On the second day of Sulafest, with music floating over rolling vineyards and thousands of wine lovers spread across Sula’s Nashik campus, it is clear that the festival has outgrown its original brief.
What began as a niche wine-and-music gathering 15 years ago has today evolved into one of India’s most recognisable cultural markers—an event that blends live music, wine tourism, and a distinct lifestyle ethos.
As Sulafest celebrates its 15th edition and Sula Vineyards completes 26 years, CEO Rajeev Samant reflects on how the festival has scaled without losing its soul, why Indian artists now dominate the line-up, and how a conscious shift towards low-alcohol experiences has reshaped the vibe on the ground.
In a wide-ranging conversation with THE WEEK on Day 2 of the festival, Samant also speaks about changing wine consumers, sustainability-led winemaking, and why wine tourism is emerging as Sula’s fastest-growing vertical even as domestic wine sales face headwinds.
Sulafest has clearly grown beyond being just a music festival. How do you see its role today?
It has absolutely become a cultural marker. What’s interesting is that the actual space for Sulafest today is slightly less than what it was five years ago. We’ve repurposed some land, but we’re selling more tickets than ever. That tells you something.
At the same time, we’re very conscious about safety and quality of experience. We put a voluntary cap on numbers. Last year we were sold out, and this year too we sold between 8,000 and 10,000 tickets, which is really the maximum we can do. If you come now, you won’t get a ticket. I think Sulafest is probably the only music festival in India that has sold out two years in a row.
You pivoted to largely Indian artists. Was that a risk?
Last year we had only Indian acts, and we didn’t get a single complaint. That says a lot about the maturity of India’s music scene. People don’t need imported acts anymore. With currency issues and logistics, it’s also becoming harder to bring international artists.
This year we have one international artist, but we are very proud to be a largely Indian festival.
You’ve also consciously moved away from spirits at the festival. Why?
Before COVID, we used to sell spirits. But last year and this year, there are only wine and beer. Kingfisher is one of our sponsors because drinking wine continuously for eight hours isn’t ideal. A glass of wine, water, beer: that balance works better.
The vibe is noticeably better when alcohol levels are lower. People are more peaceful.
How involved are you personally in running Sulafest now?
Honestly, I’m hardly involved anymore. I give guidance at the start and come on the last day to mingle and enjoy the scene. Our team runs everything and almost entirely in-house.
Apart from specialised sound, staging and some artist management, we don’t use external agencies. It’s a huge team-building exercise and something we’re very proud of.
Sula commands over 65 per cent of India’s domestic wine market by value. How has the Indian wine consumer changed over the past decade?
The biggest change is geography. A decade ago, it was all Mumbai and Pune. Today, Nashik itself is a huge wine market. Nagpur, Aurangabad, Kolhapur all are strong.
Even in Karnataka, Bengaluru used to account for 95 per cent of sales. Now it’s closer to 80–85 per cent. That tells you wine is spreading beyond metros.
There’s also much greater curiosity, especially among younger consumers, and far better availability of good-quality Indian wines.
The portfolio itself has expanded dramatically.
Absolutely. Ten years ago, shelves had maybe one Sula wine and Grover’s La Reserve. Today we have the Source range, which is growing in double digits, and RASA reds, which are genuinely world-class.
I’m talking about solid $25 wines—not $100-plus Bordeaux—but wines that would do very well in a blind tasting anywhere.
We now grow 20 different grape varieties and make wines from each, along with blends and reserves. Things have come a long way.
With over 11,000 tonnes of grapes crushed in FY25, how do you balance scale with craftsmanship?
Different price points need different approaches.
Our classic Sula range, around Rs 800 in Mumbai, is made at scale. These wines are fresh, fruity, and meant to be bought and enjoyed immediately.
Above Rs 1,000, in the Source range, you start seeing some oak. At Rs 1,800-2,000, with RASA, you’re looking at eight months to a year in oak, including French oak. That’s expensive and far more hands-on.
At the premium end, the winemaker’s involvement is intense. At the entry level, it’s more formula-driven. That’s how you balance scale and quality.
Viticulture is often cited as Sula’s backbone. How important are your grower partnerships?
It’s absolutely central. We work on 10-12-year contracts with grape growers. Today, only about 5 per cent of our grapes come from our own vineyards, those go into our most expensive RASA wines. The remaining 95 per cent come from contract farmers, and we’re very proud of that. Our teams work closely with them on new varieties and best practices.
We source grapes from Nashik, Latur, Solapur, Sangli, northern Karnataka, and even near Telangana. White grapes prefer cooler nights—so Nashik is ideal. Red grapes need warmer nights, which is why they do better in south Maharashtra. A lot of this is strategy, and some of it is trial and error.
Sustainability is now central to lifestyle choices. Where does Sula stand today?
We’re currently at around 70 per cent solar-powered operations, up from 64 per cent just a couple of months ago. Our aim is to get to 100 per cent.
India’s grid is still largely coal-based, so reducing grid dependence is critical. All our roofs now have solar panels. The next big focus is battery storage, so solar energy can be used during peak evening hours.
Bottle weight is another major contributor to carbon emissions. We’ve worked with Indian bottle manufacturers to reduce bottle weight by 15–20 per cent over the last five years.
Our supply chain is also 95 per cent Indian: grapes, bottles, cartons, screw caps, labels. That’s something we take great pride in.
What are the biggest challenges ahead for Indian wine?
Taking wine to more people. That’s the toughest part.
Whisky has had 100 years to entrench itself. Wine represents a completely different lifestyle and mindset. Government regulations don’t make it easy either.
We’re the world’s most visited vineyard—about 3.5 lakh visitors annually—but we need more wine festivals across the country. Unfortunately, state-wise rules make that very difficult.
Wine tourism seems to be a bright spot. What’s next on that front?
Wine tourism is growing in double digits for us, even when overall wine sales have been sluggish. That’s where our focus, investment, and capex will go.
Our Nashik campus will see continuous upgrades, but we’re also looking at new campuses. There are some exciting projects lined up, though I can’t say much just yet. You’ll hear about them very soon.
