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| Entry to the wine estate. |
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| View from the tasting room. |
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| A shot from the vineyard. |
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| Overview of the winemaking process for dummies. |
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| Tasting set. From left: sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, Rosé d'Inlé made from shiraz, shiraz/tempranillo blend and Late Harvest made from muscat and sauvignon blanc. |
Red Mountain Estate Vineyards & Winery
Taung Chay Village Group, Nyaungshwe Township,
Southern Shan State, Myanmar
Notes:
During my research prior to my vacation to Myanmar, I had stumbled across several blogposts on the locally produced wine, which was fairly well-praised. I however remained sceptic as prior successful experiences with wines from Southern Asia have been few, particularly with Indian wines. Once I had arrived in Myanmar it however became evident that local wines are intensively distributed, particularly those from the Red Mountain and Aythaya estates. My first taste of the local produce was the sauvignon blanc, which I quite honestly was very impressed with - it could had fooled my for a wine from New Zealand. Once I arrived at Lake Inle it thus seemed like a fun activity to go see the vineyards and visit the estate.
The estate is located very close to the Nyuang Shwe township, approximately 20 minutes by bike. The buildings are beautifully set atop a hill from where you have a gorgeous view of the lake (as well as a good indicator of when to leave again if you, like me, were coming by bike during rainy season sans umbrella). It is possible to have a tour of the facilities, though little information is provided by the staff, though printed marketing material is readily available.
As to the wines, the estate's has a tasting room, where most people opt for the tasting set, which will set you back a mere 3,000 kyats (3 USD), including the wines imaged above. I chose to add the 2010 chardonnay, which apparently won a bronze medal in the World's Best Chardonnay competition in 2013. If that is a large accomplishment I remain unsure, but it surely was a pleasant drinking experience carrying many of the characteristics that an oak-aged chardonnay typically does. My favorite however remained the sauvignon blanc and the pinot noir, which turned out to be a earthy, spicy variety. No need to say, I had to bring both bottles back. All in all, Red Mountain left a great impression, and makes for a lovely activity if you're in the Lake Inle area. And do make sure to visit at sunset - the view is breathtaking! Highly recommended.
The estate is located very close to the Nyuang Shwe township, approximately 20 minutes by bike. The buildings are beautifully set atop a hill from where you have a gorgeous view of the lake (as well as a good indicator of when to leave again if you, like me, were coming by bike during rainy season sans umbrella). It is possible to have a tour of the facilities, though little information is provided by the staff, though printed marketing material is readily available.
As to the wines, the estate's has a tasting room, where most people opt for the tasting set, which will set you back a mere 3,000 kyats (3 USD), including the wines imaged above. I chose to add the 2010 chardonnay, which apparently won a bronze medal in the World's Best Chardonnay competition in 2013. If that is a large accomplishment I remain unsure, but it surely was a pleasant drinking experience carrying many of the characteristics that an oak-aged chardonnay typically does. My favorite however remained the sauvignon blanc and the pinot noir, which turned out to be a earthy, spicy variety. No need to say, I had to bring both bottles back. All in all, Red Mountain left a great impression, and makes for a lovely activity if you're in the Lake Inle area. And do make sure to visit at sunset - the view is breathtaking! Highly recommended.
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