Winery Tour and Wine Tasting Near Pune
Pune has no shortage of places to buy a glass of wine. What it has very little of is a place where you can walk the actual rows that grew the grapes in your glass, taste the wine straight from a fermenting tank before it has even been bottled, and hear the specific story of how this exact patch of soil produced what you are drinking — told by someone who lives and works inside that story every day.
That is the difference between a wine tasting and a genuine winery tour and wine tasting near Pune. Hotel Irada’s Estate Wine Tour, led by Australian Estate Manager Craig Wedge and widely regarded as India’s finest wine immersion programme, is the latter — a guided experience through a genuine 66-acre working winery, starting from ₹2,000, that has become the benchmark wine tourism activity in Pune’s wine country.
This guide walks through exactly what the tour includes, what to expect at each stage, and how to book it — whether as a day visit or as part of a stay at the estate.
What the Estate Wine Tour Actually Includes
The Helipad Welcome — Beginning in the Vines
The tour begins at the helipad, in the middle of the vines, with a deep dive into viticulture and grape-growing before the walk itself starts. This opening sets the tone for the entire experience — you are not being led into a tasting room to be talked at. You are standing in the actual growing environment, learning the fundamentals before you see the results.
The Guided Vineyard Walk
From here, guests are led on a walk through the 66-acre working winery — sun-kissed rows of vines where the estate manager explains how the monsoon shapes the soil, how basalt rock beneath the surface affects the grape, and how the specific microclimate of this patch of Pune’s wine country gives the estate’s wines their particular character.
Guest reviews consistently describe the tour guide’s approach as genuinely passionate rather than scripted — someone who is always eager to share his knowledge and love for the grape, with a collection of charming, anecdotal, and humorous stories about each vineyard and wine, rather than a rehearsed commercial routine.
Inside the Manor — Tank Rooms and the Fermenting Wine
The experience continues inside the manor with a behind-the-scenes look at the tank rooms — where guests taste wines straight from the fermenting tanks. This is one of the tour’s most distinctive elements: tasting wine at a stage of production that most wine tourists never get to experience, well before the bottling and labelling that most tastings begin with.
The Extended Tour — Barrel Rooms and Bordeaux Oak
On the extended tour, guests move into the atmospheric barrel rooms, showcasing state-of-the-art pressing machines and Bordeaux-imported oak casks. The estate’s premium reds — including the Barrique Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and Barrique Reserve Shiraz — are aged for a year in French oak barrels before bottling, and seeing this ageing process firsthand adds genuine depth to understanding what makes these specific wines distinctive.
The Tasting Room — Where the Flight Comes With Stories
From sunlit vine rows to the cool, arched cellar, the tour winds through fermentation halls and ageing tanks, ending in the Tasting Room, where the swirl, sniff, and sip comes with stories. The journey culminates with an optional guided flight of four wines — two domestic and two international — deeply explored with tasting notes and insights that connect regions and palates from around the world.
Expect pours from the estate’s own small-batch collection, plus bottles the sommelier team genuinely loves from across the world — new-world rebels and old-world classics alike, rather than a generic, disconnected selection.
Domestic and International Tour Options
Hotel Irada’s wine tour structure typically offers two types — a domestic wine flight focused entirely on the estate’s own production, and an international flight that places Hotel Irada’s wines alongside carefully selected bottles from other wine regions around the world. This structure benefits both first-time visitors curious about Indian wine specifically, and more experienced wine enthusiasts who want to understand how the estate’s character compares against established global benchmarks.
Do You Need Wine Knowledge to Enjoy the Tour?
This is the single most common question the estate team receives, and the honest answer is no. The sessions are designed to be welcoming for first-timers while remaining genuinely interesting for anyone who already knows their Shiraz from their Cabernet. The tour is built around curiosity rather than expertise — a structured wine tasting session led by knowledgeable hosts who walk guests through varieties, notes, food pairings, and the story behind each bottle, without ever feeling like a rushed commercial exercise.
Pricing and Booking
What It Costs
The Estate Wine Tour starts from ₹2,000 per person, with pricing varying depending on whether you select the standard or extended tour, and whether you include the guided wine flight.
Booking Flexibility
The tour offers free cancellation, with a full refund available if cancelled up to 24 hours before the experience starts. Reserve now and pay later options are available, allowing guests to secure their spot while staying flexible on final commitment.
