10 Best Red Wine Brands in India 2022

One of the world’s greatest pleasures involves cozying up on your snuggly couch, pouring yourself a glass of delicate or raunchy red wine, and losing yourself into the plushness. When I think about the experience of drinking red wine, I remember a warm hug in a large goblet. Check out our list of the Best Red Wine Brands in India for all the details.

That being said, a good glass of red wine goes well with most foods as well. The trick is to know which wine to pair with which dish.

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Keeping in mind that everyone has a varied penchant for flavours and prefer different palettes, I present to you some of the most eclectic selections of red wine made with love in India. Make a sangria, or the devil’s margarita, or just slowly drink it down on a taxing day. 

Best wine brands in India	Alcohol content rate
Sula Rasa	13%
York Arros	14.5%
KRSMA Sangiovese	13.6%
Charosa Tempranillo Reserve	14%
Myra Misfit	14%
Reveilo Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve	14%
Fratelli Sette	13.5%
Alpine Vindiva Shiraz Reserve	13.5%
Vallonne Malbec Reserve	14%

After having reviewed 100 red wine brands in India based on various factors such as taste, ingredients, price and much more; my team and I zeroed in on 10 that really stood out. These 10 were put through a series of tests to determine the best. We found that:

The best red wine brand in India is Sula. Although it doesn’t have the most premium taste, it is extremely popular among Indians due to price and flavour profile. Sula’s shiraz red wine is one of their best products and it tastes amazing at 16-degree Celsius.

Top Wine Brands in India 2021

Sula Rasa

The Sula Rasa Shiraz is matured in vintage French oak barrels for a comfortable span of 12 months, naturally leading to oaky notes and subtle hints of spice, vanilla and jasmine. It’s one of the Best Red Wine Brands in India.

Ideally, chilling the bottle up to 16-degree celsius and decanting it for about 30 minutes makes it taste best. Sula is my favourite red wine because of it’s amazing taste and how well it goes with my favourite food, lamb chops. Sula’s taste just savours in my mouth perfectly.

Due to its complex flavours and full-bodiedness, I’d recommend this wine to only those that are true connoisseurs. It’s amongst the top 5 red wine brands in India.

Novices, hold up, there’s more for you.

Price: 750 ml for INR 1495

• Alcohol content: 13%
• Grape: Shiraz
• Winery: Sula Vineyards, Nashik
• Food Pairing: Roasted lamb chops, barbequed dishes, parmesan and gouda

Ratings: 

• Taste: 9.5/10
• Quality: 9.5/10
• Affordability: 8.5/10

York Arros

Oh, it’s like Christmas in a large Bordeaux glass! One sniff and you’ll know the holiday season is around the corner.

Its silky smooth texture and oaky notes make it feel soft and rounded as you take a big gulp. This family-run Indian winery is a heart stealer! Typically, the wine is aged for 13 whole months in large oak barrels that provide the richness in flavour.

This is one of the finest Indian wines, and it can age up to at least 5 years. It’s one of the Best Red Wine Brands in India.

The first time I had this red wine with my Uncle who offered me a glass as it was his favourite. I was impressed with the oaky-notes of this wine and found it to be amongst the top ed wine with highest alcohol content in India.

Price: 750 ml for INR 800-1500

• Alcohol content: 14.3%
• Grape: 55% Shiraz, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon
• Winery: York Winery, Nashik
• Food Pairing: Spicy Indian food, all cheese, kebabs, chocolate

Ratings: 

• Taste: 9/10
• Quality: 9/10
• Affordability: 9/10

KRSMA Sangiovese

The  KRSMA Sangiovese is one of the 6 wines the KRSMA estate produces under its label. The wine boasts balanced notes between fruity, sweet and acidic. Specifically, you can find bouquets of berries, red cherries and brown spices.

I love the fruity flavours of this wine, it makes the drink extremely tasty. I also love to eat it with chicken kebabs as they go pretty well together.

Depending on how it is aged, the flavours can vary from earthy and rustic to fruit-forward. You’ll find that this Sangiovese is very drinkable, making it perfect for dinner parties and a nightcap!

