As bizarre as it may sound, Myanmar has a fledgeling viticulture industry, with several estates dotted around the country growing a diverse array of varietals. We happened to stumble across one just outside of town in Nyaungshwe, the gateway to Inle Lake. Despite South East Asia not being known for its wine industry, we opted for the full tasting menu. Read on to find out more about our experience.

Visiting Myanmar? Read my guide on what to expect here.

When we first heard that there was a winery on the banks of Inle Lake, I’ll admit, we were skeptical. Despite neither of us being experts in wine, we knew enough to know that South East Asia isn’t exactly known for producing much quality wine. In fact, we knew that wines from the region were likely to taste cheap, highly acidic, and possibly, well, shit. However, when we heard from another pair of backpackers at a bar in Nyaungshwe that there was a winery, Red Mountain Estate, just up the road, we figured, why the hell not?

After borrowing some bikes from our hostel (this is the best way to get there), we rode the 4.5 km’s to the estate. To get there, we just followed the main rad out of town, Yone Gyi Street, and turned right onto the highway at the four way intersection. Along the way we passed by endless rice fields, a group of taunting school children, and scenery so bucolic, I honestly wish I could teleport myself back there now. However, one thing to note - it was hot. Really, really hot. By the time we reached the hill leading to the winery, Carlie and I were both drenched in sweat, not overly looking forward to the prospect of tasting red wine, of all things.

After being greeted at the front doors by some very attentive staff we were led to a table that was mercifully directly beneath the air conditioning, which was working absolutely overtime in the Myanmar dry season. However, after perusing the menu and opting for the tasting flight, we were met with some fairly decent wines. From memory, the Tempranillo wasn’t too bad, and the 2009 Sauvignon Blanc was pretty damn tasty. To be entirely honest, the Shiraz was not excellent, and the Rosé was better forgotten - but the staff were excellent, and the view out the window beside us was exceptional. Full panoramic views of the distant lake, and sweeping views of the surrounding vineyard. The wine sampling was actually pretty fun, with the service staff practicing their English with us as they served us each glass. The vibe in the restaurant was lovely, and I absolutely cant fault the winery on decor - it was well decorated and comfortable. All in all, we were charged the equivalent of $10 AUD to taste around 4 wines, which is fairly exemplary. Heads somewhat lighter, we then rode back into town, now fully aware that red wine from south-east Asia can actually taste good.

After doing some googling on my return to the hostel, I found out that Red Mountain Estate was first established in 2002, with the first vines being planted in 2003, under the stewardship of a French winemaker. From what I could see, they actually built the terraces for the vines using construction equipment, rather than finding the nice hilly regions known to produce excellent wine. From there, they grew in leaps and bounds, adding hectares and hectares of vineyard each year, and adding in imported Tempranillo grapes from Spain in 2007. By the time 2008 rolled around, they were producing 25,000 bottles annually. Given the size of the vineyard, you’d probably expect them to have a much higher yield - however, due to being outside the temperate zone (best conditions for red wine production), their yields are slightly lower than growers in Australia, Italy and France. In 2011 they opened up the adjoining Restaurant and tasting rooms, where we were then lucky enough to sample some of their wines in 2016.

GETTING THERE

Red Mountain Estate is located at Taung Chay Village Group, Nyaungshwe. They are open every day of the week from 9 am to 6 pm, and offer tasting flights. While they do tend to get busy with tour groups, you generally don’t need to book your visit.

The best way to reach the winery is via bike. Riding to the winery will take you about 20 minutes from town. Just take it easy, drink lots of water, and rest as needed - it’ll be hot.