Thai Treats (3)

Thai wine comes from vineyards in the narrow band between the 14th and 18th parallels, described by wine writer Lawrence Civil as “New Latitude Wines”. Some grapes tend to do better here than others: Chenin Blanc and Colombard make some excellent whites; Shiraz and the Spanish Tempranillo are making some decent reds. However, there are about 10,000 different varieties of wine grape known (although only between 50 and 60 of them are commonly used) so Thai wineries have plenty of room for further experiment.

GranMonte Primavera Unwooded Chenin Blanc/Colombard 2007 (white) Asoke Valley, Thailand (Bt. 570 at Central)
Here’s something rather special. I admit the name is a bit of a mouthful, so perhaps you might like an explanation. GranMonte is the name of the winery in the heart of the Asoke Valley near the Kao Yai mountains. Primavera is one of the winery’s product ranges and “unwooded” means that the wine has been matured in stainless steel tanks rather than barrels. I know it doesn’t sound so romantic, but the stainless steel allows
the wine to keep its youthful freshness. Chenin Blanc and Colombard are of course, the grape varieties.

This wine is a pleasing golden straw colour with a slightly oily appearance, often a sign of good things to come. There’s a lovely aroma of delicate tropical fruit; pineapples and ripe bananas on a citrus background with – get this – a yeasty hint of ripe Brie. The wine has a remarkable silky, creamy texture which creates a stunning mouth-feel. It is crisp and dry, with perfectly balanced acidity that lingers well into the finish. In case you are wondering, the “finish” is the taste left in the mouth after you’ve swallowed the wine. A long satisfying finish is invariably the sign of a well-made wine. In the case of this one, the finish (or “after-taste” if you prefer) lasts a full minute. I timed it.

Open the bottle an hour in advance and serve the wine cold, but not excessively so. This really is an exceptional quality wine, full of character and best enjoyed on its own, without the distraction of food. Do give it a try.

Siam Winery Monsoon Valley Shiraz 2007 (red) Hua Hin Vineyards, Thailand (Bt. 550 at Villa)
The wine writer Karen MacNeil describes Shiraz wines as “rustic, manly and yet elegant.” The grape is the most important of the Northern Rhone, where it is known by its original name, the Syrah. It produces dark, dramatic wines that are rich in tannin and have an unmistakable mouth-feel to them. A typical Syrah has spicy, peppery aroma sometimes even with the smell of damp earth or leather. The flavour is invariably assertive. During the seventeenth century, French winemakers brought the grape variety to South Africa where it was renamed “Shiraz”, though these days, no one seems to know quite why. This powerful wine is often “tamed” with the addition of other grapes, especially in Australia.

This example is really rather good. It has a rich crimson colour, which comes from the dark-skinned grapes and there is an interesting peppery-dry aroma. The taste hits the palette with a fair old bash. This is typical of Shiraz, although the assertiveness could come as a surprise to the initiated. It’s a full-bodied, quite powerful wine at a generous 13.5% alcohol, with noticeable tannins and only the tiniest hint of sweetness.

Perhaps for some people, Shiraz wines might seem a bit overpowering. However, being a rather butch and manly sort of chap (ask any of my friends) I prefer a wine with a bit of authority. It is very much a wine for food and I’d be confident pairing it with most beef or game dishes. If you like dry powerful reds, you’ll probably enjoy this one very much.

Silverlake Winery Chenin Blanc 2007, (white) Na Jomtien, Thailand. (Bt. 650 at Silverlake vineyard shop)
Silverlake Vineyards lie about 15 kms south of Pattaya close to the Khao Chee Chan Buddha image (that’s the one on the side of the mountain). The vineyards border the eponymous lake, which is actually a reservoir. This is Chonburi’s first vineyard, where they currently make a handful of wines with the promise of more varieties in the future. Wine made from the Chenin Blanc grape has a natural high acidity but when it’s grown in hotter climates, the acidity usually mellows slightly.

The Silverlake Chenin Blanc is a pale straw colour with an attractive aroma of pineapple and (I think) passion fruit. It has a light body; dry and crisp with a good deal of acidity, giving the wine a zesty sharpness and vitality. As I’ve said before, don’t be alarmed by the mention of “acidity” because it occurs in almost everything you eat and drink. At only 12% alcohol, this is an easydrinker but even so, it would probably be best with food such as fish, chicken or some light Thai dishes. To be honest, the price is a bit high for what you actually get, but the financial investment in the new vineyards must have been astronomical. Serve the wine (cold, of course) to friends and you can impress them with the fact that the wine comes from the “vineyard just down the road”.

Incidentally, if you feel like a trip out of town, Silverlake is a pleasant destination down Sukhumvit Highway on the other side of Ban Amphoe. As well as the vineyards, there’s a restaurant, a small pizza place and a shop selling Silverlake wines, excellent table grapes and other products. You can even take a vineyard tour in a two-seater buggy pulled by a diminutive horse. I tried the splendid buggy ride recently and was tempted to break into a lusty rendering of “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top.” I didn’t though, in case my manly baritone voice caused the tiny horse to take fright and bolt.