Rajeev samant biography of martin

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Kerry has now stepped back from being active there, but Rajeev has employed international consultants to help further growth; he is especially proud that the winemaking staff are all Indian. Rajeev reveals that the Zinfandel vines originated from an old Zinfandel vineyard in Sonoma, brought back in a duffle bag; he confesses that he wasn’t conversant with the laws 20 years ago.

S4 E2: Blume Podcast | How Rajeev Samant built a ₹2,100+ crore/$250M wine empire in a whisky country

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Backing the next wave of revolutionary founders from India! Sula is also the only Indian wine company to be present in all price and product segments including Red, White, Rose, Sparking and Dessert wines.

Rajeev Samant Wikipedia

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Today Sula is the most visited winery in the world, with over 350,000 visitors a year.

You don't realize that some of the most lasting stories are 20-year-old, 30-year-old stories."

Rajeev spent a decade just finding his footing. Sula Vineyards is based four hours’ drive from Mumbai, and today sells over a million cases of wine. “Most had never tasted a drop of wine before they joined, as 99 percent of Indians have never tasted a drop of wine.” He believes in supporting and recruiting from the local area, and when a worker retires, he holds open that place for another member of the family.

They also found some Chenin Blanc, and sourcing this plant material was fortuitous, as it was difficult importing plant material into India.

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  • May 9, 2025

    How elite SaaS teams turn events into deals? “Persuading people to drink wine was one hell of a job,” Rajeev remembers.

    The first crush came in 1999, and the entire venture was backed by family and friends. Links below.

    Here are our top five lessons from Rajeev’s zig-when-everyone-else-zags journey.

    It’s Crazy Only Until You Do It

    "People used to look at me like I was completely crazy - like where does this lunatic come from?

    Getting permissions for building the winery was a bureaucratic nightmare, and a large part of his time was persuading the government to allow licences. Then, India had no EV supply chain. His determination grew when he returned to California and met with Kerry Damskey, an eminent winemaker, who enthusiastically agreed to help him start a winery.

    In 1997, the duo took the revolutionary step of not only being the first to grow wine grapes in this region, but also planting varietals such as the French Sauvignon Blanc and Californian Chenin Blanc that had never been planted before in India.

    Sometimes growing the entire pie beats protecting your slice.

    "It was sort of the big bang of wine in India where they just said, 'Okay, come on in, put up your wineries,'" he explains.

    Wine tourism wasn't part of the original business plan. As the only living founder of a new wine region, there is no question that Rajeev Sula’s mission to follow Robert Mondavi’s dream of opening up a whole country to wine is well on its way.

    • 0.00 – 24.30

      “Rajeev has taught an entire generation to drink good wine” – John Stimpfig

      – Rajeev Samant goes to California as a student and discovers wine.
      – Returning to India and the family plot of land in the Nashik Valley.
      – Meeting winemaker Kerry Damsky and starting Sula Vineyards.
      – The first crush in 1999 and the original plant material.
      – Trying to sell wine in a country where 99 percent of people had never tasted it.
      – The climate in India for growing vines, and harvesting in winter.

      The government doesn't even have a wine policy.

    Sounds insane? Abhishek's journey has taken him through esteemed organizations, including Godrej Consumer Products, Pepsi Co., JK Tyres, and HT Media, in multiple geographies. He believes the future is bright, as there is an enormous opportunity to reach families who never drink wine.

    rajeev samant biography of martin

    He spent a huge amount of effort with the politicians and rule-makers, persuading them to allow a visitor centre and a restaurant to be built. From writing policies that helped competitors to building businesses that weren't even part of the plan, Rajeev's journey is a masterclass in patient capital and strategic rebelliousness.

    Something new: We're experimenting with weekday episodes - crisp 20-minute conversations that fit your busy schedule.

    Think of it as our ‘shorts’ format while the full director's cut drops this Friday.

    To hear the full 20-minute Weekday episode, tune into the latest Blume podcast episode.