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GOAN SPIRITS

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TRAVEL TALES

TRAVEL TALES

Making wines may be a fine art, but the magic lies in the lusciousness of the grape. Big Banyan is an expression of extraordinary journey of its makers John Distilleries from grape to glass. Every sip of wine you take tells a tale of the land it came from, its unique terroir, the hands that nurtured the tender vines and plucked the plump grapes, and the vintner who worked his magic. It reflects your mood, the occasion and the

‘ moment’ you are in. To create these elegant wines, they harvest grapes from our vineyards in Bengaluru, and also handpick a few varietals from select vineyards across India. They are then transformed into wine at our state-of-the-art wineries in Goa and Bengaluru, under the watchful eye of Lucio Matricardi, their Italian winemaker. The collection includes three red wines (Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon), three white wines (Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc), a rosé wine (Rosa Rossa), a dessert wine (Bellissima) and a Limited Spring Reserve Shiraz. Over the years, their wines have received much praise and many a prestigious accolade. They are a testament to our company ’ s vision of creating the finest Indian spirits. Go on, enjoy a glass of our creations. The Vineyard The Vineyard is located to the south of Bengaluru, just outside the city. The red clay soil and the mildly nippy weather with bursts of sunshine are perfect for some of the varietals we cultivate here. Lucio Matricardi, the winemaker, has handpicked a crew of farmers and trained them in the subtle nuances of viticulture. Together, they tend to our vines, prune them, nurture them, wait for the ripe

moment and pluck the grapes for our winery. They also source certain grape varietals from select vineyards in Nashik and Ramanagar. The terroir of these vineyards gives the grapes grown here a distinct flavour, which in turn is reflected brilliantly in our wines. The Winery After the grapes are harvested, they are taken to our wineries with utmost care. While their first winery was set up in Goa, they have launched a new winery in Bengaluru recently. Their wineries are equipped with state-of-theart equipment to handle the winemaking process – from crushing, to pressing, fermentation, clarification and ageing. After undergoing our meticulous quality checks, the wines are finally bottled and prepared for you. The Vintner Lucio Matricardi is an Italian winemaker with his roots deep in the heartland of winecountry. He hails from a family that owned a vineyard, and has always been surrounded by the magical process of winemaking. At a very young age, he was introduced to the science of vine cultivation, the sweet fruits of toil, and the whimsical ways of nature. He turned his love for wines into a vocation, and went on to become a renowned winemaker. With his years of wisdom and passion for wines, he has helped create a distinct collection of fine Indian wines for us at Big Banyan. Josh Distilleries Established in 1996, John Distilleries grew to be a leading Alcobev company in a decade, not just in India but across the globe. Under the able guidance of the Chairman, Paul P. John the company owns a strong portfolio of brands across categories including Whisky, Brandy, Rum, Premium Wines and Single Malts. The flagship brand of the company, Original Choice, is one of the top selling brands in India ’ s popular whisky segment and is one of the top 10 selling whiskies worldwide, with sales exceeding 11 million cases a year. The Paul John Single Malts in the premium segment is a renowned brand of the company. The popular Big Banyan portfolio of Wines, Mont Castle & Roulette are other known brands. From the first case of Original Choice to the successful launch of the Paul John Single Malt, John Distilleries has always maintained the highest standards in quality all along. This single-minded focus and an exceptionally talented and hardworking team eventually led John Distilleries to the realization of many a milestone. John Distilleries has more than 1000 dedicated employees working in 8 manufacturing units spread over 7 states across India. We are committed to career-building, work-life balance and compensations at par with the best in the industry, whilst numerous other employee-friendly initiatives, help deliver a great work-life balance & enhance productivity.

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