When gold is meant to be tasted

Most people like to collect or wear gold, but have you ever considered tasting it?

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On September 25, I was given a chance to experience the “Taste of Gold” along with other wine-enthusiasts at the Press Club in New World Hotel, Makati. Taste of Gold is the first wine-tasting event of Golden Wines to feature wines from multiple brands and multiple wine regions.

Golden Wines is not new to the wine business. In fact, it’s the company responsible for the success in the Philippines of Yellow Tail wines from Australia when it took over its exclusive distributorship in 2007.

In recent years, Golden Wines started carrying more premium and exclusive wine brands from different countries. Taste of Gold showcased the company’s growing premium wine portfolio.

With nine highly rated brands from nine regions in six different countries, each guest at the Taste of Gold event had 32 fresh wine glasses each—roughly the equivalent of two full wine bottles.

The event started with Golden Wines co-owner Sherwin Lao giving an insight into the company and its background. Flown-in to grace the event were Cono Sur’s Export Manager Jose Gillet of Chile, and Schroder & Schyler’s Sales Manager Charles Delamalle of Bordeaux, France. Gillet talked about wines from Cono Sur’s vineyards in Chile, while Delamalle educated the guests on wines from Chateau Kirwan from the Margaux region of France.

Guests paired their wines with cheeses, fruits, prosciutto, and other scrumptious types of food from a buffet table and a roast beef carving station.

Here’s a glimpse of the nine brands that wowed guests at the Taste of Gold event:

• Raimat

Recognized as Spain’s pre-eminent wine estate in the Costers del Segre DO wine region, Raimat is part of the Codorniu Wine Group which started in 1914.

• Colomé

Founded in 1831, Colomé Winery is a remarkable wine estate in the northerly Salta region of Argentina. It boasts of the world’s highest commercial vineyards with its first Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon vines arriving from France in 1854.

• Cono Sur

Created in 1993, Cono Sur Vineyards and Winery is the second largest exporter of bottled wines in Chile. Cono Sur became the official wine of the Tour de France in 2015. While Pinot Noir is not a rich tradition in Chile, Cono Sur is popular for its Pinot Noir varietal.

• Peter Lehmann

Named after Australia’s local legend Peter Lehmann, the Peter Lehmann Winery was founded in 1979 and remains to be one of the most iconic wine brands in Australia. The winery is located in the Barossa Valley, north of Adelaide in South Australia. It’s famous for its Barossa wines.

• Pio Cesare

Founded in 1881, this winery is characterized by five generations of the Pio Cesare family producing traditional Piemontese wines in its ancient cellars located in the town of Alba. Pio Cesare Barolos are some of the most famous Barolos ever made in the world.

• Chateau Kirwan

This winery is known as one of the crown jewels of the Margaux region, located in the Margaux appellation of France’s Bordeaux region. Chateau Kirwan also has the distinction of producing wines classified as one of 14 Troisièmes Crus (Third Growths) in the historic Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.

• Bodegas Altanza

Founded in 1998, Bodegas Altanza is one of Rioja’s biggest new comers with a state-of-art winery in Rioja Alta. In spite of its relatively young age as a winery, it’s already making waves—as one of Robert Parker’s favorite Spanish wineries and as the official licensee of Fútbol super team FC Barcelona. Bodegas Altanza has the most number of Rioja Reservas all rated at least 90 points by Parker.

• Mas de’en Gil

This winery’s name dates back to the preeminent 312-acre estate in Priorat with a winemaking history spanning over 300 years.  At present, the winery’s vineyards constitute 30 percent of the surface area of a much larger organically farmed estate—one that includes crops and forest areas.

• Compania de Vinos Telmo Rodriguez

Founded in 1994, this winery is a collaboration of Telmo Rodriguez (considered one of the greatest Spanish winemakers of all time) and oenologist Pablo Eguzkiza.  Compania de Vinos Telmo Rodriguez is the only Spanish winery to maintain vineyards in, and produce wines from, 10 Spanish wine regions.

After going through 32 glasses from nine wine brands, our palates went around the world without having to leave the Press Club in New World Hotel.  Each drop of wine was distinct and spectacular.

The old adage cautions that “all that glitters is not gold.”  Golden Wines Company proves that gold doesn’t have to glitter to be precious.  While the wines in their portfolio don’t glitter, everything about them is just as luxurious and exquisite as gold.