THE wine industry in Thailand is a tough cork to pop. Heavy taxation, expensive shipping and storage, and limited public knowledge about wine in general are just a few of the possible pitfalls awaiting any entrepreneur brave enough to have a sniff at the market here – no matter how sophisticated their nose or palate may be.

That's not to say there aren't any success stories, though. Just take a look at Wine Connection.

ONE of Bangkok’s original wine bars, Wine Pub at Pullman Bangkok King Power has been delighting oenophiles and foodies with its European-inspired cuisine and international wines for over seven years now – a remarkable achievement in a city as fickle as Bangkok, where barflies prefer to feed on the novel and usually vacate a venue as soon as they hear a new one has opened. 

LOCATED right in the heart of Bangkok’s hippest street, Wine Republic has been keeping Bangkok bar flies buzzing with its extensive selection of international wines, boozy and innovative cocktails, plus international eats for three years now.
   
Every night its outdoor terrace is teeming with young, good looking Thais and foreigners who come to feast their eyes on each other and indulge in dishes such as White wine seafood spaghetti (B280++) while lapping up the atmosphere of the street.

THURSDAY evening at Mondo Vino and the atmosphere is bubblier than a newly opened bottle of Champagne. The terrace is teeming with people sipping wine and tucking into light Italian bites, and ditto inside, where the leather couches are full and the tables are surrounded by expats and tourists engaged in hearty conversation. It’s lively, it’s exciting, it’s fun – community spirit at its best.

“Our aim from the beginning was to create a place where people can come and spend long, lazy afternoons or evenings with their friends,” says Mondo Vino owner Peter Kirketerp, a Danish national who has lived in Thailand for over 20 years. “We knew that to do this we didn’t just have to have the right atmosphere – a cozy setting with comfortable furniture – but we also had to offer great wines at affordable prices. After all, people feel most comfortable when they don’t worry about what they’re spending. We also knew we had to be generous – treat people who come here like they’re coming to our home, rather than to our shop.”