Price: 750 ml for INR 1000

• Alcohol content: 13.6%
• Grape: Sangiovese
• Winery: KRSMA Estate, Nandi Hills, Karnataka
• Food Pairing: Chicken, tomato-rich food, roasted meats, kinds of pasta 

Ratings: 

• Taste: 8.5/10
• Quality: 9.5/10
• Affordability: 8/10

Charosa Tempranillo Reserve

The rich dark ruby shade coupled with aromas of vanilla, coconut and chocolate is a delight that will be best enjoyed in a broad Bordeaux. It’s one of the Best Red Wine Brands in India.

Take a moment and let it breathe for the full-bodied notes to hit your tongue with a warm, soft finish.

The wine is rich in flavours of fleshy, ripe plums, strawberries and raspberries.

The fruity aromas make the wine delectable and almost lip-smacking!

Pour a glass of this Tempranillo at a slightly cold temperature for the finest affairs inside your mouth.

Price: 750 ml for  INR 1500

• Alcohol content: 13%
• Grape: Tempranillo
• Winery: Charosa Winery, Nashik
• Food Pairing: tapas, grilled and sauteed veggies, red meat

Myra Misfit

The Myra Misfit surely can’t be labelled as just another wine. It is India’s first absolutely unfiltered wine, aged in

French oak barrels for one and a half years. It retains all the natural flavours and characteristics due to it being unfiltered.

The fine was first launched in 2016, as a limited edition series, but kept going as people developed a penchant for locally brewed wine.

You can drink the wine straight out of the bottle, as in, you needn’t decant it, but I’d rather you pour it into a goblet to enjoy the soothing fragrance of berries.

Price: 750 ml for INR 1500

• Alcohol content: 14%
• Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
• Winery: Myra Vineyards, Bangalore, Karnataka
• Food Pairing: Pizzas, kinds of pasta, lamb

Reveilo Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

Having an Italian winemaker with 25 years worth of experience in-house has led to the creation of some of the finest wine India will ever taste,

From the Reserves, the Reveilo Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is one of the best and straightforward wines to exist.

The wine has a fruity taste, smooth and velvety finish in the mouth, and is intended for easy-drinking experiences.

You’ll find notes of black currant, cherries and other flack fruits as yous sip your worries away. It’s one of the Best Red Wine Brands in India.

Price: 750 ml for INR 1500

• Alcohol content: 14%
• Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
• Winery: Revelio Estate, Nashik
• Food Pairing: grilled steak, rich creamy soup, lamb chops, cheese

Fratelli Sette

The taste and quality of the wine justify this slightly high priced bottle of goodness. It’s one of the Best Red Wine Brands in India.

When its time to harvest grapes at the Fratelli estate, the best grapes, cumulatively making 1% of them all, are put towards making this gorgeous blend.

Put together coffee and chocolate flavours and top it off with smoky and woody aromas and you’ve got a great, full-bodied bottle of wine.

This bottle needs to be decanted for a minimum of 3-4 hours for its elegant taste to evolve.

Price: 750 ml for INR 1700

• Alcohol content: 13.5%
• Grape: 60% Sangiovese, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon
• Winery: Fratelli Vineyards, Akluj, Maharashtra  
• Food Pairing: Continental food

Alpine Vindiva Shiraz Reserve

The aroma of the Alpine Vidiva Shiraz Reserve hits you like a truck with the mellow hints of pepper and saffron and a refreshing bouquet of cocoa and rose.

As you sip it, you’ll feel the sharp but enjoyable palette of cranberry and pepper.

The wine is aged in a 35% oak barrel for about a year in a barrel that is only slightly old.

This SHiraz is a true steal for people who are new enthusiasts and are just learning about the fine winery.

Price: 750 ml for INR 875

• Alcohol content: 13.5%
• Grape: Shiraz
• Winery: Alpine Vinery, Banave, Karnataka
• Food Pairing: Slightly spicy food, cheese, kinds of pasta, red meat

Vallonne Malbec Reserve

You’d be interested to know only 973 bottles of this ambrosian wine exist out in the world and it happens to be one of the Best Red Wine Brands in India.

This full-bodied red wine possesses rich, velvety tannins that leave hints of raspberry and blackberry at the base of your tongue.

As you swirl and take a whiff, you’d note hints of vanilla and toast filling you up.

The wine is best served at a temperature of 18 to 20 degrees Celsius. Vallone estates are the only ones in India that make this rare Malbec wine.

