Mont Clair Red WIne

[mgthom63]

18 minutes ago, xylophone said:

 

 

Sorry, that's the best I can do!

Thanks. I found your 'best' very insightful.  For me, the learning is just as rewarding as the drinking! (or a very close second :))

[xylophone]

Something I posted long ago in the original Montclair thread.:-

 

Additives allowed in winemaking (in most countries at least)................

 

Ascorbic acid                                                  

Agar

Alginates, calcium and potassium salts

Ammonium phosphates

Argon

Bentonite

Calcium carbonate

Calcium tartrate

Carbon dioxide

Cellulose

Chitosan sourced from Aspergillus niger

Collagen

Copper sulphate

Cupric citrate

Diatomaceous earth   

Carbon dioxide

Citric acid

Erythorbic acid

Gum Arabic

Lactic acid

Malic acid

Metatartaric acid

Potassium sorbate

Potassium sulphites

Sodium carboxymethylcellulose

Sorbic acid

Sulphur dioxide

Tartaric acid

Dimethyl dicarbonate

Dimethylpolysiloxane

Egg white

Enzymes

Gelatine

Hydrogen peroxide

Ion exchange resins

Isinglass

Lysozyme

Milk and milk products

Nitrogen

Oak

Perlite

Phytates

Plant proteins permitted as processing aids under clause 3(a) to Standard 1.3.3

Polyvinyl polypyrrolidone

Potassium carbonate

Potassium ferrocyanide

Potassium hydrogen carbonate

Potassium hydrogen tartrate

Silicon dioxide

Thiamin chloride

Thiamin hydrochloride

[torrzent]

1 hour ago, xylophone said:

Something I posted long ago in the original Montclair thread.:-

 

Additives allowed in winemaking (in most countries at least)................

 

Ascorbic acid                                                  

Agar

Alginates, calcium and potassium salts

Ammonium phosphates

Argon

Bentonite

Calcium carbonate

Calcium tartrate

Carbon dioxide

Cellulose

Chitosan sourced from Aspergillus niger

Collagen

Copper sulphate

Cupric citrate

Diatomaceous earth   

Carbon dioxide

Citric acid

Erythorbic acid

Gum Arabic

Lactic acid

Malic acid

Metatartaric acid

Potassium sorbate

Potassium sulphites

Sodium carboxymethylcellulose

Sorbic acid

Sulphur dioxide

Tartaric acid

Dimethyl dicarbonate

Dimethylpolysiloxane

Egg white

Enzymes

Gelatine

Hydrogen peroxide

Ion exchange resins

Isinglass

Lysozyme

Milk and milk products

Nitrogen

Oak

Perlite

Phytates

Plant proteins permitted as processing aids under clause 3(a) to Standard 1.3.3

Polyvinyl polypyrrolidone

Potassium carbonate

Potassium ferrocyanide

Potassium hydrogen carbonate

Potassium hydrogen tartrate

Silicon dioxide

Thiamin chloride

Thiamin hydrochloride

You forgot to add dirty socks.

[topt]

9 minutes ago, torrzent said:

You forgot to add dirty socks.

Usually bare feet when pressing the grapes...........

[xylophone]

7 minutes ago, torrzent said:

You forgot to add dirty socks.

Amongst other things!!

 

Saw a rat clambering along the top of an open fermentation tank in the Languedoc and pointed it out to the winemaker, who, in a typical French/English lilt said, "pas de probleme, he will be overcome by the fumes and fall into the tank"............so you can then fish him out I enquired, "non, it is all part of the winemaking".

[nanglong218]

Today in Tesco Nang Rong I dared myself to try a bottle of World of Wines, Wineyards CabSav.  400baht  and 13% no less.

That's 16audollars ,wicked but it won't send me to the poorhouse.  Mrs 218 spent 11 years in Oz so we know what we like without making an art of it, and I mean no criticism of anyone here.  

