With only one more frenetic month until the festivities are in peak swing, we’d like to highlight a few of the gems that have recently arrived, and those soon to be circulating in our scene; wines that show a fresh and contemporary facet of some of our longest collaborating winemakers, alongside specimens from new producers, exciting regions and inventive styles completely new to our books.
Expect to find equal parts finessed and far out flavors from Greece, California, Oregon, Austria, Germany, and excitedly, the announcement of the first winery we will be working with from China’s Ningxia region. The year has yet to end before all this excitement can be discovered!
She’s been dubbed ‘One of China’s most exciting winemakers,’ Emma Gao is currently leading the pack of winemaking potential in one of the most biologically diverse and technologically advanced countries in the world. The Silver Heights winery is based in the mountainous, arid region of Ningxia in Central Northern China famous for it’s agricultural bounties and delicacies. Here, Emma crafts mindful and intention-driven wines out of a classic assortment of international vinifera varietals, however offering a completely unique perspective on how these grapes are interpreted through their terroir.
Emma is a classically trained winemaker, having studied in Bordeaux and then bringing her expertise back to her native homeland to start Silver Heights winery in 2007. Nowadays the winery spans over 70 hectares on Mount Helan and espouses the beliefs of sustainability and precision in the vineyard, allowing the fruit to truly speak for itself.
We are very fortunate to be able to bring to you five of Silver Heights’ cuvees representing the very best of what the winery has to offer:
For more information on Silver Heights winery and their practices in the vineyard and the cellar, please click here; and if you’re in Bangkok on December 1st, we will be hosting Emma and the Silver Heights team at the James Suckling event at the Grand Hyatt Erawan on Dec 1st.
Continuing onward, we trade our arid mountains for lush, river valleys, and find ourselves with new arrivals from the forward-minded folks in Germany’s Mosel. As one can guess, Riesling is the name of the game here, presented by a couple producers that have absolutely excited us with their tactile and supple renditions of the varietal.
It’s safe to say that Weingut Willi Schaefer is producing some of the best, clear-cut Riesling in Germany. With a keen eye for precision and an adherence to minimal intervention, there’s a sense of classicism evoked by Willi’s labels but his wines further transcend this with an electric sense of elegance and mineral charm. We have four labels from Weingut Schaefer, all exploring the depths of the Riesling in shades of dry, off-dry, and sweet
When it comes to the modern winemaking scene in the Mosel, there is no shortage of talent and innovation. Having worked with and learned from some of the best winemakers in the region, Julian Haart began his first vinous solo-venture in 2010 with the acquisition of a particularly gorgeous, high-elevation site in the valley. Since then Julian has been producing sharp, transportive wines with clearly defined structure and balance stemming from his mineral-laden terroir.
His wines can be considered an homage to the region’s greats while still dancing to their own unique rhythm. Julian’s Old Vine Kabinett is surely not to be missed for those obsessive over this heady, Germanic grape.
Of course, the iconic labels of Austrian natural wine standard bearer Claus Preisinger, are no stranger to our books, yet we can’t help but be continually captivated by Claus’ ability to innovate; creating cuvees that consciously and curiously subvert the idea that wine should be anything but delicious and drunk with enjoyment. The Preisinger’s have a knack for channeling energy through wine, their process allowing us to access their philosophies and intentions through easy-drinking, entry levels wines alongside complex and nuanced cuvees providing a full spectrum of styles within the winery.
Our most recent additions, aptly and frivolously named ‘Fruit Loops,’ can be found in shades of both light red (Rot) and delicate orange (Weiss) and are a culmination of a dynamic blend of local and international varietals fermented in barrel and amphora.
The Red, an assemblage of Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Blaufrankisch is crunchy, herbal, and saline while the Weiss, composed of Scheurebe, Furmint, and Riesling, is a texturally piquant and tangy skin contact orange with a touch of tropical lift. The first tasting note that comes to mind for both though is Yummy! These are Wines for sheer enjoyment amongst friends.
Another new arrival to us, this time from the sun-soaked hills (mountains) of Savoie we have Edouard and Lisanne of Domaine des Sonnettes. We’re sure some of you might recognize Lisanne from her fun and ecclectic project Sonshine Vins, that we have been working with for some time. Recently founded in 2021, Domaine des Sonnettes focuses on four different varietals grown with minimal intervention in the Bugey alps. We can’t help but love these alpine expressions of joyously juicy and ephemeral wines in both Petillant Naturel (Gros Pif) and a light red of Gamay and Poulsard (Pied de Mouton); enticing and ideal matches for so much of our spicy, savory Thai cuisine.
And just in time for the end of this year, the return of long-awaited wines from small, rarified producers in Greece and all throughout the western coast of the United States.
From the Grecian terroir of Naoussa in the Macedonian Isles, we have the excited arrival of Domaine Thymiopoulos; Savory, textural reds and their truly iconic and dangerously quaffable Rose have made their triumphant return all crafted from the indigenous varietal of Xinomavro.
Finally, to showcase some of our favorite wines from our friends over in the States, we have a selection of cuvees from Sandhi, Domaine de la Cote, and Phelan Farms all headed by veteran sommelier and winemaker Rajat Parr, who will be joining us in Bangkok before end of the year.
As well, the inimitable coastal Syrahs of Sashi Moorman of Piedrasassi Wine will make their triumphant return in December. A family owned winery and bakery based in Lompoc, Northern California, Sashi and his partner Melissa are producing some of the best wines of this varietal in the contiguous United States; they are rare specimens that we are delighted to be able to welcome back to our books.
We are always so grateful and excited to be able to continually share incredible wines with our community here in Thailand. As we approach the end of 2023 we look back on an amazing year filled with excitement, curiosity, and engagement as the wine and food scene continues to grow ever more formidable in this country we call home. For more questions, inquiries, or comments about any of our wines and events please don’t hesitate to reach out to marketing@winegarage.asia
