The Sarojin wins the Wine Spectator Award for the 2nd consecutive year
The Sarojin, Thailand’s award-winning 56 boutique residence property, has won the 2009 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for the second consecutive year. This prestigious accolade was awarded to the resort’s signature restaurant, Ficus, for demonstrating a dedication to wine, a well-chosen selection of quality wine producers, and a thematic match with its menu items in both price and style.
The Sarojin features an extraordinary wine cellar with over 200 vintages from both the old and new worlds. This is complemented by the availability of 20 wines by the glass – Le Verre de Vin, the world’s most advanced wine and champagne preservation system. Le Verre de Vin is capable of preserving an unlimited number of still, sparkling and fortified wines and is available at The Sarojin’s Ficus and Edge restaurants. The Sarojin’s Wine Director, Sam Bonifant, shares his passion for wine with the resort’s British owners, Kate and Andrew Kemp; together they have created an award-winning wine list that emphasises quality and affordability and which perfectly complements the restaurants’ à la carte cuisine.
Comments Kate Kemp, “We’re very proud of our wine selection and pay great attention to vintage, proper storage, appropriate food pairing and serving, criteria that are particularly important in maintaining fine wines in a tropical climate. Wine Spectator’s 2009 Award of Excellence is testament to our dedication in providing the very best and to the very positive feedback that we receive from our guests.”
Adds Sam Bonifant, “You can have the best wine in the world but if it is exposed to the heat for too long the result can be a total disaster. Also, the old principles of what wine went best with which dish, were really quite limited. We constantly challenge ourselves to pair the best selection with the myriad of flavours offered by the quality of our cuisine.”
Complementing the wine menu is The Sarojin’s à la carte cuisine, a delectable choice of Asian and continental dishes, prepared by Executive Chef Khun Jui and his team. Enhancing The Sarojin’s culinary offerings is the resort’s ability to stage extraordinary dining experiences “just for 2,” engineered by their very own Imagineer, Jowell Philemond-Montout. As the ultimate personal concierge, Jowell works with the chefs to turn guests’ culinary desires into reality, creating tailor-made settings for even greater appeal and enjoyment; for example, guests can choose from a candlelit degustation dinner by a waterfall, or around the resort’s ancient Ficus tree; a private beach barbecue by the Andaman Sea; Thai culinary cooking lessons along the Takuapa River; a delicious lunch at one of the pool island pavilions, or an intimate gourmet dinner in the privacy of their own private dining sala. For the more adventurous, gourmet safari-style breakfasts and lunches can be arranged for day excursions in one of the five national parks bordering The Sarojin, or for a decadent day at sea, couples can indulge in a champagne and oyster spread on board the resort’s Lady Sarojin luxury charter yacht.
The 2009 Wine Spectator Award for Excellence is indicative of The Sarojin’s exceptional level of personalised service and attention to detail. The resort’s name is inspired by the mythical Lady Sarojin, the daughter of a prominent Thai nobleman who was regarded as the perfect host and whose household became famous for its hospitality. The Sarojin’s goal is to reflect this legacy by providing an experience that is reminiscent of staying at a friend’s private estate. It is located directly on a secluded 7 mile white sand beach, just 55 minutes drive north of Phuket Airport and 7km north of Khao Lak centre in the Phang Nga province of Thailand. Children under 12 years are not permitted to stay at The Sarojin.
