Kādu wines from Sula
Kādu from Sula Vineyards is India’s first wildlife wine which is dedicated to supporting tiger conservation in the country. Earlier available in Karnataka, it is now also available in Maharashtra. Senior Vice President & Chief Winemaker, Sula Vineyards, Karan Vasani crafted Kādu from the choicest premium wine grapes to produce beautiful easy-drinking varietals. Available in three options – the Kādu Chenin Blanc has notes classifying as slightly sweet, floral and fruity, while those preferring lush, medium-bodied and peppery notes with subtle oak can opt for the Kādu Cabernet Shiraz. Kādu Shiraz Rosé is light, fruity and full of luscious berry flavours.
Working towards protecting tigers and encouraging the cause of tiger conservation, Sula 
Vineyards has stirred up another change in the wine industry. With each bottle sold, Kādu will make a donation towards tiger conservation in the state. To ensure the optimum end-use of the funds contributed, Sula Vineyards has collaborated with Sanctuary Nature Foundation designed to empower and support grassroots conservationists across India.
Rajeev Samant, Founder and CEO, Sula Vineyards, said, “It is imperative for businesses to realise their responsibility towards the environment. As the pioneers of Indian wine, we want to contribute to the great work being done to protect tigers, in the way that we know best – creating fine wines! Kādu is a homage to our love for wildlife conservation! And after Karnataka, we aim to support this noble cause in Maharashtra.”
All three variants will be available in two different sizes priced at Rs. 625 (750ml) & 350 (375ml) respectively in Maharashtra. TMM caught up with Karan Vasani to know more about the wine and their expansion plans…
What was the thought behind Kādu wines and tiger conservation?
Sustainability is one of our key focus areas as a company. We are very concerned about the environment, conservation of electricity and water and a big part of that is wildlife. Tiger is our national animal and in recent times, there has been some good news with reports of tiger population going up. It’s a very worthwhile cause for us to support. We initially launched the Kādu wine in Karnataka, the state which has one of the largest population of tigers in the country. We were looking at a new wine for the Karnataka market and it all fell together nicely. Now that consumers have appreciated it, we have decided to take the Kādu program, which was earlier confined to Karnataka and start gradually rolling it out across the country.
Tell us about the three variants of Kādu and the accessibility?
At this point, there are three variants – Kādu Chenic Blanc, Kādu Cabernet Shiraz and Kādu 
Shiraz Rosé. The range is priced moderately between Rs 600 to Rs 700. We try and keep it at an accessible price point. At this point, there are no plans to bring out another variant. We are focussed on taking these three variants pan India.
Can you tell us a bit about these variants and what food pairings they go best with?
The white wine is a Chenin Blanc. These are the best white grapes that grow in India and by far, this is India’s most popular white wine. It’s made with a little bit of sweetness, so it pairs well with spicy food. It pairs well with a wide variety of food. Something like a Prawn Ghee Roast or mildly spiced curries would compliment it really well. We designed it to be quite versatile.
Our red wine is the Kādu Cabernet Shiraz, a blend of two grapes – Cabernet and Shiraz. It is perfect for someone who is just getting into wines. It’s a nice entry point. It pairs well with basic mutton dishes and a wide selection of food that is not too heavily spiced, like biryani or tomato-based curries. It’s a dry red, so it should not be paired with something sweet like a butter or cashew nut based gravy.
The rosé is made from Shiraz grapes. As a category, they are brilliant for India. They have a slightly different flavour profile which is more on the fruity side of things but with a little more mouthfeel. It’s a perfect summer drink, nice and refreshing when it’s served cold. It’s comparatively low in alcohol, so if you have a glass with lunch it’s fine. Personally, I like it with some deep-fried snacks.
What are the expansion plans for Kādu?
We launched it only in Karnataka and they responded well. Now, we have launched it in Maharashtra, and that’s doing well too. Also, there are a couple of consignments that we have sent to Goa. We will be taking it to other markets step by step. Delhi is a big wine market, so is West Bengal. The plan is to take the Kādu wines there as well as to Hyderabad, Chennai and gradually, over the next few years, have a wider presence in different parts of the country.
Kādu wines for TMM
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