14 April,2011 09:02 AM IST | | Fiona Fernandez
Check in to India's first vineyard resort at Beyond in Nashik for hours of uninterrupted peace, with nature on call, 24x7
Miles (to Jack): I like all varietals. I just don't generally like the way they manipulate Chardonnay in California. Too much oak and secondary
malolactic fermentation.
Jack: Huh.
A pleasing view of the green scape from Soma, the Indian cuisine
restaurant at Sula Vineyards
Fans of the 2004 wine-themed flick Sideways fondly remember these humourous if not poignant exchanges between lead actors Paul Giamatti (Miles) and Thomas Haden Church (Jack), on their life-changing journey through wine country in California.
Miles and Jack's conversation played in our heads as we drove down NH3 on a balmy Sunday morning. At the other end of the four-hour drive waited a vineyard trail and a lazy afternoon at what claimed to be the country's first vineyard resort.
Paradise found
The just-launched Beyond Vineyard Resort stands three km from Sula Vineyards, a 1,800-acre property that produces Sula Wines, one of India's popular domestic wine brands. Our car wound its way up a bumpy, pebble-strewn pathway to the resort as the afternoon hinted at turning into evening. The shadows had begun to fall across the blue expanse of the Gangapur Reservoir that runs parallel to the stretch between the
vineyard and the resort.
It was harvest season, and almost immediately after we hopped off, we were greeted by a cool westward blowing breeze that accompanied us throughout the time we were at Beyond. Ripples in the dual-level swimming pool seemed to echo the mood in the air. This uber-chic 23-room room boutique hotel is an extension of the already-popular Sula Vineyard property in Nashik.
The first impression (ignoring the annoying whiff of fresh paint) was of calm and a welcoming sense of space. Black and white rules the colour palette. "We've gone to great lengths to ensure that the serenity is maintained for our guests to enjoy a peaceful getaway away from the chaos of urban life," said Ajaykumar Singh, Beyond's amiable manager who offered us a cup of refreshing masala chai in the lounge that provided a view of the reservoir bathed in a sunset glow, skimmed by hills.
Designed by Nashik-based architect Sanjay Patil, Beyond aims at providing the vineyard guest with the enviable option of extending his winery tour into a therapeutic holiday. Minimal is key at the three-acre property. Simple, classy touches ensure the vino hangover doesn't abandon you. Each of the 23 rooms is named after a grape variety, and the interiors carry similarly themed vintage photographs. Natural light streams in through a sunroof into the rooms, all of which overlook the swimming pool that seems to extend into the still waters of the reservoir.
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After you choose from Deluxe, Executive and Luxury Suites or a swank three-bedroom villa (with a private pool), there's plenty to keep you engaged. We noticed a few All Terrain Bikes lined near the entrance. "Guests can sign up for bike trails; it's a safe and good way to explore the landscape," suggested Ajaykumar. The resort offers complimentary vineyard tours, and tasting at the Tasting Room is part of the package.u00a0
Cafe Rose, an all-day restaurant whips up a host of buffet style dishes. Beside it, the Red Room offers you space to lounge while reading your favourite book. To give the property a corporate touch, Beyond houses a 1,000 sq feet conference hall.
If all this 'activity' leaves you tired, walk into Aura Spa for a massage that will rejuvenate you, while offering you the same stunning view. Spa facilities are offered inside every room too, and Ajaykumar is excited about introducing exotic vinotherapy treatments soon. The in-house horticulturist seems to have worked wonders in the tastefully landscaped garden, with a riot of colours and rare flora on show, including a never-seen-before brinjal flowering plant. Walking barefoot here could be a great way to get into switch-off mode, particularly after sundown.
Vineyard chronicles
For a quick educational tour that helps you figure how a grape turns into wine, Beyond guests will have to drive to the vineyard. We suggest you check with the management about existing crowds since tours and tastings don't require reservations.
When we dropped by, it was a case of bad timing. Busloads of visitors poured in, turning the first floor Tasting Room nestled on an upper deck into an area more chaotic than a railway station. "They were in Nashik for a religious
convention held over the weekend," said Ritesh Uprit, Executive-Marketing at Sula, apologetically. Certainly not our idea of a 'getaway', which is why we suggest you make that crucial inquiry call.
Taking refuge inside the winery seemed a good idea. "The first winery was set up in 1996. Today, Sula boasts of 14 tanks. The newest winery on the property can stock 80,000 to 90,000 litres. Sula produces nearly 7 million litres of wine, annually," said Ritesh, as we negotiated our way through gigantic labyrinthine cellars where red and white wine were going through a series of treatments.u00a0
A batch of freshly harvested Cabernet grapes had just arrived, and we entered a cellar where primary fermentation was in process. Here, the pulp of red or black grapes was undergoing fermentation with grape skin in tact, with some yeast added to the pulp.
The process takes a couple of weeks during which the yeast breaks down the sugars in the grape juice into alcohol and carbon dioxide. To clear its cloudy appearance and texture, the wine must undergo clarification and filtration (multiple times) followed by a secondary fermentation before it's stored in barrels of French or Missouri oak. A code printed on each barrel indicates the year of manufacture and a roll number. The cellar we visited, stocked 715 barrels and would've been ideal for a film chase sequence, complete with echoes and a spooky vibe; although the whiff of fermented spirit is too intoxicating to keep your mind on the enemy.
A fascinating process to watch is what's called the Tirage ('in pulling' in French). This is where yeast and sugar solution are added to the wine before it's stocked in bottles stuck in racks and manually moved from a 20 degree to an 80 degree tilt over a period of time. The longer the bottle sits like this, the smaller and more integrated the bubblesu00a0-- a must for sparkling wines. Next up was a stopover at the Tasting Room for a sip or two of red and white wines from Sula's stable. Not done yet? Walk over to Soma, their in-house Indian restaurant that serves fingerlicking Laal Maas.
How to reach: Survey 1, Village Ganghavare, Gangapur-Ganghavare Road, Nashik.
Call 7875555725 / 253-2230141;
Email: beyond@sulawines.com;
Log on to:u00a0www.sulawines.com
Note: While reservation is a must for a stay at Beyond, you can drop by unannounced for a vineyard tour accompanied by tasting, and a meal if you like. Room tariffs at Beyond start at Rs 6,000.
