Good Wine why is it banned in Thailand

[ianezy0]

1 minute ago, geoffbezoz said:

Like your reply that makes me conclude that you are a realistic Australian  rather than a toffee nosed prat who considers wine as anything other than a nice drink. Am I wrong ?

I do like a top shelf cask ????

Mind you, Australian reds are the best in the world!!....Here we go...lol

[geoffbezoz]

2 minutes ago, ianezy0 said:

I do like a top shelf cask ????

Mind you, Australian reds are the best in the world!!....Here we go...lol

As I said previously the best wine is the one you like. Reds, whites, pinks ( sorry rosey) , by the 5 liter box is just right for an evening. But then I don't share it.

[marcusarelus]

9 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

or anywhere else really, have you actually tasted it??

 

Edited April 22, 2019 by marcusarelus

[justin case]

wine, cars.... you buy local SHIT or you have money for import...

[Spidey]

2 hours ago, justin case said:

wine, cars.... you buy local SHIT or you have money for import...

I buy local whenever possible. My car was made in Thailand. However, i don't buy wine in Thailand as I object to paying for vastly overpriced shit.

[StevieAus]

On 4/21/2019 at 1:27 PM, xylophone said:

Apparently it does make a couple of reasonable red wines, however I have never tasted them despite trying, and the best that I could possibly say about them was that they were lacking body and depth.

 

It's possible that one of the problems with grapes in climates like this is that the cold weather is often needed to facilitate "bud set" on the vine, so a change in season will help with the final quality of the wine, and as has been suggested, perhaps Thais don't really want to learn from others, even though I do believe that some winemakers from other countries have come here to try and help with the wine industry, so who knows where it will go..........but again, the climate will not help their cause.

I live in the North and we have the cool season here for a few months so I am sure they could grow the right grapes as there are parts of Aus that are hot in the summer and then have a cool winter.

As you say though you need the wine makers and of course the investment to make it work, a few years before there is any return. Oranges seem to make the money.

[DJ54]

Pick up a bottle or two when you’re at the airport. There’s a good shop near Immigration in Udon Thani carries a large variety.

[marcusarelus]

42 minutes ago, Spidey said:

I buy local SH1T whenever possible. My car was made in Thailand. However, i don't buy wine in Thailand as I object to paying for vastly overpriced SH1T.

I think that's what the OP was trying to accomplish.  However the dissemination of information that decent wines are available for the 4 to 500 baht range has far outweighed your and his attempt to harm the Thai wine retail industry.  

[giddyup]

2 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

Cask wine, who drinks that anywhere??

 

Here, Australia, many places. You need educating.

[Spidey]

1 minute ago, marcusarelus said:

I think that's what the OP was trying to accomplish.  However the dissemination of information that decent wines are available for the 4 to 500 baht range has far outweighed your and his attempt to harm the Thai wine retail industry.  

The overpriced SH1T I was talking about was Jacobs Creek. Nothing to do with the Thai wine industry.

 

When will you start to believe the number of posters that have informed you that you are talking drivel on this subject (and most others)?

[giddyup]

2 hours ago, ianezy0 said:

About $9/10 a bottle in Australia

Try $5.95 https://www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_73148/jacob-s-creek-classic-shiraz-cabernet

[xylophone]

2 hours ago, geoffbezoz said:

I always considered that a good wine is one that you like to drink, not what others suggest you should be drinking.   The wine snobs, and there are many of them, including here on the forum I suspect,  are totally irrelevant to what an individual considers as a nice wine. Wine must be one of the last bastions of snobbery. A bit like when the French poo poo'd the idea of screw top wine bottles heavily promoted by Australians.  Look where that got them !!!.

 

But that said it is unfortunate that imported wine in Thailand is so expensive.  The local markets' wine is not to my pallet but there again "good" is a personal opinion as I said.

There are "good wines" by anyone's definition, to be had in Thailand and they don't have to be that expensive if one looks around carefully.

 

Some folks on here recommend wines and others don't and often when the subject of fruit wine comes up, my comment is that, "everyone to their own" as regards taste, although I don't like it personally.

 

As regards snobbery, well I think every country which has a tradition of making something or another, whether it be wine, or cheese, or pasta etc, thinks they make the best and also wants to preserve the old techniques.

