Akluj White 2020, J’Noon, Mahārāshtra

This wine shows classic Chardonnay characteristics of green apple, white pear and stone fruit alongside fresher, more vibrant lime, lemongrass and herbaceous characteristics of the Sauvignon Blanc.

J‘NOON is a joint venture between Kapil Sekhri of Fratelli wines and Jean-Charles Boisset. The name is a French take on the Urdu word ‘Junoon’, which means ‘passion’. The wines are selected from the Fratelli vineyards in Akluj (Mahārāshtra), on the right bank of the Nira River about 170 kilometres south of Pune.

The aim of Jean-Charles and Kapil was to produce India’s finest wine, and we think they‘ve achieved that. Following the tragic demise of Kapil Sekhri in October 2020, the family is committed to continuing with Kapil’s passion and the partnership he forged between Jean-Charles Boisset and Fratelli wines.

The grapes were processed and fermented separately in stainless-steel tanks at 18-20°C for 10-15 days. After fermentation, the Sauvignon Blanc was kept in stainless-steel tanks while the Chardonnay was racked into 100% new French oak barrels where it spent 6 months ageing. The wine was blended and aged for a further two months in stainless-steel tanks prior to bottling.