Christopher Carter, Chief Operating Officer of Siam Winery Company Limited, has issued the following statement: “We started in 2001, with the vision of creating world-class wines right here in Thailand.
After 20 years of dedication, experimentation and passion at our vineyard in Hua Hin, we’ve made great strides towards this goal. From humble beginnings, we today output a yield of 300 tonnes of grapes producing over 300,000 bottles of award-winning wine per year, 70% of which is sold domestically and 30% exported to international markets. Now with the exceptional 2021 harvest, we are excited to build on this with the next vintage”.
Underscoring the quality of Monsoon Valley wines are over 320 international awards received over the years, the most of any Thai wine. Highlights include our Monsoon Valley White Shiraz being named “World’s Best Rose” by James Suckling in 2018, beating out over 150 rosés from around the world in a blind taste test. Another highlight was being the only Thai wine presented to royalty from around the world at the 60th Anniversary of His Majesty Bhumibol Adulyadej’s accession to the Throne.
It’s no secret, great quality grapes create great quality wines and 2021 is shaping up to be an exceptional year for Monsoon Valley’s annual harvest, where the hard work is really bearing fruit.
Mr. Hans-Peter Hoehnen, a German expert in tropical viticulture with over 25 years of experience of winemaking in the tropics explained:
“As any winemaker will attest, growing grapes in a tropical climate presents many unique challenges. For example, we have year-round intense heat polarized by wet and dry seasons which gives two vegetative seasons. In addition, the heavy monsoon rain and immense moisture makes the vines susceptible to disease with limited hours of daylight being so close to the equator.
Because of this, the vineyard needs extensive care and preparation in order for our grapes to thrive. Yet despite all these challenges, the hard work and experimentation over the years means the 2021 Harvest season has produced the best quality grapes to date, and we look forward to our wines being enjoyed by people around the world.”
Mr. Suppached Sasomsin, Winemaker at Siam Winery Company Limited, added:
“As a Winemaker I am very excited about this year’s vintage. Not only was it a bountiful harvest, the high quality allows me to use conventional winemaking techniques to express the terroir. This year’s grapes are incredibly balanced and with over 30 varietals bearing fruit, I’m really looking forward to creating wines with unique character.
On top of our Shiraz, Sangiovese, Chenin Blanc and Colom bard varietals, I’m especially excited about the quality of this year’s Merlot grapes, which has historically been very challenging to grow in Thailand. We have been experimenting with growing Merlot grapes for almost 10 years, and the plants have matured nicely, producing consistently well-balanced fruits over the past 3-4 seasons. We look forward to being amongst Thailand’s first wineries in introducing locally grown Merlot this year.”
Today, Monsoon Valley produces 4 ranges of wines, as follows: Classic range primarily served in Thai restaurants around the world; Premium and Signature range served at leading hotels all over Thailand, and the Cuvée flagship range, which is made from the finest grapes from our vineyard each year.
Monsoon Valley continues to pioneer grape growing techniques in Thailand in order to prove that Monsoon Valley Thai wines can overcome the tropical climate, achieving more than 300 awards from around the world.
Moreover, our awards assure that Thai farmers can grow great quality grapes and produce the best wines. From the aforementioned achievements, we invite both Thais and foreigners to come and enjoy tasting internationally recognized premium quality Thai wines at Monsoon Valley and dining at The SALA Wine Bar & Bistro.
Alternatively, you can visit our vineyard, full of fun excursions throughout the year, such as vineyard tours and cycling tours, wine tastings, elephant feeding, wine safaris, and, most of all, the Harvest Festival held annually from March to April. Furthermore, vineyard staff strictly observe COVID-19 safety measures so that everyone can visit with confidence and harvest enjoyable experiences.