 

The screw top or Stelvin closure is the most commonly used "screw cap" and was actually designed and invented by the French at the behest of the director of the Yalumba winery back in the 60s and later developed further by the Australian wine industry.

 

It was timely because there was a call worldwide for an alternative to corks because of the amount of cork taint and spoiled wine through faulty corks, and although many different methods were tried, they weren't too many that were that successful, so the screwtop was a welcome addition, even though the traditional French are not too keen on it, but that will change, and indeed is changing. 

 

Meanwhile Australia and New Zealand have really taken to the screwtop with a vengeance and it is good to see, as there is nothing like hanging onto a decent wine for 10 years or so, and then opening it to find out that it is oxidised or corked. Dammit!

[marcusarelus]

15 minutes ago, Spidey said:

The overpriced SH1T I was talking about was Jacobs Creek. Nothing to do with the Thai wine industry.

 

When will you start to believe the number of posters that have informed you that you are talking drivel on this subject (and most others)?

Maybe read a little better.  I wrote, "Thai wine RETAIL industry." Not the Thai wine industry as you incorrectly posted. 

[marcusarelus]

7 minutes ago, xylophone said:

There are "good wines" by anyone's definition, to be had in Thailand and they don't have to be that expensive if one looks around carefully.

 

Some folks on here recommend wines and others don't and often when the subject of fruit wine comes up, my comment is that, "everyone to their own" as regards taste, although I don't like it personally.

 

As regards snobbery, well I think every country which has a tradition of making something or another, whether it be wine, or cheese, or pasta etc, thinks they make the best and also wants to preserve the old techniques.

 

The screw top or Stelvin closure is the most commonly used "screw cap" and was actually designed and invented by the French at the behest of the director of the Yalumba winery back in the 60s and later developed further by the Australian wine industry.

 

It was timely because there was a call worldwide for an alternative to corks because of the amount of cork taint and spoiled wine through faulty corks, and although many different methods were tried, they weren't too many that were that successful, so the screwtop was a welcome addition, even though the traditional French are not too keen on it, but that will change, and indeed is changing. 

 

Meanwhile Australia and New Zealand have really taken to the screwtop with a vengeance and it is good to see, as there is nothing like hanging onto a decent wine for 10 years or so, and then opening it to find out that it is oxidised or corked. Dammit!

That's really a good post. And should be read twice by all the people into corks. 

[Kalasin Jo]

I agree it is frustrating that it is so hard to get a decent ( not fine) true ( grape not fruit) wine in Thailand, especially if you live as I do in the NE, for under 500 baht. At least beer does go better with Thai food than wine, ( I don't really do the Thai whisky soda ice thing except to get mau) but I miss a simple straightforward red when I cook and eat western food, then again I miss ground beef too to make bolognaise sauce! I now use pork, bit it's not the same. I miss cheese, I can only get cheddar around my area in Thailand. I'm lucky that I only spend half the year in Thailand, where I always lose weight, and the other half in France where I can indulge in good wines at under €5 ( less than 200 baht) and plenty of ground beef and huge variety of cheeses, not to mention desserts and certain fruit like peaches, plums and nectarines. Of course there I put on the weight again! But hey " when in Rome....." It's one of the reasons that although I love Thailand especially away from the tourist traps I couldn't live there permanently, other than in a tourist trap like Pattaya or BKK. And for other reasons I couldn't live in those places permanently either, although visiting is fine and fun.

[Shaunduhpostman]

As I always mention in the why-the folk-is-wine-so-folkin'-expensive-in-Thailand threads, you can get something probably half of you would like better than Jacobs Creek at most TESCOs. They still have a real grape wine in several varieties, Shiraz, Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay that sells for 345 baht a 750 ml bottle. I forget the name, but it is only available at TESCO and has a Kangaroo on the bottle. Its rather shockingly good for 345 baht which is what I bought it for last week at TESCO in Khon Kaen. Unfortunately, the TESCO in Roi Et nearer my home does not sell it, they stopped carrying it and just about all but a few brands of fake fruit wine. That may be the situation at many TESCOs but there are some that have the kangaroo wine, much better than Jacobs Creek which I find a bit vinegary and boringly one dimensional, a borderline rip off for what, must be 600 baht by now. Another option if you are in Isaan is to go over to Laos and drink plenty of wine which is nearly normal price. I like going over to Savanakhet there are some decent wine shops there and some decent accommodation if you know where to stay. Also, in Bangkok I recently discovered a restaurant near Soi Cowboy called Barcelona Gaudi Restaurant. They have reasonably priced carafes of Spanish wines in some amount of variety. Their website does not list the prices but I had some unforgettably good wine there and the Catalan food also is excellent value and everything I have ordered from tapas and soups to Catalan style canneloni were just delicious. The food menu is quite large, a real education in Catalan food and Spanish wine.

