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Launch of K2
 The Cabernet Sauvignon first released in 2011, was launched last year with 2012 being popular with the invitees at the launch in Bangalore. Priced at Rs. 1500, the Prasads were unruffled by the general impression that it might be too expensive for an average drinker. ‘We believe in making the best possible Cabernet we can at the present moment,’ he said. Last year when I visited the winery I had told them I was not too impressed by the 2013 as a super premium wine, reinforcing his feeling. He had then decided not to market it and left it in the tanks for a future decision.
Now they have decided to launch that wine in 2-3 months as a new label- K2, which lets the consumers interpret the label in several ways. This wine will be lighter, made from younger vines in the future vintages and priced at around half the price of the main wine.
It will be made from grapes grown in different plots and with selection. Vinification may be in older oak unlike the main wine which used 60-70% new oak. ‘We are also learning to segregate because various parcels give different grapes. Even one corner in the same plot may yield grapes of better quality. It is a light and easy drinking wine. Not a typical Krsma, it is soft; our main wines are robust like California Cabernets. K2 will be our second wine-like the top Chateaux of Bordeaux,’ he says. Talking about the price, he reflects, 'talks of various possibilities between Rs.750-1000 are under discussion but we have not decided yet. We want the wine to be accessible to people so that they may be able to taste it.’
Memorable missions
Krishna and Uma returned to India after a record half-marathon run that earns them another spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. ‘When I turned 60 last October, I decided that I should do something memorable’, says Krishna. What else could be more exciting to the man who already owns the Guinness World Record along with his wife Uma, than to run the unique 777 world marathon in 7 continents in 7 days being organised for the first time! It was also a proud moment for India as well since they were the only 2 Indians out of 12 competitors from 8 countries.
 They started the run in Antarctica on 16th Jan, went to Chile (South America), Miami (North America), Spain (Europe), Marrakech (Africa), Dubai (Asia) and ended at Sydney (Australia) on 23rd Jan – in 6 days and 16 hours!
Also memorable for the Prasads were the few bottles of KRSMA Cabernet Sauvignon that travelled to seven continents, and were uncorked at the finish line in Sydney. ‘One of the runners was so impressed by the wine that he wanted to know where he could buy a few cases,’ says Krishna with a gleam in his eyes.
Big Apple to get the big Cab
Krishna is hoping to achieve yet another enviable mission- of making Cabernet Sauvignon a world class Cabernet Sauvignon. ‘I want that our Cabernet is recognised throughout the world as a high quality Cab and puts Hampi on the world wine map as the Napa of India.’
As a step in that direction, KRSMA plans to launch their wines in New York after stepping out of Karnataka-their home State. The wines have reached New York City and in a manner of speaking, are being sampled by various restaurants and buyers who have given a very encouraging response, he says.
Wines already awaiting change of cellars in the US are the Cabernet Sauvignon ‘12, Sangiovese ‘13 and Sauvignon Blanc ‘14. Prices have not been finalised yet but Krishna is optimistic that the Cabernet would be $50 to the retail buyer, Sauvignon Blanc at $20-22and Sangiovese at $30+. He is confident that the Sauvignon Blanc 2014 will make waves.
But when is the big launch? ‘Whenever I find time to spend a week in New York but I am targeting March this year,’ he says with a smile.
Bottle Shock
KRSMA which is known as much for its heavy weight, 1-Kg bottles as for its full-bodied powerful Cabernet Sauvignon, seems to be relenting from its earlier position even though a notch. Krishna confirms that the Sauvignon Blanc which has so far been packaged in an 800 gm bottle will use the regular 480 gm bottles from the 2015 vintage onwards, along with screwcaps.
 Although the 1 kg bottle will continue to hold fort for the main Cabernet Sauvignon, K2 will be packaged in the regular Bordeaux styled bottles weighing 480 gms, starting from the 2013 vintage. delWine has been generally critical of the heavy bottles being used by KRSMA but Krishna insists the market still expects and respects heavy bottles for superior quality wines.
What’s New
Besides the historical 777 Half - Marathon for which the Prasad couple deserves a Padma Shree at the very least, Shiraz is the next grape varietal to be included in their portfolio, with 3 acres already planted and giving fruit with another 8 being planted this year. In fact, a small batch has been already harvested (if there were a race for the Indian wineries finishing the harvest first, Krsma would win it hands down -they start the harvest on January 1 and have already finished for reds as well-though Maharashtra has just started to harvest the reds).
Krishna insists though that they want to make only boutique wines, for the classes and not the masses. ‘We plan to keep even the Sauvignon Blanc production small,’ he says even as he insists that the best place to grow wine grapes is not Nashik but near Bangalore. Only time will tell although there are plenty of other areas yet to be explored and plenty of new wines yet to be tasted before a consensus may be reached.
Subhash Arora |