Thai fruit wine, new name for all wines in Thailand to reduce tax ?

[amjamj]

Hi,

 

Have you noticed that most wine sold in Thailand are now called "fruit wine" ?

 

And do you know why ?

 

I just found out !

http://wineandabout.com/business/fruit-appearing-shelves/

 

But I do not feel that these wines are sold any cheaper, 299 thb for a a wine that would cost less than 100 thb in EU or US is still way too much...

 

Any idea ?

 

 

 

[Halfaboy]

I think these wines would not be sold at all in Europe as nobody wants to drink something like this.

[1BADDAT]

I don't think most of the wine sold in Thailand is fruit wine, but almost all of the cheap wine is.  If you are going to buy something like this then you might as well buy it in a big box and pay a lot less than 299 per bottle.  The more sensible option is to buy decent wine or don't buy it at all in Thailand.

 

I just got a case (12) of wine in California (where i currently live) for 1,000 baht from my friend that works at a winery.  Hard to justify spending 1,000 baht per bottle for the same thing in Thailand.

Edited December 19, 2016 by 1BADDAT

[daveAustin]

Junk, sold at premium prices. Thailand is actually quite healthy for me since the choice of reasonably priced (decent) alcohol is so small that I won't drink much anymore on principle. The alternative: the three boring 'beers' or gut-cleaning Lao Khao. Stroll on. 

[amjamj]

12 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Junk, sold at premium prices. Thailand is actually quite healthy for me since the choice of reasonably priced (decent) alcohol is so small that I won't drink much anymore on principle. The alternative: the three boring 'beers' or gut-cleaning Lao Khao. Stroll on. 

 

 

True ! same for weed ! I had to quit here, too bad quality compared to back home !!

 

 

 

[William C F Pierce]

I wound not trust it. I have tried an Australian wine from the Big C supermarket at 169 Baht a bottle. It tasted perfect. The only Thai drink I trust is Chang beer knowing it has won the top prize at 2 European beer festivals.

[nisakiman]

On 20/12/2016 at 7:41 AM, amjamj said:

 

 

True ! same for weed ! I had to quit here, too bad quality compared to back home !!

 

 

 

 

Sadly, that was not always the case. When I was travelling in Thailand in 1971, Buddha Sticks were the standard fare, and they were really top quality. Thai sticks had a reputation for being some of the best grass in the world back then.

 

The Thai government, however, seem to prefer their youth to be doing meth, killing themselves and each other and destroying the lives of those around them. So they cracked down so hard on grass that the decent stuff just disappeared. To be replaced, as we know, with the much easier to conceal Yaa Baa. Yet another example of stupidity writ large.

 

Wine prices here are a joke.When I'm at home in Greece, I drink wine. The occasional beer, but mostly wine. My everyday table wine I buy in a 10 Litre box, It's a 2013 Merlot, 13% ABV, and although not by any stretch of the imagination a fine wine, is nevertheless very drinkable - certainly a million times better than the crap you get here in the big bottles for 600 Baht. And for my 10 Litre box, I pay €18.70 (about 690 Baht at current rates).

 

I've never understood why one can buy a branded bottle of Scotch, Johnny Walker Red or whatever, for less than a bottle of mediocre wine. How do they justify such incredibly high taxes on this particular product? The tax on wine, after everything is totted up, works out at about 430%. Why? Why so much more than the tax on spirits?

 

I just don't understand it.

[zyphodb]

Possibly because the "Elites" like Whiskey but haven't developed a taste for wine, so therefore Wine is for Farangs so tax it to the hilt. Plus of course the local booze monopolies don't make it, so don't want the locals getting a taste for it....  

[little mary sunshine]

OMG people, unless you're a wino treat yourself 

to a nice bottle of wine to have with your dinner,

rent, electric, Thai food is so inexpensive why all

the whining about the price of a bottle of wine!

 

Some people just have to bitch!!

[jippytum]

I have been to a few agricultural shows and exhibitions  with Thai wine on display .I have tried some of the samples not simply to get something for free but to genuinely find a Thai wine i liked so i could make a purchase  .Sadly all failed the taste test .Anyone had more luck and can recommend one they like?

[topt]

OP (and others) may want to peruse this thread -

Lots in there about "fruit wines" and others. As 1BADDAT says it is all the entry point priced wine and by no means "most wine".

[FredNL]

Fruit wine = FAKE wine

[Jai Dee]

From Big Chilli: According to several importers, fruit wine sold in Thailand is a mixture of grape juice comprising one or more varietals, and juice that’s made from a fruit (often mulberry). There is confusion, however, about the ratio of this mix. Some say it can be as much as 95% grape juice, while others say it is supposed to contain no less than 80% pure grape juice, the rest being fruit concentrate.
     
Because it’s a mixture, fruit wine falls into a lower category of excise duty compared to imported wine. According to official figures, imported wine comprising 100% grapes attracts a duty of 300-400%, whereas local wines (“input locally”) as well as wines made from grapes grown in Thailand carry an excise duty of just 100%.

 

Read the entire article here.

[Guest Jerry787]

On 12/19/2016 at 11:53 PM, 1BADDAT said:

I don't think most of the wine sold in Thailand is fruit wine, but almost all of the cheap wine is.  If you are going to buy something like this then you might as well buy it in a big box and pay a lot less than 299 per bottle.  The more sensible option is to buy decent wine or don't buy it at all in Thailand.

 

I just got a case (12) of wine in California (where i currently live) for 1,000 baht from my friend that works at a winery.  Hard to justify spending 1,000 baht per bottle for the same thing in Thailand.

well from the winery the wine need to be shipped to a export port, get an export document, from there shipped to Thailand, clear importa tax, duty and what ever gov fee required, then the importer shall make a profit in order to exist.

