One thing though that I’ve never really grown accustomed to is wine. While I can down champagne easily enough I usually pretty much stick to one glass of wine. I don’t think I’ve ever really been able to appreciate it. I even tried a wine tasting with the world class Riedel wine glasses but for some reason I could still barely distinguish which wine was good and which wasn’t so good. Whenever anyone asked which wine I preferred I would just say, "Oh, just give me what you would recommend." Once when I had a glass of wine which I thought tasted weird a good friend of mine who used to be a bartender told me to just turn it into a calimocho (a Spanish drink of wine and coke) and that was something I enjoyed. But wine itself in its pure and uncomplicated form eluded me.
Until I tried my first glass of Ice Wine.
A few weeks ago, the Trade Commission and Foreign Services Departments of the Australian Government, the Canadian Government, the New Zealand Government, and the United States Government held a food festival at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel. Entitled "World’s Finest Foods", the annual affair allows these nations to present the Filipinos with their best export bets for the food and beverage industry. Over the years the Philippines has been importing several food and beverage items from the above-mentioned four countries as well as several other countries around the world.
Our food industry has been booming and the Filipino palate has grown accustomed to the very best in culinary creations. Because of this several of our F&B industries import the best in raw materials and ingredients and even in finished products. Over the years we’ve imported coffee and coffee beans from Australia, wheat and pasta, maple syrup, and wine from Canada, confectionary products and milk from New Zealand, and all sorts of products from the US (think Chef Boyarde, pop tarts, fruit loops, etc.!) Filipinos have come to expect the best when it comes to pleasing their taste buds and Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the US are more than happy to satiate our appetites.
That’s what "World’s Finest Foods" is all about, showcasing the latest products available for distribution in the Philippines. Experts in the F&B industry come from far and wide to see if they’re interested in bringing anything in to perhaps start a business or even just enhance their own restaurants. This year I was honored to be invited to check out the latest products being displayed at the food fest. Being a lover of food, I was psyched to go.
That’s where I met Ice Wine. When I first arrived at the festival at the Rizal Ballroom of the Shang I was amazed to see some the most delectable and fun food items on display. There was even a large "pea" there to promote the USA Dry Pea, Lentil, and Chickpea Council. It was very interesting. I tried macadamia nuts from Australia, soups from New Zealand, and fun snack items from the States. Nothing though could overshadow my pick of the fair – a delectable wine from Canada.
As a matter of fact the Canadian Agriculture, Food, and Beverage Industry has grown quite dramatically over the past few years. It’s known as one of the most dynamic and innovative high-tech agricultural industries in the world. From their initial export of maple syrup they’ve grown to send out confectionary and snack food products, dairy and egg items, functional foods and nutraceuticals, grains and oilseeds, wheat for pasta, and wines and alcohol like my favorite the sweet-tasting Ice Wine.
The Ice Wine booth was the first booth I visited in the Canada section. From Joseph Estate Wines, Ice Wine is one the more popular wine products this vineyard exports. The vice president for the Asia-Pacific Division for Joseph’s wines, Flordeliz Custodio, offered me a glass of the famous Ice Wine and told me how they made it. Unlike other wines, this special wine – often referred to as a dessert wine – is produced from a blend of white grapes that are left to hang until they are frozen then picked and pressed to extract a very concentrated juice often enhanced by Botrytis and leaving a frozen ice water crystal behind. After a 24-hour settling period the clear juice is racked into stainless steel tanks and inoculated with yeast. A slow cool fermentation is then used to maintain the unique intense flavor. The result – a rich wine with intense fruit character including apricot, peach, and pear flavors. It’s absolutely delicious!
Naturally this frozen delight did not go unnoticed and I was happy to note that there was already a Philippine distributor waiting to bring the luscious "nectar of the Gods" (as I call it) into the country. Erwin and Genevieve Lim of Zagu Foods Corporation are set to import Ice Wine to our beloved homeland and distribute it locally (yippee!).
So for anyone with a taste for alcohol looking for something unique and different and something that’s not quite so strong but full of flavor just the same, Ice Wine is a must try. All it takes is one sip and you’re hooked for life!