Our opinion..... it is the most vile and disgusting drink, sharp on the tongue giving no pleasure.  It dries your mouth.   Don't serve this to European truckers or land workers, their local brews are far superior.    The Aussies, who produce amazing wines,  are laughing all the way to the bank,    then the pub,    to celebrate finding mugs who will buy the filtered dregs from their barrels and pass it on as a premium product.

Even Aussie cleanskins @ $6 are way better than this.

Hear this and weep, fizzy beer bloats, spirits make me ill, I'm reduced to drinking Spy.   

[xylophone]

41 minutes ago, nanglong218 said:

Today in Tesco Nang Rong I dared myself to try a bottle of World of Wines, Wineyards CabSav.  400baht  and 13% no less.

That's 16audollars ,wicked but it won't send me to the poorhouse.  Mrs 218 spent 11 years in Oz so we know what we like without making an art of it, and I mean no criticism of anyone here.  

Our opinion..... it is the most vile and disgusting drink, sharp on the tongue giving no pleasure.  It dries your mouth.   Don't serve this to European truckers or land workers, their local brews are far superior.    The Aussies, who produce amazing wines,  are laughing all the way to the bank,    then the pub,    to celebrate finding mugs who will buy the filtered dregs from their barrels and pass it on as a premium product.

Even Aussie cleanskins @ $6 are way better than this.

Hear this and weep, fizzy beer bloats, spirits make me ill, I'm reduced to drinking Spy.   

Yes, I'm afraid that's what it has come to when one can take perhaps one of the poorer wines made in the irrigated region of south-eastern Australia and export it to another country where it fetches a high price because of the punitive tax laws.

 

I'm hoping that the one you had was not "off" as I have tasted this wine and although it's nothing special, it is what I would call a "swigger" and nowhere near what some of the Aussie clean skins can be (as you quite rightly said), however just about on a par or above with the Montclair stuff IMO.

 

A Canadian friend of mine bought a bottle of Jacobs Creek to a dinner a few days ago and he paid 700 baht for it (about A$28) and he asked me what it was like, so I suggested he try it and give me his opinion.........and his opinion was that it was nothing at all special for that sort of money and he would never buy it again. And I can't blame him because this is a very average everyday drinker in Oz and NZ for that matter, and it sells for well under half that.

 

I'm afraid the Thai government has absolutely stuffed up this place for folks who like a reasonable drink of wine, so we are forced to seek out the odd "gem".........so here's one for you to keep an eye out for ; "Hopes End" which is a blend of Shiraz, Grenache and Malbec (with occasionally some Petit Verdot in it) and at around 460 baht has to be one of the best value wines around IMO.

[nanglong218]

1 hour ago, xylophone said:

Yes, I'm afraid that's what it has come to when one can take perhaps one of the poorer wines made in the irrigated region of south-eastern Australia and export it to another country where it fetches a high price because of the punitive tax laws.

 

I'm hoping that the one you had was not "off" as I have tasted this wine and although it's nothing special, it is what I would call a "swigger" and nowhere near what some of the Aussie clean skins can be (as you quite rightly said), however just about on a par or above with the Montclair stuff IMO.

 

A Canadian friend of mine bought a bottle of Jacobs Creek to a dinner a few days ago and he paid 700 baht for it (about A$28) and he asked me what it was like, so I suggested he try it and give me his opinion.........and his opinion was that it was nothing at all special for that sort of money and he would never buy it again. And I can't blame him because this is a very average everyday drinker in Oz and NZ for that matter, and it sells for well under half that.

 

I'm afraid the Thai government has absolutely stuffed up this place for folks who like a reasonable drink of wine, so we are forced to seek out the odd "gem".........so here's one for you to keep an eye out for ; "Hopes End" which is a blend of Shiraz, Grenache and Malbec (with occasionally some Petit Verdot in it) and at around 460 baht has to be one of the best value wines around IMO.

I looked for a sell by date but none.  We put it in the fridge for an hour to reach the suggested serving temp of 16-18c, no better.  So come evening I left the top off to see if oxygen could improve things,  no.

Out here in rural  Isaan there will be a few cock fights next week at Songkran, we've let it be known we will buy one of the fatally injured losers and try our luck at Coq au Vin.