Standalone Visit or Part of a Stay
The winery tour can be booked as a standalone day experience or as part of an overnight stay at the estate. For guests specifically visiting for the wine tour without an overnight stay, the surrounding area offers a range of complementary activities, including additional wine tasting and sightseeing, that can extend a day trip meaningfully.
For guests staying overnight, the tour typically works best scheduled for the morning — before the day’s heat sets in — followed by a leisurely lunch at the Irada Pool Club and an afternoon exploring the estate’s other offerings.
Beyond the Wine Tour — What Else the Estate Offers
The estate’s experience portfolio extends well beyond the core winery tour. Wine and honey tastings, outdoor pursuits, wellness experiences, and guided excursions are all part of the estate experience roster. Scenic forest trails wind through the property, perfect for hiking or simply connecting with the outdoors, and a heartwarming wildlife adventure through dry deciduous scrub and grasslands offers glimpses of the nimble Indian chinkara grazing or curiously peering from a distance.
For guests wanting to combine the winery tour with dining, Hotel Irada’s Rosso carries Michelin Guide 2026 recognition — meaning a day built around the wine tour can extend naturally into one of India’s finest dining experiences, all within the same estate.
Why Hotel Irada’s Winery Tour Stands Apart From Other Pune-Area Options
Most wine tasting experiences readily accessible from Pune involve a drive to Nashik — roughly three to four hours away — where the concentration of producers is higher but the experience is often a rushed, commercial tasting-room visit rather than a genuine estate immersion. Hotel Irada offers the complete winery tour experience genuinely within Pune’s own wine country, without requiring the extended Nashik journey.
The specific combination Hotel Irada offers — a working 66-acre estate, tank-side tasting of unfinished wine, Bordeaux oak barrel rooms, and a guided flight connecting Indian and international wines with genuine storytelling rather than a script — places the tour in a category most Pune-adjacent wine experiences do not reach.
Planning Your Visit
Best Time for the Tour
Winter and early spring — January through March — coincide with the estate’s harvest season, offering the most active winemaking atmosphere alongside comfortable outdoor temperatures for the vineyard walk.
How to Book
Book the winery tour directly at hotelirada.com for the best available pricing and flexible cancellation terms. For guests planning to combine the tour with an overnight stay, book accommodation directly for exclusive perks including an Aperol Spritz at Rosso, the Irada Time Well Spent tote bag, and a Racquet Club slot.
For group bookings, corporate outings, or any specific tour requirements, contact the team via WhatsApp at +91 7080250472 or email at info@hotelirada.com.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Winery Tour and Wine Tasting
How much does the winery tour cost at Hotel Irada?
The Estate Wine Tour starts from ₹2,000 per person, with pricing varying based on whether the standard or extended tour and guided wine flight are selected.
Do I need to stay overnight to take the winery tour?
No. The tour can be booked as a standalone day experience or combined with an overnight stay at the estate — both options are available directly through the Hotel Irada website.
Is prior wine knowledge required to enjoy the tasting?
No. The sessions are designed to be welcoming for complete beginners while remaining genuinely engaging for experienced wine enthusiasts.
What is included in the extended tour compared to the standard tour?
The extended tour adds access to the atmospheric barrel rooms, showcasing the estate’s pressing machines and Bordeaux-imported oak casks, alongside the standard tour’s helipad welcome, vineyard walk, and tank room visit.
Can I cancel my winery tour booking if my plans change?
Yes. The tour offers free cancellation with a full refund if cancelled up to 24 hours before the experience begins.
Final Thoughts
A genuine winery tour and wine tasting near Pune should do more than pour you a glass and hand you a tasting note card. It should take you into the actual vines, let you taste wine before it has even finished becoming wine, and connect every pour to a real story about soil, season, and craft.
Hotel Irada’s Estate Wine Tour, led by Craig Wedge and widely regarded as India’s finest wine immersion programme, delivers exactly this — starting from ₹2,000, with the flexibility to book as a day visit or as the centrepiece of a full estate stay.
Book your winery tour and wine tasting at Hotel Irada today and experience Pune’s wine country the way it deserves to be experienced — from the vine to the glass, guided by someone who knows every step in between.
