Aythaya Vineyard in Myanmar
Spread across the beautiful Shan plateau in eastern Myanmar is the Aythaya Vineyard, the oldest and one of the only two vineyards in the country. Aythaya Vineyard was opened in 1999 by Bert Morsbach, a German wine-lover who shipped around 14,000 vines, mainly Shinraz and Cabernet Sauvignon from Burgundy to the Shan State. Myanmar does not traditionally have a culture of winemaking—they have their own alcohol or "palm wine" made from jaggery (this is another super interesting topic, will leave a link below)—but the climate and terrain are in fact suited for vines too. The region receives 150 days of sunlight annually without excessive rainfalls, has an altitude of 1,200m (3,940), and a soil texture of calcareous origin. The other vineyard in the country is called Red Mountain Estate Vineyards & Winery, also located in the Shan State. However, Aythaya is by far the most famous, and their lineup of wines can be accessed at almost every (modern) super market nation-wide and the duty free shops at the airport. The price range is around $5-$18, depending on the exchange rate and where you purchase them.
From a wine perspective, I must admit Aythaya wines are rather mediocre. However, as a former expat in Myanmar and an intern at a local travel agency, I fondly recommend a visit to Aythaya Vineyard (for a walk and a tasting, offered at 2,000MMK≒$1.40/ person!) and the beautiful destinations in the Shan State. I have posted some photos of the vineyard and sites near it; all of the destinations in the photos (including the famous Inle Lake, Taunggyi, and Kakku Pagodas) could be visited in two days only, with a very low budget. Plan your next trip to Myanmar!!
I remember seeing a winery on a proposed itinerary I requested for Myanmar. I was also surprised, but I think it's best to consider it more like an add-on tourist destination given its proximity to major attractions like Inle Lake. As you said, the wine itself is mediocre and its price point of $5-18 is not much better than what you could find in many other locations. That said, wineries are generally beautiful places and it is great to support a local business!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment! You are absolutely right about it being an ad-on. At the same time, the alcohol industry in Myanmar (Myanmar Beer etc) is growing and more and more people are visiting these facilities. I hope one day it will be good enough on it's own to attract tourists.
DeleteLooks beautiful- would love to visit.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment! Do let me know if you ever plan to visit!
DeleteAs a Burmese person, I'm super happy to see increased recognition for our country! Interestingly, the majority of the population in Myanmar is Buddhist - many of which abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages. I'm curious as to how this winery survived given tourism to Myanmar did not kick off until a couple of years ago. On another note, I'm curious as to how the wine culture in Myanmar will evolve given the type of cuisine. I personally would not drink wine with any Burmese dishes I can think of, but perhaps this will lead to innovations or introductions of new dishes into Burmese cuisine!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment! I did not know you are Burmese! We should definitely have a conversation over this! Myanmar zagar pyo tat la?
ReplyDeleteThis is spectacular! I didn't realize there was a winery in Myanmar. Interesting to think about how this would develop as a local vs. tourism play.
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