The birthplace of the Singapore Sling has listed its first-ever Indian wine, the Sula Chenin Blanc, according to the monthly newsletter issued by the wine company based in Nashik, Maharashtra.

Sula, naturally, is exulting at the prospect of being poured in Singapore's most famous hotel, The Raffles. You'll find the wine on the list of the Tiffin Room, the beautifully appointed Indian restaurant with a colonial theme.

The hard-working guys at Sula, who have sold a million bottles in the fiscal year 2005-06 (and are aiming at 1.5 million in the next years), are excited also about rubbing shoulders with the nation's Pretty People at the Lakme Fashion Week Mumbai. They shouldn't insist on calling it the Lakme India Fashion Week, though. Haven't they heard of Rathi Vinay Jha (and Ritu Kumar, her new best friend) and how together they jealously guard the 'India' bit?

"Our stylish champagne cocktail bar was a huge hit in the VIP lounge," the newsletter reports ecstatically (we would have preferred sparkling wine to champagne!). "Each designer was presented with a Magnum of Sula Brut that fuelled post-show celebrations." Then it add, tongue firmly in cheek: "Clearly, popping out a cork of Sula was no malfunction." Not just in exalted company, you can now find Sula in sun-baked Madhya Pradesh. With the wines becoming available in Indore, Gwalior, Jabalpur and Bhopal, it's an exciting time for wine lovers in the state, which is the virgin market worth taking note of.