I want to be a winemaker: The Myntra CEO

Ananth Narayanan is collecting signature wines to pass on as pieces of inheritance to his three daughters rather than entrusting property and jewellery. The CEO of Myntra and Jabong, online fashion and lifestyle shopping sites, is a serious and passionate wine collector. Narayanan has close to 1,000 bottles of handpicked wines stored in his cellar in Chicago. From pièce de résistance wines like a 1989 Chateau Mouton Rothschild costing $500 upwards, Almaviva from Chile to top cellar selections from Bordeaux — the wine list of this ecommerce bigwig is extensive and exclusive.

Ananth has a limited edition Californian Colgin which is a handcrafted red wine made using fine neo-classical methods. It needs one to wait for 4-7 years to make it to the exclusive wine list to acquire just a bottle a year. Fortunately, the jet-set CEO frequently finds time to travel to Chicago and manages to bring back a bottle or two from his collection for his Bengaluru home.

“Wine is the perfect conversation starter. The grape used, the region it comes from, the maker — wine makes an interesting story to narrate and its collection a scholarly hobby to pursue,” says Narayanan. The man loves indulging in a glass of red wine once a week and usually with friends at home.

He remembers nostalgically how he got hooked to wine as a collectible. This journey began when he took his first sip of wine as a 23-year-old after his graduation ceremony in Michigan. It left a passionate aftertaste.

 “In 2000, I was working with McKinsey in Chicago when I was inspired by a colleague and a French client who were wine collectors. I would attend their dos that paid tribute to select wines,” he adds.

Come 2017, Narayanan allocates an annual budget to build his wine collection. Target is to buy five cases of wine per year. He reads journals by wine advocates like Robert Parker that guide his choice.

Over 17 years, he has been to Bordeaux, Tuscany, Sonoma, Napa Valley and Malbec. “Vineyards make great vacations and I take one every two years. It is good learning and countries like Spain support with great food,” added Narayanan, who secretly wishes to get more time off from his hectic ecommerce life to go on wine trips.

Narayanan said, “I want to be a winemaker one day. India has Nashik and areas around Bengaluru that are capable of producing world-class wines. However, it will require long-term planning and I am in no rush,”