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T.C. Winery Co.,Ltd. |
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T.C. Winery Co.,Ltd.
Daranee Yoovidhya
9/2 Mu 3
Tumbon Bangtorud, Amphur Muang,
Samutsakorn 74000
Thailand
Tel : 034 839-800
Fax :034 839-799
E-mail : chvy350@loxinfo.co.th
Website :
Categories: Wine
Company Profile: The TC winery is 60km southwest of
Bangkok lying on the gulf of Siam about 5m above sea level.
The latitude is 14?N. The winery buys in grapes from the
surrounding areas and from Kanchanaburi around the River Kwai. |
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From the Gulf of Siam the varieties are 80% Malaga Blanc,
15% Pok Dum and 5% Muscat de Hamburg. The other vineyards provide Syrah,
Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc and Noir, Nebbiolo, Pok Dum, Muscat and
Thomson Seedless. Many of these varieties are still in a trial period as
there is no way of knowing how they will react in tropical climates.
The vineyards themselves are also unique. The vines are planted on
hummocks that sit on lakes. The vines are trained in a pergola system
that forms a tight knit canopy of leaves. This acts to prevent sun
scorch on the grapes but also means that the grapes only ripen to
18?-20? brix instead of the ideal 22?-23? brix. Laurent Metge- Toppin
believes this can be achieved by judicious pruning. “I am everyday in
the vineyards testing my grapes with my refractometer. The grapes are 2
? below where they should be. I show the farmers how to prune but they
will not. Tradition is very strong here.”
The vines are trained to a height of 1.8m and the grapes are picked by
hand by pickers sailing around the vines in boats.
Because of the climate the winery is able to press very frequently. The
majority of grape juice is still fermented for the Spy wine cooler but
TC winery now has a capacity to produce 20,000 cases per year of red,
white and now some experimental ros? under the name Chatemp.
Metge-Toppin is now able to control his fermentation as he would wish
and uses oak bricks for his red. There are plans to barrel age in the
future. Storage is however the biggest problem. The tropical climate
gives rise to extremely high levels of oxidation and spoilage. TC winery
has therefore invested heavily in temperature controlled storage
facilities to combat this problem.
Currently TC winery exports 800 cases to the UK and Ireland. Belgium,
Holland, Germany and Denmark are following soon and France is due to
follow before Christmas 2000. Because of World Trade agreements TC’s
brand Chatemp cannot put a vintage on the label. This only applies to
the Christian vintage however, so Chatemp has the Bhuddist vintage on
its label currently 2541 moving to 2543. This applies to both the summer
and the winter vintage!
1. 2-3 vintages per year because of tropical climate
2. Mainly hybrids to combat hostile climate
3. Vineyards on floating hummocks.
4. Vinification extremely difficult and expensive.
The only winery worth visiting or indeed I think open to visitors is the
TC winery: |
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