Advice Needed To Import Decent German Wine To Thailand....

[Ulic]

German wines are not sweet per se. Yes, some are, because they ought to be. They are unparalleled in their finesse and subtle sweetness and come in small bottles. Overcorrectness in labelling, with rules non-Germans could not grasp, have been tackled by new generations of wine makers. Modern German wine can be dry and very cool. Sometimes, it's just about branding.http://www.wine-pages.com/features/modern_german_wine.htm

It has not been decided,yet, if German Riesling or French Chardonnay is the Queen of white grapes. They are on par.

In Thailand,we have to scale down. Quality is not affordable. It will change. Wine drinking is the hippest thing amongst Bangkok yuppies.

I guess you didn't get my memo, I decided some time ago it was French Chardonnay. Well glad thats settled now.

[Naam]

"decent German wine" is a favorite of the "military intelligence"

i love posts of guys like you who obviously know all about nothing.-

Sirchai,

i had a feeling you referred to Frankenwein but was not sure. together with my brother i own a (rather small) vineyard in the Beckstein area which is leased out since many years vs. a "deputate" of 20% (~1,200 litres a year). some German friends of mine are raving about it and its quality is internationally highly appreciated.

but... you would have to pay me to drink my own wine. my wife says "excellent for Sauerbraten". i still remember her face (many rainy seasons ago) when she had the first sip.

[sirchai]

i wouldn't say Thailand is a big wine drinking country .

My experience is that Thais mostly drink beer or spirits .

Wine is consumed more by foreigners and in restaurants .

I appreciate that you are proud of your regions excellent wine ,

but I would not think there is a great marketing prospect in Thailand .

I think you do not know so much...

Do you think that most 7/11 in the country now sell cheap MONT CLAIR wine only to foreigners ?

More and more Thai want to drink wine and only the cheap price of whiskey push them to drink it most of the time.

I'm living here for almost 12 years now and I know that many Thais with money love to drink wine. In wine is the wisdom.-

[sirchai]

"decent German wine" is a favorite of the "military intelligence"

i love posts of guys like you who obviously know all about nothing.-

Sirchai,

i had a feeling you referred to Frankenwein but was not sure. together with my brother i own a (rather small) vineyard in the Beckstein area which is leased out since many years vs. a "deputate" of 20% (~1,200 litres a year). some German friends of mine are raving about it and its quality is internationally highly appreciated.

but... you would have to pay me to drink my own wine. my wife says "excellent for Sauerbraten". i still remember her face (many rainy seasons ago) when she had the first sip.

A good one. Please be aware that many people prefer to drink "DRY WINE", which usually is a little sour. Also called "Sauerampfer" ( a very sour sort of plant) by wine specialists like me. It starts from Hauswein, then Qualitaetswein, Kabinett, Spaetlese, Ausleese, Beerenausleese.

People in this area started to cultivate red wine about 35 years ago and the results are breathtaking good.

Most people from my city are on way the other involved in wine. Some just help to harvest, some are producing Bremser, or Federweissen, then they proceed wine.The equivalence to Satho here, but much better.

I know all the processes how to make wine. Hicks.

Always good to put some wine into the Sauerbraten sauce. But then a "Spaetlese" when eating that.With at least 90 degrees Oechsle. Prost.-

Edited January 23, 2014 by sirchai

[craigt3365]

Mont Clair is pretty bad wine. It's cheap because they only import the juice, then ferment it here. So no import duty for the alcohol part. I get horrible headaches drinking it.

cheap wines make a refreshing drink mixed with 50% soda and a shot of lime over crushed ice.

Interesting. We also mix it with Schweppes manao soda. Or, use it as a base for sangria. Even then, I find it worth the extra few baht to get a better brand.

In Spain, they use sparkling lemon soda with plonk to make vino verano (summer wine). Quite good. But have never seen sparkling lemon soda here.

[Naam]

Mont Clair is pretty bad wine. It's cheap because they only import the juice, then ferment it here. So no import duty for the alcohol part. I get horrible headaches drinking it.

cheap wines make a refreshing drink mixed with 50% soda and a shot of lime over crushed ice.

Interesting. We also mix it with Schweppes manao soda. Or, use it as a base for sangria. Even then, I find it worth the extra few baht to get a better brand.

In Spain, they use sparkling lemon soda with plonk to make vino verano (summer wine). Quite good. But have never seen sparkling lemon soda here.

off topic: "Schweppes Manao" was for several years my preferred soft drink. a year or so ago i stopped because i detected an artificial "chemical" taste. don't know whether it's real or just my imagination.