Edited April 22, 2019 by Shaunduhpostman

[metisdead]

A post suggesting making your own wine at home has been removed as home brewing is an illegal activity in Thailand.

 

Some other nonsensical posts have been removed. 

[marcusarelus]

12 hours ago, Shaunduhpostman said:

As I always mention in the why-the folk-is-wine-so-folkin'-expensive-in-Thailand threads, you can get something probably half of you would like better than Jacobs Creek at most TESCOs. They still have a real grape wine in several varieties, Shiraz, Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay that sells for 345 baht a 750 ml bottle. I forget the name, but it is only available at TESCO and has a Kangaroo on the bottle. Its rather shockingly good for 345 baht which is what I bought it for last week at TESCO in Khon Kaen. Unfortunately, the TESCO in Roi Et nearer my home does not sell it, they stopped carrying it and just about all but a few brands of fake fruit wine. That may be the situation at many TESCOs but there are some that have the kangaroo wine, much better than Jacobs Creek which I find a bit vinegary and boringly one dimensional, a borderline rip off for what, must be 600 baht by now. Another option if you are in Isaan is to go over to Laos and drink plenty of wine which is nearly normal price. I like going over to Savanakhet there are some decent wine shops there and some decent accommodation if you know where to stay. Also, in Bangkok I recently discovered a restaurant near Soi Cowboy called Barcelona Gaudi Restaurant. They have reasonably priced carafes of Spanish wines in some amount of variety. Their website does not list the prices but I had some unforgettably good wine there and the Catalan food also is excellent value and everything I have ordered from tapas and soups to Catalan style canneloni were just delicious. The food menu is quite large, a real education in Catalan food and Spanish wine.

This one?

[xylophone]

12 hours ago, Shaunduhpostman said:

As I always mention in the why-the folk-is-wine-so-folkin'-expensive-in-Thailand threads, you can get something probably half of you would like better than Jacobs Creek at most TESCOs. They still have a real grape wine in several varieties, Shiraz, Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay that sells for 345 baht a 750 ml bottle. I forget the name, but it is only available at TESCO and has a Kangaroo on the bottle. Its rather shockingly good for 345 baht which is what I bought it for last week at TESCO in Khon Kaen. Unfortunately, the TESCO in Roi Et nearer my home does not sell it, they stopped carrying it and just about all but a few brands of fake fruit wine. That may be the situation at many TESCOs but there are some that have the kangaroo wine, much better than Jacobs Creek which I find a bit vinegary and boringly one dimensional, a borderline rip off for what, must be 600 baht by now. Another option if you are in Isaan is to go over to Laos and drink plenty of wine which is nearly normal price. I like going over to Savanakhet there are some decent wine shops there and some decent accommodation if you know where to stay. Also, in Bangkok I recently discovered a restaurant near Soi Cowboy called Barcelona Gaudi Restaurant. They have reasonably priced carafes of Spanish wines in some amount of variety. Their website does not list the prices but I had some unforgettably good wine there and the Catalan food also is excellent value and everything I have ordered from tapas and soups to Catalan style canneloni were just delicious. The food menu is quite large, a real education in Catalan food and Spanish wine.

Agree with you on that good value Tesco Wine as I have bought it in the past, and I really don't think that anyone should complain at paying 345 baht a bottle for real wine here.

 

On that subject, I went to a little Ma and Pa supermarket in Phuket town today and bought far too many bottles of wine, but I did happen on one which is an Australian McWilliams Shiraz Cabernet and it was 380 baht, so I bought a bottle to try.

