Thailand's booming wine industry in Khao Yai

[george]

Thailand's booming wine industry in Khao Yai

PB Valley Khao Yai Winery

KHAO YAI: -- Wine is not the first thing you think of when you think of Thailand, perhaps elephants, perhaps warm luxurious beaches, but wine no. Nevertheless Thailand has a wine industry slowly emerging, primarily in Hua Hin, a not so sleepy coastal town and Khao Yai, a rampart of greenery north east of Bangkok. It is less than two hours drive up the expressway from Bangkok to the relatively peaceful countryside at the edge of Khao Yai National Park, the birthplace of the Khao Yai wine region.

Khao Yai means big mountain in Thai and the National Park covers an area of almost two hundred square miles with endless hills, evergreen forests and grasslands. Traditionally, wine grapes are grown between the latitudes of 30° and 50° degrees in the Northern and Southern hemispheres. In contrast, most of Thailands vineyards lie between 14°N and 18° N a region once considered unsuitable for wine grapes. At one time, you wouldnt often hear the words wine and Thailand in the same sentence.

These days its a different story. Prayut Piangbunta is Thailands first oenologist/winemaker and the Director & Chief Winemaker at Khao Yai Winery. He produces a range of exceptional new latitude Thai wines using international varietals like Chenin Blanc, Colombard, Shiraz, Tempranillo which of course, is normally associated with Spain as well some Cabernet Sauvignon and Dornfelder which originates in Germany. The Chenin Blanc with its natural acidity adapts well to the local climate and the Shiraz produces surprisingly elegant and complex wines, not unlike their distant Rhône cousins.

The winery lies in a 1,000 acre plantation and with two fully-accredited Thai winemakers and state-of-the-art technology it has the capacity to produce a million bottles a year. PB Khao Yai Winery currently produces eight wines which over the years won recognition by receiving gold, silver and bronze medals from the Decanter Magazine and at AWC Vienna International Wine Challenge which is the largest international blind winetasting held every year. No doubt these achievements have gladdened the heart of Dr. Piya Bhirombhakdi who planted the first vineyard in Kao Yai twenty-five years ago. (The letters PB are the initials of Dr. Piya Bhirombhakdi, the founder of the company.)

Wine isnt the only thing on the menu, Khao Yai Winery is also the home of outstanding Schnapps made from Lychee which a visiting wine critic named an after dinner drink made in heaven. Besides producing wines PB Valley estate has also become a tourist attraction in its right as the professionally conducted wine tasting tours have received awards from the Tourism Authority of Thailand and have become a magnet for domestic and international tourists.

Wine tasting tours are conducted daily at 10:30 am / 01:30 pm and 03:30 pm. The tour lasts about 75 to 90 minutes. The rates are Baht 300 per adult and Baht 200 for children 4 to 12 years of age. (Children are served 100% fresh grape juice produced from grapes grown in the estate.

More photos here (Dropbox)

To round up the culinary experience one can enjoy Western, Thai and as well some Fusion specialties (partly matched to the wines grown in the estate) at The Great Hornbill Grill offering a great view of the vineyards and gardens with a backdrop of the mountains of the Khao Yai National Park.

-- 2015-03-02

[robblok]

Its easy to have a winery here as they tax the foreign competition that much that people would even consider drinking Thai wine.

Its the Thai way.. win by monopoly and not by quality. Take the competition out and don't go for quality.

If there was not 300% or so % tax on wines I am sure nobody would drink Thai wines.

[HeijoshinCool]

Tried it, horrid stuff. I don't believe it won any legitimate international medals.

Who authored this story?

[Costas2008]

Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

Already planning a trip to Khao Yai.

I love wine more than beer but what I don't like is paying high prices for wine.

I will update you after my trip and wine tasting.

[Halfaboy]

Looking forward hearing about your trip (and experiences).

