At 500 meters above sea level, volcanic soil in Northeast Thailand is home to Thailand’ s finest wine. Liz Smailes ventures into the vineyard to taste the grape and discovers treasures beyond the bottle.

Before getting to the bottle is the first impression of Village Farm – an exotic Asian para­dise with a French infusion somewhere in the middle be­tween a Muslim influenced southern Thailand and a Chi­nese persuasion in the north. Think Monet landscape, in­dulgent sensory vinotherapy spa treatments together with the bottled poetry in Village Farm’s wine and you will be excused for altogether forget­ting you are in Thailand!

Village Farm and Winery is located on the eastern slopes of Khao Yai National Park in Wang Nam Keow. De­pending on the traffic and weather, its just two or three hours by car from Bangkok’s new airport but a world away from the bustling city. While this is no great dis­tance from the big city, current infrastructure hinders the convenience of a day-trip visit. This is one reason why owner Viri­vat Cholvanich has worked hard to develop the estate as a tourist des­tination. French provincial, Alpine architecture and Thai hospitality combine to offer a wide range of accommodation, a large and well ap­pointed countryside restaurant, a sauna and spa, reading rooms, jog­ging tracks and mountain biking.

Khun Virivat is an engineer by trade and this is evident in the me­ticulous care and attention gone into every aspect of the resort, ensur­ing everything functions efficiently while retaining a natural finesse. Located in Nakhorn Ratchasima province, after the initial minutes soaking in the atmosphere, breathing the fresh air and marvelling the jewel you have arrived upon, you may begin to wonder if Monet didn’t carry out his brush magic here too. This romantic hideaway experi­ence is intimate; just 30 rustic but comfortable accommodation rooms and suites at Village Farm offer guests panoramic views across acres of vineyards.

There are currently 30 acres dedicated to growing wine at the Village Farm resort. This is also the public showcase and where Khun Viravat stages his famous midnight-harvest­ing parties in March. In mid-November the resort hosts a wine festival launching the new vintage, and December revealing the
bi-annual precious drop, “Le Fleur”.

Of course friends have helped Khun Viravat along the way – he admits he would never have attempted serious wine-making without the expert help of French winemaker Jacques Bacou, the hereditary proprietor of the Chateau du Roc estate in Corbieres. Thanks to Jacques’ expert help, in­ternational connoisseurs claim this vineyard now produces some of Thailand’s finest quality wine. The house ‘Château des Brumes’ is a smooth, shiraz & cabernet sauvignon blend grown on volcanic earth that is rich in minerals that encourage the vine to improve with each March harvest. Gradually wine lovers are becoming wise to this gem of a drop. So much so that the vineyard is beginning to receive worldwide  recognition  receiving  increasing global recognition.

The  lifestyle destination you see at present  evolved  through  several
periods  of  development  over  the last 15 years. Today,  the  estate is both a farm and a  tranquil  resort for those wishing to experience a taste of Thai country life, partake of fine food and wine and work it of with a pinch of wellness. Just 18 km from  the  farm  is  their “Village Cellar” – a 1000 acre estate. Guests are invited  to wander or cycle along 40 km’s of paths  that weave  their way through a stunning landscape of vineyards, orange orchards, coffee and olive plantations as well as flower meadows offering a truly breathtaking experience. For those who had too much wine the night before, fear not of faking out halfway round as shorter trails are interwoven.

Every Saturday at 5:30pm guests begin the evening with a lesson in wine tasting and the art of wine appreciation. This is followed by a scrumptious three-course meal created to compliment the house wines; fresh salads, muscles, salmon, beef and ox steaks or racks of lamb served with country vegetables ensure an unforgettable experience – no matter how many bottles you drink!

A tour of the winery, wine tasting, evening meal and also breakfast bufet is included in the room price ranging from 800 – 4,000 Baht per night for two people (prices vary from low to high season). Not only does this excellent package deliver barrels of quality, the resort is uniquely designed to offer various pockets of delight throughout. Numerous areas within meters of each other tempt guests along a different path of escapism in the mind, from bamboo chairs under a canopy of banyan trees to benches in the park and reading/writing tables in shady spots. Even when running at full occupancy of 80 guests, places of tranquility within the grounds are easy to find.

Vinotherapy
For many, Vinotherapy starts with a bottle and involves just a corkscrew and a glass. However, the world’s first official wine spa opened in the Bordeaux region of France in 1999, since then vineyards around  the world have  followed  suit. Another Frenchman, Louis Pasteur,  is  among  the  greatest benefactors of humanity; he solved the mysteries of rabies, anthrax…and is also known to have said “wine is the most healthful and most hygienic of beverages.”

Back in 1948, Professor Jacques Masquelier of the University of Bor­deaux found that the grape was high in proanthocyanidins (PCOs) and a remarkable force in fighting free radicals. The revelation that antioxidant factors could help fight the negative effects of aging led to topical application experiments over the years with grape harvest remnants, first tested in 1993 using the seeds and skins as a valu­able source of PCOs. Soon after, the luxurious brand Caudalie was born and is today an internationally known product sold around the world.

The trend of grape and wine therapy is a growing one and people are visiting wine spas in increasing numbers to partake in a little decadence as well as anti-aging. Since Masquelier’s milestone discovery, wine lovers have long applauded the idea that a glass a day keeps the doctor away. Indulging in epicurean delights is certain­ly a “feel-good factor” high on the list for any great escape; when combined with an unexpected location it becomes all the more enticing!

This increasing trend of grape and wine therapy also hasn’t gone
unnoticed by the owners of Village Farm and Winery. In keeping with the country theme, their Cliff Cottage Spa offers a simple yet focused menu and a signature red wine hydrotherapy treatment.

While some may consider pouring a decanter of red delight into a bubbling tub of liquid a waste of a good drop or two, indulging in a vinotherapeutic bath while gazing across the landscape is a relaxing and rejuvenating experience. A European style tub is filled with a combination of blue mineral water, natural oils of lavender, rose­mary, eucalyptus and chamomile – and, of course, red wine from the winery.

Cliff Cottage Spa also offers grape-seed body scrub treatments, us­ing creams made from in-house grape extracts, as well as a variety of massages.

For more information:
Village Farm & Winery
103, Moo 7, Tambon Thai Samakkee, Am­phur Wang Nam Keow,
Nakhorn Ratchisma, 30370 Thailand.
Tel/Fax: +66 (0)44 228 407-9
Email: contact@villagefarm.co.th
www.villagefarm.co.th

The best route from Bangkok:

Take  the  Rama  9  express  way to  Chonburi motorway,  and  exit at Cha Cherng Sao  (ca. 80km). Turn right to Phanom Sara Kham and go all the way to Kabin Buri Junction (ca. 90km). At the junction, go straight and the road will take  you  to  Wang  Ngam  Keow (ca.  60km).  From  there  Village Farm road signs will lead the way to a  turning  left up  the winery’s driveway.