[splodger]

Decent German wine???????????????????????????????????????????????????? no such thing.

[craigt3365]

Mont Clair is pretty bad wine. It's cheap because they only import the juice, then ferment it here. So no import duty for the alcohol part. I get horrible headaches drinking it.

cheap wines make a refreshing drink mixed with 50% soda and a shot of lime over crushed ice.

Interesting. We also mix it with Schweppes manao soda. Or, use it as a base for sangria. Even then, I find it worth the extra few baht to get a better brand.

In Spain, they use sparkling lemon soda with plonk to make vino verano (summer wine). Quite good. But have never seen sparkling lemon soda here.

off topic: "Schweppes Manao" was for several years my preferred soft drink. a year or so ago i stopped because i detected an artificial "chemical" taste. don't know whether it's real or just my imagination.

I like your idea of soda and lime. More natural. We drink quite a bit of soda here, just plain or with a slice of lime. So this would be perfect! Schweppes manao is, at times, hard to find.

[Transporter]

There are plenty of good wines available in Thailand already. Last thing we need is more and who wants it here anyway?

[sirchai]

There are plenty of good wines available in Thailand already. Last thing we need is more and who wants it here anyway?

Where's the good wine in Thailand? Define good, please. And I'd assume that you speak for the Majority of TVF members and Thai people in general.

Last thing we need on Thaivisa is "advice" from people like you.Seems that you didn't really read the topic. Grow up, grow some nuggets and get a life.-

[GrantSmith]

There are plenty of good wines available in Thailand already. Last thing we need is more and who wants it here anyway?

1. Yes there's already plenty of good wine in Thailand.

2. I for one would like more, but I'm a greedy capitalistic bar steward.

[nahkit]

I had a German friend do this - he had spent years in the industry in Germany and he gave up trying to import and sell German Wine. Ended up importing wine from Libya for a fraction of the amount he was paying per bottle from Germany for a while and even then he said that was too difficult dealing with the Thai authorities and went to exporting Thai electronic stuff as he got assistance from the government rather than be handicapped by them.

Importing wine from Libya, a muslim country with an alcohol ban? That's a clever trick.

In the 23 years I've been here I've yet to see a bottle of Libyan wine.

[AyG]

I had a German friend do this - he had spent years in the industry in Germany and he gave up trying to import and sell German Wine. Ended up importing wine from Libya for a fraction of the amount he was paying per bottle from Germany for a while and even then he said that was too difficult dealing with the Thai authorities and went to exporting Thai electronic stuff as he got assistance from the government rather than be handicapped by them.

Importing wine from Libya, a muslim country with an alcohol ban? That's a clever trick.

In the 23 years I've been here I've yet to see a bottle of Libyan wine.

It all depends upon your timescale. Back in the 1950s north African countries were major producers of wine. A lot of wine that notionally came from France was actually shipped across from north Africa in tankers and then labelled as "Bordeaux", "Beaujolais" or whatever. I seem to recall that "Algerian Vine" was a popular expression in the 1960s. There was also some scandal at the time which I half recall involving wine from north Africa made using banana skins entering the flow of French wine.

Wine production in that part of the world certainly dates back to the Roman era. It's only more recent Moslem fanaticism that has cut its production. (That and the atrocious quality.)

[nahkit]

I had a German friend do this - he had spent years in the industry in Germany and he gave up trying to import and sell German Wine. Ended up importing wine from Libya for a fraction of the amount he was paying per bottle from Germany for a while and even then he said that was too difficult dealing with the Thai authorities and went to exporting Thai electronic stuff as he got assistance from the government rather than be handicapped by them.

Importing wine from Libya, a muslim country with an alcohol ban? That's a clever trick.

In the 23 years I've been here I've yet to see a bottle of Libyan wine.

It all depends upon your timescale. Back in the 1950s north African countries were major producers of wine. A lot of wine that notionally came from France was actually shipped across from north Africa in tankers and then labelled as "Bordeaux", "Beaujolais" or whatever. I seem to recall that "Algerian Vine" was a popular expression in the 1960s. There was also some scandal at the time which I half recall involving wine from north Africa made using banana skins entering the flow of French wine.

Wine production in that part of the world certainly dates back to the Roman era. It's only more recent Moslem fanaticism that has cut its production. (That and the atrocious quality.)

Well my personal timescale is 23 years as per my post.

