Interview With A Winemaker – Siddharth Mane

Wine isn’t just made, it’s crafted by the dedicated skills of a Winemaker, sometimes old traditions are passed down by generations and on other occasions, new people venture into the industry, introducing us to new creations, this series of Winemaker Interviews will help you uncover the vast world and skills of how the artists passionate about wine make the world a bubbly place.

In this article we speak with Siddharth Mane, an amazing Winemaker from India, let’s discover a little about his time in the Wine Industry.

Who Are You, Siddharth Mane?

“My name is Siddharth, and I am 29 years old. For the past 3 years I have been working as a winemaker in India. I have a master’s degree in viticulture and enology from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Italy.”

How Did You Become Involved In The Wine Industry?

“I still remember when I started making wines during my bachelor’s degree I was a person who used to run away from alcohol. But as it’s said what’s in your destiny you will get it. During the world food day event in my college, I was curious to make a product that is different from what other students are doing. So I started thinking of making a wine for the exhibition. That’s how I experimented with my first wine (i.e Mead) at my college under the guidance of a winemaker from a prestigious company. As my first wine was successful people started appreciating my work and also I received a good response at my college. My interest in winemaking started growing with the appreciation I got. In the exhibition of ‘World Food Day’ at my college, I was appreciated by the chief guest and other guests that day of my life changed an ordinary boy to a ‘Winemaker’ of the college.”

 As A Winemaker, What Has Been Your Hardest Obstacle To Overcome In Producing Wine?

“As a winemaker, I feel the process of wine production itself is full of obstacles. One wrong step can even ruin all your efforts. Sometimes we need to make decisions out of the box. Making a good wine itself is very challenging. I feel wines are like our babies whom we need to take care of carefully. Harvest is challenging, both mentally and emotionally. Perfect growing seasons are few and far between, so we are always looking at the weather, judging the humidity, wondering if that incoming heat wave or rainstorm or wildfire will hit us or be as bad or worse than expected. Also, barely seeing your family for weeks to months is very difficult. But it is also exciting and thrilling to start another vintage of wine and get the first peek at the style and quality as the wines are fermenting. You might make good wines most of the time, but you won’t be consistent. Building a consistency in a wine is also more challenging and the hardest obstacle in producing a good wine.”

 How Do You Determine When Your Wine Is Ready To Drink?

“As the saying goes: the best time to drink a wine is when the bottle is open! All kidding aside, at least 99% of wines are ready to drink by the time they are available for sale. However, some wines do benefit from cellaring and will be more enjoyable to drink when they are mature in five, eight, 10 years or more. Aging allows flavours to mellow and the wine becomes more harmonious, balanced and complex.”

What Part Of The Wine Making Process Do You Enjoy The Most?

“Making wine itself is an incredible process that teaches you something new every time. Still, my favourite part of winemaking is Harvest Season. Wine grapes in India are harvested during February-April, versus September-October elsewhere in the northern hemisphere (Europe and the US). Harvesting different grape varieties and making different wines is the best part.”

You Have Some Incredibly Different Wine Varieties, From Pineapple to Lemon, How Do You Decide What To Turn Into Wine Next?

“The day I got appreciated for my first wine made in my college, gave me new ideas for making different wines from various fruits available. Whenever I made any wine that made me more curious and passionate about making other wines. Each wine taught me something new in winemaking. All this process made me realise my passion for winemaking. My love for making wine always got me new ideas for turning different fruits into wine. When it comes to choosing a fruit to turn into wine I always choose fruits which are cultivated locally and are available at affordable cost, instead of expensive fruits available in the market. Citrus fruits are a bit challenging when it comes to making wine out of it, the more challenging is the more interesting part of winemaking. Wine Prepared as mentioned below:

1. Mead

2. Pineapple Wine

3. Beet Root Wine

4. Cashew Apple Wine

5. Onion Wine

6. Muskmelon Wine

7. Rose Wine

8. Aniseed Wine

Thank you Siddharth, for sharing your words, knowledge and experience with us and we at Glass of Bubbly wish you the very best for the future!

Images belong to Siddharth Mane. Glass of Bubbly was granted permission to use them.