LOOKING for a wine to pair with your Indian dinner or takeout? Look no further.
The founders of Indian Grape Charmer, Vijay Sunder and Nuno Franco, have cultivated wines that they claim go well with many traditional Indian dishes.
The duo launched the company over a month ago, and while it is still early days for the business, the product can be found at various Indian restaurants in Southampton.
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The pair started the company after noticing a gap in wines that appeal to Indian cuisine.
Vijay, who has an Indian background, and Nuno, who is Portuguese, combined their cultural roots to bring Indian Grape Charmers to life.
The wines are produced by Nuno's dad in a winery in Lisbon, Portugal.
And after much trial and error, bottles of red, white, and rosé are finally available.
The owners said that their red wine is a Portuguese blend of Trincadeira, Aragonês, and Alicante Bouschet grapes.
You can enjoy it with curries such as Jalfrezi, Madras, Rogan Josh, and Tandoori dishes.
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Their white wine has a crisp taste and goes well with lighter curries such as butter chicken, dhal, and more.
Meanwhile, rosé, has a refreshing taste and goes well with balti.
Southampton-born and bred, Vijay told the Daily Echo: "I am a big foodie and love to try out new restaurants and cuisines."
"And whenever I go to an Indian restaurant, I always see Kobra on their beer menu or standard wine, which is either French or Italian."
"So, we decided to make something that caters to Indian and aromatic foods."
Wines by Indian Grape Charmer are available at Kuti's Brasserie, Sanjha in Shirley, Bayleaf Kitchen, Gurkha Lounge, Kohinoor of Kerela, and Saffron in Eastleigh.
The father of two added: "It's still very early to say, but the uptake has been really good."
"I grew up in Southampton, so to bring back something to the community and work with local businesses feels great."
Nuno added: "My dad has over 20 years of experience producing wines, so it is great for us to be in direct touch with our producers."
"I am very happy and excited to launch this business, and we hope to expand our menu and see what products we can bring to our customers."
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