 

Someone else mentioned a Spanish rosé (El Coto) on here which they had bought at Tops for 190 baht or thereabouts, and I spied that one today in the Tops supermarket in Phuket town for 199 baht, so there are bargains around if one cares to look, and I am looking forward to trying the McWilliams tonight even though I am making a sweet-and-sour chicken with rice, so not ideal but that's the way the cookie crumbles!

 

PS. Liked your comment on the Spanish restaurant in Bangkok, and would love a Spanish restaurant here in Phuket/Patong!

[HighPriority]

Four and five litre cask wines that retail in Australia for under fifteen dollars...in Thailand they sell for the equivalent $50-60...

Come to Darwin...


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[rickudon]

For me, the breaking point was when a bottle of Australian fruit wine cost more than a bottle of genuine Scotch whiskey! I swore i would never buy a bottle of wine in Thailand again........

[Happystance]

On 4/22/2019 at 2:59 AM, marcusarelus said:

That's really a good post. And should be read twice by all the people into corks. 

That's a lot of people given that natural corks remain the leader of corkages worldwide. 

 

You plastic cork-loving people remain in the minority, where you belong.

 

That post you love so much doesn't address the toxins getting into the wine via the plastics tho... ????

[Happystance]

On 4/23/2019 at 9:46 AM, rickudon said:

For me, the breaking point was when a bottle of Australian fruit wine cost more than a bottle of genuine Scotch whiskey! I swore i would never buy a bottle of wine in Thailand again........

I concur, why bother?

Wine is like steak in Thailand, way too much money and mostly poor quality.

On rare occasion I just buy a cheapo wine cooler for 25 baht, but yeah, I will save my wine money for back home: a nice 120 baht bottle of Organic Red at Trader Joe's...

[kkerry]

In Australia $15.99 (360 baht) is the most you would expect to pay for a five litre (Berri Estates) cask wine at most discount liquor merchants... saw this in a supermarket Friday... 1,639 baht ($73)... things are out of control when cask wine needs a security dooverlacky attached...

 

Found a Pattaya Mail news item from Christmas 2014 and this same wine sold for 859 baht back then, so the price has almost doubled in only four and a half years. 

 

 

[NanLaew]

On 4/21/2019 at 6:49 AM, RJRS1301 said:

My experience of attempting to get even a "middle" quality Australian wine have been extremely frustrating and the prices charged are astronomical by any standard

Maybe that's because a lot of Thailand's Australian wine comes from Cambodia.

[utalkin2me]

There are only complaints about high tax. You ever notice that?

 

I am glad it is taxed at a high rate. I do not need it, so that forces people who do need/want it to pay taxes others do not have to at that point. Of course that is selfish, but every living being is completely selfish, so that doesn't matter. 

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, kkerry said:

In Australia $15.99 (360 baht) is the most you would expect to pay for a five litre (Berri Estates) cask wine at most discount liquor merchants... saw this in a supermarket Friday... 1,639 baht ($73)... things are out of control when cask wine needs a security dooverlacky attached...

Not really. The security dooverlacky simply places boxed wine up there with the likes of baby formula and Brands Essence of Chicken.

[lapd]

Just ask someone flying in to bring a couple bottles for you.  I do that all the time.  Then when I come in I return the favor. 

Edited April 26, 2019 by lapd

[marcusarelus]

On 4/23/2019 at 10:46 PM, rickudon said:

For me, the breaking point was when a bottle of Australian fruit wine cost more than a bottle of genuine Scotch whiskey! I swore i would never buy a bottle of wine in Thailand again........

And what wine would that be?  Can't remember?  Figures.......

[marcusarelus]

3 hours ago, Happystance said:

That's a lot of people given that natural corks remain the leader of corkages worldwide. 

 

You plastic cork-loving people remain in the minority, where you belong.

 

That post you love so much doesn't address the toxins getting into the wine via the plastics tho... ????

Gunderloch, in Germany, and Bordeaux's André Lurton, are leading proponents for this closure. New Zealand wine industry was the first to adopt screw caps en masse. The high-end Napa Valley winery Plumpjack put half its $150 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 in screw cap and found that this version sold out first.  You remind me of the guy who still had a horse and carriage when everyone was driving cars.  Also you don't know if you are getting plastic or not -  it is no longer possible to tell what is purely natural cork and what is not.   Synthetic corks now close 60 percent of the top 500 wines (sold by volume) in the U.S.