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NicoletteNg
ventures out of Bangkok
Metropolitan to discover the sweet and fruity
taste of the new latitudewine.
The Grape Escape
I
’ve
been to Bangkok many, many
times – mostly to shop – but
never have I expected that in less
than a two-hour drive, 150km
northeast of the concrete jungle
into the Khao Yai province, lie
many vineyards that produce
world-class wines. Traditionally, grapes
for wine-making have been grown
between the 30th and 50th parallels
in both the northern and southern
hemispheres. Thailand, however, has
pioneered wine production in a narrow
band in the north between the 14th
to 18th parallels. Hence, the wines
produced here are known as the “New
Latitude Wine”.
Curious about my new discovery, I
set out on a “grape” escape to PB Valley
Khao Yai Winery to see how these new
latitude wines are made and more
importantly, find out what they taste
like when paired with some of the most
delicious Thai and Western specialties
at the estate’s Great Hornbill Grill.
One Man’s Dream
Arriving
at PB Valley Khao Yai Winery
for my short weekend getaway, I was
greeted by the cooling fresh air and
plentiful warm smiles from the staff at
the vineyard. Very well located on the
hill side country right next to the edge
of Khao Yai National Park, PB Valley
sits in the district of Pak Chong, the
gateway to North-eastern Thailand at
an elevation of 300 to 350 metres above
sea level.
Filled with utter excitement and
curiosity, I decided to snoop around
the estate, where I soon found out
about the origins of PB Valley Khao
Yai Winery. The birth of the winery is
the result of Dr. Piya Bhirombhakdi’s
vision to produce affordable world-class
wine in Thailand due to the increasing
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