Sip local! UP’s fruit wines make retail debut in Lucknow & 3 other cities

Indigenous wines from Uttar Pradesh have now entered retail shelves in Lucknow and 3 other cities, opening new avenues for the state’s wineries. The initiative is poised to boost local enterprises, create jobs for farmers, and position UP as a leading player in India’s emerging wine market.

Initially, retailers showed little interest in stocking local wine brands. However, following intervention from the state Excise Department, the products registered by UP-based winery owners are now being pushed into the retail ecosystem. 

Further, the excise department is drafting a proposal for the state cabinet to amend the current policy. The plan would make it mandatory for retailers to stock indigenous wines made from fruits grown in UP. A minimum quota is likely to be introduced, ensuring fair space for local brands on store shelves. The move is set to benefit wineries in Lucknow, Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur, and Noida. Entrepreneurs have welcomed the state’s push, calling it a step towards making “Made in UP” wines visible in the market.

In June 2025, UP’s first fruit winery was inaugurated in Malihabad, near Lucknow. The facility aims to use surplus or damaged mangoes and other fruits to produce wine, reduce agricultural waste, and boost farmer incomes.

Retailers currently resist stocking local wines because they do not contribute to the Minimum Guarantee Quota (MGQ), a mandatory target based on excise duty collection. Sales of country liquor, beer, and Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) help retailers achieve this quota, while duty-free UP wines do not. Officials now propose a sub-quota within MGQ to incentivise sales of local wine.