Bangalore Soma Vineyards and Winery

THE FACTS

Location: Sonnenahalli, on Gundamagere Lake
State: Karnataka
Founded: 2001
Major shareholders: Darby N Raju, Paul Topping
Total area: 100 acres
Area under vine: 60 acres
Production: 30,000 litres
Google map: click here

THE STORY

A noise engineer by profession or, more accurately, an authority on acoustics and industrial noise, Darby N Raju has owned the 120-acre plot located at the foot of the Maakli Hills for 36 years, attracted to it initially for its peace and calm. There is still utter satisfaction on his face when he arrives at the estate. In fact, one of his many business cards states with utmost clarity that his business is ‘in pursuit of quietness’.

 

This serial entrepreneur used to run, in partnership with the Netherlands-based Moerheim Roses Ltd, India’s first rose nursery before he switched to grapes. The transition from ‘roses to rosé’, as Raju phrases it, was forced by India’s poor track-record of protecting intellectual property rights. Curiously, the Dutch shifted their operations to China!

 

It did not take long for Michel Rolland, Bordeaux’s most famous consultant winemaker, to convince Raju to establish a vineyard when the roses went in 2001. However, Rolland insisted on keeping the coconut trees scattered all over the estate, which now make for a breathtakingly picturesque backdrop. The first harvest was in 2003 and Raju has been a steady supplier to Grover Vineyards since.

 

The first vintage of Bangalore Soma Vineyards’ own wines was in 2013, made at the facilities of Sula, Grover Zampa and Alpine. Its cellar was still being completed in late 2014 when I visited, but the plan was to launch its wines in 2015.

 

Sri Lanka-based Paul Toppling is Raju’s British partner in the business and brings 20 years of travel retail experience to the table. Meanwhile, Raju continues his search for a consultant oenologist to advise Priyanka Gupta, the resident Indian winemaker.

 

The transition from purveyor of high-quality grapes to producer of boutique wines is well underway even if modestly at this stage. The last pieces of the puzzle, the cellar and catering facilities, need to fall in place for Bangalore Soma Vineyards to attract even more awestruck visitors. 

THE ESTATE

Only 50 kilometres or an hour’s drive from Bangalore, the vineyards offer a world of tranquillity, and are uniquely combined with groves of coconut throughout the 60 acres currently under vine.

 

Most of the vineyard is planted with Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz, though there is a tiny plot of Cabernet Sauvignon as well. The terrain slopes towards the lake’s shore, and the cooler microclimate in the water’s immediate vicinity helps the Sauvignon Blanc to better retain its fine aromas. There are other experimental varieties planted on the estate, including Tempranillo, Grenache, Merlot, Gewürztraminer and Viognier.

 

The blocks of vines quite obviously follow the contours of the rolling hills of the Maakli range. This prevents erosion of the red loamy soil and maximises exposure to the sun. Being an engineer, Raju excitedly explains how the 35-metre difference in elevation facilitates drip irrigation without the use of pumps. The elevation necessitates a very careful approach to viticultural practices to minimise the amount of spray residues washed into the lake, where they could kill fish and upset the ecosystem.

 

Bangalore Soma’s first two vintages were made in other cellars, and hopes were high that its own underground cellar would be ready for the 2015 vintage. Dug almost eight metres deep into the slope, it will be a gravity-flow winery, allowing for the gentle handling of must and wine, while minimising the need for cooling and thereby making it more energy efficient and more eco-friendly.

 

A restaurant and café will sit atop the winery with an adjoining terrace and amphitheatre to host visitors, sunset walkers, moon watchers, wedding parties and corporate groups. I was told some luxury cottages would accommodate those wanting to stay overnight and home-grown organic vegetables would be used for all meals.

 


THE WINES

Presently a couple of wines are being crafted from grapes grown on the estate, but were available in December 2014 only to private customers and visitors as the labels were not yet launched. The red is a good mid-range wine, while the white is the one to watch. Both balance ripe fruits and supple structure.


THE LABELS

Bangalore Soma Vineyards, Sauvignon Blanc


Bangalore Soma Vineyards, Shiraz

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