Shillong, October 15: In a historic development, the excise department in Uttar Pradesh has granted approval for the launch of the state’s first winery, just in time for the ongoing festival season.
This groundbreaking initiative is set to make its mark in Muzaffarnagar, with a local entrepreneur leading the way.
As per IANS, the winery’s owner has already selected brand names for their products and is in the process of registering them with the department. Additionally, plans are underway to offer experiential tours to the public, allowing individuals to visit the winery-resort located on the Delhi-Dehradun national highway in Muzaffarnagar.
Manoj Gupta, the brains behind this venture, will initially produce wine using locally sourced fruits, with 750-ml and 330-ml bottles set to hit retail stores before Diwali, the festival of lights. The first offering will be guava-based wine, with future plans to introduce wines from five more fruits, including mango, strawberry, blueberry, peach, and lychee.
“We are going to launch wine of different flavors and observe which variety is most preferred and scale up the production accordingly,” Gupta stated. He has been granted permission to produce 60,000 liters of wine annually.
This winery will be managed by a team of experienced experts from Nashik, Maharashtra, where grape-based wine has been produced for decades.
In a move to enhance income and opportunities for local farmers and horticulturists, the Uttar Pradesh government introduced vineyard rules through an amendment to the excise policy in March 2022, exempting excise duty on wine produced from locally sourced fruits.
Excise commissioner Senthil C. Pandian explained that samples of the young wine will undergo examination for potability and alcoholic strength before reaching the market, ensuring quality control.
Muzaffarnagar district excise officer RB Singh highlighted plans to showcase UP-made wine in local retail stores and bars, bringing this exciting new product to the customers’ attention.
The winery, located within a 20-room resort, is all set to provide visitors with a comfortable stay while they learn about the wine production process. Equipment, machinery, and tools needed for production will be procured at a cost of Rs 4 crore, with prices for the 750-ml bottle of various fruit varieties ranging from Rs 800 to Rs 1,500.
In parallel, another winery in Bareilly is also gearing up to launch its products later this year, as per official sources.