[torrzent]

13 hours ago, xylophone said:

"Hopes End" which is a blend of Shiraz, Grenache and Malbec (with occasionally some Petit Verdot in it) and at around 460 baht has to be one of the best value wines around IMO.

Will try it.  Have to laugh at the irony of the name though.  At least it is not called "Last Chance Swill"!

[KiChakayan]

Not entirely related to this topic but I am buying most of my wine on line, from Wine Connection and to a lesser extent Wine Now. Bot are extremely reliable with their deliveries, and I am staying out in the middle of nowhere. Wine Connection have Tuesday deals, for instance today they sell a decent French rosé 649 Bahts, down from 790. Wine Now are on the expensive side but they have interesting "Mixed Cases" which bring down prices by a good 15 to 20%.

 

The drawback is that, for stocking up wine, one has to have a wine cellar. But I reckon it is well worth the cost and effort as nothing beats sharing a bottle, at home, with your missus, over her great cooking. Bear in mind also that it gives you the opportunity to let you wine rest, at constant temperature before you drink it. Makes a huge difference with picking up a bottle of Shiraz Cabernet at Tesco and drink it right away with your pizza.

[xylophone]

26 minutes ago, KiChakayan said:

The drawback is that, for stocking up wine, one has to have a wine cellar. But I reckon it is well worth the cost and effort as nothing beats sharing a bottle, at home, with your missus, over her great cooking. Bear in mind also that it gives you the opportunity to let you wine rest, at constant temperature before you drink it. Makes a huge difference with picking up a bottle of Shiraz Cabernet at Tesco and drink it right away with your pizza.

True, and I bought one here a few years ago (Panasonic) and I can cram about 40 bottles in it...........however I saw one almost twice the size at the SAME price just recently, but quite happy with my smaller one for the mo.

 

 

[SkyRider]

On 4/4/2018 at 7:28 PM, janclaes47 said:

 

Don't worry they gonna get there.

 

I noticed today that Big C had a new lot of 3 liter Mont clair, they had removed all siam winery stuff a few weeks ago, and it was now priced at 999 Baht for 3 liter.

I also saw a 3 liter box priced, at 999 - and, I saw it priced at 1199. That's insane.  Now, you can buy much better tasting wine then Mont Clair, for less, or not much more money.  

[SkyRider]

On 4/4/2018 at 5:54 PM, xylophone said:

I must have missed this post SkyRider, so a couple of points to note............

Putting wine in the fridge does not spoil it and whilst white wine takes to it very well, provided is not TOO cold, red wine also takes to it very well, however I do let it come up a few degrees before I start on it, as a red wine which is too cold will hide a lot of the "flavours" whilst a red wine which is too warm./hot will result in something called "volatile aromas", in which the more subtle flavours cannot be tasted and alcohol becomes very apparent.

 

You will see a lot of people suggest that red wine should be drunk at room temperature – – well that was something which was in vogue a couple of centuries ago when room temperature in stately mansions and castles was around 18 to 20°C however most people will agree that drinking red wine at around 22° C or thereabouts is fine. On the other hand drinking it at room temperature in Thailand will certainly bring out those "volatile aromas".

 

I wouldn't worry too much about the temperature variation in the wines you have, because if you are keeping them for months even years, then I would be a little worried, but as most of us buy wine and drink it within a matter of days, the temperature variations won't make a lot of difference – – as I have mentioned previously if this happened over years, then this will age the wines prematurely.

 

Very pleased that you are finding some of the wines I have recommended to your liking.

Sorry for the late reply on this xylophone, 

 

So far, any bottle I've tried that has not been your suggestion, has not been very good. The bottle from Chile that I tried, not good at all.  Every bottle you've recommended, again I'll say, has been very delicious. I would describe them, as being able to taste the berries.  

 

Thank you again, not only for the recommendations, but for all the in depth info you are giving us, including the info regarding wine and temperatures.  

[Jeremia Juxtaposed]

On 4/6/2018 at 11:07 AM, Henryford said:

Yes i noticed yesterday in Tesco the 5 litre box is now 1290, used to be 989, so a 30% increase !!

