Riona Wines eyes global market

Maharashtra-based Riona Wines is eying the international market for its products with the help
of its partners -- Italian wine producers Terre Cortesi Moncaro and Enzo Mecella.

"We are in India for a long haul and we plan to export Indian wine to England, the US, West Asia, where we have a good network and presence," Enzo Mecella, president of Cantine Enzo Mecella, said.

The Italian company plans to target the growing Indian diaspora in these countries and also export to China and Asian countries, he added.

KT Mane promoted grape growing company (Riona) has a 64 per cent stake in the joint venture and the remaining 36 per cent is held equally between Terre Cortesi Moncaro and Cantine Enzo Mecella.

Mane who also owns a 50-acre vineyard in Sangli, Maharashtra said the joint venture wine company would raise Rs 18 crore through external commercial borrowing from Italian banks. Mecella said the new winery with imported machinery would have a total capacity of 15 lakh litre annually.

Rajesh Rasal, director, Riona Wines, which have nearly 13 years of experience in wine making, said the company would produce in its first year of operation three lakh litre of white and red wine by November-December 2010.

"The first crushing season will begin from January-March 2010 and it will produce three white wines: Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc and three red wines: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot," he added.

"The entire production of fruits, crushing and wine making will be under the strict supervision of Italian viticulturists," said Mane.

The company would need another 100 acre vineyard of contract farming within two years, he added.

Hansraj Ahuja, marketing director, Riona Wines said these wines would carry a price tag between Rs 500 and Rs 700 per 750 ml bottle.

Mane said the company has also planed to start wine tourism in its facilities with an entry fee of Rs 100 per person and open wine bars in western Maharashtra within a-year-and-a-half to promote wine culture in the country Ahuja said with just 10 wine tasting events being organised in the last one month, the joint venture company had sold 400 cases (4,800 bottles) of imported Italian wines from its famous Marche region.

He further said the premium white wine such as Levele Verdicchio, and Chardonnay, and red wines like Montepulciano, Merlot, Chiliagio, Cabernet Savignon, Elianto were introduced for the first time in the Indian market.

Riona Wines produces wine from local grapes and also import the wine from Italy's Terre Cortesi Moncaro and Enzo Mecella