who has just bought a 150-year-old French wine-maker Bouvet-Ladubay, is learnt to be making an all out effort for a foothold in the fledgling Indian wine market. The company is in an advanced state of discussion for a joint venture with the Nashik-based ND Wines.

Ashok Gaikwad, chairman, ND Wines, confirmed that he is talking to UB. "The negotiation is for a possible joint venture, through which ND Wine can manufacture and supply wine to UB", he said. But he did not divulge the quantity to be produced under the joint venture.

If talks succeed, it will be UB's first foray into the Indian wine market. The UB group which has been occupying prime position in the spirit and beer industry for the past 20 years, has not focused on the wine segment so far, largely because of the small size of the Indian wine market which is less than 4,00,000 cases.

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