (below Rs 400). The company was incorporated as Nashik Vintners Limited and listed on the BSE and NSE stock exchanges in December 2022 via a fully offer-for-sale IPO of approximately Rs 960 crore. Sula also imports and distributes international wines and spirits from brands including Torres, Trapiche, and Cono Sur.

• Over 1,800 acres of vineyard land; 2,290 acres under contract cultivation arrangements
• Six production facilities (four owned, two leased) in Maharashtra and Karnataka; capacity approx. 14.5 million litres
• Market leader across all four Indian wine price segments: Elite, Premium, Economy, and Popular
• Listed on BSE and NSE in December 2022; IPO was a fully offer-for-sale transaction of Rs 960 crore

Sustainability has been embedded into Sula's identity since its founding, with Rajeev Samant described as a committed environmentalist. Solar panels installed at the Nashik winery now cover more than 60% of the operation's annual energy needs, representing over 2 MW of installed solar photovoltaic capacity. Drip irrigation reduces water consumption by approximately 40%, and during the monsoon season the winery harvests up to 90% of the water it uses annually. Sula recycles treated water throughout the estate and tracks water and energy consumption per case as an operational key performance indicator. The company has planted over 30,000 trees around Nashik. Packaging is 99% recyclable. Sula is a silver member of the International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA) and has won the Drinks Business Award for Best Contribution to Wine and Spirits Tourism, a recognition that reinforces its commitment to responsible tourism as well as production.

• Solar panels cover over 60% of annual energy needs; more than 2 MW installed capacity
• Drip irrigation reduces water consumption by approximately 40%; monsoon harvesting captures up to 90% of annual water needs
• Over 30,000 trees planted around Nashik; packaging is 99% recyclable
• Silver member of International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA)

Sula is widely credited with pioneering wine tourism in India, following a distinctly Californian open-winery philosophy that was unprecedented in the country. The Nashik estate overlooks Gangapur Lake and includes two vineyard resorts: The Source at Sula (India's first heritage winery resort) and Beyond by Sula, which features an infinity pool and a combined 67 rooms. A tasting room was opened in 2005, and Domaine Sula, a second property in Karnataka near Bengaluru, was later developed. SulaFest, launched in 2008, is India's first and most established vineyard music and harvest festival, drawing large crowds each February or March during the harvest season. Sula is also one of the few authorised WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) course providers in India, further cementing its role in wine education on the subcontinent. The Stanford alumni magazine dubbed Samant the 'Mondavi of Mumbai,' a comparison that acknowledges his dual role as a winemaker and as a promoter who built an entire wine culture around his estate.

• SulaFest, launched in 2008, is India's first annual vineyard music and wine festival
• Two vineyard resorts on-site: The Source at Sula and Beyond by Sula (combined 67 rooms)
• India's first winery tasting room opened in 2005; Domaine Sula in Karnataka added later
• One of a handful of authorised WSET course providers in India