A wine institute has been started last week in Nashik, the future wine capital of India. The mission of GARTI (Gargi Agricultural Research and Training Institute) is to provide quality education in wine Technology and managerial skills to help the younger generation of farmers to develop into capable entrepreneurs and find employment for individuals in the wine industry. 

The institute offers a diploma in fruit processing and wine technology and a post-graduate diploma in fermentation, distillery, and wine technology. Both the courses are affiliated to the Maharashtra Directorate of Technical Education.

Claiming to be the First Wine Technology college in Asia , it also offers a 12-hour course in Wine Appreciation, spread over 6-weeks. Another offering is a 2-year entry level correspondence course certificate in Wine Technology. The course will provide employment opportunities in wineries and vineyards and in wine and beverages marketing. It is ideal for people planning on setting up their own vineyard or winery, claims their website.

According to Rajan Bachhao, the Founder Director, 'We were planning to start a winery but realised that we lacked the trained manpower in various areas of wine making. Therefore, we decided to start an institute to groom wine technologists instead'. The college is being run by the Gargi Educational Institute, founded by late Sh. Anandrao Bacchao. Promoters claim to have 25 years experience in the agricultural field.

Subhash Arora