I know, it is a shocking price to pay for a fruit wine. I have always preferred Castle Creek which is still 880 baht for 5 litres in my local shop and with no signs of stock running out...

[nanglong218]

It's a lost cause everybody,  TPTB will not allow your pleasure.  Fruit wine?   No one accepts this crap.   While the current bunch of clowns run the place Chang and Hong Thong is the best you'll get and they don't give a damn,,,,,because they don't know any better.

  

 

[Jeremia Juxtaposed]

9 minutes ago, nanglong218 said:

It's a lost cause everybody,  TPTB will not allow your pleasure.  Fruit wine?   No one accepts this crap.   While the current bunch of clowns run the place Chang and Hong Thong is the best you'll get and they don't give a damn,,,,,because they don't know any better.

  

 

I am more than happy to drink Chang and/or Hongthong with my neighbours and will certainly be doing so over Songkran. Over the years I have drank more than my fair share of seesip degree out of a shared dirty glass out in the rice fields........

 

..... But as you say..my PLEASURE is wine. My income versus consumption now restricts me to Castle Creek in a box which does me fine whilst preparing,cooking and eating meals....but I will never pay 1,000+ baht for 5 litres of fruit wine.......Never I tell you!!.... NEVER!!!..... Bwahahaha!!!!

[nanglong218]

11 minutes ago, Jeremia Juxtaposed said:

I am more than happy to drink Chang and/or Hongthong with my neighbours and will certainly be doing so over Songkran. Over the years I have drank more than my fair share of seesip degree out of a shared dirty glass out in the rice fields........

 

..... But as you say..my PLEASURE is wine. My income versus consumption now restricts me to Castle Creek in a box which does me fine whilst preparing,cooking and eating meals....but I will never pay 1,000+ baht for 5 litres of fruit wine.......Never I tell you!!.... NEVER!!!..... Bwahahaha!!!!

My attack has always been on TPTB.  Never the poor bloody infantry, you and me, who are deprived of a pleasant drink. Medical checks will draw me back to Australia soon.   I can't wait.

[Jeremia Juxtaposed]

6 minutes ago, nanglong218 said:

My attack has always been on TPTB.  Never the poor bloody infantry, you and me, who are deprived of a pleasant drink. Medical checks will draw me back to Australia soon.   I can't wait.

I served with a few Aussies.Good soldiers and good drinkers.Can't say better than that....If ever you get to Pattaya I'll get a box in !!!!

Edited April 10, 2018 by Jeremia Juxtaposed

[Henryford]

Tried to buy some Mont Clair yesterday in Pattaya. Makro had no wine at all and Tesco only had white in the boxes. 5 litre 1290 also a 2 litre red for 749!! Are they waiting to stock up at the new price or has Mont Clair died. In the end i just bought a Castle Creek for 429 2 litre to keep me going. Looks like my wine drinking days are over.

[xylophone]

1 hour ago, Henryford said:

Tried to buy some Mont Clair yesterday in Pattaya. Makro had no wine at all and Tesco only had white in the boxes. 5 litre 1290 also a 2 litre red for 749!! Are they waiting to stock up at the new price or has Mont Clair died. In the end i just bought a Castle Creek for 429 2 litre to keep me going. Looks like my wine drinking days are over.

I am still managing to pick up bottles of wine from 370 baht (The Lyrup, Oz) to around 460 baht (Hopes End, Oz, Viu Manent and other Chilean wines) so they are out there, but at the smaller stores......keep looking guys.

[ukrules]

7 hours ago, Henryford said:

Tried to buy some Mont Clair yesterday in Pattaya. Makro had no wine at all and Tesco only had white in the boxes. 5 litre 1290 also a 2 litre red for 749!! Are they waiting to stock up at the new price or has Mont Clair died. In the end i just bought a Castle Creek for 429 2 litre to keep me going. Looks like my wine drinking days are over.

This is interesting, I was told a couple of months back that the larger boxes would be replaced with 2 Liter boxes and the price will remain about the same.

