The earliest vineyards in Thailand were planted in the 1960s, and were intended to produce table grapes – but in the past three or four decades, a number ofvinifera wine varieties have also been propagated. Given Thailand's tropical climate (it lies between thelatitudes of five and 20 degrees north), these initial winemaking attempts were not expected to succeed. Rot and fungal diseases thrive in the heat and humidity which characterizes Thailand's climate.

Additionally, the lack of seasonal variation (required for all-important vine dormancy) anddiurnal temperature variation are also seen as insurmountable challenges to the production of quality wine. While these elements are still present, the effect they have is now minimized through technology and adaptive viticultural techniques.

Increasingly, Thai wines are being featured on the wine lists of quality hotels and restaurants on the domestic market. Exports are also on the rise, again chiefly to supply the global Thai restaurant sector. Initially, wines were almost entirely made soft and fruity to match spicy food, but now a range of styles are made including crisper, drier styles to be drunk on their own. Larger producers such as Siam Winery (the Monsoon Valley label) also produce sparkling wine.

Tourists visiting the country may see some wines which seem to have a vintage date from the future. This is because some bottles are labeled according to the Buddhist calendar.

Grape varieties

Thai vineyards are planted with various grape varieties, but the most common is Malaga Blanc, a southern French table grape not to be confused withSemillon, whose Spanish name is Malaga. Malaga Blanc is thought to have arrived in Thailand (known as Siam at that time) in the late 17th Century, presented to the Siamese king by a French diplomat. It is cultivated in the spectacular floating vineyards of the Chao Praya Delta, where picked grapes are transported by small canoes along chanels between the vine rows. The thick skins of the grapes help to cope with the country's heavy rainfall.

The variety is thought to be identical to the Spanish grape variety Teneron, known in France as Panse de Provence. This notion is supported by the presence in Thailand of Colombaud, a near-extinct variety from Provence related to Switzerland'sHumagne.

Black Muscat (Muscat Hamburg) and Cardinal have also been used to make Thai wine since the 1970s, and have been joined by locally propagated varieties such as Pokdum, a crossing of Golden Queen andMuscat. Of the better known international grape varieties,Chenin Blanc andShiraz have been the most successful.Tempranillo andSauvignon Blanc have also been trialed.