I was wondering, just for a moment, if I should make a blogging resolution this year... but sometimes you just know a lost cause, even without trying. As you can see, its 3 weeks since new years and I am still on my ‘bye 2010, hola 2011’ post!!! Anyways, 2010 had some surprises in terms of trips – including 5 days to NY , some 5 weeks in vacation (with quite a good number of holidays still in stock, not to worry!)...
Not all of my trips and all that I’ve wanted to write about have made it to this blog in the last couple of years- but at least, not for the lack of travel and I am happy for that. So here is hoping for more travel, at least some changes, and hopefully more blogging in 2011!!!
A bottle of Sula
2010 was a year of change... not so much for me, but many of my friends, what with people moving to other countries, people going off to study, people changing their jobs yes, I am still here, 4 years on, doing exactly the same thing, in the same city!!!). So when R (my closest friend from work ) was leaving Mumbai to study, we all decided an all-girls trip was in order and we chose Sula. We had a car, hired a driver (yes, we didn’t want the responsibility of driving) and the trip was on. Surprise, surprise, it was also the last trip with another one of us, P, quitting a few months later on.
My last trip to Sula was on a hot, dry day in February. This time it was a rainy, rainy July day and the landscape had slipped into its monsoon wear in lush greens. Sula has made several additions to its property since the last time was here – such as a couple of restaurant including my favourite Little Italy (the previous time we had to make do with pineapple-and-cheese starters although we were starving) – so now, you can have a nice heavy lunch, feel lazy and drowsy, hit the tasting room and just relax-and-be as you watch the evening slip into night. However, I wonder if it was the monsoon season (which spurs so many Bombayites to make a day of it in the Ghats) because the tasting room was quite crowded and bustling. I missed being the only group and having the balcony all to ourselves!
Someone else who managed to be having a relaxing, deep in thought moment out at the tasting room !
There are many other wine tasting options beyond Sula – our search revealed Tiger, and one Chateau d’Ori. So you can actually make a good weekend hitting 2 or 3 off these. One thing I was disappointed was with the lack of stay options – if you are on a wine trail, you WANT to stay in some LOVELY RUMBLING FARMHOUSE on the property (and No, I hadn’t been to Italy by then!). There is a Tiger resort (lukewarm reviews). Sula has a gorgeous looking villa, but you need a good group size. The other option is to stay in main-town Nashik, which is what we did at The Gateway at %K per night.
Some wine tasting options here. And Sula Wines here.
The crowd bustling on the balcony
A view of the vineyards
Not all of my trips and all that I’ve wanted to write about have made it to this blog in the last couple of years- but at least, not for the lack of travel and I am happy for that. So here is hoping for more travel, at least some changes, and hopefully more blogging in 2011!!!
* * *
A bottle of Sula
2010 was a year of change... not so much for me, but many of my friends, what with people moving to other countries, people going off to study, people changing their jobs yes, I am still here, 4 years on, doing exactly the same thing, in the same city!!!). So when R (my closest friend from work ) was leaving Mumbai to study, we all decided an all-girls trip was in order and we chose Sula. We had a car, hired a driver (yes, we didn’t want the responsibility of driving) and the trip was on. Surprise, surprise, it was also the last trip with another one of us, P, quitting a few months later on.
My last trip to Sula was on a hot, dry day in February. This time it was a rainy, rainy July day and the landscape had slipped into its monsoon wear in lush greens. Sula has made several additions to its property since the last time was here – such as a couple of restaurant including my favourite Little Italy (the previous time we had to make do with pineapple-and-cheese starters although we were starving) – so now, you can have a nice heavy lunch, feel lazy and drowsy, hit the tasting room and just relax-and-be as you watch the evening slip into night. However, I wonder if it was the monsoon season (which spurs so many Bombayites to make a day of it in the Ghats) because the tasting room was quite crowded and bustling. I missed being the only group and having the balcony all to ourselves!
Someone else who managed to be having a relaxing, deep in thought moment out at the tasting room ! There are many other wine tasting options beyond Sula – our search revealed Tiger, and one Chateau d’Ori. So you can actually make a good weekend hitting 2 or 3 off these. One thing I was disappointed was with the lack of stay options – if you are on a wine trail, you WANT to stay in some LOVELY RUMBLING FARMHOUSE on the property (and No, I hadn’t been to Italy by then!). There is a Tiger resort (lukewarm reviews). Sula has a gorgeous looking villa, but you need a good group size. The other option is to stay in main-town Nashik, which is what we did at The Gateway at %K per night.
Some wine tasting options here. And Sula Wines here.
The crowd bustling on the balcony A view of the vineyards
12 comments:
Liked your pictures in this post and the post is a reminder of all the travel we haven't done yet and really, really should! Thanks for sharing this!
Love the photos! I've always wanted to visit Sula, but it hasn't panned out yet. Hopefully soon!
@ IB... thanks. As long as it doesn't get you down thinking of all the places you are yet to go to! Sula has definitely popularised the "wine belt" - like i said, i am not sure if it was the weather drawing out people, but back in 2008, we had the whole place to ourselves. as you can see the photos, that definitely wasnt the case this time!
@ Neha ... yes hopefully soon,,,, and may be by they will ahve better acco options too!
1st time here and i love the header pic..
your visit to Sula wines sounds Divine!i hope to visit a vineyard once atleast in life
hey nice pics....stubled accross this right in time off to sula this wk end....so now all the more excited after seeing these awesome pics
@aarti.. thanks for stopping by and your comments!
@amnik - babe, are you in sula/bby this wknd?
Haven't ever visited a vineyard...
And really really want to :)..
in 2011 shall we say ;)
Gorgeous pics!
The pictures from the Sula Vineyards are absolutely lovely...especially the bottle :)
Its a great place, though on my sole visit I didn't drink much, but the sunset there was just superb...
It reminds me of my visit there. he view from the balcony is spectacular.
typo ***
*The view :-)
@Meena... definitely, try on in europe combined with a couple of days stay in the countryside (Provence- france, tuscany-Italy, Croatian islands too ... are some that come to mind off the top of my head!)
@SJ - thanks. Yes, I had hoped for a beautiful sunset, but non-rainy season best for that, i think!
but still a lovely view.
@Nisha - I agree!
Liked your photos in this post and the message is a reminder of all the trips we have not done yet, and really should! Thank you for sharing this!
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