An early Christmas at Manny O Wines

MANILA, Philippines - Manny O Wines hosted a thanksgiving party to kick off the Christmas season in Cebu last December at Mövenpick Resort & Spa Cebu — a thanksgiving for the 49 awards it garnered in the last three years from the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Hong Kong, Japan and the US.

Guests were flown in from Manila and together with media from Cebu for the event. The actual awards certificates and medals from the Concours des Grand Vins de France, the London International Wine and Spirit Competition, and the Japan Wine Challenge, to name a few, were on display.

At the event, which was a food and wine- pairing dinner hosted by Manny O himself, questions were posed and prizes won. There was also an informative wine lecture that was well-received. Guests feasted on poached Crystal Bay oysters in light Mornay with a fumet de poisson, Wagyu shio yaki sushi, tempura tiger prawns cocktail, Wagyu goulash, roast duck gyoza, charcoal-fired black Angus kalbi and Mövenpick strawberry ice cream — each ingeniously paired with the seven wines from the series.

The 49 awards received by Manny O Wines over the last three years

The Bibulus, Discipulus Syrah and Blanc, the Agapitos Rosé and Branco, the Sumiller and Celebrus were all blind-tasted in wine competitions worldwide. True to the vision for which they were formulated, Manny O Wines complemented the Asian-inspired spread perfectly; the wines’ nuances pronounced and flowered. Proudly blended and owned by a Filipino, created to suit the culture and taste of the Asian and new global palate, these are wines that can confidently go up against others in a higher price class, and beat them by a mile with their sophistication and value. After tasting them you finally realize the reason why Manny O Wines have garnered so many international awards. In this day and age of commercialization and fast bucks, these wines literally stand out and over the rest of the pack. Upon uncorking and tasting each one of them, one can sense the passion, craftsmanship, care, and thought that was put into blending and creating them, quite reminiscent of a time when wine was an art, and not just a beverage.

Manny O Wines are available in Manila at Cav Wines Fort Bonifacio, The Landmark in Makati and TriNoma, Duty Free Philippines Fiesta Mall in Parañaque and in Cebu at D+B Wines at the Crossroads, Banilad and Rustan’s Supermarket at the Ayala Center Cebu, and in over a hundred restaurants and hotels.