Indian Wine in South India

India Wine is a thing and some is actually pretty good, however the South Indians like beer and spirits so actually getting hold of Indian wine can be a mission and/or an expensive business.

Grapes are grown and the wine produced 100% in India with start-up expertise from abroad. The 3 brands we found perfectly palatable are:

Grover Zampa (French Influenced)

Fratelli (Italian Influenced)

Sula (American influanced)

The State of Kerala is very against alcohol and in fact tried to ban it altogether so in Kochi and Kumarakom we had dry hotels and little other choice. We found a wine bar in Fort Cochin with the wine marked up 3x retail whereas in Kumarakom we caught an auto to the State booze outlet (they call it Beverages) and paid the printed price (MRP thay call it it is printed on most packaged products in South India).

The State of Tamil Nadu is also tight on booze and we had to either pay top dollar in the hotels in Coimabatore and Ooty or venture out to the State Booze outlet which is quite an experience (not recommended TBH)

The State of Karnataka is normal about wine and beer and we paid near MRP at the Jungle Lodge. However in Mysore we went to a rooftop restaurant and for some reason their licence didn't extend to "outdoors". Bengaluru is quite a boozy city for some although the establishment frown on alcohol from a great height.