We Filipinos are known for our gleeful disposition and our proclivity towards celebrating special occasions and monumental events in our lives. We often gather together to celebrate with our family and friends, cook sumptuous meals, and accentuate our homes with ornaments and decorations to imbue it with a festive vibe.
During these occasions, food takes center stage. Dishes are usually family recipes that have been passed down from one generation to another. Potlucks are common and contribute to a sense of warm fellowship and merriment. Of course, any celebration won’t be complete without wine. Regardless of the occasion, who can say no to wine?
Here we reveal the best wines in the Philippines for 2022, all of which are tailored for specific occasions to make your celebration more fun and memorable.
Anniversaries
Reaching a specific year or celebrating a special milestone deserves a celebration. This way you get to reminisce about all the progress you’ve made and the many things to look forward to in years to come. On these occasions, you can opt for champagne and sparkling wines which embody human relationship. Each bottle of those is imbued with its own special grapes, much like any human relationship that is fortified from a myriad of several small moments that make it increasingly great as time passes by.
If you are looking for the best quality value champagne and sparkling wines in town, you can check these roster of spark offered by Txanton:
Torello Txanton 150 Grapes Bubbly Limited Edition for PHP 1595
Torello Pali.lid Brut Reserva 2018 for PHP 1595
Torello Brut Reserva for PHP 1395
Gramona III Lustros Brut Nature 2012 for PHP
Legras and Haas Champagne house (coming soon)
Weddings
There is no greater reminder of how magical love is than seeing two people being united by such a cosmic and mystical magnetic force. That is why when you are planning your own wedding or attending one, make sure that you choose the best red wine that complements the food, fits in the budget, and matches the palette of the guests.
Txanton offers the best red wine in the Philippines. Amazing quality values for your celebrations:
Remirez de Ganuza Erre Punto 2020 for PHP 1,550
Poderi Aldo Conterno Barbera Conca Tre Pile 2017 for PHP 3,695
Mas Martinet Martinet Bru 2020 for PHP 2,295
La Fleur de Bouard Le Lion de La Fleur de Bouard 2015 for PHP 1,690
Date Nights
After a pandemic fraught with lockdowns and restrictions, some of us are a little bit giddy to be out and about. Whether it might be a date night with a special someone or with your friends who you terribly miss, make sure that you start your date night with white wine. White is very refreshing and stimulates appetite, and is best served on the onset of the evening and before the main course.
Some of the best white wine brands in the Philippines are offered by Txanton. Try one or two of these following great values:
Domaine Vincent Girardin Pouilly Fuisse “Vieilles Vignes” 2017 for PHP 2995
Belondrade y Lurton 2019 for PHP 2,395
Pazo De Senorans Seleccion de Anada 2012 for PHP 3,995
Menade Sauvignon Blanc 2020 for PHP 1,195
Holidays
During holidays, some love to stay indoors and do some cozy activities like watching our favorite streaming show, while others prefer to visit and spend quality time with relatives and friends. Whether you belong to the former or the latter, all you need to make holidays extra special is a bottle of sherry. This type of wine is versatile and is perfect to drink all throughout the year. If you have unexpected visitors, sherry wine stored in the refrigerator can save the day because it is a good combination for any dish. But you have to love dry wines.
Holidays also require a lot of talking and socializing. drink will get the party going with its refreshing and delightful taste, especially as people grab A sherry small bites and engage in deep and long soulful conversations. Best pairing for Fino sherry is Jamon iberico de Bellota. As the night goes deeper, sherry is a good choice to experiment with cocktails as well in order to make the night more fun. Just make sure the kids are already in bed or watching their favorite holiday movies while you do this.
