Enter the Dragon: Bhutan’s leap into the wine world
Tucked away in a corner of the Himalayas, the small kingdom of Bhutan is an unusual place for a winery to be established. But the first wines from the country's solitary winery are due to be released this month. Chris Howard met the founders to see what the Land of the Thunder Dragon has to offer its new winemakers.
‘He who climbs upon the highest mountains laughs at all tragedies, real or imaginary.’— Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra
Beneath the towering Himalayas, the realm of the Gods, a new wine country has been born.
On 21 October, Bhutan – ‘Land of the Thunder Dragon’ – officially joins the global stage with the release of its first vintage.
This beautiful, secluded Buddist kingdom, graced by dramatic mountains, lush valleys, roaring rivers, shimmering lakes and an ancient yet ever-evolving culture, is now home to a pioneering wine venture.
Founded by American dreamers, Michael Juergens and Ann Cross, in partnership with the Bhutanese government, the Bhutan Wine Company aspires to capture the essence of the Thunder Dragon’s terroir.
Known for its commitment to Gross National Happiness (GNH) and its pristine environment, Bhutan might seem an unlikely candidate for wine production.
Yet, these very qualities have given rise to what could become one of the world’s most intriguing wine regions.
The genesis of this venture is a tale of serendipity and vision. Juergens, a business consultant and aspiring Master of Wine, and his wife Cross, a brand management expert with a WSET Diploma, first visited Bhutan in 2017.
Get our daily fine wine reviews, latest wine ratings, news and travel guides delivered straight to your inbox.
Bottling Bhutan
What began as a bucket-list trip soon evolved into a pioneering enterprise.
‘I looked at it and said, this place has the potential to make some of the world’s greatest wines,’ Juergens recalls.
‘Everything that you eat [in Bhutan] is the most flavourful thing you’ve ever tasted. So I figured you could probably grow some interesting wine grapes.’
Captivated by Bhutan’s diverse microclimates and pure environment, Juergens drafted a proposal for the Bhutanese government, outlining how a wine industry could align with the country’s development goals, GNH policy, and status as the world’s only carbon-negative nation.
Recognising the potential for an entirely new, high-value, low-volume product that could showcase Bhutan to the world, while promoting sustainable agriculture, preserving cultural heritage, and generating income opportunities for rural communities – all key pillars of GNH – the response was enthusiastic.
By 2019, the first vines were in the ground. This merging of American entrepreneurialism with Bhutan’s adaptive cultural framework has given rise to a unique venture that respects local traditions while pushing viticultural boundaries.
Karma Choeda, chief operating officer of the Bhutan Wine Company, emphasises the cultural significance: ‘For the people and the country, it will be a matter of pride to say that we are able to grow grapes and produce wine in Bhutan.
‘Being a small country sandwiched between two giant nations [India and China], we have always placed great importance on our identity.
‘And to be able to capture and promote the essence and identity of Bhutan in a good bottle of wine will make the Bhutanese people very proud indeed.’
A mandala of microclimates
Bhutan, slightly smaller than Switzerland, offers a remarkable diversity of microclimates within its tropical lowlands, high-altitude valleys and abundant river and lake regions.
The venture has identified four distinct climate zones and two primary soil types – alluvial sand by the rivers and red clay on the hills.
Currently, about 80 hectares of vineyards span the country, cultivated across nine sites.
This diversity allows for an extraordinary range of grape varieties. ‘We’re going to have the Loire Valley equivalent here, doing Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc, the Rhône equivalent there doing Syrah, Bordeaux over there doing Bordeaux varietals, and we’ve got Burgundy Pinot Noir,’ Juergens enthuses.
‘We’ve got the microclimates to do all of that. We’ve just got to figure out which is which.’
Unlike the French appellation system, however, there are no rules. With no prior history of viticulture, Bhutan is a vinous blank canvas.
Monkeys in the vineyard
High altitudes, with some vineyards reaching up to 2,700 metres, contribute to intense UV exposure and significant diurnal temperature variations.
Combined with Bhutan’s famously pure water and unpolluted air, viticultural conditions are optimal.
Pioneering an entirely new wine country is not without its unique challenges. Wildlife management tops the list, with monkeys, cobras and leopards posing threats in the vineyards.
‘We don’t have red blotch [a vineyard disease], but we have monkeys!’ Juergens exclaims, highlighting the need for innovative solutions like electric fences and anti-venom protocols.
Matt Brain, the company’s Californian winemaker and a professor of oenology, shares his perspective on the challenges: ‘Growing world-class grapes in the country with no prior experience will take some time.
‘Vineyard teams will need to learn best practices in a variety of environmental conditions. And we will need to continue to explore the suitability of different varieties in different soils, altitudes and weather patterns.’
A new harvest
Adapting to local agricultural practices has been another hurdle. Bhutanese farmers, accustomed to maximising yields for other crops, are gradually coming around to the counterintuitive practice of reducing yields to enhance wine quality.
The diverse terroir and long growing season – harvests span from June to October due to altitude differences – allow for experimentation.
With 16 varieties in the ground, early results have been promising across the board, with Pinot Noir, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling showing particular promise.
Juergens describes the Pinot Noir as ‘the darkest you’ve ever seen, and at the same time the lightest, most ethereal you’ve ever tasted’.
Brain adds: ‘It is too early to say where our chosen varieties will excel best, but we are seeing different varieties beginning to show a great deal of promise at these early stages.’
As one might expect from a country without a single fast-food chain or traffic light, the aim is not for globalised ‘recipe’ wines.
Rather, the venture has set its sights on terroir-driven wines that reflect the unique characteristics of each microclimate and soil type.
As Bhutan pours its first wines, there’s a palpable sense of excitement and pride among its citizens.
The wines were presented first to the kingdom on 12 October, ahead of the global release on 21 October.
Building a wine culture
The project has been embraced as an opportunity to showcase Bhutanese culture and values to the world through the universal language of wine.
In the capital, Thimphu, a wine bar and tasting room has been established to foster a local wine culture, doubling as an educational hub.
The venue offers a rotating selection of international wines and the company’s Ser Chem range, featuring bottles adorned with Bhutan’s dragon symbol.
The name ‘Ser Chem’ refers to the traditional ritual of offering alcohol to the gods by dipping the left ring finger into the glass and flicking droplets into the air – the Bhutanese equivalent of ‘cheers’.
Bridging tradition and innovation, this Buddhist kingdom may well become the rising star in the world of wine.
The dragon awakes.
Related articles
- An introduction to Indian wine
- Thailand: A wine lover’s guide
- Ningxia: China’s rapidly emerging fine wine region