Home to some of the country’s renowned vineyards, Karnataka is the second-largest producer of wine grapes in India, right after Nashik in Maharashtra. In particular, Nandi Valley and Kaveri Valley near Bangalore are the most prominent wine regions in the state, producing world-class wines with diverse varieties and styles. These vineyards are not only known for their reds and whites but also for their spectacular estates set amidst the rolling hills and verdant landscapes. If you want to experience the charm of the vineyards, taste the finest home-grown wines, and learn the fine shades of winemaking on a guided wine tour as part of the Karnataka tour packages, then the vineyards in & around Bangalore are just the place for you. Whether you’re a connoisseur or just curious, a vineyard tour promises an experience that tantalizes both the palate and the soul.
Here is a list of some of the most popular vineyards to visit as part of the Bangalore tour packages.
Grover Zampa Vineyards
Grover Zampa Vineyards is located at Doddaballapura. It is the longest-standing wine producer and leading exporter in India and among the top places to visit near Bangalore. Situated at an altitude of about 920 m, Grover Zampa Vineyards spread over 410 acres on the foothills of the Nandi Hills. With over 30 years in the trade, the company maintains the most impressive pedigree in the Indian wine industry through its sustainable viticulture practices, selective hand harvesting, and winemaking carried out by a team of local enologists directed by international French wine consultant Michel Rolland and French winemaker Mathias Pollard. Go on a tour around this peaceful vineyard, and learn all about their winemaking – from filtering to the packaging of the bottles. Visitors can sample a variety of wines produced at the vineyard and also take part in some fun and traditional grape-stomping! This is an immersive and educational experience that wine lovers cannot afford to miss.
Timings: 10:30 AM, 12 PM & 2 PM
Entry: Rs. 350 – 500 for Tour, Rs. 1000 – 3000 for Tour & Wine Tasting, RS. 500 for Grape Stomping
Nandi Valley Winery / Kinvah Vineyards
Nandi Valley Winery is located amidst the picturesque Nandi Valley. It is one of the top places to visit near Bangalore, and among the must-include places in Nandi Hills tour packages. Spread over 250 acres, Nandi Valley Winery, also known as Kinvah Vineyards & Tavern, is best known for its Kinvah range of premium wines, from red and white to rose. Kinvah, named after an exotic wine from the Mauryan era, is a leading wine manufacturer in this region and the winery aims to produce French grape wines that are at par with French or Italian wines in their refinement and flavor notes. The pleasant and cool climate of the Nandi Hills, with its fertile soil, is apt for producing the finest quality of grapes. The winery offers you wine tours in which guests are informed about the history of wine and its cultivation before proceeding to witness the actual process at the vineyard. Practically every aspect of wine-making is discussed-right from fermentation to bottling and final labeling. Then, you can take part in a wine-tasting session where you can try the best wines from their collection.
Timings: 10.30 AM & 1.30 PM
Entry: Rs.1050 per Person for Wine Tour and Tasting, Rs. 1795 for Wine Tour with Food
Big Banyan Vineyards
Located on the outskirts of Bangalore near the iconic Dodda Alada Mara, Big Banyan Vineyard is one of the scenic vineyards in Karnataka, and among the top places to visit in Bangalore. The red clay soil and the mildly nippy weather with bursts of sunshine are perfect for some of the varietals cultivated here. Lucio Matricardi, the vineyard winemaker, has handpicked a crew of farmers and trained them in the subtle nuances of viticulture. Together, they tend to vines, prune them, nurture them, wait for the ripe moment, and pluck the grapes for the winery. Set in 20 acres of sprawling greenery, the vineyard is open to the public, and the company has built a modern Tasting Room where you can try four to six wines and cheese from 10 Cuts of Cheese. If you’re longing for a short relaxing break or a peaceful weekend getaway, when the bustle and stress of the city becomes a bit overwhelming, then this is the best place for you.
