Hua Hin Hills Vineyard takes aim at taste buds
Southeast Asia’s largest producer of grape-based products furthered its mission to create a wine culture in Thailand by elevating the tasting experience at its 480-acre plantation last month.
In August, Siam Winery reopened the Sala Wine Bar & Bistro at Hua Hin Hills Vineyard with more sheltered dining spaces and a food concept that embraces what the property’s own farm bears — exotic fruits, vegetables and herbs.
“Those who have been to the Sala before will notice a more upscale feel to the venue and dishes that really pop in color and flavor,” said Kim Wachtveitl, Siam Winery’s director of business development. “Those who haven’t been at all will be blown away by all that we offer here.”
Hua Hin Hills Vineyard is located three hours’ drive south of Bangkok along a country road that winds through pineapple plantations and quintessential Thai farming villages.
The panoramic views — of a vineyard hemmed on three sides by a lush range and of visitors touring the former elephant corral by pachyderm — from the Sala Wine Bar & Bistro are rivalled only by what’s on the new menu, such as Spicy Seafood Salad with Fresh Grape.
“We wanted to give guests a dining experience on par with the kind of wine the vineyard renders,” said Wachtveitl. “So we focused intently on taste and presentation and getting the pairings exactly right.”
Siam Winery became a player on the world’s wine stage in 2001, when its Chatemp brand won bronze at the International Wine and Spirits Competition in London.
The winery also produces the acclaimed Monsoon Valley line — the White Shiraz won gold at the 2008 AWC International Wine Challenge in Austria — and SPY, a wine cooler widely available in leading retail shops throughout Thailand.
In addition to the restaurant changes, Hua Hin Hills Vineyard recently teamed with Anantara Resort & Spa Hua Hin and renowned Australian artist Chistopher Hogan on a series of limited-edition vintages inspired by a tasting event held at the posh hotel earlier this year.
Hogan designed the labels and the resort sells the wines — a White Shiraz, a Colombard and a Red Shiraz.
“Hua Hin has transformed itself over the last few years from a sleepy seaside town into Thailand’s hub of art and culture,” said Tim Boda, general manager of Anantara Resort & Spa Hua Hin. “This new series of art wines is testament to that movement.”
Founded in 1909, Hua Hin became a popular retreat among Thai sovereigns 12 years later, when a railway station and hotel were erected to service elite train travellers between Bangkok and Singapore.
Today, Hua Hin is the full-time residence of the world’s longest serving monarch — His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej — and a haven for golfers, water sports mavens, spa goers and, of course, wine enthusiasts.
For more information about Hua Hin, Hua Hin Hills Vineyard, Anantara Resort & Spa Hua Hin and other lodging and activities options in the area, visit www.itsinhuahin.com.
