Did you know red wine ranks as the oldest alcoholic drink in the world? In fact, red wine finds mention in lots of religious scriptures too.
Also, red wine holds lots of significant health benefits if you consume regularly in moderate quantities.
Wines are known to have anti-ageing, anti-cancer properties. They also help prevent heart diseases to some extent.
Red wine boosts appetite and helps digestion. Tannins in red wine have a magical effect on the skin if you consume in the right quantities.
Red wine alcohol content ranges from 12 to 15 percent Alcohol By Volume (ABV).
This percentage of alcohol is just right to maintain good health if consumed in moderation.
In ancient days, consuming fine red wine was privilege of royals: select barrels of red wine were stored in palace cellars for years. This would lend it that special taste and flurry of flavours.
Now, the same ancient technology goes into making red wine. I suggest you try one tonight.
Top 10 Best Red Wines in India With Price
Why top 10 red wines? Because wine is made of grapes. Superior quality grapes go into making these wines.
And they are matured to the right age for drinking.
This maturation brings out their best flavour while increasing the content of rare nutrients and other essential enzymes to ensure excellent health. So here are the top 10 red wines in India that you can try.
1. Krsma Cabernet Sauvignon (Rs.3,500)
Krsma Cabernet Sauvignon is available in four distinct vintages: 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015.
Each of these has different characteristics. These are the best red wines in India.
You might not find Krsma Cabernet Sauvignon everywhere since these wines are for very discerning connoisseurs only.
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2. Zampa Chene Grand Reserve (Rs.3,000)
Zampa Chene Grand Reserve from Grover-Zampa Vineyards is a very exclusive wine.
It is a popularly consumed Red Wine Brand in India.
Made of Tempranillo and Syrah grapes grown around Nashik, this wine has prominent top notes of ripe berries, tobacco, liquorice and vanilla, among others.
It also has very smooth aftertaste of spice and tannins.
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3. Fratelli Sette (Rs.2,800)
Crafted by Piero Masi of Italy, this top red wine in India is made from select grapes grown around Solapur city in Maharashtra.
It is made with Cabernet and Sauvignon grapes. Fratelli Sette undergoes 14 months maturation in French oak barrels.
It has distinct raspberry and vanilla flavours and goes well with any roasted meat.
4. Charosa Reserve Tempranillo 2012 (Rs.2,800)
Bright and medium ruby red Charosa Reserve Tempranillo is a celebration in itself.
This fantastic red wine has fine aromas of oak, vanilla and berries.
It has a well-rounded and smooth aftertaste. Made of superior Tempranillo grapes, this red wine has moderate acidity.
5. Big Banyan Limited Spring Shiraz 2008 (Rs.2,600)
If you are looking for a very fruity flavoured red wine, opt for Big Banyan Limited Spring Shiraz 2008.
Only 6,000 bottles of this wine were ever made. Hence, you might not find one every easily.
This is an excellent red wine made with Shiraz grapes in 2008. The price offers value for money.
6. Sula Rasa (Rs.1,800)
Sula Rasa is a superb creation of Sula Vineyard. In fact, Sula ranks as the best selling red Wine in India.
It is made with grapes cultivated carefully in select areas of the Sula’s own vineyards around Dindori near Nashik, Maharashtra.
Sula Rasa undergoes one-year maturation in French oak barrels before bottling.
Sula Rasa has strong fruity flavour typical of old age French wines and moderate acidity. Try the 2007 vintage.
7. Chateau d’Ori Shiraz (Rs. 1,750)
Chateau d’Ori Shiraz can be pretty hard to get in smaller cities of India.
If you live in a large city, this is a top red wine you must try at any rate.
Because no other wine in India has the unique taste that Chateau d’Ori offers.
This red wine has a very heavy, fruity flavor with spicy aftertastes.
This is a great wine to complement roasted and grilled meat. Excellent for outdoor parties.
8. Four Seasons Barrique Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Rs.1,700)
Four Seasons Barrique Reserve Cabernet has evoked mixed response among wine aficionados and critiques.
Some laud this wine for its complex and rich taste. This wine has flavours of black currant and berries.
While some wine aficionados compare it with the best Cabernet-Sauvignon combinations from world famous vineyards of France, others claim it is too dry on the palate.
Regardless, this wine is very popular among Indians.
9. Seagram Nine Hills Shiraz (Rs.1, 500)
Seagram Nine Hills Shiraz offers everything you would expect from world class company Pernod-Ricard and even more.
This wine has full bodied flavour of excellent Shiraz grapes. Indeed, it can rightly be known as the best Shiraz red wine in India.
This wine has a superb fruity taste with tobacco, leather and chocolate undertones.
Additionally, it has well rounded aftertaste of vanilla and spices.
10. Myra Reserve Shiraz (Rs.900)
A very exquisite wine that is affordably priced. Myra Reserve Shiraz is purple-red in color.
It is crafted from Shiraz grapes grown in the company’s own vineyards. This top red wine is famous for its medium-bodied palate.
It gives an excellent rounded tannin aftertaste that comes due to its 12-month maturation process.
The vineyard uses French oak casks to mature Myra Reserve Shiraz red wine.
Special Mention
11. Hayward’s Golconda Ruby Red Wine (Rs.300)
Golconda Ruby Red was the first wine made in India.
The brand is available in select markets in South India only.
This wine has a very unique taste, since it is made with Indian grapes only. It has higher acidity levels.
This great wine deserves mention since it was used for religious ceremonies, toasts at countless weddings and parties at a time when other local brands were not available.
This brand is on the verge of extinction. Try it before it goes out from the market.
12. Vinicola Port Wine (Rs.120)
Vinicola Port Wine is made by an eponymous vineyard that operates from Margao, Goa.
Vinicola Port Wine has an excellent, sweet taste that makes it ideal for casual wine drinkers.
It is a very popular red wine among thousands of foreign tourists that visit the state.
Vinicola remains the first Indian wine to have made a mark abroad. It found early markets in Portugal, Madagascar and Brazil.
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Wine Prices in India
Due to various taxes and levies by Central and state governments, prices of wines in India can differ vastly between two locations. The prices we mention above are purely indicative.
Also note, some vintages are no longer available in the open market.
Hence, you may have to procure them online or directly from the vineyard. As a result, prices may be much higher.
Some wines we mention may cost lower because they are mass produced and hence, easily available. However, vintage wines of these brands can be very expensive.
Wrap Up
Wine consumption in India is increasing gradually as people try and adopt foreign habits.
In recent years, wines from India have won several awards abroad. India also ranks among wine exporting countries, though it holds a miniscule market share at the moment.
As wine culture advances in India, we will see several more top red wines entering the market.
However, the brands I mention above rank among best at this moment.