Newindpress

Bangalore/New Delhi/, Jun 19: You want to relish wine by staying in the middle of lush green wine yard. Then Karnataka will be your next destination to raise toast! With the Union Tourism Ministry identifying Karnataka and Maharashtra to promote wine tourism in the country, both the states are all set to chase their dollar dreams by attracting tourists.

Pleased with the announcement of wine policy by both Karnataka and Maharashtra,the Centre is keen to promote wine tourism in Bangalore Rural, Bijapur, Bagalkot and Belguam in Karnataka and Nashik and Solapur in Maharashtra on the line of western countries. The international hot spots for wine tourism are California's Napa Valley, Melbourne, Bordeaux (France), Cape Town and Florence.

Tourists in these states would be able to stroll through picturesque vineyards and be a part of the wine-making process. They can also buy fresh wine. The Government will encourage constructing cottages in vineyards for tourists stay, said a senior officer in the Union Tourism Ministry.

Grapes are grown in nearly 9,700 hectares across the state with the annual production 1.67 lakh tonnes. The grape-growing districts of Bangalore (Urban and Rural) and Kolar called Nandi Valley and those of Bijapur, Bagalkot and Belgaum - Krishna Valley will be promoted in a major way, said Horticulture Director G K Vasanth Kumar.

The government hopes wine tourism will be a hit, particularly in the tranquil Krishna Valley. With the Centre also identified Bijapur, Belgaum and Bagalkot in its heritage tourist circuit, wine tours will be an added attraction.

Vasanth Kumar who is also Managing Director to the Wine Board of Karnataka which overseas implementation of the wine policy features in Karnataka, said that to promote the concept of "wine tourism" in grape-growing regions, industries would be allowed to sell wine to tourists who visit the factory premises.

In the country, Bangalore is one among the three largest wine consumption cities. According to a survey conducted by the consultancy firm Brounens in July 2006, Bangalore has the third largest market for wines in India after Mumbai and Delhi.

The city consumes around 31,000 cases per annum as against one lakh cases in Mumbai and around 54,000 cases in Delhi. While the domestic wine brands have witnessed an increase in sales by 33 per cent in Bangalore, the imported wine segment has reported an increase by seven per cent over the previous decade.