I'm aware of a brewery that existed here and was closed when Gaddafi took over, I have a couple of the labels for the beer they produced but I've never come across any wine.

Edited January 23, 2014 by nahkit

[Naam]

I like your idea of soda and lime. More natural. We drink quite a bit of soda here, just plain or with a slice of lime. So this would be perfect! Schweppes manao is, at times, hard to find.

i'm not talking about a "slice" of lime. when it's soft or 'castrated' drinks such as the wine/soda mix i mentioned i do like it sour², meaning a full shot of lime in a 330ml glass (whatever this may translate into barbarian liquid ounces)

wait... i have a heart Craig. used Google and found that 330 milliliters equal

11.158 627 491 ounce [uS, liquid]

or

11.614 376 31 ounce [uK, liquid]

[CapeCobra]

I had a German friend do this - he had spent years in the industry in Germany and he gave up trying to import and sell German Wine. Ended up importing wine from Libya for a fraction of the amount he was paying per bottle from Germany for a while and even then he said that was too difficult dealing with the Thai authorities and went to exporting Thai electronic stuff as he got assistance from the government rather than be handicapped by them.

Importing wine from Libya, a muslim country with an alcohol ban? That's a clever trick.

In the 23 years I've been here I've yet to see a bottle of Libyan wine.

It all depends upon your timescale. Back in the 1950s north African countries were major producers of wine. A lot of wine that notionally came from France was actually shipped across from north Africa in tankers and then labelled as "Bordeaux", "Beaujolais" or whatever. I seem to recall that "Algerian Vine" was a popular expression in the 1960s. There was also some scandal at the time which I half recall involving wine from north Africa made using banana skins entering the flow of French wine.

Wine production in that part of the world certainly dates back to the Roman era. It's only more recent Moslem fanaticism that has cut its production. (That and the atrocious quality.)

Well my personal timescale is 23 years as per my post.

I'm aware of a brewery that existed here and was closed when Gaddafi took over, I have a couple of the labels for the beer they produced but I've never come across any wine.

The reason being that wine is not made in breweries. Anyway, Lybian red wine is produced on farms near Zliten. The historical aspect of wine making in the region was mentioned before. The best Marrocan wines are still in demand in France. They use a number red and white varieties (Carignan, Cinsault, even Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc). The law allows production of wine and beer. But don't sell to Muslims.

[robhufton]

Mont Clair is pretty bad wine. It's cheap because they only import the juice, then ferment it here. So no import duty for the alcohol part. I get horrible headaches drinking it.

Admittedly, not a great wine, but easily quaffable and cheap. Never had any headaches from it and it gets better after the 2nd bottle

[reserva39]

Decent German wine???????????????????????????????????????????????????? no such thing.

you dont know a thing or you just dont like wines.

Some of the best white wines are German. Beside of that they also beat the famous Pinot Noir producers

as Bordeaux, Oregon and NZ and won the Gold (2012).

Try than talk. Cheers

[CapeCobra]

Decent German wine???????????????????????????????????????????????????? no such thing.

you dont know a thing or you just dont like wines.

Some of the best white wines are German. Beside of that they also beat the famous Pinot Noir producers

as Bordeaux, Oregon and NZ and won the Gold (2012).

Try than talk. Cheers

Small correction. The French home of Pinot Noir is the Burgundy. Bordeaux wines are blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc (mostly). Germany is the 3rd biggest producer of Pinot Noir (after France and the States). Probably, people don't know, because they call the variety Spätburgunder. The French were not amused about the outcome of these competitions in Germany and Switzerland. Anyway, for me, Pinot Noir rules supreme. My favourites grow in South Africa. In Thailand, I buy NZ. Their Pinot Noir is affordable.

[craigt3365]

I like your idea of soda and lime. More natural. We drink quite a bit of soda here, just plain or with a slice of lime. So this would be perfect! Schweppes manao is, at times, hard to find.

i'm not talking about a "slice" of lime. when it's soft or 'castrated' drinks such as the wine/soda mix i mentioned i do like it sour², meaning a full shot of lime in a 330ml glass (whatever this may translate into barbarian liquid ounces)

wait... i have a heart Craig. used Google and found that 330 milliliters equal

11.158 627 491 ounce [uS, liquid]

or

11.614 376 31 ounce [uK, liquid]

Millimeters? Who needs millimeters. We've got ounces! 5555555

[onthemoon]

The licences cost abot THB 3,000 each, plus handling fee for whoever arranges it for you.

