Guess where I had lunch last Wednesday ?
Upon arrival from Tokyo a couple of weeks ago, I immediately received an invitation via text and e-mail to attend TORRES WINES PRESS LUNCH at Oakroom in the 6th level of Oakwood Premier Joy~Nostalg Center Manila. Of course, I’m no member of the press, (but who knows? I might venture into that avenue too, LOL! 
) but I am as excited as them to share with you what Future Trade International, the importer and distributor of such wines and more to the Philippines, Oakwood Premier and Torres Wines have to offer as they collaborate in this Spanish Food and Wine Festival.
ELEGANCE in BOTTLES…
I arrived at the venue last 07 April 2010 just several minutes before the event started. The simple and intimate affair began with white wine offering : TORRES FRANSOLA.
“TORRES FRANSOLA - Intense complex aroma of exotic fruit (passion fruit and green fig), delicately ennobled by fine notes of toast and vanilla (from ageing in new French oak). Good balance in the mouth thanks to the wine’s acidity, with floral notes that pleasantly linger mid-palate.”
I am far from being a wine connoisseur; in fact, I rarely drink! I do, but very occasionally. I may not be knowledgeable enough with wines and spirits but I know my palate well. 
And among the Torres wines we’ve sampled that day, I like the white wine-FRANSOLA the best. It’s fresh and light and makes you want to drink more! LOL! I just reminded myself that ”everything should always be in moderation.”
With Fransola’s light and pleasing taste, I am now a believer that white wines aren’t less sophisticated than red.
After the warm introduction, lunch was served…
Our first course : JAMON SERRANO, hand carved Serrano ham with olives and greens.
The salad was paired with TORRES CORONAS TEMPRANILLO…
“TORRES CORONAS TEMPRANILLO : Delicate floral aromas over a background of very ripe fruit (blackberry and strawberry), oak and truffles. Its tannins have a fruity, meaty structure that evolves into velvety touches of smoke and spices acquired during ageing.”
I tried to savor the flavor of this red wine with that bit salty taste of the salad and I wasn’t disappointed.
I admired its almost magenta-red color; tried to swirl my glass and smelled its aroma and appreciated its stronger taste than Fransola.
Bread and butter were served prior to the salad; then on to the second course : GAZPACHO ANDALUZ; chilled soup (yes it was not a usual hot soup!) with tomato, garlic, bread, cucumber and onion.
My senses welcomed the cold soup! It’s thick and creamy with a taste that’s complementary with Fransola.
Then came the main dish : CONEJO CON ACEITUNAS; rabbit stewed with red wine, tomato and olives. The rabbit stew was paired with TORRES GRAN SANGRE DE TORO…
“TORRES GRAN SANGRE DE TORO -All the exuberant aroma traditionally found in an intense, ripe red wine, with a sensual background of the spices in good balance with perfumed notes reminiscent of blackberries. Full, long finish on the palate.”
I was easy on the red wine; and had mixed thoughts on the rabbit. Actually, most people with me on our table had been thinking as early as we read what’s on the menu, if they would dunk their forks and knives on the slices of bunny on our plates; considering that we just celebrated Easter! LOL! Most of them were thankful that the rabbit stew was served with sea bass that I found delicately delicious! Almost all of us thought of lamb as closest comparison to the rabbit’s different taste and distinct aftertaste.
I was never skeptical that I cannot eat that rabbit dish (for I fear other animals, not that furry one). I took it as a fresh experience (similar with having that chilled soup!). I seriously thought at that moment that a drink of Torress Gran Sangre de Toro in between bites of that rabbit meat was indeed, necessary!
The dessert was LECHE FRITA, deep fried custard that’s crunchy outside with soft, mushy and gooey filling.
I may not be that adventurous when it comes to dining as I try to avoid exotic “unusual” foods and commonly stick to my favorites. I may not be a “wine master” and still have to learn more about wine appreciation but nevertheless, this lunch set paired with finest Spanish wines gave me a new and pleasant experience on the table and I honestly appreciate it.
To Torres Wines, Future Trade International and Oakwood,
Cheers! And Thank you for sharing this wonderful event with us.
Special thanks to Ms. Nadal for the invites.
*Viva Espana Spanish Wine and Food Festival at Oakroom is celebrated on April 16-30, 2010 at Oakwood Premier Joy~Nostalg Center Manila in Ortigas. Tel # (63-2) 637-7888 / (63-2) 910-8888 ext 8118.
I’ve never tried a rabbit yet. I don’t recall if they serve such in Exotik Restaurant in Laguna. It has been reported though (years ago) that more rabbits are being grown in some provinces and cities in the Philippines as an alternative for chicken, since it’s cheaper.
oh my, never heard of that! i think chicken is already affordable these days but i’m clueless with how much a kilo of rabbit meat (if it’s being sold publicly) costs.
at any rate, these meats-white or red would always go best with wines; that’s for sure!
Not sure if I’ve tried rabbit yet, but wild boar is yummy. Tastier than pork, although a bit tough. I’m more interested at the wines though, they look good but how come you didn’t take pictures of the wine in your wineglass?
hey josh, musta? wild boar? never tried of it yet.
my photos of torres wine bottles don’t give justice as to how great they taste!
i was already busy eating and drinking; already engaged myself on nice talks with advertising and account managers of cook magazine, sales manager of future trade international and a fellow blogger and a writer for a paper on our table that was why i failed to click my cam on my glasses. but definitely, as i have stated above, i like torres fransola!
torres wines, btw, have been in the market for so many years and will be available in hotels, huge groceries and wine stores within the month. you may enjoy them in oakroom’s spanish food and wine festival.
