Australian white Chardonnay wine in fact Vietnamese pineapple alcohol

[PingandSingh]

I was adviced by the staff of a big wine eatery shop (with many branches allover LOS - land of scams - not smiles anymore) to buy a very nice Australian white wine from the Chardonnay grapes. Reading the small letters on the back of the bottle I was shocked to learn that in fact it was a Vietnamese fruit alcohol based on pineapples.

It is getting worse by the minute with Thailand. Corruption and scams everywhere - every second and no checking - responsibility.

Last nite I could not sleep as we had "salad bar buffet" in a famous "American" restaurant with many branches also. Wyfe told me everyone is using chemicals now in the food chain and headache and no sleep are the side effects. With DDT still used on a large scale in Thailand I get more and more anxious, upset and angry.

More: The shop can recommend me a Vietnamese fruit alcohol as a decent Australian white Chardonnay wine without problems or fear but I cannot name the shop on this forum.......... I could get banned or go to jail even on defamation charges.

[bazmlb]

I am told with the wine it is how they get it in with such low taxes, they bring concentrate from Australia and mix fruit with it here before bottling to get a lower tax rate

[Ulysses G.]

There have always been scams here. That is nothing new, but most scammers don't include the actual ingredients on a bottle of "fake" wine. They better go back to scammer school.

[Oscar2]

i can't comment about the wine, but don't doubt what you say.

as for the chemicals being sprayed on our vegetables, this is getting worse with every passing year. we too, notice the headaches, etc. from eating vegetables outside the house (which we rarely do any more). we questioned one little old lady at a farmers market kind of place near Mae Rim and she told us that if she does not spray numerous chemicals on her vegetables to "make them look beautiful", no one will buy them. she said "Thai people will pay more for vegetables that look beautiful, even though they are full of chemicals and she won't eat them." it's scary that a little old lady who obviously knows nothing about chemicals (and may even be illiterate) is mixing them up herself and spraying them on the produce! now we mostly buy Royal Project vegetables or if we buy from Muang Mai we soak them Sodium Bicarbonate for at least 20 minutes and then rinsing them.

[CMKiwi]

Unbelieveable.... but I suppose if you stick to the saying about if something seems to good to be true. Ive seen wines and spirits up in Mae Sai that appear too cheap (Myanmar side and in the crazy maze of a market). I once bought and tried a bottle of Bundaberg Rum from one of those places.... and I`ll never repeat that mistake. A headache from hell not just a hangover.

As many have stated, the duty free shop directly opposite Myanmar immigration seems to be the only place that has legit grog/booze/alcohol. Very good selection of Aussie and Kiwi wine there albeit a tad expensive but you do get what you pay for.

[eyecatcher]

Does anyone know at what point during the growing period these "chemicals" are sprayed?

It would appear to me that if they are sprayed as seedlings then the chemical becomes infused into the plant.....therefore no amount of washing or bicarb sterilisation will make any difference.

But isn't it exactly the same in the west? But there its given a fancy name GMO crops, genetically modified by chemicals probably.

[canopus1969]

According to THIS it is made with (real) grapes - nothing to do pineapples !

[Sparkles]

According to THIS it is made with (real) grapes - nothing to do pineapples !

There is a big promotional push from this company right now. The wine sho,p near Rimping, Airport Plaza, has a large display. Also seen ads in many local magazines so seems they are here for the long haul.

Having just returned from Australia and sampling some excellent wines at half the price we pay here (because of import tax) I was loathe to try some.

Seems the chances of buying anything at a reasonable cost, and quality, in Thailand is evaporating.

[bluweyze]

One of the newer red wine boxes 'Peter L*** ' sold by the 4 litres at a very reasonable price is in fact wine and pomegranate juice. You have to read the small print but to be fair it doesn't call itself wine it calls itself 'House Red'. Despite that it is drinkable.

[rajyindee]

According to THIS it is made with (real) grapes - nothing to do pineapples !

The ad says they are "blended" wines which, in this example, means the red and white contain less than 75% shiraz and chardonnay grapes respectively. It's the exact breakdown of "ingredients" that is being questioned.

[PostmanPat]

So according to their own blurb, Jump Yard is suitable for "new wine drinkers and party lovers".......so it is not suitable then for anyone who knows anything about wine!