Price: 750 ml for INR 1600

• Alcohol content: 14%
• Grape: Malbec
• Winery: Vallone Vineyards, Igatpuri, Maharashtra
• Food Pairing: Mexican, poultry,  spicy food

Big Banyan Wine Brand

Big Banyan is one of the most profound wine brands available in India that is known for its flavour.

The bottles are without doubt, keepers for your home decor.

The flavor of this red wine brand is exquisite and works super well for people with any kind of taste.

Price – 500 ML INR 750

• Alcohol content -13%
• Grape – Merlot
• Food pairing – Cheese and Mexican

How Choose the Best Red Wine Brand in India?

Interestingly enough there a lot more to red wine than just the alcohol content. In fact, there are 5 other factors that make or break the wine. These factors can have a significant effect on the taste. So, before you go and invest a few thousand Rupees in the wrong red wine, refer to the buying guide below.

Smell

• The most important factor when it comes to red wine is actually not tasted by itself. It’s Smell. It works in tandem with the flavour of the wine to deliver an amazing experience. The aroma notes also help you determine what you can pair your wine with.

• Once you let the wine breathe, you can tell if it has fruity or spicy aromatic notes. In fact, really good quality wines tend to have a blend of a wide variety of spices, fruits, cocoa and even coffee. So, be sure to look at the list of ingredients on the wine label before you buy your wine.

Acidity

• Although the thought of your wine might turn you off, it’s extremely important. Acidity not only helps preserve wine for long durations but it also contributes to the color and, of course, the taste. Paired with the right food, red wine can blow your mind.

• However, too much acidic content in red wine can cause it to taste unpleasant. So, it’s important to check for the pH value. Red wines should ideally range from 3.3 to 3.6 in pH value. Check out our list fo the Best Red Wine Brands in India for all the details.

• When it comes to the actual taste, high acidic wines tend to be more tart, while low acidic wines tend to taste smooth, rich and full. So, the low acidic red wines tend to go great with chocolate, while high acidic red wines are great with meat.

Tannin

• As mentioned earlier Tannins are extremely important when choosing a wine. Tannins are phenolic compounds that are located in the skin of the grapes. The bitter taste of wine is attributed to these phenolic compounds.

• The dry and bitter taste of tannin heavy wines are perfect when paired with roast chicken, braised beef and Italian dishes like Pizzas. Shiraz is a common red wine with heavy Tannin content.

Body

• While body seems like a mysterious factor, it’s actually rather simple. The “body” is basically how heavy or light a wine feels in your mouth. This is important because it can help you understand wine pairings. For example, a full-bodied wine that feels heavy in your mouth is best paired with rich food like steaks and creamy pasta. This is because the higher alcohol content of the full-bodied wine can help cut through the fat. Of course, It also elevates the tatse.

• There are three types of wine body: Light, medium and Full. The alcohol content increase from light to full. So, the light bodied wines are best paired with salads and seafood. Medium bodied wine is generally paired with cheese. Although Red wine in general tends to be full bodied, there are light bodied Red wines such as Pinot Noir.

• It should also be noted that Indian wines are generally full bodied as wines made from grapes that grow in warmer climate tend to be full bodied than wines made from colder climates.

Sweetness

• Sweetness is the 5th factor that you need to consider before you choose your red wine. You can easily find all the information like sweetness, acidity level and much more by reading the label. Of course, you can also ask the store owner for suggestions.

• Anyway, Sweetness contributes to the overall taste of the wine. In fact, because our taste buds are located at the tip of our tongue, we can immediately taste the sweetness of the wine. There are certain red wines like the port wine that are extremely sweet. These wines can be consumed by themselves without pairing them with food. However, the really dry ones need to be accompanied by a dish. Preferably cheese to prevent your mouth from going dry.

Types of Red Wine

Cabernet Sauvignon

• Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most popular types of Red Wine not in just India but also across the world. It is named after the popular type of grape variety: “Cabernet Sauvignon”. It was discovered in the 17th century when two popular types of grapes Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc were crossbred.

• This Red wine has a really rich savage taste and deep red colour. In fact, it’s most commonly used in blends and is used to darken lighter wine. It’s considered a serious wine as it tastes savoury and dry with high alcohol content. It is also one of the most elegant wines out there and is used to pair with various types of meats, sharper tasting cheese and, most importantly, dark chocolate.