You’re right, you do need the wine to distract your mind off the rabbit. I’ve never tried rabbit though but the most gastronomic adventure I did was trying cuy (guinea pig) in Peru and frog’s leg in Vietnam.
a good-quality spanish wine like torres did a great job complementing the aftertaste of the rabbit meat.
that only proves that sampling exotic eats is always a part of your fantastic travels.
as for me, i don’t think i have a stomach for cuy and frog meat, dennis.
We used to buy frozen dressed rabbit at the old Bureau of Animal Industry. My mother cooked it adobo-style – a few of my siblings won’t eat it but I liked it as did the rest of our household. Masarap!
depende siguro sa luto, parang lamb.
when we were on a 7-week vacation in auckland, new zealand back in 2005, our relatives there would just throw in lamb cuts to a grill and more often than not, the aftertaste really lingered for some time. “maanggo!”
but if you say, bert that your mom used to cook delicious rabbit adobo, i certainly believe you! did you have it with only rice sans wine?
just when you have a chance to find torres wines there in california and can sample it, let me know how it rates on your taste. thanks!
I am not a drinker, much more on wines as I cannot even sample a simple San Mig Light. I go red easily with just a bottle of it, but I sure would want some wines stocked up in my personal bar one day (if given the chance I get a bar). And cheese gets the best of wines I reckon, sabi nila yan daw ang katapat ng wines. ’twas lucky of you to have been invited.
a personal bar of wines + bars of cheese = i like them too!
yay rabbit? ive never tried that pa. so parang lamb yung rabbit? maamoy din doc? the last time i ate a lamb kasi medyo smelly eh haha!
it was like somewhat rubbery in consistency; a bit far from chicken meat but similar to smelly lamb! thankfully, the wine washed the aftertaste.
ang saya naman ito doc gelo! wine pairing with dishes! its a good thing that more and more of these are available here in pinas. i have had a couple of glasses of Spanish wine myself but i don’t remember if its Torres Wines. my cousin who lives in San Sebastian, Spain said that for you to truly appreciate Spanish wines it is paired with simple Spanish food. When she brought Spanish wines here, she served it with thinly sliced Serrano ham (it melts in your tongue!), Manchego cheese and some fruits. Taste overload ako nun!
as for the rabbit, i have had stewed rabbit before. its like elk or deer may after taste talaga na kakaiba unlike beef or pork. Kaya naman most rabbit dishes require long cooking and strong flavors and spice to mask the after taste. i have had wild boar, snake, eel, frog legs but you can’t make me eat dog meat.
you’re so right with the serrano ham, ingrid; it’s really melt-in-your-mouth; sarap! and its saltiness : i like!
perfect with wine…
i’m not as brave as you when it comes to exotic foods. ang galing mo!
No wine then, I was too young to drink and too poor to afford it LOL. I now drink wine with my meals but I still lean on whiskey, if I am dining alone or in the comfort of my home.
I’ll keep my eyes on this Torres wine and if its alcohol content is more than 11%, I know it is going to be good. Just kidding.
alright, bert; i forgot you’re one of those ‘authorities’ when it comes to alcoholic beverages, *kidding*
Never tried rabbit yet, but it must be really good. I like wine with my food. But I only drink with my food anyway.
it’s always nice to drink wine and paired with food.
Life is unfair… they are sending me to jails… while you get invites for TORRES WINES PRESS LUNCHES… :-O
Rabbit is delicious… in Belgium we cook it in beer
Masarap ! 
So how many bottles of wine did you drink to wash away that rabbit ?
hey, sidney! i’m following your ‘jailhouse-rock’ series,
so you’ve tasted rabbit back in belgium and belgians cooked it with beer; the one we had that press lunch was cooked in wine. perhaps it the spanish way of preparing it.
the rabbit dish was ok but i don’t think it’ll be my favorite.
torres wines are of fine quality though…and i was content with the volume i had that day, lol!
wow rabbit’s meat is eaten na pala. hmmm what’s the taste. not a wine drinker. but i like wine in food
it looks like chicken; but a bit rubbery in consistency; tastes like lamb actually.
this lunch set paired with finest Spanish wines gave me a new and pleasant experience on the table and I honestly appreciate it.>>> same here. i too am not really into exotic food but a combination like this… ill can dare.
hey dom…i’m glad you’ve started injecting food posts on your travel blog. great!
Excellent report on the food and winde, Doc! You may no know it, but you are already a press, as all bloggers are part of the new media we called “internet”. But then again, in print, I would love to see you write on food and family magazines.
wow, thanks, dennis!
and you could be on travel mags too; or have you been already?
Hi, doc: welcome back!
Rabbit can be very good when prepared properly and the leche frita looks interesting.
Oh, and I’d like to invite you to our next round of Chocolate Appreciation 101 next week. Details are over here: http://sybdive.wordpress.com/2010/04/14/to-make-a-herbal-infusion-for-chocolate-truffles/
hey midge.. thanks for the invite. i think this is your 2nd or 3rd (?) invitation to your chocolate appreciation 101. i’m not promising but i’ll try to attend depending on our sched. thanks again! really appreciate it.