Reader submission: Availability of French wine in Thailand
Unfortunately, there is little response to my message of February 15, 2020, so it is clear that no one knows what is going on.
In Hua Hin we note that Makro, Villa Market and Tesco no longer obtain French wines in cartons, according to an important source, the Thai government would require that they deliver their wines in tank containers and that the wine should be filled in cartons here.
An importer says that this is why some wine growers are already refusing to deliver to Thailand because there is a good chance that they will mix that wine with the Thai fruit wine (not to drink) since they cannot sell it.
Told a response, not knowing anything about tank containers, but on the other hand he mentions that it is in Vietnam? My further research shows me that Marysol, origin Chile, can now be purchased in plastic bags of 1,5 l and moreover I also note that the packaging no longer even states the country of origin. My suspicion is that that wine is already suffering this fate in Thailand?
For additional information, Marysol is for sale everywhere in bottles where everything is stated: price +/- 400 THB. If we then continue to calculate, the first cost: 569 THB for 1,5 l, which is in fact 2 bottles of 0,75 liters, which brings the price back to 284,50 THB. The question is are we still talking about the same quality?
I'll do the test content bag and bottle soon. So much for my own findings.....
How long can the Thai government continue to bully all kinds of non-Thai products. Actually, it is just an ordinary extra heavy import levy. I can imagine that one can expect the ball back one day.
Same kind of bags from Peter Vella.
At the Makro 599
If I understand correctly, you are trying to determine the quality of wine that is sold in a plastic bag?
Peter Vella, Marysol, Mont Clair etc.: it's all undrinkable!
Unfortunately, there are huge taxes on wine in Thailand and there is no escaping it. For a decent bottle you pay at least between THB 700-1,000 retail and between THB 1,000-1,500 in a restaurant. Wine Connection often has very reasonable French and Italian wines ('new world' wine I'm not crazy about anyway) for less than 1,000 THB. That the same bottle costs between 5 and 10 Euro in Europe, well, so be it. In Thailand other things are cheaper again.
The whole business of wines is a mess. People want to promote their own wine, but that is also very expensive, if it is a reasonably good wine. Import tariffs for wines from Europe, South Africa and Chile are extremely high.
When I once got a visit from a lover of a good white wine, I searched for a long time and found a reasonably good one for 3400 Bath!! An expensive sip.
Bin 5 and bin 9 are a very good wine for a very reasonable price, I think 500 per bottle. Definitely recommended…!
As Kees rightly points out, a reasonably good bottle of wine (0,75 cl) can be purchased for 700 to 1.000 baht. For example, you can buy a Jacob Greek for that. Real wine. In the restaurants, the real wines are for sale per bottle between 1.200 (Faroh House and Sizzler in Udon) and 1.600 baht (Pannarai Hotel in Udon).
The “wines” offered in plastic bags or cartons, such as MarYsol, Green Castle, Peter Vella and Mont Claire, are all fruity whites, or as Mont Claire calls it WHITE Celebration.
No grape has been involved in the production of these offers.
In most hotels you will be offered the fruity whites as real wine, unless you order a specific bottle.
Example: The Pannarai hotel in Udon, when asked for a glass of white wine, pours out a Peter Vella.
If you choose one of the real wines in the wine rack, you will indeed get a real wine. In the case of the Pannarai hotel between 1.400 and 1.600 baht per bottle.
By the way, you do get used to the taste of the fruity whites. I myself regularly drink the Mont Claire and if that is not available the MarYsol. Both fruity whites have an acceptable alcohol percentage of 12%. Green Castle comes across as very watery at 10%.
Sorry, I can't resist correcting it. It's Mont Clair. Without e after it. Furthermore, a good analysis of what there is so much to drink in terms of wine.
That wine in bottles could not be good is of course a nonsensical and snobbish argument. In the Netherlands, excellent 'bag in box' wines are available in various price ranges. The problem is not the bags, but the wine with fruit mixed in, which is an insult to the original producer as well as the consumer.
Wine is now so expensive that I don't drink it anymore.
That is a horse remedy to get rid of the drink, but it works, thanks to the Prayuth government. If anyone benefits from it, it's me.
In Thailand, wine consumption at home is changing from quality to quantity because of cost.
People know what is going on (Febr. 15) but it makes no sense to respond to wines that are no longer bought: quality versus price and then sometimes also in plastic bags!!!! Cursing in the church!!!!
There may be hope for the home cook.
Products can be completely disassembled and then put back together.
Red wine extract + diluted vodka could be a solution to make a cheaper wine. It is possible that a certain yeast has to be added for the taste, but nothing is impossible for people who like a half full glass that is constantly filled.
And everything legal too.. it can't be more fun, only the word has to be spread what the best recipe is.
In my opinion, there is no French wine among the box / plastic wines sold, which are blended wines from various origins, but much more via APEC countries than from Europe. That also explains the lower prices as the euro wines ... no import duties
There are good South American, South African, Californian and Australian wines for sale at reasonable prices, bottled of course, slightly more expensive but better as the blended and some tending to eu qualities.
But then you also have to want to pay a little more
The above countries are also members of APEC, so the same benefit in terms of duties
Interesting subject.
I myself am a wine lover, but by no means a connoisseur.
Like to drink my own "wine" obtained by fermenting whey with the help of a sweetener or a sugar-containing product. (I don't have much experience with the latter.})
I make cheese from 20 liters of milk supplied by the farm.
After pasteurizing and souring the milk, I add calf rennet, after which I make cheese from the resulting curd and lemonade or “wine” from the whey
This is absolutely not my own invention, Google for “BLAAND” and you will find enough information.
Unfortunately, Homebrew is not allowed in Thailand.
However, there are plenty of Thais who make good beer at home. there is also enough locally for sale to make a beer.
March 21 ashes. is there a bangkok a homebrew festival.
A license is available but unfortunately too expensive for me. 65.000 Thb.
It is in the planning because the foreigners and the Thais who have tasted my BLAAND all want to buy a bottle.
But back to the subject for a moment.
If I want to drink a wine. I buy a one and a half liter bottle of wine for about 550 Thb at the Tesco down the street here.
This wine is Produced and Bottled by the Firm in Australia
Here's the site: https://www.cranswickwinesaustralia.com/laughing-bird
To my taste, that wine is best to drink and affordable.
I'm curious about reactions that also know / drink this Australian wine.
In the FoodMart in Jomtien, Thappraya Road next to the bus station, there is a permanent extensive range of wine, both cartons and bottles. These are neatly displayed per country. Reasonably good Merlot, Sauvignon, Syrah from Australia, South Africa, Chile, etc. available from 405 Baht per bottle. French and Italian wines are much more expensive, but available. For each his own…