Worth the toast

Sia says his love for wines is “serendipitous.” He was on his annual trip to Anaheim, California, in 2009 for his other business, Healthy Options, when he saw Benjamin Wallace’s Billionaire’s Vinegar

Temperature is controlled to ensure the quality of the wines.

It is easy to see that Romy Sia is passionate about wines. The affable man behind Wine Story does not hide his love for it.

Seated beside him, this writer saw how he favors this alcoholic drink.

go-to place for discriminating wine lovers and enthusiasts.

“Because it is at the pinnacle. It is like the NBA of wines,” he retorted, his eyes twinkling. He would then proceed to egg on this author to take a sip of the wine that was poured into the glass. It was a sit-down lunch with the dishes expertly prepared by renowned chef Margarita Fores. Plates of starters, entrees and desserts were let out of the kitchen at a pace that would keep up with the guests’ appetite.

Butter tartlets, baked artichoke and Camembert and candied black Gaeta olives, which started the affair, were paired with Thienot Brut Blanc, a crisp, 100-percent Chardonnay.

Next came the salad, Philippine Smoked Kesong Puti Flan and Cream of Crepes, paired with Ferran Blanc 2015, which is 70-percent Sauvignon Blanc and 30-percent Semillon.

First of the mains was the Bouillabaisse of Gifts from the Philippine Seas, a show-stopper, as the waitstaff first served a neatly plated Bohol white marlin, Bulacan river prawn and Capiz scallop at the center then poured a piping hot soup over them.

The meat entrée, Duck Breast “Alla Mangue,” was enjoyable to eat with its kamote and kalabasa puree, mango glass, minted sigarillas and kalabasa flowers. Its rich flavors were perfectly paired with La Fleur de Bouard 2014 (85 percent Merlot, 7 percent Cabernet Franc and 8 percent Cabernet Sauvignon).

For the cheese selection, three types of bite-sized cheeses were paired with French and Filipino jellies, jams and pieces of succulent grapes.

To end the medley of flavors, we enjoyed Frozen Sabayon and Argellana Torte, a decadent dulce de leche and chocolate lava cake. Finishing it off was a glass of Petit Guirad 2013, 85 percent Semillon and 15 percent Sauvignon Blanc.

And as we went along each course, Sia would tell us how the wine complements and enhances the dish served with it.

The New York Times bestselling book tries to look into the story behind a 1787 Château Lafite Bordeaux, which was supposedly owned by Thomas Jefferson, that sold for $156,000 at an auction in 1985.

Sia describes it as a “fast-paced mystery thriller” that took only two days for him to finish. He would then enthuse that it was not his palate that made him fall in love with wines — he “fell madly in love” with wines because of the story behind each bottle.

“So mad I wanted to have my own wine shop. A year after I read the book, I opened a wine shop and called it Wine Story in Shangri-La Mall, Ortigas,” he enthused.

And, thus, the first Wine Story opened shop in 2010.

For years, it has become the go-to place for discriminating wine lovers and enthusiasts. It has even found a new location in Bonifacio Global City until this branch moved to its present location at the One Uptown Residences.

Meat entrée Duck Breast alla mangue with Cebu mangoes paired with Le Fleur de Bouard 2014.

The Philippines’ and Europe’s finest cheeses and jams paired with quality wines.

Its cellar is bathed in earthy tones, well-lit and clean. There’s a room for Bordeaux wines and another where the large formats (1.5- to 18-liter bottles), mature vintages (20 years and older) and the most expensive bottles are stored. Even non-wine enthusiasts would be amazed at the sight of neatly arranged wine racks in strictly monitored, temperature-controlled shelves that go between 14 to 18 degrees Celsius.

But if there is one thing he is proud of and which he thinks sets Wine Story apart from other shops, it is his insistence on hiring knowledgeable staff.

“We don’t have sales ladies here. We have wine consultants. We invest so much money in their education. That’s the only way we can educate our clients, our customers, because with wine, the more you know about wine, the more you enjoy it. Unlike any other beverage like coffee or soda, you don’t need to know anything. But with wine, the more you know, the higher your appreciation becomes,” he said.

Vintage wines perfect for the connoisseur.

His consultants, which he calls his “wine angels,” are all Level 2 Wine and Spirits Education Trust certified. WSET is a wine education institution based in London, which offers courses that could amount to a thousand or more US dollars. He himself is Level 2.

“I don’t hire guys who don’t like wine or who can’t drink wine because they’re allergic. I share my wine with them. They’re so good in drinking my wine and that is how they developed their talent,” he shared.

Sia then continued to regale his guests about the valuable experience a bottle of wine can do. Just like his fascination with each bottle’s story, he connects wine to life’s many milestones. Just like his own business growing, with over 30 locations of Healthy Options and another Wine Story branch in a swankier and more upscale location, he calls on people to see the value in good, quality vintage.