Four seasons vineyard

 

     Who would have thought that taking a chance on something….an unknown road taking you through strange paths….a moment that causes you to pause and think that maybe I made a mistake…a sense of unease in the pit of your stomach….can take you on a journey filled with memorable moments and probably one of the most unforgettable experience of your life. To use the one liner of a fizzy drink “daar ke aage jeet hai” (there is victory beyond your fear) is probably the most apt way I can describe the myriad of emotions and thoughts that I went through both before and during this journey. 

Four seasons vineyard

 

     When I first got the offer from the PR of the brand to travel to their Vineyard in Baramati, Maharastra and get a first hand experience on wine tourism I was quite happy and very unsure at the same time. Being a single woman traveler some things just automatically raise my hackles and I was not sure about taking up the offer. But after some assurance from Poorna, I was ready to take the plunge. I will be very honest with you that I did consider backing out several times as I was not sure about what I was getting into. I even had an apology mail drafted out to the PR but something prevented me from clicking the send button….and honestly I’m so very grateful to the powers-that-be that stilled my hand at that moment. 
Four seasons vineyard
I love this capture! View of the fountain gracing the lawns.

 

     We embarked on our journey from Kolkata on the 16th of Feb taking the evening flight to Pune. There were 6 of us traveling from Kolkata – Me, Dolon, Poorna, Swarnali, Shayoni and Deepa. We met another Kolkata blogger called Animesh when we landed (btw he takes some awesome pics and you must check out his work sometime). There were 2 cars waiting for us and we divided into groups. Needless to say me and my girls traveled together. It was a 2 hour journey from Pune to Baramati. Once we reached Baramati we took a turn off the main highway and began our assent up and through the winding ghats….we just had the moonlight guiding our way through the unknown. It was the most thrilling experience as the beauty of the moonlit path along with the uncertainty of our final destination left me both scared and feeling adventurous at the same time. 
 
     We drew up to these huge gates after traveling an off beat path and from there on we entered this gorgeous estate. After reading all those books and seeing period movies I always wanted to experience that feeling of driving down a path and pulling up to your mansion 🙂 The building/mansion/casa was huge and so impressive! Straight out of the movies with the entrance being adorned with 2 lions and staircases on both sides leading up to the landing. Once you enter, you can see a huge wooden staircase taking you to the 1st floor where all the rooms are located. There are 14 rooms and 4 suites on the premises. We were given a room each and they had fascinating names like Burgundy, Napa valley, etc. 
 
     Our adventure began quite early the next day and we were up and out by 6 am. The sun had not yet risen but light could be seen over the horizon. We made our way to the grounds and were captured by the beauty that lay before us. Crisp morning with a nip in the air, a gorgeous fountain gracing the center of the driveway and grapevines stretching for as far as the eye could see on both sides. We were greeted by an enthusiastic and friendly pair of dobermans who kept chasing each other all over the place. As the sun broke out and covered everything in its beautiful glow we were greeted by Mr. Balakrishan the GM of the place. He was so surprised to see us up and about, given the very late hour we had arrived, and took us for a tour of the vineyard. He told us about the various types of grapes being grown on the property as well as some basics about each variety. We then trekked for quite a bit to spot some deer in the distance. To see a vast stretch of land flowing in steps basked in the golden glow of the morning sun is a feeling that I cannot put into words…     We had a hearty breakfast after the long trek and were waited on hand and foot by some amazing staff. The danish and the blueberry muffin were simply amazing! Next on the agenda was an introduction to wine making followed by a tour of the premises. We got to see the different stages that go into the production process – from the sorting and crushing to the fermentation and storage and ultimately the labeling and stocking of the bottles. Personally I find it very fascinating! My dad used to take us for factory tours a while back for our family business purpose and it is so interesting to watch the intricate steps that all come together to deliver a final finished product.

     Mr. Bala has such a vast knowledge on the subject and you can see his passion for it. He completely pulls you in and you are left enthralled by the information. I will admit I’m a complete noob when it comes to wines. I don’t usually drink but I really wanted to learn about the different wines. For me there was a white one and a red one and that’s about it. But I was way out of my depth. Each one is so different than the next and we were taken through a tasting session where we were shown the subtle differences between each. I used to think that rose wine (also known as blush) was made from roses 😛 (yes I was that bad) but we were told that it was white wine in which the skin was left for sometime during processing to give it the light rosy color. And champagne is actually sparkling wine which is native to Champagne in France. They are getting a geo patent on it. Btw my favorite was the blush 🙂

     I will stop here and continue this journey in the next one…I have developed a fascination for doing things in parts. I want to remember each moment and capture it here more for the sake of my own memory (which is terrible) than anything else. When I read this later on in my life I want to able to picture like it happened yesterday 🙂 I don’t think one post can do justice to the amazing experience that it was for us and hence you would have to bear me going on and on about it 😉 But really it was something that everyone must experience it they get the opportunity too. Well I will see you soon with Part 2…Adios!