Reveilo Wines 

THE FACTS

Location: Gitakunj, near Nashik
State: Maharashtra
Founded: 2005
Major shareholders: Yatin & Kiran Patil
Total area: 200 acres
Area under vine: 50 acres
Production: 150,000 litres
Google map: click here

THE STORY

The Patil family have been agriculturalists for several years, first cultivating cash crops, such as cotton and sugar cane, on their 200-acre ancestral land. The prolonged droughts of the 1970s, however, forced them to consider alternatives. They planted vines and produced table grapes to take advantage of a growing global demand, and through export agents, have been suppliers to major British supermarkets such as Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury’s and Tesco. In the late 1990s Yatin’s father, seeing the success of the first pioneers, turned his thoughts to wine grapes.

 

In 2002 Yatin took the plunge and moved back from Mumbai. With no knowledge of agriculture, but an MBA under his belt, he made a proper business plan while the family planted 40 acres of grapevines to supply a winery. Today, one of the Cabernet Sauvignon blocks still exists from this original planting, and on its own roots. The rest were uprooted in 2006 when a total of 50 acres were planted with Italian and French varieties, such as Grillo, Nero d’Avola, Sangiovese, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The rest of the family estate continues to grow table grapes and other crops.

 

The inaugural vintage of Reveilo Wines was 2009. Italian-derived, the name of the winery signifies the process of opening up and revealing new avenues. In many ways it hits the nail on the head. The Patils not only decided to bring wine to India, but ventured to work with varieties that had been untried in India. The Italian influence has been enduring: Andrea Valentinuzzi from Friuli was hired as the consultant winemaker and has been directing technical operations ever since.

 

The crash of Chateau Indage sent shock waves across the Indian wine industry, including Reveilo. Distribution was consolidated from ten to five states to avoid being spread too thin. Without fructose- and carbon dioxide-enriched sub-entry-level wines the company would have had little chance of survival, but as both winery and vineyards were designed for premium wines, Yatin Patil refused to change course. Instead, production was decreased to allow Rajasthan, Delhi, Mumbai, Goa and Karnataka to absorb most of the output.

 

Underutilising capacity may not appear to be financially the most sound of strategies, but there were emotional and long-term considerations, as is frequently the case in family businesses. The village where the Patil family has their lands, Gitakunj, was named after Yatin’s great-grandmother Gita. As one of the leading families of the area, Yatin and Kiran will not allow its sense of responsibility and pride to be compromised.

 

After a successful restructuring of the business’s finances, the focus now is on supplying key markets with premium wines especially tailored to the Indian palate, but intertwined with a classic Italian touch.


THE ESTATE

Less than 50 kilometres north-east of Nashik, the vineyards are located at an altitude of 550 metres outside Gitakunj and Niphad villages. The loamy soil is pebbly and gravely on top while the base is clay. During the growing season the 10°–15° C diurnal temperature range brings the cool nights that help retain freshness.

 

Apart from the small block of original Cabernet Sauvignon on its own roots from the late 1990s planting, most of the vines are from a major planting programme of 2002, when Reveilo was established. The first Chardonnays were from plant material supplied by Chateau Indage, but the vines had to be uprooted due to disease, and have been replaced with imports from Italy. All vines are on P1103 rootstock imported from Italy along with scions of Merlot, Cabernet, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Sangiovese, Grillo and Nero d’Avola.

 

Talking of challenges in the vineyard, the Chardonnay produces good quality but in minuscule quantities, just one or two tons per acre. There used to be Pinot Noir as well but, as elsewhere, it proved such a struggle for barely any result that the Patils decided to discontinue it.

 

All the wines are made in the purpose-built winery in Gitakunj, equipped with imported machinery and its own laboratory. The building is much larger than the current level of production would require, the space giving one the impression of a winery in America or Australia.

 

Andrea Valentinuzzi visits every three or four months. At all other times two permanent assistants take care of the winery’s operations along with Yatin. This ensures consistency and defines the house style of Reveilo, which is an artful blend of India and Italy.


THE WINES

In addition to the use of Italian grape varieties, Reveilo’s hallmark is its individual and consistent house style. All wines, whites and reds alike, are fermented to an off-dry style with eight grams of residual sugar left in per litre of the finished product. The obvious aim is to craft wines to be enjoyed with spicy Indian dishes, and Reveilo wines are indeed best when consumed with food. Another Italian touch is especially apparent in the Syrah Reserve, which gives the impression of a Cortona: the oak flavours are subdued undergrowth, dry leaves and herbs.

 

As for the whites, there are two still off-dry wines and one sweet. The Grillo is a lovely, zesty and crisp white wine, whilst the Chardonnay is ripe and rich in fruits. There is also a white dessert wine made from Chenin Blanc, among the best pudding wines of India. A late-harvest wine, it is made from bunches left on the vine to dehydrate, thus concentrating flavour and increasing sugar. However, as the temperatures are rising during this extra hang period, the acids burn away and, inescapably, there is the need for acidification.

 

Among the rest of the reds, the Bordeaux varietal wines are made to good mid-market level of quality. From the two Italians, the Nero d’Avola should be singled out for its luscious fruit, purity of flavours and savoury tones. It is a variety that seems to enjoy itself in its Indian home and finds favour with Indian consumers, making it Reveilo’s fastest moving red wine.


THE LABELS

Regular range

  • Reveilo Syrah
  • Reveilo Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Reveilo Merlot


Italian range

  • Reveilo Grillo
  • Reveilo Sangiovese
  • Reveilo Nero d’Avola


Premium range

  • Reveilo Chardonnay
  • Reveilo Cabernet Sauvignon


Reserve range: barrel aged in French oak

  • Reveilo Syrah
  • Reveilo Cabernet Sauvignon


Dessert range

  • Reveilo Late Harvest Chenin Blanc

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