The Magic Of Indian Winegrowing
Countless times I have been asked how it can be possible to grow grapes in such a hot and tropical climate. So here's the deal... and it's pretty unique to India as a tropical region. Our vineyards for Sula Vineyards are outside of Bombay (Mumbai) which lies about 1/3 of the way down the west side of the Indian continent. The latitude is close to 20 degrees; the same as Hawaii and Hong Kong. Truly tropical.
What makes it possible and totally unique for Sula and others in India is that we are up at about 2000 feet, so it's not humid. Well, not terrible so. First of all, the vines never go domant. For that reason, we grow the vines in the Indian winter. That is, after Monsoon which occurs from early June through mid September, the vines are pruned again and that is to two bud spurs. And after Monsoon, it never rains again, or rarely, until the Monsoon season in June of the following year...making the growing season perfectly Mediterranean.
From that point, the months of October and November are still warm, but the December and early January are quite cool at 2000 feet. Not quite frost cool, but cool. Veraison, the softening and first coloring of the grapes occurs in December when it is quite cool.
Harvest occurs for the first whites in late Jan/ early Feb and March is when the reds come in. After all the grapes are picked, the vines have their first pruning to force the vines to shut down. And then the life giving Monsoon comes in June... In the state of Maharashtra, where I do all of my consulting work, it typically comes on June 7th ... my birthday. Isn't that wonderful?
What makes it possible and totally unique for Sula and others in India is that we are up at about 2000 feet, so it's not humid. Well, not terrible so. First of all, the vines never go domant. For that reason, we grow the vines in the Indian winter. That is, after Monsoon which occurs from early June through mid September, the vines are pruned again and that is to two bud spurs. And after Monsoon, it never rains again, or rarely, until the Monsoon season in June of the following year...making the growing season perfectly Mediterranean.
From that point, the months of October and November are still warm, but the December and early January are quite cool at 2000 feet. Not quite frost cool, but cool. Veraison, the softening and first coloring of the grapes occurs in December when it is quite cool.
Harvest occurs for the first whites in late Jan/ early Feb and March is when the reds come in. After all the grapes are picked, the vines have their first pruning to force the vines to shut down. And then the life giving Monsoon comes in June... In the state of Maharashtra, where I do all of my consulting work, it typically comes on June 7th ... my birthday. Isn't that wonderful?
2 Comments:
Monsoon Master-tell me about the idea of using Biodynamics in India-would it work well with the spritual and cultural practices.
Good question. I am very hep on biodynamics back in the US. The problem here is that because of the tropical growing conditions, you have quite a high level of mildew; especially when the grapes are going during the Monsoon. I'm going to ask the quesion though while I am here. I spend a lot of time in the vineyards. I'll address the vineyard issues in one of my blogs and we'll discuss the potential of Biodynamics.
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