The folks: Monsoon Valley is a line of Thai wines (dubbed “new latitude wines”) from the folks at Siam Winery in Hua Hin. In September, this cuvee won a gold medal at the Interna- tional Wine Challenge in Vienna, Austria.

The grape: The wine is a blend of 70% Shiraz grapes and 30% Sangiovese grapes. Due to differ- ent weather, viticulture and winemaking styles, Shiraz tends to be more fruity, less aged and higher in alcohol than the French Syrah, though genetically they are the same grape. (There are exceptions, of course.) The Sangiovese is known for more earthy and spicy flavors like clove and licorice and dried fruit flavors. Inci- dentally, Siam Winery is the only place in Thailand growing this Italian varietal.

The label: Not all that informative, but look at the nice tiger! Thai artist Thawan Ducha- nee was commissioned. The tiger mascot commemorates the release of the wine in 2010, the year of the Tiger.

The look: An intense garnet color with some purple tinge, indicating the youth of the wine and the Shiraz-heavy composition.

The smell: Very boozy and fruity, with lots of blackberry and cherry and hints of herb.

The sip: Nice medium body where the fruits in the aroma are confirmed on the tongue. We are seduced by the gentle tannins lent by the Sangiovese grapes that harmonize with the fruit, creating a velvety mouthfeel with hints of menthol freshness. The Cuvee was kept in 500-liter oak barrels. These barrels are huge, meaning the surface contact of the oak to the wine is less. As a result, the wine has a nicely restrained hint of oak. Unlike the majority of wines, which are filtered before bottling, often at the expense of taste, the Cuvee is unfiltered. If you find any sediment, don’t be alarmed: those are just fine grape bits from the winemaking that actually enhance the aroma and taste. If you’re a stickler, you can decant the wine and let it sit for 30 minutes before pouring.

The food: Because of the medium body, they suggest having it with a proper big dinner. We had it as an aperitif and loved it.

The damage: Roughly B4,000 at The Metroplitan, Dusit Thani and Bo.lan. Retail is B2,500, through Siam Winery directly (02-533-5600, free delivery with orders over B3,000).