When spirits flow freely
Oftentimes we choose our wines based on recommendations from friends and close associates, which is an acceptable practice. However, each individual’s taste varies depending on the food choices and circumstances. Billy Mondoñedo, wine connoisseur and proprietor of Tinder Box, the popular venue where friends meet friends, together with his bubbly wife Marlene and Swiss-educated daughter, Aziza, played hosts to an intimate gathering to launch the deli’s newest wine dispensing machine.
The temperature-controlled apparatus dispenses wine directly from the bottle using a revolutionary inert gas preservation technique. This will enable wine lovers to taste not just one or two but 20 different products from a variety of wineries.
With portion control technology, it allows one to enjoy and savor in three approximate volumes, tasting (25 ml), half a glass (75ml), and full glass (150ml) without having to open an entire bottle. The characteristics and flavors of the wine remain intact for more than three weeks as if the bottle had just been newly opened.
The machine is operated by a custom-made electronic card The Tinder Box Wine Card that can be availed at the deli counter or from the service waiter of the restaurant should one wish to dine with the wine of his choice. The card will record all the tasting pleasures and the customer shall be billed accordingly when one is done.
Kathy Santos, marketing director of Happy Living Fine Wines, a local wine distributor and importer known for its portfolio of California wines, was the evening’s host. She graciously delivered a brief but comprehensive description of the different wines available that night.
The early favorites included the Beringer Founder’s Estate Riesling, with its ripe peach and apricot flavors balanced by a touch of lemon-lime and refreshing acidity, and the Beringer Private Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon 2003, a rich, full-bodied and deep with silky tannin and loads of length and concentration. Also desired during the tasting were the Cabernet Sauvignon mostly from the Napa Valley and Sonoma County of California.
A fabulous spread of specially prepared hors d’oeuvres was set on the antique wooden table. The cheeses came in assorted sizes and shapes, from the soft-textured once such as fromage blanc and mascarpone to blue-veined cheeses that included Roquefort, Stilton and Gongonzola.
Of special interest were the variety of sweets and desserts. The pastry crust lemon curd filling, popularly known as lemon merinque tarts specially baked by Aziza for the occasion, was everyone’s favorite.
