Information to stay in Thailand
With increasing income levels throughout many parts of Asia, a demand for grape wine is on the rise. From this, a new interest in viticulture and production on a local level has resulted. In Thailand there are now at least six major wineries producing grape wines. Growing grapes in such a humid climate presents great challenges. This new concept of growing wine-making grapes in the 14th and18th latitudinal parallels has become known as”New Latitude Wines”. Traditionally, grapes for wine-making have been grown in the 30th and 50th parallels.The most ambitious wine production project in Thailand now is at Siam Winery. Along with traditional varieties grown in mountainous regions such as Shiraz, Chenin Blanc, and Colombard, Siam Winery is involved in a completely unique method of harvesting grapes. The “Floating Vineyards” of Thailand, are located in the Chao Phraya River Delta, about 25 miles southwest of Bangkok. This concept of “floating vineyards” is currently found nowhere else in the world. The vines are planted on long rectangular-shaped islets, which are separated by canals. Harvesters can stand on the islets and pick the grapes and then load them in small canoe-like boats. These can be navigated around the canals or unloaded as needed.The White Malaga (Malaga Blanc), and the Red Pok Dum are the two main local varieties grown here. There are at least two harvests per year, during February and September. With such large yields, Monsoon Valley became Siam Winery’s first label available for export in 2005. The Malaga Blanc is a dry wine with peach and lychee flavors. It can also be served as an aperitif. The Red Pokdum is a light red with plum, violet, and blackcurrant flavors. Also offered is a rose which is a blend of the two grape varieties. All of these wines go well with Thai cuisine, especially fish, and cool the palate after eating fiery-hot, spicy foods.Aside from these unique wines, Thailand’s wineries offer many traditional varietal wines as well. Other places in Southeast and South Asia are also growing “New Latitude Wines”, such as Indonesia and India. Along with these new wines, Asia as a whole is expected to produce larger quantities of wine as Asian people acquire western tastes and foreign investors continue to remap their marketing strategies, using Asia as a hub.
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