The Wine Museum: Wine Appreciation with Breakfast Club

Monday, July 30, 2012
For the past few months, I've found myself eager to learn more about wines. Fortunately, I was given another opportunity to appreciate the art of wine, and food and wine pairing through a tour and lunch at The Wine Museum courtesy of Breakfast Magazine.
The Wine Museum Ambiance
Photo sourced from The Wine Museum

Located along Aurora Boulevard in Pasay City, The Wine Museum is a four-story family-oriented restaurant, bed and breakfast destination, as well as a foundation established not only to cater to wine aficionados, food lovers and weary travelers, but to also provide hands-on training to students and practitioners in the hospitality and tourism industry.

Owned by the same family behind the Philippine Wine Merchants Inc. and Ralph's Wines and Spirits, the Josephs established The Wine Museum back in 2008, which as of present has a colonial resto bar at the ground floor, a museum and training center on the second floor, and 8 beautiful yet budget-friendly bed rooms in the third and fourth floors.

Multi-purpose Training Center Wine Museum
Wine Museum and Training Center; Photos sourced from The Wine Museum

This session at The Wine Museum is definitely one of the memorable ones I've had when it comes to wine appreciation as we were taught of the basics in wines, how wines came to be, the processes undertaken to produce red and white wines, the kind of wines, as well as how to appreciate them through their appearance, smell, and taste.

Sir John Joseph

We were also fortunate to have personally met Mr. John W. Joseph, Jr. of the Joseph brothers who shared with us how he started in the food and service industry coming from the field of radio broadcasting, how El Restaurant in Makati had started and ended, and how The Wine Museum has been a culmination of his learnings throughout the years.

The Food and Wine Pairing

After an introduction to the basics of wine, it was finally time to try pairing food and wine for ourselves. We were first served with a platter of appetizer samplers.

Sliced Vigan Longganisa, Gambas Al Ajillo and Mushroom Vinaigrette Claro Chardonnay

We had Sliced Vigan Longganisa, Gambas Al Ajillo and Mushroom Vinaigrette as meal starters, paired with a glass of Claro Chardonnay. Each appetizer was flavorful, succulent and had successfully whetted our palates, but my favorite would probably be the Gambas Al Ajillo as it had a beautiful smokey and savory flavor that went perfect with the zesty and refreshing acidity of the Chardonnay.

Sopa de Calabasa P100 Claro Merlot

Next we had was a glass of Claro Merlot, a sweet and velvety easy-drinking red wine with notes of plum, red fruits, pepper and menthol which went really well with the hearty bowl of Sopa de Calabasa (P100), a thick and rich flavorful soup of pumpkin.

Fish Fillet with Ali Oli P275

The earthy glass of Merlot was also a great complement to the salty, peppery, savory and succulent Fish Fillet with Ali Oli (P275). And although I've had my fair share of fried and battered fish fillet in my previous food escapades, I can definitely say that this is one of the best I've had. With a siding of either plain rice or french fries, this can already be one hearty meal in itself. (I styled my plate of fish fillet, what do you guys think?)

Paella Collonial P450

We also paired our glass of Merlot with the Paella Collonial (P450), The Wine Museum's version of Paella using California rice, clams, chicken, pork, chorizo de bilbao, sweet peas, green olives, lima beans, artichokes, mushroom and asparagus. Unlike the traditional Spanish Paella, this hearty platter uses western and eastern preparation methods, and doesn't include tomatoes nor saffron.

Chicken Mexicano P220 Claro Cabernet Sauvignon

We then had a glass of Claro Cabernet Sauvignon, a deep red-violet-colored wine with a strong, lasting tannin. For this course, we had Chicken Mexicano (P220), a succulent chicken dish with a sweet, savory sauce. Although I generally love chicken, I somehow wished that they gave me a different part so the chicken meat would be more moist.

Crispy Toro P325

We were also served with Crispy Toro (P325), the same dish I got to try at Nectar Restaurant a few months ago. And just like my first impression, I again fell in love with this beef shank dish. It's crispy on the outside, and very tender when eaten. It's also meaty and savory, a perfect dish to pair with the Cabernet Sauvignon.

My fellow bloggers also got to try the Hazelnut Crepes ala Mode (P150), as well as the Lambrusco Dell'Emilia Rosato sparkling wine. However, I had to skip this part as I wasn't feeling very well that afternoon. After recovering from fever, or so I thought, I almost passed out before dessert. So despite my deep love for sweet treats, I just had to go home earlier. It was definitely such a shame, and the first in 5 years that I almost fainted. However, I'm sure this visit won't be the last anyway.

THE VERDICT

This visit to The Wine Museum is definitely one of the memorable restaurant trips I've had in quite a while, and that's not because of my almost-fainting experience. Just the lecture before the lunch and tour alone has proven to be very informative and educational, something that's actually useful for someone interested to learn more about wines. The food and wine pairing was also unforgettable -- great flavors and aesthetically pleasing with a touch of friendly and effective service.

Taste - 4/5
Ambiance - 4/5
Service - 4/5
Price - 4/5
Overall Value - 4/5


The Wine Museum Hotel & Resto, Pasay
2253 Aurora Boulevard (formerly Tramo Road)
Pasay City, Metro Manila
Philippines
(02) 853-5894
Official Website
Facebook Page

41 comments:

  1. My gosh!!! You're such a lucky girl! This is an experience I wouldn't miss as well. I know nothing about wine pairing so thank you for introducing it to me via this post. I learned a bit about the names of wines and their tastes hehehe Too bad you weren't feeling well, Sumi! I hope you're feeling better now though. I was dizzy rin kanina. Uggh!! :(

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    1. Glad to have shared the little things I know about wine.. haha.. Anyway, I'm feeling better now, but I haven't tried going out yet baka mabinat ako sa lakas ng ulan. Oh, stay safe Mich! Mahirap magkasakit ngayon :(

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  2. I have been looking for a place like this in the metro... I have been in a similar place in Cebu, It's called Tinder Box. I have it in my other blog (www.samlanuza.com) can't give the complete link I am on mobile. Haha

    I like 'em with fruits and cheese platter... Especially Kiwi! Try it...