Timings: 11 AM – 4 PM
Entry: Rs. 2400 per Person for Vineyard Tour & Wine Tasting
Heritage Winery / Kadu Winery
Kadu Winery, now called Domaine Sula, is located on the Mysore highway near the town of Channapatna in Karnataka. It is Sula’s fourth unit in Karnataka, and among the top places to visit near Mysore, as well as Bangalore. Spread over nine acres, the Heritage winery produces Sula’s Kadu range of wines – meaning ‘wild’ in Kannada. It is the first wine in India dedicated to tiger conservation within Karnataka, besides its other delicious range of wines. The winery is extremely famous for the finest quality of wine and the choices they have. The rustic town Channapatna offers the best favorable climatic conditions to produce remarkable grade wine and is exceptionally famous in Karnataka. Heritage Winery is probably the best place near Bangalore to witness the wine-making process. The 1-2 tour begins with grape farming, where the visitors are taken through the fields and shown how grape cultivation is done, and the wine-making process that includes crushing, fermentation, and storage. Later, visitors were taken to taste the Kadu and Sula wines in their tasting room.
Timings: 10.30 AM – 5.30 PM
Entry: Rs.250 per Person for Wine Tour & Tasting, Rs. 500 per Person for Grape Stomping
SDU Winery, Chikkaballapura
One of the finest vineyards of Karnataka, SDU is India’s first female-owned boutique winery run by the women entrepreneur, Shambhavi Hingorani, with a focus on producing easy-drinking wines. Started in 2003, the famed Italian winemaker Andrea Valentinuzzi oversees the vineyard and winemaking operation at SDU. Launched their first wine named Deva in 2013, SDU adheres to a simple, yet modern approach to winemaking in their state-of-the-art facility with machinery imported from Italy and the wine tanks matching international standards. Reserva Syrah and Trilogy are the other brands found in SDU. Reserva Syrah, a medium-bodied red, was voted India’s best wine in the 2014 Selection of India’s Finest Wines competition by the Mumbai Wine Club. One can savor some of their fine wines and gain insight into the intriguing wine-making process on a classic wine tour to this vineyard during your Bangalore tour. The winery also plans on hosting open-air vineyard brunches in the future.
Timings: 10:30 AM-5:30 PM
Entry: Rs.500 – 1500 for Vineyard Tour & Wine Tasting
Bangalore Soma Vineyards
Located in Sonnenahalli, Soma Vineyard is spread over a vast area of around 120 acres and is unique with rolling slopes dotted with several fruit trees including coconut, palm, custard apple, and neem. An acoustic engineer turned wine lover D.N. Raju, is the man behind Soma Vineyards. Guided by his philosophy of ‘wine for wellness’ and ‘a sense of place’ Soma Vineyards follow sustainable growing practices to support the ecological balance of the region while making it an excellent wine tourist destination. The vineyard offers an exclusive tour of their facility where you can learn about different varieties of grapes, partake in wine tasting, and enjoy a BBQ meal set against a breathtaking landscape. One can spend hours hill-gazing or watching the spectacular sunset or sunrise over the Makali Hills, or even soak in the breathtaking 360-degree views from several vantage points while sipping some of their limited edition wines during the vineyard tour.
Timings: 10.30 AM & 3.30 PM
Entry: Rs.1500 – 2500 per Person for Wine Tour/Tasting with Snacks/Lunch/Dinner
Rico Vineyards & Winery
Spread over 50 acres of lush greenery along Yelahanka – Doddabhallapur Road, Rico Vineyard, and Winery stands as India’s premier wine producer and also a paradise for wine lovers and adventure enthusiasts alike. The Rico Vineyard first started producing wine at its Bijapur winery about a decade ago and then expanded in 2020 to Bangalore, with the construction of its second winery. The vineyard offers a unique opportunity to explore the process of winemaking followed by a curated wine-tasting session, and indulge in exciting outdoor activities. The tour begins with a guided walk through the vineyard, where you can see different varieties of grapes and learn about the process of winemaking. No vineyard tour is complete without a wine-tasting session. At Rico Winery, you can taste some of their finest wines and learn about the different notes and flavors. For the more adventurous souls, Rico Vineyard offers hiking, zipline, and rappelling activities as well.
Timings: 11 AM & 1 PM
Entry: Rs.1695 for Adults & Rs. 850 for Kids