Making wine in Thailand 'good preparation for climate change'

(Decanter) - Kathrin Puff, winemaker at the award-winning Siam Winery in Thailand, reckons the unique climate she works in is excellent preparation for climate change.

Siam Winery, whose Monsoon Valley Late Harvest Chenin Blanc 2012 won a major regional trophy at the Decanter World Wine Awards this year, while four of her other wines won bronze and commended medals, is one of the so-called ‘New Latitude’ wineries that are making headlines for the quality of their wines.

While 99% of the world's wine regions lie between the 30th and 50th parallels, Siam is on the 13th parallel, its vineyards situated around Bangkok on the Gulf of Thailand. The tropical climate brings challenges to the grapegrower which are at present little known in the old world – but as temperatures rise, may spread to more temperate zones.

‘As the world is on the verge of climate change, in Thailand we are experiencing, on a daily basis, conditions that are just beginning to happen in other places.'

These include diseases which are common in warm wet climates, such as the fungus anthracnose, and other problems such as lack of acidity and high pH.

In tropical climates ‘terroir becomes more complicated… you have to work harder in the cellar to balance problems out,’ Puff, who has done six vintages at Siam, told Decanter.com.