Visootha “Nikki” Lohitnavy

General Manager/Oenologist, Granmonte

Industry : Business

Nikki is Thailand’s first and only female winemaker. She is also the first Thai to have trained in winemaking overseas, picking up degrees in oenology and viticulture. For the past decade she has overseen winemaking at her family’s Granmonte Vineyard and Winery in Khao Yai, guiding it towards international standing and winning over a hundred prizes from international wine competitions in the process. She is proud of being a producer of 100 per cent Thai wines made only from Thai-grown grapes and of integrating oenotourism to the business. She also helps her parents run the winery’s shop, popular restaurant and visitor accommodation. Drought was her biggest challenge this past year, but a systematic irrigation plan allowed Granmonte vines to flourish with minimum water. Her goal is to make Granmonte one of the first zero waste wineries in the world. Inspired by her father, she is part of a movement to change alcohol control acts, particularly excise regulations that are currently imposed on small producers. She loves the work of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, whose books piqued her interest in South America.