The Cape Dara Resort was the host venue for a new style of wine tasting, with some new wines from France and New Zealand, and some old favorites from Australia. Rather than the more formal approach, Anirut Posakrisna, chairman of the Wine Dee Dee Company, presented eight wine stations on the decking overlooking the Dara Beach. The concept was to follow the wine styles around, sampling both the wine and food to go with them. Towards the end of the evening, the order was becoming a little muddled, but I think everyone completed the list of wines to be reviewed, while still vertical.
The wine of the evening was a universally popular Stonefish Reserve Shiraz 2010, and the owner of Stonefish, Peter Papanikitas, was on hand to discuss his wines that were on offer, which had begun with one of his ‘sparklers’ to get everyone in the mood. The Stonefish chardonnay was another popular choice.
(L to R) Suchart Suksawad, Beverage Manager, Royal Cliff Hotels Group; Patt Srinoi, Managing Director, Anirut Posakrisna, Chairman and Sarawut Jansangiam, Group General Manager, Wine Dee Dee Co., Ltd.
The New Zealand wines were from the Lost Turtle label, and any turtle that had swum from NZ to Dara Beach was really and truly lost! The Sauvignon Blanc 2011 was pleasant without being memorable.
Many of Pattaya’s “foodies” were present, and no wine event would be the same without Richard and Janet Smith. Peter Windgasse, a strong advocate for the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs to return to having a Pattaya chapter, was in the thick of it all, and obviously enjoyed the Stonefish Reserve Shiraz as well. Other hotels were evident with representatives from the Holiday Inn, Centara Grand Mirage, the Royal Cliff and Amari having a look at the ‘opposition’.
The owner of Stonefish, Peter Papanikitas, was on hand to discuss his wines with, amongst others, Patt Srinoi, Managing Director of Wine Dee Dee Co., Ltd.
It was a great evening with some good wines and a very good range of food to be taken with the wines, and as a first effort, the Cape Dara Resort did very well. Welcome to the wine circuit!
(L to R) Wirat Boonpang, Phetay Fuanfuangfoo, Food & Beverage Manager, Sutthichai Supapornpasupad, Purchasing Manager, Suchada Thovasakul, Operation Manager of TSIX5 Hotel and Jiraporn Tewachoo.
Cape Dara Resort Assistant GM Pattamon Mekavarakul (center) poses for a photo with her friends.
(L to R) Yaowaluck Bumrungthum, Restaurant Manager of Mantra Restaurant & Bar, Kusuma Somseang, Restaurant Manager of Cape Dara Resort and Arrechon Manusmontree, Secretary of Mantra Restaurant & Bar.
(L to R) Dr. Iain Corness, Peter Malhotra, MD of Pattaya Mail Media Group, Papakan Saguansap, Spa Manager at the Tea Tree Spa, Holiday Inn and Richard Smith.
(L to R) Manee Nontuen, Nattakarn Ratchatanunti, Surat Mekavarakul, CEO of Cape Dara Resort and Supaporn Dantrakul.
(L to R) Sara Noriega, Jess Thakkar and Dr. Iain Corness.
Lost Turtle.
