Karishma Grover makes India proud at the Decanter Asia Wine Awards

The Indian wine industry is burgeoning and Indian winemakers are making sure that the world knows. Grover Zampa Vineyards made India proud by winning the first International Trophy for the Art Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2014 at the 3rd Decanter Asia Wine Awards.

At the helm of the company's success is Karishma Grover, the first well-qualified  female winemaker of India and is a source of inspiration to women who aspire to entire the winemaking profession.

A graduate in Viticulture & Enology with a Minor in Managerial Economics, Karishma has completed the prestigious wine making degree from the acclaimed University of California, Davis.

Here's an excerpt from the interview.

How did you discover your passion for wine? Was it difficult to make an entry into the industry?

I have grown up around the wine industry in India, with my grandfather and father having started this company. I did a short internship when I was 16, where I followed Michel Rolland during his visit to the winery, and this sparked my love for the subject. After that, I studied Viticulture and Enology at the University of California, Davis.

How easy/difficult is it to be a woman in this perceptibly male-dominated segment?

I find this question very tough to answer. I find this part of my life no more or less challenging than being a woman in India. There are almost no segments here that aren't male- dominated, so my challenges are not unique to the wine industry.

What is your message to other women toying with the idea of entering the Indian wine field?

My advice is pretty general- it can be for whomever and in any industry. If you have a passion, there is nothing anybody can do to take it away from you, unless you allow them to. It is always good to have knowledge and education, in the field that interests you. For the wine education that will help you out there. Lastly, as is with everything one does in life, nothing is a substitute for practice and hard work. For the wine industry, this does mean taste as much different wine as possible! Who says work can't be fun.

What is a typical day at work like for you?

The lovely part about the job is I don't really have a typical day. I travel a fair bit between our wineries in Nasik and Bangalore. It is also seasonal, so there are 3-4months where we have harvest, where we process all the fruit for the year's production. At the end of the year, we have a lot of the bottling to do. So the year is broken up into different jobs for me.

How do you manage balance between home and office?

Except for the months of harvest, where everyone in my life has gotten used to me falling off the grid, it is fairly easy to set a routine and find a balance, As a person, this is important to me, so I make sure that I make the time to do things I love, and meet up with friends and family. It is very easy to be consumed by work, and initially I did find it hard to strike a good balance. Through trial and error, and falling many times, I have now found a system that works for me.

What are some of your personal favourite types/varietals of wines to drink?

I like to drink many types of wine! I really love sparkling wines and varietals; I tend to lean towards the cabernet sauvignon. However, being fairly young to the wine industry, I am making a conscious effort to not settle down to favourites, and keep pushing myself outside my comfort zone.

Tell us a little bit about your collection of art wines?
In 2008, we had 7 very famous Indian Contemporary artists paint their interpretation of wine for us. What resulted were beautiful paintings that paired actually perfectly with each of our wines. This includes Grover art collection Merlot, Cabernet Shiraz, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Rose.

Grover has won spectacular awards. Can you please highlight?

Winning 36 grand awards for 12 wines in last 18 months is the manifestation of our true craftsmanship and unwavering fortitude. In the Decanter Asia Wine awards 2014, Grover Zampa Vineyards created history by winning International Trophy for Art Collection Sauvignon Blanc, 3 Silver, 3 Bronze and 2 Commended. Grover Zampa Vineyards again bagged 15 awards at Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine and Spirit Competition 2014 by winning 6 Silver and 9 Bronze. In the Decanter Asia Wine awards 2013, Grover Zampa Vineyards became the only Indian wine company to achieve 100 % success and win 5 awards at a single platform. The victory followed with 3 medals at the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine and Spirit Competition 2013 and 5 medals at Indian Consumers Choice Awards.