Waitrose has become the first supermarket in the UK to sell wine produced in India .
The upmarket grocer is now stocking two brands of Indian wine in its stores – a crisp, aromatic white with “floral and peach aromas” called Ritu Viognier, and a rich dark-fruited red called Zampa Syrah, which has a “hint of pepper and a spicy finish”.
Both wines, which are part of Waitrose’s ‘Rest of the World’ wine collection, are made from traditional grape varieties (viognier and syrah) grown in the Maharashtra region of Western India, and will be marketed as the perfect accompaniment to curry dishes.
Ritu, which means ‘season’ in Sanskrit, is available in Waitrose stores nationwide at a discounted price of £6.99, while Zampa Syrah is on sale at an initial price of £8.49 per bottle.
“The quality of Indian wine has improved a great deal over the past five years,” said Waitrose wine buyer Matt Smith.
“There has been a significant amount of investment in recent years and a lot of expertise has been brought in from around the world. India is starting to make wine that is interesting,”
He added: “India has some ideal regions for grape-growing and it is exciting to be the first multiple retailer in the UK to showcase the quality this fascinating country has to offer.”
