Northstar

10 | www.travelweekly-asia.com PRODUCT: FOOD & WINE ASIA'S WINE-TASTING TRAILS Wineries and vineyards may not typically be associated with this part of the world, but the nascent wine scene is proving it has plenty to offer for travellers looking for a unique wine experience. By Lee Xin Hui When it comes to the world's most heralded wine regions, some places will always set the standards: the romantic chateaus of Bordeaux, rolling hills of Tuscany and famous valleys of Napa. While Asia is typically missing from the bucket list of wine lovers, things are changing. For a start, the rise in international travel, driven by the evolution of the middle class, has nurtured a fresh breed of traveller who possesses an adventurous palate and an appetite for new and unique wine travel experiences. "Most of them are within the 30- 60 age group, with a strong interest in food and wine," said Vicki Parris, general manager for Flight Centre Leisure and Business Travel, South East Asia. And wineries are taking notice. James Pelham, founder of Culture Bites suggested China's Ningxia, which has wineries that cater for the wine tourist with cellar doors, restaurants and boutique accommodation. In Thailand's Khao Yai Winery, you can imbibe with Thai and Western food to match, said Parris. It also helps that the standard of wines being produced in Asia has been increasing. In April this year, the Asian Wine Review was launched with the aim of highlighting these quality offerings, judged blind by a panel of top industry professionals. NASHIK, INDIA Nashik may be far removed from the azure skies and rolling hills of the French Champagne countryside, but the 'Napa Valley of India', as it is sometimes referred to, is increasingly holding its own as a producer of the well-loved bubbly. Sula Vineyards, a leading winery started production in 2000 with multiple versions of sparkling wine such as Sula Brut and Sula Brut Rose. Often credited for putting Nashik on the world map, the winery is the first in India to offer a tasting room. Here, you get to ask questions about wine making, sample wines and enjoy a cheese platter while enjoying the panoramic views of the nearby hills and Gangapur lake. Don't miss out on its annual three-day wine festival, SulaFest, in February 3-5 next year. Participants will get to experience traditional winemaking in the form of barefoot grape stomping. While you are here, visit the newly-launched Chandon Winery, which opened doors in April. Owned by the world's biggest champagne house Moet Hennessy, this is further testament to Nashik's potential as a world-class wine producer. Sula Vineyards: Wine tours and tastings conducted daily; 11.30am- 6.30pm (weekdays); 11.30am-7.30pm (weekends) Chandon India Winery: Weekdays; 11am-5pm; by invite only; shruthi. mannar@moethennessy.com; +91-253-307-2613 KHAO YAI, THAILAND A convenient place to start appreciating Thailand's New World wines is the scenic Khao Yai National Park. With a cooler climate and diverse soil profile, the UNESCO World Heritage site is perfect for nurturing wine grapes; several vineyards are located just outside its park gates: GranMonte, a family wine estate that also produces salads and jams, and offers home-style cooking and accommodation in its guesthouse; and Siam Winery, where grapes are uniquely planted in deep irrigation canals, giving the appearance that they are floating. Travellers who prefer to combine wine travel with sightseeing can book Spice Roads' Khao Yai Wine Trails, a two-day one-night tour that covers 38km of sightseeing, on a mountain bike. It may sound daunting, but cycling is interspersed with car rides (for longer distances), meal breaks and a night's stay at the Cabbages & Condoms Resort. On the trail, participants will ride through mango orchards, sugar cane fields, and visit temples. The programme concludes with a trip to Khao Yai Winery, one of the country's most renowned producers. GranMonte: Guided tours on weekends (10.30am, 1.30pm & 3.30pm); THB300 (US$8.6) per adult; marketing@ granmonte.com Siam Winery: Open Monday to Saturdays; From THB700 (US$20) per person; winerytour@siamwinery.com; +66-034-845334-40 ext. 223 Spice Roads' Khao Yai Wine Trails: THB11,450 (US$428) per adult; www. spiceroads.com/tours/khao_yai DA LAT AND NINH THUAN, VIETNAM The former French colony has certainly inherited the French love for wines. But what's unique is Vietnam also produces its own wine grapes – think Vang Dalat, Cardinal and Chambourcin, mainly in the Da Lat and Ninh Thuan, Phan Rang regions. Travellers can discover emerging wineries Ba Moi, My Hoa, Thien Thao and Tri Hiep with Vietnam Wine Tours, which combines elements of wine, food and travel in its 14-day itineraries. One of the highlights involves seeing how the locals on Phu Quoc Island make sim wine with a fruit found from the Rose Myrtle Tree. Fruit wine contributes significantly to the local wine market as earlier attempts – prior to the introduction of European winemaking techniques and replanting – to grow wine grapes were unsuccessful. Another interesting experience is a visit to the Rang Dong (RD) Wine Castle in Phan Thiet, which was inspired by the owners' winery in Napa Valley in California. Vietnam Wine Tours: USD$2,499 per adult; www.vietnamwinetours.com; info@vietnamwinetours.com; 0435 558 428 Top left, clockwise: Ripe grapes in a vineyard in Ninh Thuan province, Vietnam; Going on a wine ride in Khao Yai, Thailand; Sula Vineyards in Nashik, India. Moet Hennessy's Chandon Brut and Chandon Brut Rose in India.

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