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Nikki (Visootha) Lohitnavy

B. of Oenology
Hons. in Viticulture
Oenologist and Winemaker

Nikki is the first and only woman winemaker of Thailand. She is the General Manager and Oenologist and Winemaker of her family property, GranMonte, Asoke Valley since 2008. Graduated from the University of Adelaide in December 2008, she is the only scholar in history of University of Adelaide who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Oenology together with Honours in Viticulture. Her research was published in two respected scientific journals, Journal of Food Quality and Preference (UK) and Vitis (USA).

She returned home to the non-traditional grape-growing region of the ‘tropics’, the newest and most exciting wine region of the world. New winemaking innovations and techniques are adapted by Nikki on her vineyard and wines to further accelerate GranMonte and Thai wines to the highest international quality.

For her accomplishments, Nikki has recently been listed in Forbes’ Inaugural 30 Under 30 Asia (2016) alongside other “top promising young leaders, daring entrepreneurs and game changers” in the manufacturing and energy sector.

Nikki Lohitnavy does not only have winemaking experience in Thailand. She has worked and consulted in various wine regions around the globe bringing her tropical wine growing knowledge to the world.


  • In 2007, she was a visiting winemaker at Brown Brothers Winery in Victoria, Australia during her 3rd year of studies at the University of Adelaide

  • While in her 4th year of the bachelor’s degree, she was awarded the prestigious ‘Wolf Blass Foster’s Wine Prize for Excellence in Winemaking’ and was invited to be the vintage winemaker at Wolf Blass Winery, Barossa Valley, South Australia in 2008

  • In 2009, after establishing GranMonte’s Asoke Winery right after her graduation from the University of Adelaide, she traveled to France to join the winemaking team at La Fleur de Bouard (Lalande de Pomerol) and Chateau Angelus (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé A) for the historic 2009 harvest

  • After her venture in France, the same year, she went to South Africa as visiting winemaker at Anwilka (Stellenbosch) and Klein Constantia (Constantia)

  • Since April 2010, she has been proudly representing GranMonte and pouring her wines to negociants and wine critics from around the globe at the world-famous wine tasting event, ‘En Primeur’ in Bordeaux. GranMonte is the only Thai winery that has the honour of being invited to participate at the annual event.

  • In May 2010, she represented Thailand as a plenary speaker at the 2nd International Symposium of Tropical Wines in Petrolina, Brazil where the participants were convinced that Thai wines have the most premium quality in the tropical wine producing regions

  • Her first consultancy was at Quinta de Roriz (Douro Valley, Portugal), a renowned estate owned by Prats & Symington where she was the consulting winemaker in 2010 and 2011. The 2011 CHRYSEIA was named No. 3 of the Top 10 wines of 2014 by Wine Spectator.

  • In November 2011, Nikki was a member of the organizing committee, bringing the 3rd International Symposium of Tropical Wines to Chiang Mai, Thailand

  • In Septermber 2012, she began Thailand’s first exchange program with the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation and GranMonte in technical exchange of tropical viticulture and winemaking knowledge at Fazenda Ouro Verde (Miolo Wine Group) and Rio Sol (ViniBrasil group) in São Francisco Valley, Brazil

  • She returned for a French harvest in 2013 where she was a visiting winemaker at Domaine Maison (Cheverny, Loire Valley) and Domaine Alain Graillot and Equis (Crozes-Hermitage)

  • Nikki did her first judging gig in March 2014 at the Wine and Spirits Asia competition in Singapore as a member of the judging panel and was selected to be Trophy and Best in Show judge

  • In September 2014, Nikki ventured once again into exciting new regions of winemaking. She was a visiting winemaker at Monte Xanic, leading boutique winery in Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California, Mexico

  • Nikki travelled to Venezuela in October 2014 to visit the only vineyard and winery in the country, Bodegas Pomar in Estado Lara

  • At the Asian Wine Producers Association meeting in Hong Kong, Nikki was appointed as the Viticulture and Winemaking Coordinator of the association

  • In July 2015, Nikki was invited to be one of the four judges at the Thailand's Best Sommelier Competition 2015 in Bangkok, Thailand

  • October 2016, she was invited as a key note speaker at the 5th International Symposium on Tropical Wines in Petrolina, Brazil

  • In 2016 and 2017, she was on a judging panel of the Thailand’s Best Sommelier in French and Thai Wine

  • In August 2017, Nikki returned to Brazil as a visiting winemaker at a renowned sub-tropical winery, Vinicola Guaspari in São Paulo state