[trainman34014]

Tried Thai wine twice and that was twice too many ! Result....cut down on wine drinking but buy the odd overpriced foreign bottle when fancied or wait until overseas trips and bring back decent stuff with us.

[JAS21]

Its easy to have a winery here as they tax the foreign competition that much that people would even consider drinking Thai wine.

Its the Thai way.. win by monopoly and not by quality. Take the competition out and don't go for quality.

If there ws not 300% or so % tax on wines I am sure nobody would drink Thai wines.

Are you sure what you have said about the tax on Thai wine, or are you just thinking it must be? It's taxed quite heavily actually... having said that we stayed at a winery in Khao Ya a while back when some friends visited.

The owner gave us some of his prize winning wine ... all I can say is that it's an acquired taste!

Edited March 2, 2015 by JAS21

[ChrisY1]

It's crap..........tried many Thai wines and it's terrible.

Sent from my GT-P7510 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[khwaibah]

Thai wines suck and thats the good points.

Edited March 2, 2015 by khwaibah

[mike324]

Bought two bottles couple years ago, they weren't cheap also 1500 + plus if I remember correctly, tasted horrible. Surprise that some of their wines won some good ratings from reputable competitions. Perhaps the ones I picked up were no good.

Save your money, you can buy a good bottle of imported wine for around 1200-1500 baht.

[robblok]

Its easy to have a winery here as they tax the foreign competition that much that people would even consider drinking Thai wine.

Its the Thai way.. win by monopoly and not by quality. Take the competition out and don't go for quality.

If there ws not 300% or so % tax on wines I am sure nobody would drink Thai wines.

Are you sure what you have said about the tax on Thai wine, or are you just thinking it must be? It's taxed quite heavily actually... having said that we stayed at a winery in Khao Ya a while back when some friends visited.

The owner gave us some of his prize winning wine ... all I can say is that it's an acquired taste!

Those where the figures quoted for imported wines. If you have better figures i quickly agree. This was just told to me and for a fact I know its taxed a lot.

[ourmanflint]

Have tried and loved Monsoon Valley many times over the years and they have always been very good. Monsoon Valley is made on Prachuap Kiri khan though and I have only had them outside of Thailand. They stand up well to Australian and NZ wines. Maybe the good stuff is exported while the dregs are sold locally?

[passiflora]

I have tasted many in a store in Nong Khai, it's just UNDRINKABLE

Edited March 2, 2015 by passiflora

[bikerbri]

They have to be joking. Once you have tasted the stuff you will never ask for another bottle.Its dire.

[StefanBBK]

Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

Already planning a trip to Khao Yai.

I love wine more than beer but what I don't like is paying high prices for wine.

I will update you after my trip and wine tasting.

If you love wine, you will be disappointed. I have tried around quite a bit and have not found anything that did no leave scares on my tongue.

Have some grapes instead.

Edited March 2, 2015 by StefanBBK

[senor123]

Have tried and loved Monsoon Valley many times over the years and they have always been very good. Monsoon Valley is made on Prachuap Kiri khan though and I have only had them outside of Thailand. They stand up well to Australian and NZ wines. Maybe the good stuff is exported while the dregs are sold locally?

Well, maybe your tastes are different to mine. I give kudos to anyone who produces wine. Not an easy game but for many it is a labour of love. However I have tasted a few Thai wines and they have a long way to go before they even reach the standard of a 6 dollar bottle cleanskin of Oz or NZ goon.

[bikerlou47]

Thai wine is got to be the worst!

[tommy2toes]

I'm not sure how many of you guys have actually tasted the wine from Khao Yai, but they do produce some very good Wine.

We did a 2 day push bike trip with Spice Roads a couple of years ago visiting a couple of wineries. (PB was one of them).

The good wines were very good, and as with most places the cheaper years were not great.

I bought a few bottles to take back to Bangkok and enjoyed them with some Thai friends.

Further to this, if you get to Inle in Myanmar, there is a very good winery here as well.

