(January 11, 2026) India’s wine capital, Nashik in Maharashtra, is known for its extensive vineyards, favourable climate, and a thriving wine culture defined by major players in the industry, seasonal festivals, and vineyard stays that attract wine tourism from across the country. The region has built a reputation for producing distinctive, high-quality wines shaped by local conditions and global techniques. It is from this storied landscape that winemaker Kishan Pedhapally has carved his own space, giving Nashik’s wines a presence beyond Indian borders.
Stepping into the global spotlight
Although he started his venture in 2016, it was at the three-day London International Wine Fair in 2021—where the best wine brands from across the globe had set up their glitzy counters, that the Indian stall of Asav Wines, the brainchild of Kishan Pedhapally, emerged as a standout.
Wine lovers could be seen having animated discussions with Kishan while tasting a variety of wines from Asav’s impressive portfolio. The aroma and taste of the wines were just one part of the discussion. The other aspect that fascinated wine enthusiasts was the Sanskrit name Asav, its importance in Ayurveda, and the process of its preparation from the beautifully undulating landscape of Nashik.
An ancient language, a modern wine
“The name Asav is derived from ‘Draksh-asava’ which in Sanskrit literally means fermented grape juice. In Ayurveda, Asavas are used to bring back health by addressing imbalances arising from an excess of Vata-Vayu dosha in the body,” explains Kishan Pedhapally, founder of Asav Vineyards, in a chat with Global Indian. A well-known personality in the wine industry in the country, Kishan, who made waves at the London International Wine Fair, is doing all it takes to put India on the global wine map.
Breaking into the international wine trade
The London event brought Asav into the global limelight. “It was a wonderful experience as I could understand how the international wine trade works and which wine styles resonate globally,” says Kishan, who received a tremendous response for his brand, taking his business to newer heights. An annual affair, LIWF is one of the biggest events for producers, with London being one of the largest wine markets in the world.
Kishan’s Asav was part of the 10 producers from India who showcased their wines at the pavilion. The impressive portfolio included Asav Brut, Asav Reserve Chenin Blanc, Asav Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, Madhura Cabernet Shiraz, Asav Reserve Shiraz, and Anglo port wine. “Sanskrit is known worldwide and the visitors were very impressed with both the background and the quality of our wines,” smiles Kishan, pointing out that the antecedents and origin of the wine, along with his determination to place an Indian wine on the tip of the tongue of connoisseurs across the world, drew applause at what is the UK’s largest trade drinks show, attracting thousands of buyers globally.
Italian precision meets Indian terroir
Explaining his wine-making process, Kishan says Asav wines are produced at his state-of-the-art facility in Nashik, located at an altitude of 600 metres above sea level in the Western Ghats. “The vineyards soak in ideal weather conditions, with cool nights and warm afternoons, to yield grapes of unmatched quality bursting with flavour,” says the wine producer, who purchased the latest, state-of-the-art wine-making equipment from Italy. Importantly, no fertilisers or pesticides are used in cultivation so that nothing interferes with the pure taste of pleasure. “The soil here too lends itself perfectly to enhancing the attributes of French varieties of wine grapes,” says Kishan, who enjoys two glasses of wine when out partying and firmly believes in and propagates responsible drinking.
Volcanic soil and varietal character
Kishan says the red grapes are planted in the light volcanic soils of the hilly areas of Dindori and Niphad, which allow the roots to penetrate deep into the ground, thereby imparting a unique character and minerality to the wine. “The white grapes, on the other hand, are planted in moderately rich soils of the valley floor and are picked early in the season to preserve natural acidity and fresh, fruity characteristics.”
Formative years and early hustle
Kishan grew up in Hyderabad and did his schooling at Venus Sai Niketan School in Gandhi Nagar. For intermediate studies, he went to Pragathi College and later graduated from Osmania Open University. “I was not really interested in studies and wanted to do different things,” says Kishan, who rose from modest beginnings and along the way donned many hats — model, steward, mechanic, and sales executive.
After graduating in 1996, his first job was in sales with the Allwyn Company. In 1997, he started working as a sales executive for an IDV Company distributor handling the Smirnoff Vodka brand. “After seeing my good performance in the market, I received a direct offer from Allied Domecq (Teacher’s Scotch brand) in 1998.” Allied Domecq was a multinational company headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom, operating across spirits, wine, and quick service restaurant businesses.
Finding his calling in wine
Kishan later worked for Indage, the company that crafts Riviera, a well-known wine brand. He worked there for four years and developed a deep interest in wines. However, Indage stopped operations in Telangana due to a sudden and dramatic increase in wine label fees, which rose to Rs 2 lakh per label. “I took up the matter with the then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, YS Rajasekhara Reddy, in 2002. Despite stiff opposition and after innumerable meetings with policymakers and business heads, I managed to bring the fee down to Rs 10,000 per label,” recalls Kishan.
He then joined Sula Wines. With sheer determination and hard work, he helped turn it into the No. 1 wine company in Andhra Pradesh. “Whenever I visited hotels and saw bottles of branded alcohol, I often thought of launching my own wine brand.”
The leap of faith
He later quit Sula Wines and took the biggest risk of his life by launching his own brand, Asav. “Without any godfather in the industry, I used my savings, took some loans, and launched the venture in 2016.” After years of hard work, he succeeded in making Asav a well-known brand.
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“Our focus has always been on giving good-value wine to consumers. We source the best quality grapes and offer wines at affordable prices, which makes us stand out in the market,” says Kishan. “I have minutely followed up on every detail of the wine-making process — right from viticulture, harvest, vinification, maturation, and bottling to ensure only top-quality wine is bottled under the Asav’s brand name.” The winemaker is in the process of adding more wines to Asav’s portfolio. “We recently launched Zex, which is a premium-quality wine, much ahead of all other products in this category,” he mentions.
Eyes on international expansion
The entrepreneur is looking forward to participating in European wine trade fairs next year. “We are also in talks to export Asav wines to London and Dubai.” It is a natural next step for a winemaker determined to place Indian wine alongside the world’s most respected labels.
- Follow Kishan Pedhapally on LinkedIn
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Wonderful Kishen. The journey must have been a fascinating experience. A long way ahead. All the best .