An Indian Making Wines in France

Women winemakers, like elsewhere in the world, are uncommon in France. An Indian woman making French wine, even more so

- Murali Menon

But that is exactly what Namratha Prashanth has been doing for the last four odd years. Prashanth makes Solicantus, a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec, in Blaye, Bordeaux, and also sells the Solicantus Blanc from Entre-DeuxMers. The white wine is a blend of Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris and Muscadelle.

Prashanth launched the wines in France in March 2020. Now, after weathering the pandemic, the bottles, about 20,000 in all, can be found in several European cities and are headed towards the United States, Europe, and India, where they will be available towards the end of this month. The story to be told first, though, maybe over a bottle of Solicantus itself, is of its founder.

Prashanth, 43, grew up in Bangalore without the remotest connection to wine. Her first tentative exposure to it happened while studying hospitality after high school. In 2004, she married into a Lingayat family. "It was not a happy marriage," says Prashanth. Her ambitions and attempts to be financially independent were routinely strangled by her husband. She says she furtively attended French classes at the Alliance Française in Bangalore to seek respite and to keep herself occupied.