I'm well versed in the costs involved, thanks

Rather simple process really, couldn't think of a reason why I'd pay 'a guy' to do that

Shipping on the other hand, different kettle of fish...

I thought you said that you were asked to pay a deposit of THB 2m. My mistake.

Anyway, we do shipping (seafreight) and customs clearance. We also do the licences for you (if required). Send me PM if you need any help.

[JesseFrank]

The licences cost abot THB 3,000 each, plus handling fee for whoever arranges it for you.

I'm well versed in the costs involved, thanks

Rather simple process really, couldn't think of a reason why I'd pay 'a guy' to do that

Shipping on the other hand, different kettle of fish...

I thought you said that you were asked to pay a deposit of THB 2m. My mistake.

Anyway, we do shipping (seafreight) and customs clearance. We also do the licences for you (if required). Send me PM if you need any help.

It was FredNL who paid 2 million annually for the license because he had a very influential friend named Chalerm Yoovidhya.

Unfortunately he didn't even know his friends name

[GrantSmith]

The licences cost abot THB 3,000 each, plus handling fee for whoever arranges it for you.

I'm well versed in the costs involved, thanks

Rather simple process really, couldn't think of a reason why I'd pay 'a guy' to do that

Shipping on the other hand, different kettle of fish...

I thought you said that you were asked to pay a deposit of THB 2m. My mistake.

Anyway, we do shipping (seafreight) and customs clearance. We also do the licences for you (if required). Send me PM if you need any help.

It was FredNL who paid 2 million annually for the license because he had a very influential friend named Chalerm Yoovidhya.

Unfortunately he didn't even know his friends name

onthemoon what he (JesseFrank) said...

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[onthemoon]

I think I should go into the business of charging THB 2 million per licence per year. Much more profitable that what I am doing now, i.e. just following the law.

But then....

My ethics forbid me to. Sorry folks, I won't suck you dry, even if you want me to. Following the law is much cheaper for you, and it also gives you peace of mind. Unfortunately, it won't make me rich. But then, I can still look in the mirror in the morning, and somehow this is more important to me.

The decision is yours which way you want to go.

[GrantSmith]

I think I should go into the business of charging THB 2 million per licence per year. Much more profitable that what I am doing now, i.e. just following the law.

But then....

My ethics forbid me to. Sorry folks, I won't suck you dry, even if you want me to. Following the law is much cheaper for you, and it also gives you peace of mind. Unfortunately, it won't make me rich. But then, I can still look in the mirror in the morning, and somehow this is more important to me.

The decision is yours which way you want to go.

I'll go you halves, you can still do all the sucking though

Would that make you feel better, we'd still make a decent amount of money though

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[T_Dog]

Here's a good article:

http://bk.asia-city.com/restaurants/article/wine-source

I get my wine from Mari at Vinum. Got a fantastic Peachy Canyon from Paso Robles last month. Hope to try the Robert Hall soon. We use to visit Paso several times a year when we lived in the US.

Peachy Canyon was my favorite red back in the USA. Glad to hear you can get it here! Have you seen any good California or Washington Chardonnay wines?

[craigt3365]

Here's a good article:

http://bk.asia-city.com/restaurants/article/wine-source

I get my wine from Mari at Vinum. Got a fantastic Peachy Canyon from Paso Robles last month. Hope to try the Robert Hall soon. We use to visit Paso several times a year when we lived in the US.

Peachy Canyon was my favorite red back in the USA. Glad to hear you can get it here! Have you seen any good California or Washington Chardonnay wines?

Not really. Us wine lovers here really do suffer!! 5555

[nonthaburial]

Just forget importing wine from Europe. I have been importing Italian wines through a friend, called Chalerm Yuvitscha. (Yes, owner of Red Bull) Luckely he took care of the import. He knew the ways. But expect to pay 300% import taxes on the purchase price plus shipping. Next to this, expect to pay bribes or all the bottles you receive are broken. It happened to me several times.

Also you must obtain an import license and make deposit to an import tax fund for luxury goods. Costs you about 2.000.000,- THB.

License must be renewed yearly, and is according to your anual turnover.

And for contacting Tesco Lotus, Seven Eleven, Big C. Just forget it. They will not do business with a farang. They will do business with a Thai. A good friend of me is purchase manager at Big C and he has orders from above only doing business with Thai or do direct imports.

Let's not forget the retailers mentioned would probably only pay you every three or four months, not on delivery, which will probably hit your cash flow.