Three-day wine fest in Malpe beach

Karnataka Wine Board (KWB) will organise a three-day Wine Festival in Malpe beach from January 18 to 20.

Karnataka Wine Board Managing Director T Somu told mediapersons that the event was an attempt made to endorse wine and popularise its consumption in the coastal districts. "An attempt is also made to educate people about the consumption of wine."

The programme is organised in association with Udupi district administration and Malpe Development Committee. The three-day festival will see participation from 12 wineries in the State and will attract many visitors. Some stalls will showcase international wine brands from Europe, Australia, USA and New Zealand, he said.

"Nearly 150 brands of wine will be on display. Food stalls have also been planned to dish out mouth-watering local delicacies. People can taste varieties of wine from different brands. The fest will also include technical sessions where the experts will deliver talks on grape cultivation and wine production."

He said besides the wineries, food courts will facilitate food pairing with wine. There will also be music, entertainment and cultural programmes, Somu said.

He added that there was an increase in the production and consumption of wine in the State with the implementation of Karnataka Grape Processing and Wine Policy in 2007.

The amount of wine produced in the State in 2005-06 was five litres while in 2017-18 it was one crore liters, Somu added.