The 13th edition of SulaFest marked the two-decade anniversary of Sula Vineyards epitomising all things wine and more. SulaFest 2020, the country’s most gorgeously-situated vineyard music festival, was a celebration beyond measure in its 13th edition this year. Marking the two-decade anniversary of Sula Vineyards, the two-day extravaganza saw over thousand people having a blast and making memories for a lifetime. With experiences thoughtfully crafted for everyone, the fest was a wholesome affair as a true ode to all things wine and more.
Making the anniversary extra special was the unveiling of India’s first wine in a can – Dia Wine Sparkler in an easy and convenient can format. Offered in both the red and white varietals, the visitors were thrilled to enjoy their favourite wine in a can!
In addition to the delicious wines from Sula, fest-goers also enjoyed a wide selection of spirits and cocktails from around the world, brought to India by Sula’s import arm Sula Selections. Brands like Beluga Noble Russian Vodka, The Botanist, Cointreau, Budweiser and Asahi made sure to set the spirits high!
Adding to the glitz and glamour, celebrities such as Gabriella Demetriades, Diva Dhawan, Aparna Badlani, Hermit Sethi, Ashish Sajnani and others were spotted chilling at India’s biggest vineyard music festival.
Keeping the promise of bringing the best of world music world in the heart of the wine capital, SulaFest 2020 saw British chart-toppers – Hot Chip perform for the first time in India much to the crowd’s amazement and excitement. It was an evening that ticked all boxes to set the mood right. The very popular Merchant brothers, Salim–Sulaiman, brought in the Bollywood vibe with their record-breaking hits in the vineyards’ beautiful open-air amphitheatre with the weather doing the ambience absolute justice.
Bringing more melody to the music festival, this year’s heady line-up also included the popular Dutch-New Zealand trio, My Baby performing some of their best hypnotic dance mixes. Adding to the mix were The Local Train and Voctronica with a mash up of Hindi rock tracks. The Techno DJ Stage on the other side, kept the mood upbeat for EDM lovers.
This year saw delicious tapas by Olive Café and authentic Parsi by Soda Bottle Openerwala The crowd was seen gorging on delightful nibbles from food partners like The Grilled Cheese Company, Rolls Mania, Biryani by Kilo and Bombay Food Truck to name a few.
Sulafest 2020 offered a range of curated experiences at the Vinosphere, this editions’ new attraction. Master classes conducted by master winemakers’ ensured peeps raised their glasses in an informed way swirled with lots of fun of course! The Panzani live pasta carts were a big hit and everyone was seen indulging in scrumptious varieties of pasta. Paul & Mike with their gourmet chocolates and London Dairy with their exclusive Lite range (no added sugar and gluten free) clubbed with new flavours were all equipped to satiate everyone’s sweet cravings. The Living Foodz massive line art tunnel, neon and 360 degrees gif photo booths were some favourite Instagram-friendly spots.
Wine games, vino spa, foot massage with grape seed oil and vineyard tours kept the visitors busy on both the days. Needless to say, grape stomping was an important element at the fest that had the people queue up, after all jumping into a vat full of fresh grapes and stomping away with friends is super fun.
The fest also offered board games and camping under the midnight stars, which was well received by many. Tarot card sessions had a big number of people excited to read their cards. Brands such as U.S Polo Association offered some great ‘responsible’ merchandise and fulfilled the retail therapy component of any successful fest.
Rajeev Samant, Founder & CEO, Sula Vineyards said, “I am thrilled with the incredible vibe! This edition has been truly remarkable in every aspect. A magnificent celebration for an iconic milestone for our 2 decade anniversary! Over 10,000 fest-goers had a weekend to remember, depicts why SulaFest is the country’s most awaited vineyard music festival.” Karan Vasani Senior Vice President & Chief Winemaker Sula Vineyards, Gregoire Verdin Brand Ambassador & Head of Tastings at Sula Vineyards and Kerry Damskey Chief Winemaker Sula Vineyards also conducted masterclasses on Indian wines and the prosecco method of making the Indian sparkling, Sula Brut, Sula Brut Tropicale and Sula Sparkling Shiraz.
A market leader and consumer favourite in Indian wines for last two decades, Sula Vineyards is a brand that translates the rich heritage of Indian wine making in its legacy. The pioneer of wine tourism has established Nashik as the wine capital of India. Accredited with opening the country’s first wine Tasting Room in 2005 and the first vineyard resort – Beyond by Sula in 2010, the vision of its Founder and CEO, Rajeev Samant, is as exciting as it is forward looking. Set against the most striking backdrop of the rolling hills and the tranquil of the Gangapur Lake, Beyond by Sula is luxury redefined. Driving wine tourism further, The Source at Sula was established in 2017 as India’s first heritage winery resort to offer a perfect mélange of vineyard lifestyle and fine wines. An elegant world-class establishment in its true sense, the resort is an enticing holiday destination for many. Sula Vineyards is one of the most-visited wineries in the world with over four lac people visiting last year. It is one of the top spots globally where many people have tasted wine for the first time. The award-winning wines are available nationwide at the finest hotels and restaurants and are also exported to over 30 countries. Sula has won the esteemed Drinks Business Award 2016 for the ‘Best Contribution to Wine and Spirits Tourism’ the first time for an Indian company to win this accolade. In July 2018, Sula became the first wine company in India to cross the 1-million case sales mark. Recognising the growing tastes of its consumers, Sula Vineyards is also the first to offer varietals such as Chenin Blanc, Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling in India. In November 2017, Sula launched Kādu – India’s first wildlife wine, supporting tiger conservation with every bottle sold. It is now available in Karnataka and Maharashtra. Rajeev Samant firmly believes in conserving resources and empowering communities, therefore, sustainability becomes an utmost important pillar in Sula’s business practices. Under his guidance, the brand has become one of the most sustainable wineries in the world following the motto of reduce, reuse and recycle. To give a taste of the vineyard life, Sula launched its most exciting platform, SulaFest – a two days extravaganza that brings together the beautiful world of wines blended with enchanting music from around the world. India’s first vineyard music festival in its 13th edition now, has been hosting some of the most renowned artists globally. SulaFest 2020 was bigger, louder and all things wine; marking the two decade anniversary of India’s iconic wine brand. For every ticket sold, Sula Vineyards will plant a tree, making it one of India’s most sustainable music festivals.
