For many years Patcharin Hame-Ung-Gull has been importing fine food with her sister Nuntiya.  Patcharin felt they should expand their business to include food wines as well so early 2008 she established Beverage One. Being a new player in Thailand’s wine scene she invited our Grape Scribe Laurence Civil to taste her collection of fun, easy drinking and affordable wines.

Wines from South Eastern Australia are generally sourced from a wide area to ensure that their constancy isn’t compromised by local climatic variations. They represent good value  for money  and  are  every day drinking wines where  constancy  and quality  are more important than regional or varietal characteristics as is demonstrated in the Synergy label.

The Chardonnay 2007 in the glass has a brilliant, crystalline yellow colo
a perfect warm weather wine. Their sparkling is made from a blend of gra
eties. In the glass it has a delicate pale gold colour with medium beading
nose I discovered an appealing bouquet of green apple characters with hint of bready complexity, typical of wines made methode champagnois mouth the taste is lively and refreshing, displaying flavors of lemon zest and nectarines. is the quintessential Australian Red grape. Their 2006 typical of Shiraz, exhibits delicio blackberries on the nose and palate combined with subtle cinnamon like spice and a of carefully managed oak, giving hint of cedar and coffee, a beautiful wine.

Chile is an excellent source of value for money and they are buying from two wineries in the Central Valley Batalcura and Corinto. Batalcura is the result of the passion fo wine of two men; Chilean businessman Juan Fernando Waidele and French winemaker Philippe Debrus who met in 2002 and made their first wine together in the Maule Valley in 2002 in the small village of Botalcura, three hours drive south of the capita Santiago.

Their wines are a balance of wood and fruit and explore the world of blended wines and creative matches. Their Chardonnay/Voigner blend is a medium-pale yellow colour in the glass with yellow highlights. The aromas on the nose are reminiscent of whit tree fruits such as apricot, peach, and pear interwoven with notes of grapefruit and tangerine. In the mouth I detected a balance of toast and vanilla; the result of 30% o the wine having spent six months in a mix of one and two year barrels of which 60% are French and 40% American oak. Their Sauvignon Blanc 2007 has a bright to pale yellow colour with pale yellow hues. On the nose the aromas are powerful and elegan evoking memories of white peaches and pears, as well as herbal notes and lavender. In the mouth I discovered a subtle balance of acidity and tannins.

Moving onto their reds, first I tasted a blend of the indigenous Chilean grape Carmen with merlot. In the glass the wine has an intense ruby red colour, with purple high­lights. On the nose I discovered intense fruity aromas of plum and cherry, tobacco leather, olive leaves and pine, with a discreet undertone of wood. The wine is given th same barrel aging as Chardonnay/Voignier. While the Syrah with the Chilean Malbe produces a medium-deep ruby red colour with dark cherry highlights. On the nos the aromas are complex and alluring with elements of ripe blackberry, black cherry violets, black pepper and nutmeg. In the mouth the taste is flinty with rich toasted oa and vanilla.

Corinto is their other Chilean wine supplier, the design of whose label is an expression of the emotion looking down into the glass at the moment ones taste senses are awoken by the wine. Teir aim is to make a fun, cheerful and innovative New World wine that’s easy to drink.

The Corinto Chardonnay 2007 exudes a semi-intense, yellowish-gold colour in the glass. I discovered nice white fruit aromas of white peach and pineapple on the nose.  It’s nicely balanced on the palate, well-rounded and fruity with  a  succulent finish  in  the mouth. While  in  the  glass  their  Sauvignon Blanc 2007 is light yellow with transparent nuances. On the nose I discovered intense aromas of citrus and white fruit with herbaceous notes. Then, in the mouth  the wine  is  attractively  crisp  on  the palate, with citrus and grapefruit accompanying its vibrant finish.

Moving  from  the  New  World to  the  Old  world  where  they are  buying  wines  of  Chevalier Alexis  Lichine  from  the  con-servative  Bordeaux,  and  the progressive  Langudoc  Rousillion. The  late  Alexis  Lichine, born in Moscow, was a prominent wine writer and entrepreneur who played a key role  in promoting  varietal  labelling in  France,  where  the  preference was frst terrior and then to blend  the  fruit  it produced. The wines  that bear his wines are now made by his son Sasha. His Bordeaux 2006, a blend of Merlot,  Cabernet  Sauvignon and  Cabernet  Franc  result  in a  wine  that’s  deep  ruby  red in  colour.  On  the  nose  it’s fne  and  elegant  with  fruity  a n d spicy notes. In the mouth I discovered a harmonious wine with velvety tannins. While with  the pure Merlot 2006  the wine has  a  similar, deep  ruby colour. On the nose there are notes of ripe red fruit, raspberries and strawberries. On in the mouth, typical of merlot, there are smooth tannins to the pallet with hints of berries.

Wine makers in Languedoc Rousillion prefer to make a wine that has to be
classifed Vins du Pays rather  than  the more prestigious Appellation Con-
trolle, simply so that they can put the varietal on the label. Sasha’s Cabernet
Sauvignon  from  this  region  is  a  very  intense,  almost black,  garnet  red  to purple in the glass. On the nose I discovered aromas of red fruit, blackcur-
rants, with notes of spices.   Ten,  in the mouth the wine has a fne tannic
body, note of  liquorice and  length of taste. The Merlot 2007  is dark red  in
the glass. On the nose there are aromas of red fruit, blackcurrants, cherries,
raspberries  and  jams with  velvet  tannins. Ten,  in  the mouth  the  taste  is
silky smooth with a balanced finish.

It was a pleasure  to  taste honest afordable wines  that have been made  to
drink and be enjoyed now.