 

[portroyal]

Funny...

buy a bottle of Shiraz (true wine, not fruit) by Hua Hin wineyards. Price is 24€

buy the same in France (sold by Carrefour). Price is 5€

Oups !

[roger101]

I drink a fruit wine on a regular bases. As a cheap wine I find it enjoyable and tasty. Its not that I don't like "real" wine but indoors while cooking and then eating it goes down well. By the way my favorite wine is Barolo but I can't afford it.

[IAMHERE]

On 12/20/2016 at 0:41 PM, amjamj said:

 

 

True ! same for weed ! I had to quit here, too bad quality compared to back home !!

 

 

 

True ! same for steak; I quit here because of the quality and/or price.

[thai3]

2 hours ago, FredNL said:

Fruit wine = FAKE wine

Rubbish, a lot of Australian and S African wine also has fruit wine on the label

[abab]

Wine connection has real wine for 399 thb.

 

[rott]

1 hour ago, portroyal said:

Funny...

buy a bottle of Shiraz (true wine, not fruit) by Hua Hin wineyards. Price is 24€

buy the same in France (sold by Carrefour). Price is 5€

Oups !

Not disputing your facts, but why post? Everybody knows that wine prices here are stupid, bit pointless commenting.

 

For what it's worth I have the occasional bottle of mulberry wine which is priced either side of 200 baht depending where you buy from. To me it's at least as good as the 300/350 a bottle normal wine. 

[abab]

6 hours ago, zyphodb said:

Possibly because the "Elites" like Whiskey but haven't developed a taste for wine, so therefore Wine is for Farangs so tax it to the hilt. Plus of course the local booze monopolies don't make it, so don't want the locals getting a taste for it....  

 

 

It seems that you really dont know the elites.

 

Even BAANORK Thai drink wine now anyway, do you think that 7/11 is selling wine only to farang ????

 

 

 

 

[abab]

17 hours ago, William C F Pierce said:

I wound not trust it. I have tried an Australian wine from the Big C supermarket at 169 Baht a bottle. It tasted perfect. The only Thai drink I trust is Chang beer knowing it has won the top prize at 2 European beer festivals.

 

169 thb australian wine never happened and will never happen. Look at the sticker again and understand.

 

 

[GreasyFingers]

17 minutes ago, thai3 said:

Rubbish, a lot of Australian and S African wine also has fruit wine on the label

But the grape juice is imported (less tax) then they add the alcohol here.

[brewsterbudgen]

Grapes are fruit, right? Not much wrong with a bottle of cheap fruit wine, as long as you're not a wine snob!

[chilli42]

7 hours ago, zyphodb said:

Possibly because the "Elites" like Whiskey but haven't developed a taste for wine, so therefore Wine is for Farangs so tax it to the hilt. Plus of course the local booze monopolies don't make it, so don't want the locals getting a taste for it....  

The 'elites' really do like good wine and they buy the best ... $70 on up at US street prices.  Whiskey, to them, is for teens and the staff. Much of what they drink is bought in duty free.  As you can imagine, very easy for them to ship in 5-10 cases duty free. A good portion are 'gifts' should it be know they appreciate a good drop.  When they go out to dinner they bring their own wine from the home collection.

 

Back to the tax.  Like everything else here there is no rhym or reason that they target to tax wine.  The only possible reason I can think of, and I am reaching here, is the  beer makers and whiskey distributors want to suppress consumption of wine and have lobbied to have it heavily taxed.

[SiSePuede419]

Depends.  If you like "sweet" Thai wine is OK.  It might be nice in cooking.

 

I bought some Australian wine in Thailand last year and it had too much sulfate and gave me a skin flush.  Same with some wine from Chile that I bought in America.

 

Best idea: Bring some box wine the next time you go to Thailand.  Take the bag out of the box and put it in another bag or two for safety.

 

 Aside from the weight, it's the biggest bang for the baht ?

[William C F Pierce]

2 hours ago, abab said:

 

169 thb australian wine never happened and will never happen. Look at the sticker again and understand.

 

 

I always read the wine labels. It was bought in Big C December 2015 and tasted                                                                    better than some more expensive wines.

[wump]

2 hours ago, chilli42 said:

Back to the tax.  Like everything else here there is no rhym or reason that they target to tax wine.  The only possible reason I can think of, and I am reaching here, is the  beer makers and whiskey distributors want to suppress consumption of wine and have lobbied to have it heavily taxed.

But beer is taxed heavily as well? The cheapest beer in Germany is under 11 Baht for 500 ml (including 19% VAT AND beer tax). The cheapest beer here? Cheers 490 ml at 44 Baht. Thats 300% more.

 

About the same tax as wine it seems (though I know in reality it is some 170%). 

 

We once did a project for uni in Bangkok, trying to import Argentinian wine. Guess what? The total for a $5 imported bottle came to 500 Baht... and that is before any profit. The taxes over here are just crazy.

Edited February 19, 2017 by wump

[rickudon]

Interesting.I have drunk Peter Vella and it is ok as a basic table wine. Currently i buy Castle Creek Red, and yes, it is a fruit wine - but bottled in Australia and better than the Vella. Has a blue label but quite reasonable at under 400 baht for 2 litres, I have tried some of the sub 200 baht a bottle Thai fruit wines, and they were appalling, better off to drink Spy than those.....

[wump]

AFAIK there is a trade agreement with Australia, that's why you "only" pay 400 Baht for your $6.99 cask.