Sula Vineyards

Situated 180 km northeast of Mumbai, Nashik is India’s largest grape-growing region, but had traditionally never been used to grow wine grapes. Wondering why, an enterprising, Stanford-trained engineer named Rajeev Samant quit his hi-tech Silicon Valley job in 1993 to do some investigating. A little research quickly showed that the Nashik climate was not only perfect for wine grapes, but was also on par with winegrowing regions in Spain, California, and Australia. His determination doubled and Rajeev returned to California in search of a winemaker. In Sonoma County he found Kerry Damskey, an eminent Californian winemaker, who enthusiastically agreed to help start a winery on Rajeev’s 30 acre family estate.

In 1997, the duo took the revolutionary step of planting French Sauvignon Blanc and Californian Chenin Blanc, varieties that had never before been planted in India. The first Sula wines, released in 2000, were widely acclaimed as India’s best white wines.
Since its inception, Sula has rapidly established itself as India’s Leading Premium Wine Producer, helping spark a wine revolution that has seen consumption grow at 25% annually and several new wineries come up in the Nashik area. In November 2002, Wine Spectator - the world’s No.1 wine magazine - did a five-page feature on Sula, a proud first for an Indian winery.

A second winery with three times the capacity of the first was completed in late 2004 to keep up with demand, and a third million litre winery started operations in 2006. Sula has expanded from the original 30 acre family estate to about 1,800 acres (owned and contracted) under plantation, both in Nashik as well as in nearby Dindori, India’s upcoming wine region. Varietals planted include Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Zinfandel and Merlot along with Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Riesling. In addition to having a wide distribution network within India, Sula also exports its wines internationally, as well as importing and distributing wines from leading producers worldwide. In 2005, Sula proudly launched its first reserve wine, the Dindori Reserve Shiraz, as well as India’s first dessert wine, the Late Harvest Chenin Blanc.

The winery and vineyards are open to the public for educational tours, and the beautiful Tasting Room invites visitors to enjoy their favourite Sula wines amidst spectacular views of the vineyards and surrounding lakes and hills. The nearby Sula amphitheatre is an impressive location for events and social gatherings and is available for bookings. Visitors can now spend a few nights in paradise at BEYOND, Sula’s new exclusive accommodation on the vineyards with a beautiful lake view.

Firmly committed to remaining at the forefront of Indian wines, Sula continues to experiment with new varietals, engage in sustainable agriculture, support the local rural economy, and, of course, make wines of outstanding quality and superb value.

Our wines are produced with grapes harvested from our Nashik and Dindori estate vineyards as well as from local contract farmers operating under the expert guidance of the Sula team. Good wine can only come from good grapes, and grapes can only be as good as their terroir - the magical combination of geographical and climatic conditions - permits. Learn more about our terroir, or discover how green our thumbs really are in sustainable agriculture. If reading about all this isn’t enough, come on over and experience our vineyards yourself.

Kerry's winemaking philosophy is simple and straightforward: "It takes great grapes to make great wine. It's the winemaker's job to articulate a definable style for a wine but you don't create an identity - that comes from the grapes, and the grapes' identity is directly linked to where and how they are grown," he explains.

He likens his approach to that of a gem cutter. "You have to start with high quality raw materials, and be able to identify them. Then it’s like cutting facets in a diamond or emerald to show off what’s inside and highlight it."
By the time he was in high school, Kerry knew that he wanted to spend his life as a winemaker. Growing up in San Francisco, California, Kerry's visits with his family to winegrowing regions around the Bay Area whetted his thirst for the craft. His mother gifted him the classic winemaking text Table Wines: The Technology of their Production in California when he was a high school senior, and that was all it took. After graduating from high school, he enrolled in the enology and viticulture program at the University of California at Davis.
 

Four years later, degree in hand, Kerry set off to test his recently acquired skills in the winemaking world. He worked for wineries from Lodi to San Diego, honing his "nuts and bolts" knowledge of the industry. In 1986, he achieved his long-time goal of making wine in Sonoma County when he was appointed winemaker for the old Zellerbach Winery in Chalk Hill. Here, he established himself as one of Sonoma County’s best winemakers, winning awards for several of his wines.
 

A chance meeting with Rajeev Samant - a young, energetic Indian entrepreneur who had the crazy idea of setting up a winery in India - piqued Kerry’s interest. "I wanted to find vineyard locations that yielded distinctive fruit, because that creates distinctive wines. And when you walk the Sula vineyards, you know that this is a singular location."
 

He has studied for the Master of Wine examination, a rigorous program. "I'm still a student," he says, "and I'm studying terroir, the ingredients that make a great wine. If you want to make singular wines, you never lose the passion that keeps you looking and learning more." Kerry is currently the primary consultant for Sula Vineyards.

Sula is proud to announce the first Indian Grapeseed Oil.
Our 100% natural, pure Grapeseed oil is cold pressed at our Nashik valley estate from premium wine grapes. It has NO cholesterol, NO sodium, NO trans-fat and NO chemicals, high in vitamin E and anti-oxidants making it a very healthy choice for you and your family.
That’s not all! Grapeseed oil is light, non-greasy and easily absorbed and is perfect for use as an everyday moisturizer, for skin toning and tightening and for healthy hair.

It’s healthy! It’s delicious! It’s amazing!