Top 100 wines of Thailand

Discovering the wine region of Thailand

Thailand, formerly known as Siam, is a kingdom in Southeast Asia. Located in the centre of the Indochinese peninsula, it borders Malaysia to the south, Cambodia to the southeast, Laos to the east and Myanmar (Burma) to the west. Thailand is perhaps best known for its beer, with brands such as Chang and Singha, but it also has a number of rum producers and the wine industry is also beginning to gain international recognition, often through pairings with Thai cuisine. Thailand's first Vineyards were planted in the 1960s and were intended to produce table Grapes, but over the past three or four decades a number of vinifera varieties have also been grown.

Given the tropicalClimate of Thailand (located between latitudes 5 and 20 degrees North), these early attempts at winemaking were not to be successful. Rot and fungal diseases thrive in the heat and humidity that characterize the Thai climate. The lack of seasonal variations (necessary for the vine to become dormant) and diurnal temperature variations were also considered insurmountable obstacles to the production of quality wine. Although these elements are still present, their effect is now minimized by technology and adaptive viticultural techniques.

Thai vineyards are planted with a variety of grapes, but the most common is Malaga Blanc, a table grape from the south of France, not to be confused with Semillion, whose Spanish name is Malaga. It is believed that the White Malaga arrived in Thailand (then called Siam) in the late 17th century, given to the King of Siam by a French diplomat. It is grown in the spectacular floating vineyards of the Chao Praya Delta, where the harvested grapes are transported by small canoes along canals between the rows of vines. The Thick skins of the grapes help to cope with the country's Heavy rainfall.