The Village Farm Winery – The essence of French Life in Khao Yai

The Village Farm Winery has well and truly captured the essence of life in the French countryside on the mountain slopes of Khao Yai, an area of Thailand famous for its national parks. The Village Farm covers 80 acres of high ground over 500 meters above sea level- along the ridges at the edge of the world renowned Khorat Plateau about 230 KM’s from Bangkok.
The charming estate is home to a traditional barn- style restaurant, tasting rooms, cellars and accommodations that are both rustic and elegant. The European style winery, in fact looks like a classic French chateau and is named Chateau des Brumes (or chateau in the mist). Visitors from all over Thailand and around the world head here often for a ‘farm stay’ to absorb a unique experience of Thai country life. The Village Farm has expanded its production and also grows oranges, fruits, arabica coffee beans and market flowers, with Kisana plantations for essential oils and an olive grove for the production of olives and olive oil.
The gentle slopes, misty mornings and cool temperatures of Khao Yai are ideal for growing grapes and the vineyards here produce some of Thailand’s finest award winning wines….. .
Every year the Village Farm harvest is brought to fruition by winery founder Viravat Cholvanich and Master French winemaker Jacques Bacou who travels here each vintage from France.
Together they have created superb full bodied reds, surprising fresh whites and delicate rose.
Viravat took us through a delicious wine tasting…….then on tour through the winery.
The Village Farm produces its wines by using traditional French methods and equipment, alongside local expertise in farming this land, which has been handed down through generations. The growing of the grapes is done with as little interference as possible, whilst the making of the wine is done with a traditional basket press and oak barrels as well as modern, stainless steel fermentation tanks and a state of the art analysis laboratory.
Unlike other vineyards, the annular harvest here in late Feb or early March is done at night and is combined with a harvest festival.
The special event that brought us here was a five course wine dinner — where the Village Farm wines would be pared with the world famous cuisine of chef Nooror from the Blue Elephant restaurant chain. Course after course of delightful dishes that included Somtam Jerusalem with artichoke, Lobster with Mulberry, Golden Neck Pheasant Curry and Lamb Rack with Lemon Grass Pepper sauce.
Good food, good wine and a stunning location.
Close your eyes and let the flavours of France and Thailand take you to a whole new world altogether……

www.villagefarm.co.th
www.blueelephant.com