La Fontana BKK on Sharing Overlooked Mediterranean Wines

For someone who has spent his wine career in the fine wine world, his concept when he finally has a blank slate to curate a wine cellar is a notable one. 

La Fontana BKK opened at Galeri 24 on Sukhumvit Soi 24, in the heart of the cosmopolitan Sukhumvit district. While originally meant to be the outpost of the La Fontana in Singapore, which has closed its shutters, La Fontana BKK focuses on Mediterranean cuisine which they believe to be trending and a gap in the market they can fill. 

Most Italian restaurants in Bangkok are focusing on Northern and Central Italian cuisine, but La Fontana BKK is clear that they are not simply serving Southern Italian cuisine but Mediterranean food in general. This same ethos is reflected in their wine list. 

General Manager Kenny Lim started his wine career trading fine wines before being a consultant for a wine import company. Four years ago, he moved to Bangkok together with his wife. 

Opened less than three months ago, La Fontana is still stocking their wine cellars. Majority of their wines are from Greece, Southern Italy and Spain — all Mediterranean regions. 

“We've purposely kept the general price range affordable to keep the barriers to entry low,” shares Kenny. At La Fontana, wine by the glass starts from THB 280, while a bottle of wine is generally around THB 1800. “We hope that by pricing wines this way, the customers will be more willing to explore these lesser known wines and regions.”