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In
1988, Grover Vineyards was established on 40 acres of land at the
foot of the Nandi Hills on the outskirts of Bangalore when;
Kanwal K. Grover along with Kapil Grover took on the task of
reviving wine drinking in India. Here nine varieties that responded well to
Indian conditions were planted on an industrial scale. Today, Grover
Vineyards has over 200 acres under plantation. Unlike other wine makers in
India today, Grover Vineyards is the only company that shuns ordinary table
grapes, while exclusively using only French wine grapes, selected from the
original thirty-five varieties of the Vitis Vinifera species.
In
1995, Grover Vineyards attracted the attention of the world-renowned
oenologue, Michel Rolland, to offer his expertise to the Indian venture. His
expertise in wine making sees him as ‘consultant oenologue’ to over 100
companies all around Europe, South and North America and
Asia. In India, Rolland is affiliated exclusively with Grover Vineyards.
In
1996, the world’s leading champagne house, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin,
of France took a minority stake in Grover Vineyards. Here was
a joint venture between Grover Vineyards and Veuve Clicquot
Ponsardin, to excel in wine making in India. This company is part of the
LVMH Group, a world leader in luxury goods. They extend technical
support to Grover Vineyards through their wineries in Australia
and New Zealand.
In
2001 Grover Vineyards accomplished an extraordinary feat that was
once next to impossible, it started selling wine to France! From humble
beginnings then, Grover Vineyards has also started exporting wines to
highly critical markets like UK, and the USA. Grover wines
have been greatly appreciated by the trade and consumers alike in these
foreign markets. The company’s wines are now available at all leading
hotels, restaurants, wine bars and clubs in these countries.
Grover Vineyards’
list of wines include: Cabernet Shiraz-Red Wine, the most acclaimed
red wine in India (blend of the Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz); Blanc de
Blancs de Clairette, the noble Indian white wine (perfectly clear bright
White Wine made from Clairette grapes); Rose-Dry, the Pride of India
(An attractive salmon pink colour made of fully ripe Red grapes and
fermented slowly at low temperatures) and La Reserve Red Wine, the
first Barrel-Aged Wine (Crafted in the best of the French wine making
tradition of Bordeaux, aged in French Oak barrels, this ruby red wine has a
powerful bouquet of luscious ripe fruits with a hint of spice perfectly
harmonized with a distinct oaken flavour).
Performance in the recent years
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GROVER
VINEYARDS
recently received the Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export
Award (APEDA) for the company’s excellent performance during the
year 2003. This award is in recognition for GROVER VINEYARDS as a leading
exporter and for the excellent services in promoting export of agricultural
products. (The award was presented by the Hon’ able Minister for Commerce
and Industry, Sh. Arun Jaitley).
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The company was also
the proud recipient of the ‘Global Best Performance Gold Award’
for their excellent performance and achieving highest sales in a year in
the category of Still Light Wines. This award was declared after
reviewing the brand, and in conformity with All India Distiller’s
Association and as per the IWSR (U.K.) report. (The award was
presented to Grover Vineyards by the Hon’able Minister of State for
Excise, Shri. Anil Deshmukh).
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GROVER VINEYARDS’ has
also won The International Wine & Food Society Silver Award at
WINPAC 2003. At the “Wines of the Pacific Rim” the vineyard won
accolades for their ‘Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz’.
The
latest variety from Grover Vineyards was the well-received
Sauvignon Blanc, a delicate, bright golden white wine from its stable of
fine wines. It is a product of 10 years of experiments and well received by
wine connoisseurs and critics.
Grover Vineyards
does not believe in importing foreign wines nor does it launch new wines at
a frantic production pace. Instead the company is constantly focused on
developing the Indian wine market and promoting excellent quality Indian
wines to foreign markets and connoisseurs. Grover’s, with a production of 6
lakh bottles of wine a year estimates a projected growth of 20 – 25% every
year.
Grover
Vineyards
French Vines… French Traditions
More Links:
Grover Expanding 60 acres of
land to produce more wine |
