“Better beckons” so goes the Beringer tagline and better it did become as sweet Cali sipping was paired with exquisite dishes prepared by Toyo Eatery’s Jordy Navarra

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“Life is short and you want to get as much out of it as you possibly can,” started Marcus Ingleby, Portfolio Senior Brand Manager for Treasury Wines Estates across SE Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Aside from Beringer, Ingleby counts Matua, Sterling, Penfolds and Lindema's among many others as part of the Treasury portfolio. 

What we were able to squeeze out of this one special travel-themed evening, which was in partnership with Trip Advisor, in our finite -but blessed - lives was the fact that: 

  • a). Beringer wines go fantastic with both classic Filipino and fusion cuisine.
  • b). As per the recently-launched Beringer x Trip Advisor campaign, planning your next trip with your partner or friends ought to be more fun with a bottle thrown into the mix.
  • Beringer x TripAdvisor    Campaign_2017-3.jpgNapa Valley

  • c). In its impressive 141 years, Beringer stands as the longest continuously operating winery in Napa Valley (and probably in the US!). Even more impressive is the fact that it garnered more 90+ point ratings than any winery in California; more Wine Spectator Top 100 list placements than any other winery in the world; and it is the only winery to have won Wine Spectator’s “Wine of the Year” for both the red and white classifications. 
  • BROTHERS.jpgJacob and Frederick Beringer

Clearly an incredible winery with amazing credentials, explained Ingleby, “While everyone was heading to the gold rush, these brothers (founders Jacob and Frederick) headed to Napa to build a winery. The generation after operated the winery through the prohibition era and survived it. The generation after that operated through the First World War. There's clearly an idea of optimism, something better ahead, something to strive for…” 

With that in mind, the evening was off to a jolly good start what with the light and crisp Beringer Sauvignon Blanc 2016 in heavy rotation. Guests savoured the acidity on acidity as they nibbled on the pass around relenyong pusit (stuffed squid) and the vinegary nilupak of kamote (mashed sweet potato) and sea urchin. Garden vegetables.jpg

Garden Vegetables

A4 wagyu served with silog.JPGA4 wagyu served with silog

Once seated at the table, the simultaneously sweet and savoury crab and coconut flan was served. A couple of diners remarked that within the creamy coconut panna cotta blended with reduced coco vinegar, Don Papa rum and pineapple juice were cubes of nata de coco that burst pleasantly in your mouth. This dish also went superbly with the Sauvignon Blanc. Following the palate-tickling flan was a staple on Toyo Eatery’s menu - the garden vegetables - which has such a pleasing texture thanks to the array of leafy greens mixed into a nutty flavoured soil. 

Jordy Navarra and Kathy Yao-Santos.jpgJordy Navarra and Kathy Yao-Santos

Next up was the chargrilled oysters and pork, a distinct dish with chef Jordy Navarra’s trademark fusion sorcery stamped all over. This was paired with the Pinot Noir. Said Happy Living’s Kathy Yao-Santos, the distributor of Beringer, “These days we are doing away with the traditional notions of always pairing white with seafood and the red with meat.” Hence, this particular threesome worked out wonderfully.

Octopus, crispy fish and smoked pepper.JPG

The second to last main, the octopus, crispy fish and spicy smoked pepper was another memorable course with textures and flavours galore, the white Zinfandel became a satisfying if but piquant accompaniment to the spicy, grilled and sharp profiles of the dish. 

Tomato Meringue with Ginataang Langka_2.JPGTomato Meringue with Ginataang Langka

Ending the savoury theme was a heavy red meat dish with carbs which was paired with the Cabernet Sauvignon, Beringer’s iconic wine. This was the medium-rare A4 wagyu sirloin drizzled in a thick rich gravy with silog (garlic fried rice with a fried egg). “This wine is a little young and softer and one to discover sip by sip. You’ll uncover different aspects of the wine with each one,” said Yao-Santos to Beringer’s masterpiece. Chocolate cake with sour calamansi sweets.JPG

The dessert of chocolate cake with sour calamansi sweets (also a Toyo menu staple) was a wonderful delecious way to switch up the flavour profiles with the Cabernet Sauvignon.

A sweet ending - Pinot Noir with an array of sweets.jpgA sweet ending - Pinot Noir with an array of sweets

Once again, Ingleby reverted to the theme of travel saying that for Beringer, it became a very obvious place for them to play, thus the partneship with Trip Advisor. For instance, not only does Toyo Eatery serve Beringer, but the über popular establishemnt is a definite Trip Advisor hot spot. Said Ingleby, “As per our survey, which we conducted for Trip Advisor across Asia, 92 per cent of people said if they plan with other people and over wine, they were more likely to plan their trips and they felt it would be a more enjoyable process. That was really the spark and centre of the whole campaign.” 

With our stomachs and hearts full and our travel plans coming together sip by sip, said Ingleby to end the evening on a positively delicious note: “Grab a bottle of Beringer and plan your next trip!”