Here is a report from CNN that may surprise some of the wine lovers out there:

 

Thai Wines

Yes, just try drinking some local wines and see how good they are. All double talk.

I'm no wine connoisseur. I don't drink wine very often. I wouldn't know a fine wine from a mediocre wine. For me, if I like it, then it's a fine wine. If I don't like it, then it's lousy. I've had very expensive wines in my time that I didn't like at all and inexpensive wines that I loved.

 

As for the Thai wines, the same thing applies. I'll try them. Maybe I'll find some that I like and maybe I won't, but I'm not going to discount them out of hand just because I've been taught all my life that the only wines worth drinking are Chateau du Snob.

 

I wonder if any of you have tried wines that aren't even made from grapes. Many say the fruit of the cashew nut tree makes an excellent white wine and the fruit of the Bignay (Antidesma bunius) makes a wine capable of convincing wine experts that they are drinking a fine claret.

 

In any case, if I can get my hands on the wines the video is talking about, I'm certainly willing to give them a try.

 

I have never tasted Thai wine, but thanks to a friend, last year I visited a tiny distillery just north of Chiang Mai which makes stunning world-class liqueurs using Thai fruits. It has only been open about 3 years and so far the entire output is sold to the trade overseas. The liqueurs are similar to the various fruit schnapps you get in Europe but have very distinctive aromas and taste. I for one hope they will soon be available here. They were indeed a revelation.

I visited a tiny distillery just north of Chiang Mai

Can you provide any more details, such as its name, where it is, or how to find it?

Can you provide any more details, such as its name, where it is, or how to find it?

I was not the driver and we were actually coming to it from our friend's house which is further north. I can only say that going north from Chiang Mai it would be about 20 kms out of the city and on a side road off to the right. It looks like a small factory building with a little showroom and carpark at the front. It is run by a Swiss who visits every 3 or 4 months. SInce its produce is only for the trade at present, they do not normally allow visitors. I have a number of photos but will only attach one of the single still.

 

 

they do not normally allow visitors.

That's too bad. I'd love to see this place next time I'm in the area. Maybe your friend can provide more location information. Maybe they don't usually allow visitors, but I wouldn't mind trying. The worst that can happen would be that they would say no.

I have tried a bottle of thai white wine from brunos, and really enjoyed it, but have since failed to find a bottle outside thailand

Here is a report from CNN that may surprise some of the wine lovers out there:

 

Thai Wines

Thanks for the info. I'm in the US now getting my house ready for sale but when I get back home to Thailand I am going to check out the wine area. I really like wine. Would you be interested in taking the trip with me? We could take my car from BKK.

Would you be interested in taking the trip with me? We could take my car from BKK.

If you mean me, yes I would enjoy a trip like that. Maybe you could teach me a thing or two about wine on the way.

 

It all depends on whether I can be available when you're here. Send me a message once you know the dates you'll want to make the trip and we'll see what we can work out.

I'd love to see this place next time I'm in the area. Maybe your friend can provide more location information.

I will try. Sampling the various liqueurs was a wonderful experience. They truly are world class. I just wish they would start selling them here.

If you mean me, yes I would enjoy a trip like that. Maybe you could teach me a thing or two about wine on the way.

 

It all depends on whether I can be available when you're here. Send me a message once you know the dates you'll want to make the trip and we'll see what we can work out.

Gaybutton, I think we will be able to work it out because I live in BKK. Just here in the US to sell my home here. I'll be back in Thailand in the beginning of May.

Gaybutton, I think we will be able to work it out because I live in BKK. Just here in the US to sell my home here. I'll be back in Thailand in the beginning of May.

Sounds good to me. I know where the area is, less than a two hour drive from Bangkok. I'll do my best to be able to go with you. We'll take photos to post and provide what information we can for those who are interested.

I have a friend from the UK who is an accredited wine judge. His skill amazes me - he can, with some french wines, identify not just the area and the grape but go down to the vineyard and which field in the vineyard. And yet he is not a wine snob - he will quite happly try all sorts of wines and use tham as teaching aids etc.

 

When he and his wife came out for a visit we took them to the Village Farm Winery that is on the mountain road between Pattaya and Khorat (about 60kms before Khorat). They have reasonable accomodation on site and a good restaurant, and he was very pleasantly surprised with the quality of some of the wines. Their top class red was comparable with some qute reasonable French wines according to him, and he did not mean vins de pays

 

I had introduced my b/f to red wine early on in our relationship, and he liked it. This was a fantastic opportunity for him to learn a bit about wine.

When he and his wife came out for a visit we took them to the Village Farm Winery

That's one of the stops I'd like to make. There are several wineries in that area. You gents might make a wine person out of me yet. Who knows, it might even mellow me out . . .

 

Village Farm

 

A friend of mine is in the Philippines. I've asked him to bring back a bottle of that bignay wine I mentioned toward the beginning of this thread. He says he will if he can find it.