Myanmar Wine at Red Mountain Estate Vineyard & Winery

When I heard there was a winery in Myanmar where I could sip one of my favorite beverages while watching the sun set behind the mountains, it sounded too good to be true. Located in the Inle Lake region of Myanmar, Red Mountain Estate Vineyard & Winery serves up bottles of wine and offers wine tastings for visitors. Read on for details on this little unexpected slice of heaven!

The Wine

Since the Red Mountain Estate is both a Vineyard and Winery, I must start with a review of the wine itself. To be perfectly honest, I have had better. BUT, I still thoroughly enjoyed the bottle that I had. Before going I had read that their white wines were better than their reds and, trusting this advice, I asked to sample two of the white wines before choosing one of their dryer whites. I encourage visitors who are not participating in a wine tasting in the tasting room to ask the server to sample the wines you are considering before buying a bottle. Again, this will not be the best wine you have ever tasted in your life. That being said, the ambiance and surrounding area more than make up for it!

The Views

The best thing about Red Mountain Estate Vineyard & Winery is the view! You could almost forget that you are in Myanmar when you look out at the sweeping vista in front of you from their front patio. Below you is the valley, Inle Lake and the mountains just beyond. Absolutely stunning and worth a trip up even if you don't fancy having any wine!

The Cost

Red Mountain Estate Vineyard & Winery has both white and red wine for visitors to try. If you opt for a wine tasting, you will get to try 4 wines along with some cheese and bread. This will cost 5000 kyat (~$3.70). Wine tastings take place in a certain area of the vineyard that does not have as pretty views as outside on their patio. The pours are also not that generous.

Another option is to buy a bottle of wine (and food if you're hungry!) and find a seat outside with views overlooking the valley and the mountains. If you split a bottle with another person, you could spend as much as you would on a wine tasting, but get a lot more wine. I chose this option and split a bottle of white wine with my boyfriend, costing the same as tasting. We also got a few light snacks to go with our wine. It was divine and I highly recommend it!

Glasses of wine range from 2000 kyat (~$1.50) for a dry white wine up to 6500 kyat (~$4.75) for their red tawny. Bottles range from 10000 kyat (~$7.35) for dry white all way up to 32000 kyat (~$23.50) for their Chardonnay. Overall, red wine is more expensive than the white wine, aside from the Chardonnay, and ranges from 14000 – 21000 kyat (~$10.30 – $15.50).

Getting There

Red Mountain Estate Vineyard & Winery is located just 20 minutes from the town of Nyaung Shwe. The hostel where I stayed, Song of Travel, provided FREE bikes for guests. To get to the winery, I simply followed the road South out of town for about 20 minutes and was there!

If biking isn't your thing, you can ask your hotel if they provide transportation there. Most places will let guests rent out taxi's for sunset trips to the winery. Alternatively, you could make arrangements with a taxi driver on your own.

Aim to arrive at the winery well before sunset if you want a good seat! This gives you more time to enjoy your bottle of wine and wait for the magic to happen! Enjoy!