Edited March 2, 2015 by tommy2toes

[HeijoshinCool]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who has tried it and thought it disgusting, not to mention outrageously expensive.

Bought a very drinkable Chilean Pinot Noir Friday evening; 125 baht.

[taony]

Where did you get that?

[Tredz]

Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

Already planning a trip to Khao Yai.

I love wine more than beer but what I don't like is paying high prices for wine.

I will update you after my trip and wine tasting.

If you love wine, you will be disappointed. I have tried around quite a bit and have not found anything that did no leave scares on my tongue.

Have some grapes instead.

+1

[wolfmanjack]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who has tried it and thought it disgusting, not to mention outrageously expensive.

Bought a very drinkable Chilean Pinot Noir Friday evening; 125 baht.

I would like to know where you got the chilean wine for 125 baht if you don't mind telling.

[Daniel Ingalls]

For the past 5 years I have been searching for some locally produced wines. Bought two bottles of wine in Boson near the umbrella factory in Chiang Mai Area. I chilled the two bottles. It was a red fruity wine. The color looked inviting, the smell after opening the bottle was Ok. Then I noticed the bottle was a reused

Thong Hong whiskey bottle with a new name glued to the bottle. It became very apparent that the label was made using a jet computer printer. To

make a long story short. Was the worst example of Thai wine. At 200 baht per bottle it was a classic rip off. They (seller) skipped town. Haven't seen them

for quite a while. Also don't buy bottle wine they sell on the side of the road when traveling. Chances are its home made sludge pigs will turn their noses at. Another rip off is the so called bottle of Honey, actually 50% honey, 50% karro syrup, it also in a reused whiskey bottle. They add a little bit of bee wax on the top to make it look legit. To check if it is real, refrigerate it as well, if the honey separates from the Karro, (and you will see it) its fake. They are very cleaver little scammers. Olive oil is another big scammer. Real Olive oil will stay clear when refrigerated, fake olive oil will get cloudy if refrigerated The two are hard to distinguish unless you use the refrigeration check. Don't be fooled by the label Extra virgin even some well know brand are faked It has been labeled as one of the worlds biggest scams out of Italy, Grease, and Spain ! ...........FYI.

[HerbalEd]

There is no such thing as a good wine being grown/made in a tropical location. It can't be done.

[godden]

By what i read here i'll be giving it a miss.

[White Christmas13]

There is no such thing as a good wine being grown/made in a tropical location. It can't be done.

Australia ?

You got to be joking have a look where the regions are for growing grapes and wineries you call

the Hunter Vally or swan vally or Margaret River tropic?

[NeverSure]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who has tried it and thought it disgusting, not to mention outrageously expensive.

Bought a very drinkable Chilean Pinot Noir Friday evening; 125 baht.

I would like to know where you got the chilean wine for 125 baht if you don't mind telling.

USA, LOL.

[Johnny S]

Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

Already planning a trip to Khao Yai.

I love wine more than beer but what I don't like is paying high prices for wine.

I will update you after my trip and wine tasting.

Can you please check the thai-Price for the wine tasting tour (300B for falang) so thai-Price must be around 50-100B probably - just got my thai driverlicense and I intend to pay thai-Price from now

Have a nice trip Costas

[Langsuan Man]

Seems to me that any Thai wine that I have bought still has "fruit" mixed in do to the tax

Yes, you don't have to pay import duty for wines produced in Thailand but the government still uses the most convoluted taxing system on earth. Everywhere else in the world tax is determined by the % of alcohol, yet here in Thailand the higher proofed "white spirits" have the least tax and low alcohol content wine has the highest tax

[HeijoshinCool]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who has tried it and thought it disgusting, not to mention outrageously expensive.

Bought a very drinkable Chilean Pinot Noir Friday evening; 125 baht.

I would like to know where you got the chilean wine for 125 baht if you don't mind telling.

.

State liquor store in Salt Lake City.