SPARKLING WINE
Only two producers currently practice riddling, a labor-intensive step in the production of high-quality bottle-fermented sparkling wine: Siam Winery, who produce the Extra Sec Rosé for Monsoon Valley, and Granmonte Vineyard, which this year released its first Crémant, made from Chenin Blanc.
Tasting Notes
Granmonte Vineyard Crémant 2012, B2,600
Yellow golden, lacking aroma at first, but then classic notes of apple and yeast slowly surface, supported by a fine mousse. Pleasantly dry. Beautiful packaging! It would be interesting to see how this would perform in a line-up with Vouvray from the Loire.
Monsoon Valley Extra Sec Rosé 2010, B1,799
Orange pink hue. A very fruity nose of strawberries with noticeable residual sugar on the palate. Modern in style with powerful mousse. Very easy to drink.
WHITE WINE
White wines have been the benchmark for New Latitude Thailand, contrary to popular belief that white grapes require cool weather to make good wines. The Chenin Blancs and Colombards, in both fruity and dry styles, have always provided the most joy, but the new Viogniers from Khao Yai, Hua Hin and Pattaya are also worth trying.
Tasting Notes
Monsoon Valley Colombard 2013, B750
Pale green, fresh and enticing aromas of herbs and apples. Everyone on the panel blind-guessed the wine, which is also a household name in most hotels and Thai restaurants. Near perfect balance.
PB Valley (Khao Yai Winery) Pirom Chenin Blanc 2012, B790
Pale yellow in colour. This wine needed a few minutes to rid the matchstick nose before showing honeyed aromas. The lower acidity means it should pair nicely with Thai food.
RED WINE
Here the panel was most divided. One half preferred a classic and restrained style, while the other more full and robust wines. Thailand has produced small-batch Tempranillo and Dornfelder in the past, but the power-house Shiraz continues to reign supreme.
Tasting Notes
Granmonte Family Vineyard Syrah Heritage 2012, B840
Dark purple with rich plum aromas. Pure dark-fruit flavors and a voluptuous feel in the mouth make this an equal to many good imports from the New World, especially at the price level.
Monsoon Valley Cuvée de Siam 2010, B2,553
Red garnet, subtle aromas on nose and palate. This needed time to breathe after which it showed classic old-world qualities of red fruits and an earthy, savory character.
Andreas Pergher of Bottle Grotto, Giulio Saverino of Wine n’ About, and Philippe Bramaz of Quince Eatery & Bar
The Verdict
For the most part, these Thai wines could be placed at any dining table without hesitation. When priced reasonably between B600-850 you get both a unique experience and good value.