If you are looking for some of the best sherry wine in the Philippines, Txanton offers some of the best ones in town:
Bodegas Tradicion VOS 20 years Cream for PHP 4995
Tradicion Fino NV for PHP 2795
Bodegas Tradicion Oloroso VORS 30 Years NV for PHP 5,995
Bodegas Tradicion VORS 30 Years Palo Cortado NV for PHP 8995
When it comes to those who don’t like dry wines and prefer sweet to accompany their desserts or just to have a relaxing time after dinner, some of the best sweet white brands and sweet red wine in the Philippines are offered by Txanton. These include:
Oremus Tokaji Late Harvest 2020 for PHP 2295
Vega Sicilia Oremus Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos 2013 for PHP 5495
Vega Sicilia Oremus Tokaji Aszu 3 Puttonyos 2015 for PHP 3395
Guide for Tasting, Serving, Pairing and Storing
Tasting based on what kind of drinker you are.
With the varieties and complexities of wine come different wine drinkers. These differences are rooted in personal preference, occasion, budget or even the mood. Here are some common types of wine drinkers:
The Wine Newby
If you have just started wine drinking, you can begin with smooth or semi-sweet white wine. These kinds of drinks are fruitier, contain lighter alcohol, and are less challenging to drink.
The Wine Tourist
People who love to travel love to immortalize their memories by taking pictures. Others want to remember the place they visited through the wine that they have tasted there. Whether they are visiting a small local town in Italy or a big crowded city in France, they really make sure that they taste the wine that the place is offering.
The Wine Socialite
This type of wine drinker consumes any wine that is offered to them. They learn the different types of wine through their friends and family and are not picky about choosing the most unique one or the most expensive. They are the extroverts of the wine world.
The Wine Loyalist
Compared to the wine socialite, this type of wine drinker makes sure that they show up to parties with their own wine. They stick to a specific wine because it’s their favorite and want to share with the people they like to stay with.
Proper Way of Serving and Pairing Wine
Here are some things to remember when serving wine:
The wine should have the same level of intensity as the food.
Red wines pair best with bold-flavored meats (e.g. red meat).
White wines pair best with light-intensity meats (e.g. fish or chicken).
Very Dry wines are best balanced with fat.
More often than not, white, sparkling and rosé wines create contrasting pairings.
More often than not, red wines will create congruent pairings.
Maintaining the Quality of Wine
For many years, winemakers have skillfully studied and maneuvered the complexities, intricate details, and sheer talent to seal wine in a bottle with perfection. That is why wine enthusiasts have certain practices in preserving the wine for few more days. Some of the these include.
Re-corking
After opening your wine, make sure that you replace the cork correctly. Avoid using the “clean” side to fit in the bottle. This is because the stained side has been already exposed to the wine and the supposedly
“clean” side can taint the wine that you are planning to drink in the next few days. So try to fit the cork as it was placed before.
Using Half Bottles
Once opened, the air can enter the bottle and flatten the wine faster than bigger formats, lessening its flavor and aroma. So when opening half bottles, drink them. Don’t leave it for the day after.
Storing Wine in a Refrigerator
Cool temperature won’t be able to stop the wine from breaking down but it can tremendously slow the process, making it still drinkable with the days to come. For whites, sparkling and rose, you can definitely store them in the regular refrigerator. For Reds, try to store at special wine refrigerators at 18 C degrees.
Consuming Wine Immediately
Wines are easier to drink and can be finished immediately when shared with someone or with a group of people while talking to each other. Additionally, there are a lot of health benefits in drinking a moderate amount of wine daily.
Wine has been around for the past thousand years and has been part of every cultural, religious and social gathering. Aside from its ubiquity, there is also a plethora of studies that detailed its many benefits. With these small yet tremendous facts, wine is really considered a drink that has withstood and will stand the test of time.
Txanton offers a selection of premium wines in the Philippines perfect for every occasion all year round.
Staying true to its commitment to provide Filipinos the experience and taste of wine from all over the world, Txanton continues to introduce new producers like Legras and Haas Champagne that will be launching soon. Visit our website and our physical stores, or call us at (02) 8877 6928 for more updates about our latest offerings.