You know you are a wine-o when regardless of the country or region you are in; the first thought in your head is, where I can do some wine tasting?

So it came to be that on a Monday morning, barely a day or two after landing in Mumbai, India, I had already researched about the wine growing region of Nasik, about 200 Kms northeast of Mumbai and I found myself waiting for my transportation to take me there.

The drive up to the region was pleasant; my way of saying that we only encountered a few cows in the middle of the highway, we only got cut-off by a few trucks and we never experienced any near death scary driving moments!

The owner of the winery had sent us directions – which according to Indian standards means we had various landmarks along the way and we had to stop several times to ask the locals where we were headed.  We missed the sign for the winery and therefore called the winery for some guidance; the owner was kind enough to send his assistant out to meet us near another landmark on the highway. 

He quickly greeted us, turned his motorbike around, and instructed our driver to follow him down an unpaved dirt road barely 3 feet wide lined with tomato fields on both sides.  Our Toyota Innova SUV spent about 10 minutes on this road before we were finally greeted by…grapevines; and the winery appeared on the horizon. 

The instant I stepped out from the car, the monsoon rains started.  The crisp clean rain conjoined with the smell of the wet earth mixed with cow-manure filled the air.  Soon the resident assistant wine-maker greeted us and led us into an extremely large conference room.  In typical Indian custom we were offered water and then some masala tea!  Wait! Where’s the wine?

Soon, the owner walked in.  After some brief pleasantries, we started chatting about the history of the winery – built in 2007, designed with the help of the owners’ mom – and then about the various wines being made as well as the wine scene and growth cycle in India.  We then proceeded to see the wine lab where we were shown various samples which were undergoing review in various stages of clarification.  The bottling room next door was extremely impressive since the owner had spared no expense in installing the state of the art equipment manufactured in Italy.

Next, we made our way to the temperature controlled room which housed about a dozen or so large steel tanks.  Walking in, we heard low volume chants of Indian hymns softly playing in the background; the owners’ way of providing a soothing environment while the wines age and mature!  And then, we started tasting wine.  The lineup was Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon (Fumé) Blanc, Cabernet, Shiraz and Cab-Shiraz blend and a rosé of Zinfandel.  The winemaker’s / winery’s philosophy is to make wines that are easy and ready to drink. Hence each wine that we tasted was bright, lively and on the lighter side.  The heaviest wine, the Cab/Shiraz blend was just a tad over the medium body category.  My favorite was the Sauvignon (Fumé) Blanc and the Red Blend. 

After almost 1.5 hours of non-stop tasting of the different varietals and vintages, we were led up to an expansive veranda

to enjoy a good look at the property and the view.  Here, the owner really shined as a host.  Unbeknownst to me, while we were tasting, based on my comment about a certain favorite food dish of mine, the kitchen staff had been instructed to prepare (and make available) that same dish for us to enjoy while sitting on the terrace! 

As the aromas of the wonderful food filled the air and the sounds of the (very) distant beeping of the horns on the highway continued, I savored the wines, the food and the hospitality.

After a very leisurely evening celebrating wine, alas, it was finally time to say goodbye.  In typical Indian tradition, the goodbyes lasted for ever and the owner insisted that I take the two wines (that I liked) as a gift.

It was nightfall by the time that our SUV reached Mumbai.  All I could think of at the end of the day was that if there are places and people like this on the actual planet of Mercury, it’s time I immediately book a ticket on the first flight out there!

To learn more the winery and the wines, visit www.mercurywinery.net.