Top 100 natural sweet wines of Maharashtra

Discovering the wine region of Maharashtra

Maharashtra is India's third-largest state and its capital, Mumbai, is the country's largest city. The vast majority of Indian wine is made in the state, particularly in the farmland surrounding the Western Ghats mountain range. Light, easy-going wines are made here from Grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Zinfandel, Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc. The state covers around 310,000 square kilometers (120,000 square miles) on the western edge of the Indian Peninsula.

Its major topographical feature is the Deccan Plateau, which rises on the eastern side of the Western Ghats. The wine-producing state of Karnataka is directly to the South of Maharashtra. Two-thirds of Maharashtra's population works in agriculture, and the state is home to India's largest grape-producing district, Nashik. Smaller Vineyard areas can be found further south surrounding the cities of Pune, Sangli and Baramati.

More than 90 percent of the country's wine is produced here. To encourage even more growth, the state government offers concessions and incentives to wine producers. The Indian Grape Processing Board, an organization that aims to regulate the Indian wine industry, is located in Pune. Although only a small percentage of Maharashtra's grapes are used for wine (most are sold as table grapes or raisins), the figure is increasing.