Raise a Glass to Aythaya Wine -- Myanmar

When people think of Myanmar, wine is probably the last thing that springs to mind, but Bert Morsbach, CEO of Myanmar’s premiere vineyard, is one of many ‘new-latitude’ vintners who hope to change that.

Back in 1997, Morsbach founded his vineyard, Aythaya Wine, among Buddhist monasteries on the slopes of Aythaya’s Taunggyi Mountains, and aimed to create a wine that could compete with the top vintners from the world’s classic wine-producing countries.

Producing wine in a tropical climate is no mean feat, and Morsbach faced many challenges and obstacles. “Had I not been convinced that we could make a quality wine up in our mountains, I would not have started the project,” he admits. And after two failed crop seasons, Aythaya Wine was finally able to present its first wine, the ‘Aythaya Red’, at Yangon’s Le Planteur Restaurant in December 2004.

Aythaya wines are part of the “new latitude wines,” which are created in places far from the traditional centers of Europe, California, Australia and South America.

In terms of wine-making, countries like Brazil, India and Thailand hope to someday stand in pride next to France, Australia and Chile and Morsbach is one hopeful contender in the movement.

The German-born vintner plans to eventually retire in Myanmar, and sees the Aythaya Vineyard as a labor of love. As part of developing the surrounding area, the vineyard has renovated a local Buddhist orphanage, earning it the name the “orphanage vineyard.” They are also currently in the process of expanding their tourist facilities, which already include five guest rooms, a restaurant and swimming pool.

Why not add a visit to the Aythaya Vineyard to a tour of Myanmar? Exotissimo Myanmar makes stops at the Aythaya Vineyard on the way to Inle Lake, where you can indulge in some wine tasting and have lunch in an intimate setting. Interested in a glass of Burmese wine? Have a look at our Essential Myanmar tour.

Order of the Day - Dining with a Conscience in Southeast Asia

In a region famous for its delectable cuisine, several Southeast Asian restaurants are now also dishing up opportunities for the local community with their socially responsible policies and vocational training programs.

In Siem Reap, Le Jardin des Delices is the training restaurant of the famous Paul Dubrule Hospitality & Tourism School and was established to provide young, underprivileged Cambodians with an opportunity to train in the skills of the hotel, restaurant and tourism industry.

Delicious Khmer and European fusion cuisine is served on a terrace fronting a lush exotic garden. But the tastiest aspect of all is that while you enjoy the savoir faire of the students, you are also contributing to the sustainability of a vital educational project.

In just five years, the Hanoi based KOTO (Know One, Teach One) has grown from a small sandwich shop to a 120-seat restaurant and an internationally accredited hospitality program that is breaking the cycle of poverty amongst street and disadvantaged youth in Vietnam.

The young people in the KOTO program study hospitality skills and English, while gaining practical skills working at the KOTO restaurant. Indeed, KOTO boasts a 100 percent success rate in placing its graduates in their first job in the hospitality industry.

In Thailand, the popular restaurant chain Cabbages and Condoms was founded by the kingdom’s leading philanthropist and former Minister of Health, Meechai Viravaidya, in an effort to make condoms as common - and as accepted - as cabbages.

The food is consistently delicious (and ‘guaranteed not to cause pregnancy!’) and all proceeds from the restaurants are used to fund the social programs of the Population and Community Development Association (PDA), a non-profit organization founded in 1974 by Meechai himself.

Choosing to eat at socially responsible restaurants such as these can make a big difference to the most vulnerable sectors of the local community. In a region that traditionally suffers from child prostitution and exploitative labor, a socially responsible service industry is now becoming the order of the day.

On your next trip to Southeast Asia, why not sample the delicious fare of these restaurants and support their valuable work? Join the ten-day Best of Vietnam tour and visit KOTO Restaurant in Hanoi and experience Vietnamese hospitality.