8 Stunning wineries in Asia to visit - if you love your wines!

8 Stunning wineries in Asia to visit – if you love your vino

Sarah Khan

19 Apr 2018

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Aythaya Vineyard (Myanmar)
Nestled in the village of its namesake Aythaya (near Taunggyi, the capital of Shan State), Aythaya Vineyard is Myanmar's first vineyard. First founded in 1999, the winery hosts daily tastings, wine tours and private events, and even offers spacious bungalows with terraces as accommodation. Have a taste of their signature wines, which include the Aythaya Red (a Shiraz, Dornfelder, and Tempranillo blend), Aythaya White (a Sauvignon Blanc dominant white blend), and Aythaya Rose.

Photo: Aythaya Vineyard (Facebook)
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Hatten Wines (Bali, Indonesia)
Owned by a local Balinese family, Hatten Wines has been established since 1994 and is arguably most famous for its rosé wines. The grapes grown here suited for the tropical Balinese climate they're produced in and are intended to complement the spicy local food. There are wine classes, complimentary wine tastings, and even a lifestyle wine boutique you can visit. Just last year, this family-owned winery was awarded the "2017 Winery of the Year" title by the Asian Wine Review.

Photo: Hatten Wines (Facebook)
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GranMonte, Thailand
GranMonte, often dubbed the Napa Valley of Thailand, is one of the best-known winemakers in Thailand. Located just outside Khao Yai National Park, the family-run winery produces Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Durif and Grenache, among others. If you're thinking of making a trip, head down over the weekend for one of their complimentary tours! There's also a restaurant in their premises, which dishes out home-style Thai cooking, and a guesthouse.

Photo: Granmonte Vineyard (Facebook)
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Sula Vineyards (India)
Undoubtedly one of the best wineries in Asia, the Sula Vineyards is also often referred to as the Napa Valley of India. Like Charosa vineyards, the Sula vineyards are located in Nashik, India. A visit to the vineyard includes a tour which takes you through how the wine is produced, wine tasting and a meal. There's even an annual wine festival called SulaFest happening each year.

Photo: Sula Vineyards (Facebook)
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Château Mercian (Japan)
First established in 1970, Château Mercian was one of the pioneers in the Japanese wine industry. In 2016, it was awarded “Winery of the Year”at the 2016 Asian Wine Review and became the first Japanese winery to be featured on Wine Spectator.

Photo: Château Mercian
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Grace Wine, Japan
The winery believes that the secret to a good wine lies in selecting grapes that express the characteristics of their origins. Although you'll find a variety of grapes produced at Grace Wine, they're best known for their signature grape Koshu. This grape, which grows in abundance along its mountainous regions, is indigenous to Japan. And with its strong acidity and low sugar levels, it certainly makes for a distinctive wine taste.
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Chanyu Winery, China
Founded in 1892, Changyu is China's oldest and largest commercial winery, with over 35,000 hectares of vineyards spread across several of the country's wine-growing regions (i.e. Ningxia, Yinjiang, Liaoning, among others). There are 8 different chateaux you can choose to visit, like the Yantai Chateau Changyu-Castel.
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Charosa Vineyards (India)
This sprawling 230-acre vineyard set on the slopes of the picturesque Nashki District is named after the Charosa region, also known as the wine capital India. You'll find the following varietals here: Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. The winery prides itself on its unique fusion of science and art in its wine-making process, which makes use of state of the art facilities.

Photo: Charosa Vineyard

Wineries in Asia? Yes, you read that right – if you love your vino, these are the 8 best vineyards and wineries to visit in the continent!

Asia might be best known for our beaches, tropical weather, culture and scrumptious food – but not necessarily our wines.

Granted, Asia is not the first place that comes to mind when you think of the good ol’ vino. However, you’ll probably be surprised to learn that there are hundreds of wineries in the continent.

Get this: China is actually the 8th largest wine producer in the world and actually owns more acres of vineyards than France.

And yes – you can find vineyards and wineries even in Southeast Asia, in countries like Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Bali, for one, has its own family-run winery famous for its rose, with wine varietals meant to complement its spicy local food.

Never tried Asian wine before? Take your pick from these 8 vineyard vacations in our gallery above!

Sarah Khan

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