UB Group to open wine Spa in Baramati

PUNE: Four Seasons Wines Limited, part of the Vijay Mallya promoted UB Group, will throw open its wine spa at its Baramati vineyards in March this year. The company has planned the spa as among options of wine tourism it wants to promote in the grape growing strip of Baramati and Indapur in Pune district.

Abhay Kevadkar, director, Four Seasons Wines Limited and Business Head for wines for the UB Group, said on Friday that the 14 room facility will open in March, alongside the current year's crushing season. The tourists will be exposed to finer aspects of wine making, wine tasting and related experiences, Kevadkar said.

The Spa will be run by professional managers, or the company may outsource the management to some international player, Kevadkar added. A decision in this respect is expected soon, he said.

Four Seasons has contracted with grape growing farmers for supply of fruit, and has thus ensured a total vineyard coverage of 700 acres for its winery. About 300 acres of these are around the winery and will be used as a backdrop for wine tourism activities, Kevadkar explained, adding that 50 acres of these vineyards belong to the company.

Kevadkar said the winery expects to crush 2000 tonnes of grapes to make 1.5 million bottles of wine this season, which is higher than the 1.2 million bottles made by it during the last season, he informed. About 20 per cent of the production will be exported to US, UK, France and Italy, he said.