Cebu tastes the best of Robert Mondavi wines

The affair, as meticulously planned by Anthony’s Wines and Spirits president Tita Trillo together with the officers of the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, ready and eager to implement it down to its minutest detail, called for an outdoor barbeque party. But, the weather didn’t exactly cooperate – it conspired.

While the rain was still at a respectable distance, the guests were instead ushered in to La Gondola, the property’s specialty restaurant where platters of hor d’oeuvres and glasses filled with Woodbridge Chardonnay and Merlot welcomed them.

In no time at all, the transfer of the party indoors created its own spark, lending the get-together a sense of drama.

As we leisurely did the rounds and greeted friends, we learned that Tita Trillo, a former Philippine Airlines stewardess with a knowledgeable background of wines and spirits, was reintroduced to the exciting world of wine when she married husband Anthony in 1976. In time, the Trillos established their own company with the opening of Anthony’s Grand Cellar in Makati City, one of the first warehouses in Asia that carry name brands from various wine producing countries in the world.

Due to her genuine interest in her newfound milieu, she would visit vineyards in Europe and America and, eventually, ventured into oenology and trained at the Robert Mondavi winery in Napa Valley, California.

And this brought us to the highlight of the evening, which was a visual presentation on Robert Mondavi, an excellent wine producer and educator, whose products, through the years, have become a leader in the popular premium wines category.

The evening’s four selections introduced were: the White Zinfandel, with its delicate and refreshing aroma and flavors of apple and fresh strawberry; Merlot, which is rich and juicy with predominantly fruit flavors; Chardonnay, said to be the most popular and the world’s most favorite white wine; and, Cabernet Sauvignon, a delicious red wine that is aged in small French and American oak barrels which give it a warm vanilla tone and a velvety finish.

Tita, an active supporter of the arts, ended the evening with a mini-concert of classical pieces as performed by the string quartet of the Peace Philharmonic Orchestra. The quartet members are Gerry Varon, Sarah Gonzalez, Gerry Gonzalez and Brian Cimafranca.

Hats off to Tita Trillo and the hotels’ able staff, led by its hands-on manager Marco Protacio, sales and marketing director Shella Laxa Sarmiento, chef Dietmar Ditrich and energetic PR ladies Charisse Que and Renne Villasin, for sharing an evening that should be an essential component of gracious everyday living.