Portfolio Highlight: Wine Aspect, Thailand

While discussing our favourite producers and staring up at the different shelves in Wine Aspect, what struck me was how she never once led with prestige. Her reverence lies in the wines. She could articulate why Château de Pommard's Clos Marey-Monge translates like a Chambolle-Musigny on certain parcels, how its soils carry an unusual density of clay for Pommard, a village whose profile usually runs masculine and rustic.

This is why her producers fell in love with her, too.

"Choosing a winery is 50% quality and 50% relationship," she declared. While this sounds typical of how business is conducted in our part of the world, consider her context while she stands by this: she is young and new, navigating this male-dominated industry. It would have been far easier to choose popular domaines even without a sound working relationship. This alone signals she is in this for the long term.

"In the next five years, I hope Wine Aspect will be a solid medium-size wine importer in Thailand who has an amazing strong portfolio which is respected by wine professionals in Thailand and internationally," she shared. "In the next ten years, I hope we will be one of the benchmarks in Thailand's fine wine market."

If the breadth of her portfolio is any indication, she is well on her way there. Burgundy forms the spine, but she has built around it carefully. Respected names of Laherte Frères for Champagne, Domaine Paul Prieur for Sancerre, Château La Nerthe and Domaine de Beaurenard for the Southern Rhône, and an Italian section anchored in Tuscany by Bibi Graetz and Tua Rita.

We need more of Bew in Asia market.

Editor's Pick for Importer's Portfolio: Wine Aspect, Thailand

Bew also aspires for Wine Aspect to be known for its price-to-quality ratio. It is never easy picking only three wines from an importer's portfolio, and so I picked with my heart.

1. Champagne Laherte Frères Les Empreintes Extra-Brut 2019 

Bew shared that she loved everything they stood for; from the philosophy, the vineyards, the vision on the market, and of course, the people. While I idolise their specialised Meunier cuvées, this singular Chardonnay-Pinot Noir blend is equally compelling, showcasing incredible precision and depth. They are, to this day, among my top three Meunier producers in Champagne. 

2. Domaine Paul Prieur, Monts Damnés Sancerre 2023

Bew described Luc Prieur as a rising star in Sancerre. It was my first time trying this producer, but I see her point. The wine is what you expect from this steep Kimmeridgian marl plot of Monts Damnés, while representing phenomenal price-to-quality value. 

3. Domaine Coquard-Loison-Fleurot Chambolle-Musigny 2023

I do not deny I have a weak spot for Chambolle-Musigny, but I also deeply admire producers who balance structure with whole bunch as well as CLF does (how many in Asia affectionately call Coquard-Loison-Fleurot). Thomas Colladot's precision in handling whole-bunch inclusion is often my benchmark and case study.