Toka Wine gets its name after a Filipino phrase that its owner, Butz Tenchavez, would hear too often from his titas, when they would ask him to bring wine to a party: “Butz, toka mo ang wine.”
Toka, a Filipino slang word, means something assigned for you to bring or take care of at potluck parties.
His family and friends know Tenchavez loves quality wine. He is behind Gran Hacienda Wines, a small, focused, independent wine importer and distributor based in Quezon City that supplies restaurants like Blackbird, Sala, and Hapag.
Because his business allows him to travel a lot, it has always been his dream to open a wine bar, the likes of the classic bars à vin in France and bars de tapas in Spain and Portugal. It is through his travels that the idea for Toka Wine came about.
He also wanted a space that reminded him of his first, casual encounter with wine: “I was invited by a small group of wine drinkers a bit older than me. At that time, they drank more premium wines from Napa and Bordeaux; typically, the bottles would retail for about P8,000 to P10,000. In the beginning, I would drink the wine excessively, as in the pour would be a little higher. There was also no chance to aerate the wine. And I would drink the wine very fast.”
Since then, he learned how to appreciate wine and even the business of selling wine from the communities he joined. That moment also showed him that wine's essential purpose is to gather people. It is what he wanted Toka Wine to be, an unassuming wine bar along Katipunan Avenue that welcomed people.
A wine bar with food & stories to match
The first thing you'll see is the quirky logo of Toka. Inside, there is a green bar surrounded by tall stools. At most, you can fit about 20 people inside. There's also a cabinet housing 20-plus wine producers. Each bottle has a story to tell. It's an intimate place to meet for a first date or catch up with a good friend. Or spend some time with family after a long workweek.
The menu is straightforward, thoughtful and creative. Tenchavez shared that he came up with the menu: “Before the wine world, I tried the chef journey. Then, when I finished my bachelor's degree in Marketing in the US, I moved to New York in 2009. I went to the French Culinary Institute, now called International Culinary Center.”
You can expect a list of select dishes sourced with quality ingredients, like truffle gnocchi, artisanal sausage with white beans, a double cheeseburger, and sardines on toast.
There are also more vegetable-focused dishes like eggplant with spicy nduja and sesame, or mandarin orange, ricotta and sumac. The inspired touches make the food in Toka perfect for sharing over a bottle of wine.
It's easy to keep drinking and eating your way through the menu. It's what sharing plates should be.
One of the surprises at Toka is that they have guest chefs every quarter, like San Sebastián-trained chef Denise Campos of M °46 Kalea, who Toka hosted last June.
There’s a wine bottle for everyone
When it comes to wines, Tenchavez believes “price doesn't determine the quality of wine.”
On a few of my visits to Toka, the staff is approachable and ready to run you through the bottles in the wine cabinet. They confidently shared stories about the wine bottles I took an interest in.
“A wine list intimidates many people,”Tenchavez says. "My best advice is to give yourself room to fail. If it's not good, charge it to your palate.” He continued, “Give yourself time to explore. There's no black-and-white method for selecting wines. You can also go for the budget.”
How about for special occasions? "It has to be red, rich and fruity, not full-bodied,” he says. “You want to be able to enjoy a feast during lunch. You can’t be drinking wine with an alcohol content of 15%. Even if you're having steak, it's not suitable." Just like the space, Tenchavez is always thoughtful about his wine advice.
His approach makes every element of the wine bar and shop the ideal extension of his business, Gran Hacienda Wines.
From the list, here are my special-occasion wine picks:
• Chateau Vignelaure Rouge 2016 ?2,400. This bottle is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with Syrah to complete the blend. Violets, black plums, blackberries with pepper spice and elegance on the palate. Try with a New York strip or hanger steak with compound butter.
• Villard Tanagra 2018 ?3,700. This wine is 100% Syrah from a single vineyard planted in bush vines. It is grown in a coastal climate in Chile. The vineyards are just 10km from the cool Pacific Ocean. This bottle has generous, ripe fruits to share, along with vanilla, sweet oak and mocha notes. It’s excellent with grilled burgers and sausages or tomato-based pastas.
• Bodega Valderiz 2011 ?2,700. An organic Tempranillo red from Ribera del Duero. Silky in the mouth with lush, dark berry fruits, licorice, melted tannins and clove spice. Decant this wine for an hour before serving. This bottle has age and is perfect for drinking now. Lamb is a local food pairing for this wine.
Toka Wine is a space where you can go, keep coming back, and maybe even hang out a little longer than expected. You won’t hesitate to ask, “Another glass of wine, please?”
* * *
Toka Wine is located at 141 Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City. It is open Monday to Wednesday, 2 to 10 p.m.; Thursday to Friday, 2 to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 12 noon to 11 p.m.; and Sunday, 12 noon to 8 p.m.
For reservations, call 0270072685 or email tokawineshop@gmail.com.