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    1. I'll definitely check Tinder Box on your blog! Thanks for the tip sis.. :) Wine and cheese sound so good!

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  3. I love the ambience of this restaurant! And the food! Oh how yummy-looking!

    Sayang naman you were not able to try those yummy desserts. I hope you're feeling better now though. :)

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    1. I'm indeed feeling better now.. :) Thanks for the concern sis!

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  4. Sarap naman ng food! Esp the wine, I so love wines, red one ;)) You're so lucky!

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  5. Everything looks good! That paella photo is really mouthwatering.

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  6. I still have to explore the art of wine as I don't really consume alcohol. Though I drink wine every now and then. :)

    http://www.dekaphobe.com/

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  7. This is near my place. I'd better try this.

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  8. I MISSED THIS event :((( the food looks delicious, would love to try that crispy toro and to sample the wines!

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  9. I like wine and would really enjoy this place. You really get to find the great foods and places.

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  10. The food looks yummy! Looks like a great experience! We'll check this out for sure when we visit Manila.

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  11. Heard the paella was good. Gonna order that this weekend on our visit!

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    1. The paella's good but it tastes quite different from the ones I've had in the past. Maybe because The Wine Museum's was already adjusted to fit Pinoy's palates?

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  12. bilis mo sumi!! haha! :) I'm thinking of buying wines here for Christmas giveaways.. :)

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    1. I'll actually be buying a few bottle of wines for my dad.. :D And maybe one for myself na rin.

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  13. Sumi, I'm a wine virgin. Ano ba lasa ng food pag kasabay wine?Hehehe. Sorry for the nood question :D

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    1. Don't worry sis, I wonder of the same thing too before. Actually, when I first tried eating plus sipping wine, I didn't quite like the combination of flavors. Nagiging mas acidic yung lasa, especially if it's red wine. Even with seafood and white wine pairing, mas malalasahan mo yung zing. But somehow, this also brings out the flavor of the food more.. :)

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  14. Must be a noteworthy experience Sumi dear :)) I know so little about wine and so glad to have encountered your post!

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  15. My best friend and I have drove past this place so many times, but we would often turn around since she would often comment to me that the area was a bit shady for her. Perhaps after seeing the pictures you've posted here, I can finally convince her to give this a try.

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  16. I love beef and I can't wait to try Crispy Toro! Nice set of photos you got here... very appetizing!

    xoxo
    MrsMartinez

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  17. Ganda ng shots, sis! :) Like like. I would love to go these events too :D

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  18. you are doing great in taking photos Sumi, congratulations!

    I learned wine pairing during my college days in one of my subjects, red is to red meat and white wine is to white meat is the key right?

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    1. Yes, although there are exceptions to the rule.. ^^ Chicken can be paired with an easy-drinking red wine. And seafood is also best with white wine. However, it still depends on a person's preference, so if one wants to pair beef with white wine, then let him be.. haha.. XD

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  19. Im very sure that this was a hellova a night. Wow!! I wonder how many wines they have :)

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  20. Looks very classy! I love the paella. Yummmee....

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  21. Oh! The prices seems to be affordable. All this time, I was under the impression that this place is super expensive. Hehe. Thanks for sharing this Sumi. I agree with you, this is indeed one memorable experience. I will definitely try this place soon.

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  22. We really thought you had too much to drink that's why you had to sit down for a bit hehe. Hope you're feeling better.

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    1. The alcohol might have also played a part, but I believe my tolerance for wines is quite high. Anyway, I'm feeling better now. Let's hope I won't get "binat" with our bad weather.. >.<

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  23. the food looks so nice :) the paella is so mouthwatering <3
    Rovie, The Bargain Doll

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  24. price looks affordable. but, kudos to the wine. i have read, too that every food has wine counterpart to let the flavors of the food come out.

    Great experience as always. natipsy ka? ^_^

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  25. This makes me remember our Nectar Restaurant experience! Too bad they're closing down :( (Or have closed down na?) Anyhow, you're very lucky to be a part of these events! I still and always will adore your shots, Sumi :>

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  26. This is great experience for you, wine and food tasting. I love wine for my cooking .it adds that extra flavor.

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  27. I miss wine tasting events. You should try wine tasting at The Palms!

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  28. Oh my! I've never been to wine tasting events but the one you went to looks totally fun! The food just looks awesome :)

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  29. wooow!!! cool place sis!! love their interior.. :)
    and their dishes looks delicious! :)
    nice presentation too!! <3

    xoxo
    Rhea Bue (Styles & Writes)
    http://bebe-doll.net/

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  30. Wow! This looks like a nice place. Love your food shots, btw :)

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  31. The sight of Paella and Crispy Toro makes me wanna go home and try..hahaha...Another thing, the interiors are well placed and neat that I thought when I enter in, it's very relaxing. Am I right?

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  32. No wonder why you are named Sumi! :) A "refined" and "elegant" blogger Sumi! A great post clearly brought some facts about wine. Honestly, with this post, I now know about "wine pairing". LOL! Seriously! I like wine, yes, but I don't know much about it.

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