In The Valley Of Wine...

[JimsKnight]

A German biker I know had been on at me for ages to buzz down to this fairly exclusive vineyard outside of Hua Hin.

Now vineyards aren't really my thing, I'm more a hard liquor kinda guy, but wine tastes good if it's been done right and so after a few more of the boys had been assembled and organised we all met up at the 'Ritzy' McDonalds at mid-day and set off on another adventure!

Setting off through Hua Hin was ok, one of the riders rode this beast of a bike - A BMW 1200 LT Tourer! It nearly got stuck in a traffic gap it was that hoofin' and big!

It was kinda cool though cause you'd be going alongside and all of a sudden, Bavarian music tunes would drift across from his bike. Very surreal for Thailand.

Heading up Pala-u road for a while, after the bypass intersection we stopped off for some refreshment.

Then it was back at it until a non-descript turn-off on the left.

The road got a bit shty here and it was potholes galore in places.

We took a right at a T Junction I think, then after about ten minutes the road became a solid gravel and dirt track, but fairly wide.

A fork in the road appeared with a security booth nestled in the 'throat' of it. We took the right fork.

It took care and diligence though, too fast on a corner and over you go!

Arriving there was pretty impressive-looking pastiche of imagery. Vines are to your right and stretch as far as the eye can see!

The road dips, forms a brief causeway then it's a sharp uphill climb to what looks like an impressive Viking-esque feasting hall but with a ski-ramp on the roof!

As we made the last ascent off to our left there were some mighty elephants curious at our arrival! Some mahoots were tending to them in the shelter, and it was then that a somewhat old-worlde vibe then set in

On parking our bikes and stepping into the main building it soon becomes apparent that the winery is a well-run business.

Scores of workers are out tending the vines, new land is being developed and cultivated.

Heh heh, nothing escapes JK's big eye on the valley

The tireless beasts of burden we saw before are portrayed as clumping about among the vines carrying heavy barrels for the grape collection.

This is wisdom for they do not disturb the delicate soil too much (compared to a wheeled machine say), plus it give the elephants something to do instead of languishing on the streets.

Fired off a barrage of pics while the other bikers got straight into the 'wine tasting'

My wine (the middle one), tasted very crisp and sharp with a sweet tangle. A tangle indeed at 180 baht but such are the luxury's

It was Monsoon Valley White Shiraz if I remember rightly. I know it's not white coloured, but that's the wine alright.

The sugar daddy of the group (who rides the BMW) was in his element, swishing the wine about and instructing yours truly on how to correctly hold the wine glass, 'not like you're holding a beer! tut tut! Like this..' He'd sqwark.

I wasn't complaining though as it was buy one bottle, get one free and at this my German friend obliged. 780 baht for one bottle!

I know back home you'd be paying a bit more than that, even with the crappy exchange rates

More wine was getting poured, glass after glass. The warm, wooziness of wine settle in and I felt the return trip looming so had to wave off the wine girls eventually

The seating areas have balcony's and with it being on the hill you look out into the valley's beyond and feel like you're master of all you survey! :jerk:

I weaved this panoramic pic for you boys!

The place was fairly quiet, although I met another Skandi expat I knew from HH. He'd come in his car 'Very bad roads' he complained bruskly after we exchanged hello's.

'You should try biking it mate' I mused chirpily.

After about 3 hours of wining it up we called it a day and returned to our machines, now boiling hot from the sun.

Far, far in the distance was Hua Hin, and it was time to return back through pothole city to get to it...

Things to know:

The place is called Hua Hin Valley (owned by Siam Winery) at the appropriatley named Baan Khork Chang area. Rough translation - Elephant house something, I'd like to think it's the Elephant Cork House but it's probably something else

It's just west of Hua Hin.

Video's being processed, upload to follow!

[Bard]

Nice trip report Jim,

Hey when we return from the SSR trip are you following me and Travelmate to Rayong for some fun. You could join up to Bira (posted it) after and do some trips in the are if you are game, and have the time.

Cheers Bard

[suegha]

Nice post. I can't believe the wine is so expensive! 780 baht is more than £15 a bottle. That's 3 times what I pay for a very drinkable bottle of wine in the UK.

Edited February 14, 2009 by suegha

[LivinLOS]

Nice post. I can't believe the wine is so expensive! 780 baht is more than £15 a bottle. That's 3 times what I pay for a very drinkable bottle of wine in the UK.

ha ha !! Yeah when he said thats it cheaper than back home I was trying to think where that could be.. Not Cali / UK / Europe / Oz etc !! Actually surprised as I thought without the import tax it would be cheap.

Nice TR, and good pics of the vineyard... But as for the wine I tried that monsoon valley Thai wine before.. Maybe I had a spoiled bottle but I only tried it the once.

[Meridian007]

Great report Jim!

Could you add it to the motorbike directory map?

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&amp....775391&z=6

I'd love to take the Missus there, I think she'd enjoy it.

[LivinLOS]

Great report Jim!

Could you add it to the motorbike directory map?

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&amp....775391&z=6

I'd love to take the Missus there, I think she'd enjoy it.

Suggest just using regular google maps to placemark the vineyard.

Best to keep the bike POI's bike related if poss.

[BigBikeBKK]

Nice one Jim!

You've done gone and made me thirsty!

Happy Trails!

Tony