Thai name: A-ngune
Season: September to April
Real grapes in a hot country like Thailand? By all means, and delicious ones, too, both red and white, and available all year round though the peak fruiting season is September through April. Actually, most of the varieties grown were developed at Kasetsat Agricultural University to thrive under tropical conditions and are now an important source of income for many farmers in Nakhon Pathom, Ratchaburi and Samut Sakhon Provinces. Thai wine is also being made and while a bit sweet for most European palates is nonetheless steadily improving in quality.
In 1681 or 1682, the Siamese king Narai, who was seeking to reduce Dutch and English influence, named Governor of Phuket the French medical missionary Brother Ren Charbonneau, a member of the Siam mission of the Soci des Missions Etrangres. Charbonneau held the position of Governor until 1685.