Actually, I tried a bottle of the red as was intrigued about the low price. Its quite drinkable if you are OK with Montclair, Peter Vella etc. In fact, it tastes as though if you syphoned Montclair into the empty bottle, there you have it or very similar.....so therefore do the maths.....75 centilitre for 349 baht or 5 litres for 950 baht????????? Hmmm !

[Thai at Heart]

i can't comment about the wine, but don't doubt what you say.

as for the chemicals being sprayed on our vegetables, this is getting worse with every passing year. we too, notice the headaches, etc. from eating vegetables outside the house (which we rarely do any more). we questioned one little old lady at a farmers market kind of place near Mae Rim and she told us that if she does not spray numerous chemicals on her vegetables to "make them look beautiful", no one will buy them. she said "Thai people will pay more for vegetables that look beautiful, even though they are full of chemicals and she won't eat them." it's scary that a little old lady who obviously knows nothing about chemicals (and may even be illiterate) is mixing them up herself and spraying them on the produce! now we mostly buy Royal Project vegetables or if we buy from Muang Mai we soak them Sodium Bicarbonate for at least 20 minutes and then rinsing them.

When it comes to vegetables and processed meat in Thailand, NO ONE tells Thai agribusiness what to do. They are untouchable and beyond reproach.

So, take it or leave it is the message for the Thai consumer. Pesticide use in Thailand is very high and it is timed incorrectly. Plus can change.

[Mekong Bob]

Where's the Thai Ministry of Health?

[eyecatcher]

^{Where's the Thai Ministry of Health?}

Well, last week they were acting as the "accident prevention panel" discussing last weeks carnage.

Probably the same team of 4.

[PingandSingh]

Not sure one can get away with this in any given western country.

On the back it says "fruit wine" and I do not see grapes as a ingredient. It is however promoted as wine..................

Bottle back label is attached.

[Showbags]

So it was Wine Connection and Sizzler right ?

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

How much per bottle?

Wicked hangover the next morning?

[ThaidDown]

Cannot see where the 'pineapples' come from, the label says ' of apple and passion-fruit' does not mean it contains those items.

It is sold as a fruit wine since as a blend it cannot be described as a specific wine type eg Chardonnay or Shiraz as it will not contain a large enough percentage of a specific wine type to qualify. Also as a fruit wine could easily contain grapes, I think they are fruit.

The important thing is how much and what did it taste like, never found any of these cheapies to come up to the standard of even reasonable wine, but as a drink some are ok.

[Ulysses G.]

Cannot see where the 'pineapples' come from, the label says ' of apple and passion-fruit' does not mean it contains those items.

"Notes of". Doesn't that mean a hint of the smell/taste - like saying that a wine has a hint of chestnuts or coffeebeans? It is not to be taken literally.

[quidnunc]

Does anyone know at what point during the growing period these "chemicals" are sprayed?

It would appear to me that if they are sprayed as seedlings then the chemical becomes infused into the plant.....therefore no amount of washing or bicarb sterilisation will make any difference.

But isn't it exactly the same in the west? But there its given a fancy name GMO crops, genetically modified by chemicals probably.

Actually, that would be the best way to use pesticides. In the system called Integrated Pest Management pesticides are only used early on so that by the time the plant is ready to be harvested, the chemicals are out of the plant's system.

[quidnunc]

According to THIS it is made with (real) grapes - nothing to do pineapples !

It doesn't really say that. It just says it made "using Chardonnay grapes." It doesn't say it's made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes. In fact, why would they call it a blend if it were made from just Chardonnay grapes. I'm not saying it's made with other fruit juices, it may be made with other kinds of grapes, but nothing I read says that it's made only from grapes. The same goes for the red. Maybe I'm looking at the wrong place?

[Saan]

'Decadently rich, gloriously exuberant wine with rich ripe blueberry/darkchocolate/musky plum/meaty aromas. A very rich, sweet concentrated palate crammed with musky plum/mocha fruit and balanced with savoury, cedar oak and abundant ripe chocolaty tannins.'

Above are the tasting notes from Australia's most famous win Penfold's Grange Hermitage. Despite reference not a sliver of chocolate nor a musky plum was used in the making of this wine. I suspect the same applies to the OPs chardonnay - not a drop of pineapple in the blending, the reference just being the tasting notes.