 

Looks like the Thai guy who told me was correct. He said it will return to the shelves around April/May in the smaller boxes.

 

[SkyRider]

7 hours ago, Henryford said:

Tried to buy some Mont Clair yesterday in Pattaya. Makro had no wine at all and Tesco only had white in the boxes. 5 litre 1290 also a 2 litre red for 749!! Are they waiting to stock up at the new price or has Mont Clair died. In the end i just bought a Castle Creek for 429 2 litre to keep me going. Looks like my wine drinking days are over.

If Mont Clair has not died yet, I would think it will at the prices they are now trying to charge.  I was only buying it because it was cheap. Even if they lower the price again, I can't go back to that taste, now that I've practically been forced to by bottles of better wine.

 

Who on earth, would buy Mont Clair now, at prices higher then much better wine?

 

What's going on, why did Mont Clair increase their prices so much?  So much, that I would think nobody will buy it anymore.  

[SkyRider]

6 hours ago, xylophone said:

I am still managing to pick up bottles of wine from 370 baht (The Lyrup, Oz) to around 460 baht (Hopes End, Oz, Viu Manent and other Chilean wines) so they are out there, but at the smaller stores......keep looking guys.

What other Chilean wines Xylophone?  The selection here if very limited. I could use all the recommendations, so that I can get the largest rotation of wine repertoire possible.  Since I have to pay so much more for wine now - mind as well try to get as much variety as possible out of it.  

[xylophone]

5 minutes ago, SkyRider said:

why did Mont Clair increase their prices so much

In a nutshell, the Govt closed the "fruit wine" tax loophole.

[KiChakayan]

18 minutes ago, xylophone said:

In a nutshell, the Govt closed the "fruit wine" tax loophole.

This would be great news, as it can only bring sense to a totally irrational market.

 

Interestingly while I read the bitter complaints about the new price of fruit wine casks, I hardly notice any increase in the price of proper bottled wines. Someone must be absorbing the tax hike somewhere?

[SkyRider]

2 minutes ago, KiChakayan said:

This would be great news, as it can only bring sense to a totally irrational market.

 

Interestingly while I read the bitter complaints about the new price of fruit wine casks, I hardly notice any increase in the price of proper bottled wines. Someone must be absorbing the tax hike somewhere?

And being a worrier, this worries me. If they increase the tax on "proper bottled wines", I'm in even more financial trouble then before.  

[xylophone]

39 minutes ago, SkyRider said:

What other Chilean wines Xylophone

I did mention a couple in another post (somewhere)!!

 

But I will be going to my little store tomorrow and will take note of the names...............then up to you to do some detective work to see if you can find them.

 

One way is to search online for the wine then see who imports and distributes it. Then contact them to see who they send it to (stores) near you/in your area. A little work can pay big dividends!

[KiChakayan]

27 minutes ago, SkyRider said:

And being a worrier, this worries me. If they increase the tax on "proper bottled wines", I'm in even more financial trouble then before.  

Move to Portugal brother, Tax exempt for 10 years, cost of living comparable to Thailand, and some of the best value for money when it comes to red wines...

What stops me is that international school charge exorbitant fees.

[SkyRider]

50 minutes ago, xylophone said:

I did mention a couple in another post (somewhere)!!

 

But I will be going to my little store tomorrow and will take note of the names...............then up to you to do some detective work to see if you can find them.

 

One way is to search online for the wine then see who imports and distributes it. Then contact them to see who they send it to (stores) near you/in your area. A little work can pay big dividends!

I'll look back at your posts and try to find that Chilean wine.   

 

About searching online for wine and seeing who imports and distributes it...  I think I'm going to have to call you - The Wine Master.  Because, that's amazing that you even thought of doing that :)  

 

[SkyRider]

44 minutes ago, KiChakayan said:

Move to Portugal brother, Tax exempt for 10 years, cost of living comparable to Thailand, and some of the best value for money when it comes to red wines...

What stops me is that international school charge exorbitant fees.

You and I are thinking alike KiChaykayan - just this evening, I thought - maybe I should move to South America.