Guest Posted December 16, 2002 Report Share Posted December 16, 2002 In another thread the issue of (high) prices for a bootle of wine in LOS came up. I let my mind wander and remember a conversation i had a few month ago in a small bar some where on Sukumvit. The cast was a swiss guy who owned a pretty big compay who sells wine, the barowner and your humble narrator, myself. We talked about the prices in Europe and compared them with what you have to pay in Bkk for a bottle of wine of the same origin. To cut a long story short we find that for a very simple wine, nothing fancy at all, you will pay in LOS about 12 time the price of his european conterpart. For really good ones you can calculate with at least 2000% and more. To me it seems that in Thailand it is not importand if you like wine or not, but if you can afford wine. I remember a dinner at a big hotel in BKK where the guy who have to pay the bill nearly collapsed as he saw what he had to pay for a few bottles. Excuse my rambling, its now -12 degrees Celsius outside and i have nothing to do....... mupfel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straycat Posted December 16, 2002 Report Share Posted December 16, 2002 Import tax. There is local 'wine' to be had though. It's cheap as hell and tastes like shit. Same, same beer I would say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarisin Posted December 17, 2002 Report Share Posted December 17, 2002 Good post mupfel, and I couldn't agree with you more. For this reason, I either steer clear of wine with dinner, or just order a carafe of the house brand which is usually passable. One of the worst places I have been with outrageous wine prices was the Seafood Market on Soi 24. We had a bottle of Australian wine that was priced 1,800 baht - good wine, but way overpriced! And, Straycat is right about the local wines. They are horrible. I was given a mangosteen wine for my birthday that tastes like cough medicine! :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 17, 2002 Report Share Posted December 17, 2002 when/if you go to big Thai Weddings most of the times the wine is bought across the border where it is significantly cheaper than Thailand. SB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hippie Posted December 17, 2002 Report Share Posted December 17, 2002 I live less than an hour from the California wine country, and often bring a few bottles over when I come. I was shocked at what they charged in Emporium for the run of the mill stuff!! more than triple! And it wasn't even the "good" cheap stuff! In Laos, last May, we stopped in the duty free shop, and found decent prices on French stuff. My friend opted for a 1/2 gallon of Chinese red wine from the "Xhing???? Valley" had the Napa California like picture on the label etc. Tasted like Hawaian fruit punch! Awful! but they liked the taste, and we all got buzzed on the long ride back to Sakhon Nakhon, so what the hell?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My Cow Jai Posted December 17, 2002 Report Share Posted December 17, 2002 "There is local 'wine' to be had though. It's cheap as hell and tastes like shit." Actually I beg to differ - there is one that is worth a look... Although not a grape based wine, the mangosteen wine produced by Chateaux du Klaeng grown in the Rayong-Chanthaburi provinces is actually quite palatable. A bit cloudy and sedimenty, it has a very robust fruity flavour with good tannin content from the thick leathery red skin of the fruit. Goes down nicely with Nua Yang, Nua Dtet Diaow, Muu Chamuang and other dark Thai dishes. If your a wine fan expecting good wine you may be dissapointed, but as an expat used to the horrors of wine in Thailand, you may be pleasantly surprised. Hic..!..In Vino Veritas... :drunk: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hippie Posted December 17, 2002 Report Share Posted December 17, 2002 I find a cold white wine goes well with most Thai dishes, chardonay, or Reisling, any ideas for a red? Zinfandel maybe...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My Cow Jai Posted December 17, 2002 Report Share Posted December 17, 2002 Your absolutely right, white goes much much better with Thai food. The above red mangosteen wine was a recommendation for those who maybe interested in local Thai wine that is actually drinkable (sort of ). My fav's at the moment are Madfish and Lenswood chardonnay, both from Aus. I like heavy, crisp, acidic white wine, served so cold it is almost forming ice. Whites go very well with most Thai foods but particularly well with spicy salads such as Paa Bplaa or Yam Bplaa Grob. Also Portuguese wine, in particluar the young green wines (vino verde), go very well with the food and climate here. U.S. and Aus Shiraz's and Zinfandel's seem to work better than euro style Cab Sab's with the food here. However, the problem with drinking all red's here is the climate and of course finding the darker and less fiery dishes to go with them... not to mention the appearance of agility-impairing highly-sexed reptiles every time the wine gets opened (trouserus snakus vino collapsus)... NoonnnGGG!! Hai pom iik sahm koo-ut wine see-khaaaoo...burp! hic! lo gkor, hai tor ber khun dooay na kap hic! yang ngai khun bpen puuying soo-ay tii-sut? burp pom rak khun maak na hic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gummigut Posted December 17, 2002 Report Share Posted December 17, 2002 There is some drinkable Thai wines out there. Had some at Chatachuk of all places. Rather impressed (don't know what fruit they used) but not my cup of tea. As stated previously Thai wines are fruity in nature. I tend to dry high tannin content or heavy bodied reds. Though the wine wasn't to my taste, it was easily drinkable and I again, I can see it favored for those with a more fruity palate. As to whites being more appropriate to Thai food... It all depends on what Thai dish you are talking about and what wine you are combining it with. Combining something like a white Chablis or Blanc with a potent curry dish just wouldn't sit well. The wine wouldn't hold its own and would tend to be tasteless / watery. Here you would want a crisp or semi-bold fruity white wine. Heavy red would be to contrasting but I can see something like a poor merlot (I say poor because merlot has been a huge up and commer the past 10-15 years and to increase yields wineries have been increaseing the vines / acre and you don't get such a strong wine as one used too) or some of the fruit red wine blends out of California). Even a fruity Zin might do. Please note that these are all conjecture from past experience as I've never actually had these combinations together at one time. <<burp>> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zaad Posted December 17, 2002 Report Share Posted December 17, 2002 I agree that most wines are overpriced here. In my opinion there's 1 exception though, Chile wine. Quite cheap compared to other quality wine and it tastes pretty good. I still prefer a good Portuguese or French wine, but for the price I would choose a Chile (Merlot) wine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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