Bloggers Night: A Prelude to the 18th Grand Wine Experience (Pasay City)

Bloggers Night: A Prelude to the 18th Grand Wine Experience

The prestigious 18th Grand Wine Experience (GWE), the most illustrious wine event of the year, will feature over 500 world-class wines, spirits, beers and Japanese sake, plus a sumptuous, well curated buffet also prepared by Marriott Manila Executive Chef Meik Brammer.  

Organized by the Philippine Wine Merchants (PWM) and now on its 18th year, it will be held on November 16, 2018, Friday, 5 PM at the Grand Ballroom of the Marriott Hotel, Newport City.  

This year’s theme is “Diversity” to celebrate and showcase that no wines are ever the same and that each one of them has their own unique taste and are prepared in hundreds and even thousands of ways.

Check out "Launch of Grand Wine Experience 2018"

Bloggers and wine industry players gathered at the Wine Museum & Resto

As a prelude to the grand event, PWM again invited wine and lifestyle influencers to a Bloggers Night held at the Wine Museum Hotel & Resto. 

Our 7-course dinner, featuring an appetizer of croquetas (croquettes) and gambas al ajillo, a main course of crispy toro, fried chicken, callos and paella, plus a dessert of crepes, was complemented a bevy of wines, whiskeys and beers introduced to us by wine industry players (PWM, Fly Ace Corporation, Diageo, Chivas Regal and Booze Online, Inc.) who will be present in this year’s GWE.

Crispy Toro

Callos

Ms. Normita Franco-Wang

Ms. Tricia Apostol

First on the agenda was, fittingly, wines, and the first presenter was Ms. Normita Franco Wang, VP for Retail Operations (Concession Department) of event organizer PWM. 

She presented to us Montes Alpha Chardonnay 2016 (an excellent, very serious chardonnay with pie-crust and cooked-apple character; full body, tight, focused, beautiful and long) and Montes Classic Series Merlot 2017 (a European-style merlot, bone dry on the finish but full of tasty, savory and rather complex berry fruits).

Montes Alpha Chardonnay 2016

Montes Merlot 2017

According to Ms. Tricia Apostol, Product Manager of Fly Ace Corporation, one of the country's leading food and beverage consumer goods companies,   Casillero del Diablo, a widely recognized premium brand of Chilean wine which means the “devil's cellar,” was so named because winery  founder Don Melchor de Concha y Toro, spread the myth that the devil lived in the cellar to prevent theft.

Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

She introduced to us Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 (a dark, ruby red wine with aromas of cherries, black currant and dark plums; very concentrated, rich in flavor, perfectly balanced, and boasts a satisfying and lingering finish) and Casillero del Diablo Devil's Brut (a sparkling wine with a gorgeous pale yellow color, is bright, very delicate and with small bubbles).  

Casillero del Diablo Devil's Brut

Mr. Ryan Asidao

Mr. Hamish Houliston

Now it’s the whiskey’s turn.  Mr. Ryan Asidao, brand manager of Diageo, the world's largest producer of spirits, introduced to us to The Singleton of Dufftown Single Malt Scotch Whiskey, aged 12 years, a straightforward, nutty, light and very smooth single malt whiskey with a warm pleasant finish; sweet and soft with a taste of summer and slightly nutty with a hint of raisins and wood. 

Mr. Hamish Houliston, Chivas Brothers Ambassador for the Philippines, focused on Chivas Regal Blended Scotch Whiskey, aged 12 years, considered to be the world’s finest Scotch whiskey. This exceptional whiskey had a great smell (flowers and vanilla) and, definitely, a great taste too, sweet, but not cloying, buxom, but not overblown. 

The Singleton Single Malt Scotch Whiskey 12 years old

Chivas Regal Blended Scotch Whiskey 12 years old

Mr. Chester Cabrera

And finally, there was the beers, specifically Belgian beers.  Mr. Chester Cabrera, Head of Marketing for Booze Online, Inc. (one of the leading companies engaged in importing and distributing global wines, spirits and premium beers), presented to us Hoegaarden Belgian White Ale (the key to its unique, refreshing flavor and spicy nose is real Curacao orange peel with a hint of coriander), Hoegaarden Belgian Wheat Beer (features the soft taste and subtle color of raspberries) and Stella Artois (a classic Belgian lager, originally brewed as a special holiday brew, golden in color, with exceptional clarity and a spicy hop character).  

The latter, popular Belgian brew was served in it own beautiful special, 16.9 oz. (50 cL), 8.5-in. tall, gold-rimmed glass or chalice, branded with the famous red, white and gold logo of Stella Artois, designed to enhance the beer's flavor by releasing the multi-textured aromas when the liquid is poured and increase the retention of the foam's head. An iconic work of art itself, its elegant "star" stem also encourages drinkers to keep their warm fingers off the cold glass, keeping the beer colder for longer.

Hoegaarden Belgian Wheat Beer and Belgian White Ale

Stella Artois Belgian Beer and its iconic chalice

Grand Wine Experience 2018: Grand Ballroom, Marriott Hotel Manila, 2 Resorts Drive, Resorts World Manila, Pasay City. Tel: +632 853-9894.  Fax: +632 831-7951. E-mail: info@grandwineexperience.com. Website: www.grandwineexperience.com. Facebook: facebook.com/GWE17. For tickets, contact Jorge Joseph 09178537501 & use the discount/referral code: JORGEJ. The rate for the Grand Wine Event is Php 6,000. For registration, click here.

The Wine Museum Hotel & Resto: 2253 Aurora Blvd. (formerly Tramo Rd.), Tramo, Pasay City, Metro Manila.  Tel: (632) 239-4278.  Fax: (632) 853-5894. E-mail: hotelvino@yahoo.com. Website: www.thewinemuseum.org. 

Philippine Wine Merchants: 2253 Aurora Blvd., Pasay City 1300, Metro Manila.Tel: (02) 853-7423.  Email: sales@ralphswines.com.ph. Website: www.grandwineexperience.com.

Fly Ace Corp.: 7/F, Fly Ace Corporate Center, 13 Coral Way, Central Business Park, Pasay City, Metro Manila. Tel: (632) 807-9999. Fax:: (632) 807-9999 local 737 & 842. E-mail: info@flyacecorp.com. Website: www.flyacecorp.com. 

Diageo Philippines, Inc.: 15/F, The W Fifth Avenue Bldg., 5th Ave., Taguig City,Metro Manila.  Tel: (632) 808-5921.

Booze Online, Inc.: Unit 909, Cityland 10 Tower 1, 156 H.V. Dela Costa St., Salcedo Village, Makati City 1227.  Tel: (02) 895 7179. Website: www.boozeshop.ph.