Chateau d'Ori, importer of wines from Bordeaux for 3 years, finally launched its Indian labels last week in Mumbai with TV star Simone Singh launching Viva and four varietals, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet- Merlot and Cabernet- Syrah.

The collection of the two whites and three reds is priced between Rs. 350 and Rs. 650. The vineyards of Chateau d'Ori are located in Nashik and are spread over 100 acres. Another 300 acres are planned to be developed by 2010.

The company has continued with the French style of winemaking with the help of French winemaker M Athanase Fakorelli who has two decades of experience and is in charge of 25 chateaux in France.

Says the IT entrepreneur and a wine connoisseur, Chairman and MD of d'Ori, Ranjit Dhuru, "We have endeavoured to incorporate the best viticulture and winery practices from Bordeaux, home of the finest wines in the world, right from the cultivation of grapes to the winemaking process including even the size of vats, the sorting conveyer belts." The relationship built over the last three years in Mumbai is expected to help marketing their Indian wines, he feels.

After Mumbai the company plans to enter Pune, Goa, Bangalore and Kolkata markets before introducing its wines in Delhi.

In a chat with delWine Ranjit Dhuru had affirmed his mission of offering the best possible wine at the best possible prices; their pleasant, quaffable Bordeaux wines were selling for under Rs.650 as 'we just cannot go under this price.'

Where most new Indian wineries boast of making their best wines even with one year-old vines and their first crush, Ranjit believes in the French dictum that vines have to be more than 3-5 years before quality fruit can be expected. 'So we decided to sell the grapes for 3 years of so before crushing for our own wines.' He is confident of keeping very high standards for d'Ori Indian wines.

With this entry, Nashik can lay claim to be a producer of quality merlot grapes. The company has declared that its Merlot plantation is the single largest one in India. The only other winery selling the Merlot varietal, Sula Vineyards, till recently was importing the wine in bulk from Chile.