• You need fat or salt to help offset this dry wine. Meaning, you really shouldn’t be drinking this wine without a dish to accompany it. It also happens to be high in tannin and is usually cellared in oak barrels for years to make it more bearable. However, the taste of the grape becomes richer over time. So, the older the Cab, the better.

Merlot

• Merlot is also a popular type of Red wine that’s commonly used to blend as well. However, unlike Cabernet Sauvignon, it’s much softer and sweeter. Interestingly, it is just as dark as the Cabernet Sauvignon. The majority of the Merlot grapes are found in France, Italy and Chile. It also happens to be one of the most affordable wine primarily due to its huge yield and wide ripening window.

• As mentioned earlier, it’s comparatively sweeter than Cabernet Sauvignon. However, this sweet nature actually happens to be due to the deep fruity flavour of the grape. It is also much more fuller and contains very little tannin when compare to other Red Wines.

• It is usually used as a blending wine and usually mixed with Cabernet Sauvignon to offset it’s dryness. It also happens to be one of the main ingredients in most of the best wines in the world. When it comes to the pairings, Melot goes really well with softer, more full-flavoured cheese, it also goes well with grilled steaks. Most importantly, it’s the best wine to pair with tomato-based pasta.

Health Benefits of Drinking Red Wine

While Red Wine does contain alcohol, it can be extremely beneficial to the body when consumed in moderation. Most importantly, the taste and varieties and colour don’t really matter. It just needs to contain crushed and fermented whole grapes. Here are some of the health benefits of consuming Red Wine:

Rich in antioxidants

• Red Wine is extremely rich in antioxidants. And, honestly, the negative aspects of the Wine are ofset by this single benefit. The dark the grapes, the higher the wine is in antioxidants. Most importantly, the antioxidants found in wine are proanthocyanidins, resveratrol, catechin and epicatechin. All of which are beneficial in reducing inflammation and keeping your body healthy.

• These antioxidants protect the lining of the cell and even help fight diseases. For example, resveratol is an effective plant compund that limits cancer cells and even kills it prematurely. It even obstructs a key action of a cancer aiding protein and can effectively reduce basal cell, colon, prostrate carcinoma, ovarian types of cancer.

Lowers bad cholesterol

• One of the more underated benefits of Red is wine is its ability to lower bad LDL cholesterol. Not only does it lower the bad cholesterol but studies have show that Red wine increase the good HDl cholesterol from 5-15% percent depending on the type of red wine. We recommend you drink Pinot Noir as it comes with the most amount of health benefits. So much so that it is known as the healthiest wine.

Keeps heart healthy

• A good Red wine can keep your heart really healthy. Of course, moderation is key. We recommend you drink one glass of Pinot Noir with dinner every day to reap maximum benefit.

• When it comes to the heart, Red Wine contains Polyphenols that prevent unwanted clotting. More importantly, it helps keeps the blood vessels flexible, making it easier to move around in your body. This also helps improve heart health. However, overconsumption can actually lead to heart damage.

8 Steps of Red Wine Tasting: 

• See: your red wine should be free of defects like cloudiness. A good wine is rich in colour and is clear. 
• Swirl: Gentle move your hand in circular motion with the wine glass in your hand to increase the wine’s aroma.
• Sniff: Bury your nose inside the wine glass and sniff to find out the flavour of your red wine. 
• Sip: Take a sip of your red wine and let it sit in your mouth for a few seconds, don’t swollow as of yet. 
• Slurp: Let the mouth draw some oxygen to mix with the wine which increases it’s intensity. 
• Swish: Swishing is like gargling the wine inside your mouth to understand the taste of the wine. Let it touch your cheek, gums and tongue
• Swollow: Finally it’s time to gulp the wine where you’ll be assessing the wine’s acidity and tannin components. 
• Savour: savour the flavours of the wine in your mouth which will help you determine the quality of the wine.

Best Red Wine Brands In India With Price: FAQ

So, let me sum the wine drinking experience for you in just four words  — pour, swirl, sniff and taste. The best things in life take some effort. With the right glass, the right company and the right wine, you’re sure to turn your day around, and perhaps, experience the most blissful sleep you’ve had in a while.

Remember, it’s not about the brand, it’s about the flavour profiles that call out to you! Besides, once the bottle is opened, the way the wine tastes changes. I recommend sharing a bottle because a shared experience is a memorable one. There, the secrets to drinking red wine, uncorked! Check out our list fo the Best Red Wine Brands in India for all the details.

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