FERMENTS
WITH TIME &
REACHES
ITS
DESTINATION
The seed for AMPSONS Spirits dates back 5 illustrious generations to an agrarian trade family, hailing from the eminent Temple town of Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, India.
This trader family was prominent for ethical trade practises and credited for putting principles before profits. The journey over eras has diversified from grain trading, chewing tobacco and betel nuts in India, to enthusiastically foraying into the unchartered territory of winemaking and marketing in France and in Asia.
The well-fermented acronym of the initials of three grandfathers is the brand name “AMPSONS”.
At Ampsons, we understand wine is like a human being with a soul. It takes time to develop its unique traits, personality and pedigree.
Good wine takes time to mature and become ready for consumption and appreciation. It is highly sensitive and will get agitated at the slightest disturbance or interference. So as a sacrosanct practise, we unswervingly respect the vinification and ageing process.
The success of a wine batch depends on how patient and resolute the winemaker is in dealing with the weather’s unpredictable mood swings. Crop and yield success depends heavily on climate conditions and crop maintenance. We ensure quality is not compromised in all seasons. Be it dry or wet.
When it comes to production, we have never allowed market forces to dictate terms nor allowed technology to control or alter a wine’s character and destiny.
WINE IS AN
ADDICTION
Modern vinification processes are investment, machine and energy-intensive and pose a big threat to nature. So, Ampsons consciously decided to take a leaf out of history and adopt centuries-old traditional vinification processes. Globally, more and more winemakers, especially in Europe, are also taking this tried and tested route. Besides, it also supports the goal to make wine organic and chemical-free.
The brand’s role is to also raise awareness about wines in many geographies that still believe wine is all about 99% taste and smell. But in reality, the regions, the soil, the climate, the grape variety, the winemaker’s knowledge, the human touch, the right yield and the vinification process of winemaking is what finally decides the success and acceptance of a label.
Create a legacy for being an ethical manufacturer and marketer of quality products
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Preserve the heritage of winemaking and ancient production techniques
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Bridge the gap between East and West with a nuanced product offering
Unearth and expose consumers to untried virgin wine experiences
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Launch a natural range of wines and avoid chemical intervention in vinification
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Promote risk free indulgence that is healthy and chemical-free
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Turn regular wine consumers into Connoisseurs
Vijaya Ragavan
A graduate in B.Sc. Visual Communication from the University of Madras, his penchant for photography took him to the verdant vineyards and greener pastures of France. Destiny, besides meeting his future life partner and starting a family, had grander plans in store.
Instantly buoyed by the rich sights of the Catalan Region, his first brush with the region’s pedigree labels gave an impetus to a long, intense affair with wines.
GENESIS OF A WINEMAKER
Soon, a tireless quest to understand the finer shades of winemaking began. He set things in motion by enrolling for all the Diploma and Certificate courses offered by the French Ministère de l’agriculture et de l’alimentation.
During his decade long stay, he went on to graduate with Diploma in Marketing of Wines and Spirits and Certification in Viticulture and Oenology. Additionally, he also gained an intense practical experience in the export market of wines and is a qualified, trained Sommelier.
Then to further amplify his passion for traditional and authentic production processes, he worked for the better part of a decade in the finest vineyards the region had to offer. His close contact with vintage winemakers helped him understand and get trained in the finer nuances of the soil of the land, the climate, the crop, the yield and the intricate stages in winemaking, thus gaining a broader overview of industry-best practises.
This priceless knowledge and unbridled passion paved the way for winemaking / wine sourcing and culminated in launching his own range of labels.
Vijaya Ragavan
Prathap is a B.E. Computer Science graduate and IT professional from India. During his visits to France, he had the privileged opportunity to accompany his brother to the verdant vineyards and sample some of the finest, exotic wines that the region had to offer. Soon, he too became enamoured with the winemaking legacy there.
Amazed at the diligent passion of the traditional winemakers, he gained first-hand access and sampled some of the region’s finest wines. Having understood the potential and prowess that the Catalan and Mediterranean regions had to offer, he soon realised that there was a buoyant market for select fine wines in Asia, especially back home in Chennai/Bangalore, India. Soon, he joined forces with his brother and front-ended the Asian marketing initiatives for Ampsons Spirits.
Prathap never allowed his IT background to bog him down. He industriously signed up for various wine clubs, attended numerous wine tasting sessions and made active attempts to understand the need gaps in the market.
FORAYING INTO INDIA
His access to a key segment of consumers, who hailed from the IT industry, helped him fine-tune consumer sensibilities. This was a high-income consumer profile that was open-minded, well-travelled, well-exposed to fine dining and upmarket liquor consumption trends, had a high disposable income and a burgeoning appetite for trying all things new.
He set forth to map consumption patterns and the products that were being retailed in hotels, pubs and standalone outlets across India. Soon he realised that the market had a sound potential for quality wine consumption. Further study revealed that there was no formal channel or authenticated experts’ advice on even how to pair the right wine with the right cuisine.
This was a region still in its infancy and finding its feet when it came to wines. The task ahead was introducing the right range of wines and aiding consumers in selection and consumption.
This valuable rich understanding was instrumental in launching YN – a range of wines specially introduced for the diverse Indian consumers and its rich varied cuisine.
