The best part about visiting the only winery in Cambodia is this woman. In a small room filled with baskets of bottles, she works. With no large modern machinery, no fancy equipment, no big factories or assembly lines. This woman sits on the floor, and one by one, she seals and labels each bottle of wine, brandy, and other drinks produced at the winery, using her own hands.
To seal the bottles, this woman literally puts a piece of plastic wrap on each bottle, and holds each bottle up to a small steamer which shrinks the plastic to fit the bottle.
To label the bottles, this woman literally peels each label from its backing and sticks them onto the bottles. All of this done by her own hands. I was intrigued by her. Just as I was intrigued by the woman who walked in perfect circles to create beautiful pieces of pottery by her own hands.
The second best part about visiting the only winery in Cambodia is tasting some of the alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages that the winery produces. For $2.00 I sampled some wine (they have reds, whites, and rosés), brandy, grape juice, and honey ginger juice.
The third best part about visiting the only winery in Cambodia is strolling through the vineyards, where they grow Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes to make their red wines, as well as Black Queen and Black Opal grapes to make their rosés.
The Prasat Phnom Banan Winery is conveniently located about 6 miles south of the town of Battambang. The winery is also located about 5 miles north of Wat Phnom Banan, an 11th century temple reached by climbing 358 stone steps. Also nearby is the must-visit gold-gilded temple complex of Phnom Sampeau.
And, the winery is also located near the Bamboo Train! One could visit both the winery and the bamboo train on the same day. But I am not sure if one would one want to drink before, or after, the train ride.
Sweet Travels!
Some information in this blog obtained from the Lonely Planet Cambodia guidebook.