[marcusd]

If it is AUSTRALIAN wine read the label. It is labelled and bottled in Australia. Not Vietnam. And Australia does not need to do this as tarifs are ending in a year or so due to,the Thailand Australia free trade agreement.

Marcusd. Via tapatalk

[PingandSingh]

'Decadently rich, gloriously exuberant wine with rich ripe blueberry/darkchocolate/musky plum/meaty aromas. A very rich, sweet concentrated palate crammed with musky plum/mocha fruit and balanced with savoury, cedar oak and abundant ripe chocolaty tannins.'

Above are the tasting notes from Australia's most famous win Penfold's Grange Hermitage. Despite reference not a sliver of chocolate nor a musky plum was used in the making of this wine. I suspect the same applies to the OPs chardonnay - not a drop of pineapple in the blending, the reference just being the tasting notes.

Saan,

I can follow your comment but why should one put "fruit wine" in small letters on the rear label if it is indeed a chardonnay wine?

[Saan]

'Decadently rich, gloriously exuberant wine with rich ripe blueberry/darkchocolate/musky plum/meaty aromas. A very rich, sweet concentrated palate crammed with musky plum/mocha fruit and balanced with savoury, cedar oak and abundant ripe chocolaty tannins.'

Above are the tasting notes from Australia's most famous win Penfold's Grange Hermitage. Despite reference not a sliver of chocolate nor a musky plum was used in the making of this wine. I suspect the same applies to the OPs chardonnay - not a drop of pineapple in the blending, the reference just being the tasting notes.

Saan,

I can follow your comment but why should one put "fruit wine" in small letters on the rear label if it is indeed a chardonnay wine?

Could be bad grammar and they meant to say fruity wine.

[spawn]

The back label shown is for "belleville", a grape wine blended with fruits by Dalat bottling in Vietnam for BB&B.

The wine the OP was referring to is Jump Yard, same process and blended in the same processing plant I believe, but for another Thai Importer.

I heard that since it is too prohibitively expensive to import the Italian's 2 Litres and bag in box of "real" wine, that's how Thai importer will do to circumvent the taxes…mmmm, Aroy!

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Not sure one can get away with this in any given western country.

On the back it says "fruit wine" and I do not see grapes as a ingredient. It is however promoted as wine..................

Bottle back label is attached.

Jeezz.. It's a legal classification. That's why it says Fruit Wine.

So exactly the same as Mont Clair et al. It's a mix of Chardonnay/Shiraz grapes with some other fruits, blended to approximate a normal tasting very mainstream wine as much as possible.

Drama Queen.

Land of Scams.. indeed. "Land or Weird Wine Taxes and Ingenious Workarounds" more like.

I'm off to Wine Connection tomorrow to buy a bottle and will report back with some useful comments.

Edited April 19, 2014 by WinnieTheKhwai

[MESmith]

I'm off to Wine Connection tomorrow to buy a bottle and will report back with some useful comments.

If you're going to buy plonk, get it in a box, it's cheaper. I'm off to get my 3 bottles of slightly better stuff at Mae Sai duty free.

[stigvinck]

Hmm...

Sent from my SM-P601 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[quidnunc]

Not sure one can get away with this in any given western country.

On the back it says "fruit wine" and I do not see grapes as a ingredient. It is however promoted as wine..................

Bottle back label is attached.

Jeezz.. It's a legal classification. That's why it says Fruit Wine.

So exactly the same as Mont Clair et al. It's a mix of Chardonnay/Shiraz grapes with some other fruits, blended to approximate a normal tasting very mainstream wine as much as possible.

Drama Queen.

Land of Scams.. indeed. "Land or Weird Wine Taxes and Ingenious Workarounds" more like.

I'm off to Wine Connection tomorrow to buy a bottle and will report back with some useful comments.

It may be a legal classification but it's also an accurate one. And a classification which the makers of this "wine" do their best to obscure. Since most people's idea of wine is something made from grapes and grapes only, I don't think scam is too harsh a characterization. And what do you mean by workaround? That it's somehow okay to give the impression that an alcoholic concoction is made from grapes only because the price is too high for wine made from 100 percent grapes? I think you're confused.