In the 2009/10 season Indian wineries had an overstock of 33 million liters of wine, and for the following three seasons the market remained flooded leaving wineries unable to crush to capacity. This season there will likely be a 20% shortfall in production because of hail damage and unseasonable rain – 25,000 tons of grapes have been crushed and by December 2014 there should be new stock of 15 million liters of wine on the market. Shortfalls are expected in both the white and red wine categories. Wines in the mid-to-lower price point segment with prices averaging rs250 (US$4.16) per bottle dominate sales at 60% while premium and reserve wines account for the remaining 40%. In Naskik, India’s main wine producing region, wine grape acreage had declined from 6,000 acres to 2,500 acres with 30-37 wineries in financial difficulties, unable to market and sell their stock and making them wary of fresh crushing.
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