THE menu he planned in his head, during his flight back to Manila from Spain. Because Juan Carlos de Terry knew he was arriving on a Saturday, too close for comfort for the Thursday dinner he was hosting—and cooking—at his now famous restaurant, Segundo Piso. It was just a simple get-together, he said, to welcome Pablo Alvarez of Vega-Sicilia. But Juan Carlos’s idea of simple always defies the word’s definition. I knew the dinner would be as nuanced and multilayered as the great wines it would complement.

There is an aura of exclusivity around the wines of Vega-Sicilia. That they are expensive, long-lived and are available only in limited quantities certainly bolster the image. That they are the result of extremely meticulous winemaking only ups their cachet to legend status. Bodegas Vega-Sicilia was one of the first wineries that called attention to the potential of Spain’s Ribera del Duero in producing exceptional wines. The estate was founded in 1864 by Don Eloy de Lecanda, a winemaker who returned with cabernet sauvignon, malbec and merlot vines from Bordeaux. That trinity of Bordeaux varieties, plus tinto fino, a local variant of the local grape tempranillo, has since been the signature blend of the highly individual Vega-Sicilia wines, weathering the succession of changes in ownership. The Alvarez family, its current owners, bought the estate in 1982, the year Ribera del Duero was conferred Denominacion de Origen status. Then followed a process of modernization and expansion that saw the addition of new estates: Bodegas Alión in 1992, Bodegas Alquiriz in 2001 in Toro, and Tokaji Oremus in Hungary in 1993.

Dinner in progress at Segundo Piso: When Vega-Sicilia came to Manila, the de Terrys rolled out the welcome mat with characteristic flair.

“Did you find Juan Carlos or did he find you?” I asked Pablo Alvarez. The first course was being served, what Juan Carlos called Romance de Pato y Vino, foie gras and a duck bonbon, drizzled with the same wine we were drinking, the Oremus Late Harvest Tokaji 2006. “He called me,” Mr. Alvarez said over his glass of the delicate sweet wine, breaking into a wide smile. (Terry Selection is the exclusive distributor of Vega-Sicilia in the Philippines.) From across the room, he looked stern and distant, but at the dinner table, Mr. Alvarez was soft-spoken and gracious, dividing his attention between my barrage of questions and the other lady beside him. Alión, he explained, is a hundred-percent tempranillo from younger vineyards, aged just 14 months in new French oak. There was the creamy, vanilla nose wrapped around dark, ripe cherry and a faint dusting of ground black pepper. Juan Carlos had artfully paired the Alión 2004 with creamy arborio, topped with crumbled bits of toasted morcilla, then embellished with a piquillo pepper foam. “Do you like lamb?” It was Mr. Alvarez’s turn to ask. Lamb and the wines of Ribera del Duero are a potent combination. Juan Carlos must’ve had that in mind with the braised lamb shank he tinted with the Valbuena 5˚. 

The Vega-Sicilia portfolio carries three wines: Valbuena 5˚, so named because it is released after five years of aging; Vega-Sicilia Unico Gran Reserva, made only in good years released after a minimum of 10 years of aging; and the extremely rare Unico Reserva Especial, a blend of several vintages, each of which is aged separately for up to 30 years. The average age of Valbuena vines is about 25 years—and 45 years for Unico. Extremely low yields, coupled with rigorous selection in the winery, add up to an annual production of about 25,000 cases—and a long waiting list for an allocation.

Helen de Terry, Pablo Alvarez of Vega-Sicilia and Juan Carlos de Terry. Montage by Joseph John Mauricio

But at dinner, we were having the Valbuena 5˚ 2003 and the Unico 1996. With Juan Carlos’s braised lamb and an aged manchego for the Unico. With the owner of the winery patiently explaining the nuances of the wines. I marveled at the freshness of the Valbuena and its opening up in my glass, smelling of mocha and orange flowers. The Unico I approached with awe. These are wines released only when the winemaker deems they are ready for drinking. Nineteen-ninety-six was an excellent year and at least three times in a decade when the vintage is poor, Unico is never made. And then I was drinking silk, drenched in ripe red fruit, spice and a delicate floral perfume. Elegance and finesse were the words that came to mind, affirmed by what Mr. Alvarez said over the buzz of conversation: “At Vega-Sicilia, our passion is for elegance.”

A gentleman from across the table wanted more Unico and the Oremus Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos, deep gold and honeyed, with astonishing aromatics and flavors that recalled orange marmalade, peaches and caramel. Juan Carlos countered the wine’s intensity with an ethereal mango and aniseed marquise, napped with an exotic mangosteen-honey coulis and ginger dust.  I demolished the dessert and ached for the untouched Oremus of the lady near me. But legends do not allow for second helpings....

URDUJA LiveS and Sings!

A TOTAL of 85,000 drawings in almost 2,000 scenes that represent 8,771 feet of film, and 400 Filipino artists in digital and traditional animation in studios that spanned from Makati to Palawan, were needed to resurrect from the mist of myth and the crags of history the story of Urduja, the warrior princess of Pangasinan of yore.

Never fade away

ON June 12, 2005, the founder of Pinoy Rock, the band Juan de la Cruz (JDC), staged the Pagkalas concert at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. It coincided with the nationwide celebration of Independence Day.

Gab Fab: Sorry, Regine, Bea is Betty

Finally, we know who Betty La Fea is...and it’s none other than Bea Alonzo.

Playing ugly-duckling roles isn’t new to Bea, as her breakthrough role was one such in Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay, where she was first paired with John Lloyd Cruz.

Shaken&Stirred: Luxurious upgrades

OH dear, pretty much little has changed around these parts since we were last here—well, sweetie, at least as far as the Australian Brian Gorrel’s efforts to reclaim the life savings he insists was filched by DJ Montano,

Fermantations: WHEN A LEGEND CAME TO TOWN

THE menu he planned in his head, during his flight back to Manila from Spain. Because Juan Carlos de Terry knew he was arriving on a Saturday, too close for comfort for the Thursday dinner he was hosting—and cooking—at his now famous restaurant, Segundo Piso.

Cooks: Neptune’s Catch is Gold

ONE of the best choice fish in a culinary competition is seabass, a thick, fat slice of it. This fish is so fat that it’s almost impossible to overcook it and it is naturally delicate in flavor, with a good dose of umami interlaced into its briney juices.

Dencio’s goes high-end

Anyone will tell you that the Dencio’s chain has certainly become an authority in the Filipino food scene, being popular with both families dining out and the young market on a night out with friends.

A Heart for Furry Friends

THESE days, animals have become more than just pets and constant companions. We see socialites and wannabe stars parading their dogs and cats, stuffed in designer handbags, complete with custom-made outfits and bejeweled collars.

Teaching moms to be ‘baby-ready’      

WHEN a young girl experiences her first menstruation, the only person whom she can count on to see her through that turning point in her life is her mom. Knowing that mom is always there to provide her with guidance on personal hygiene, the birds and the bees, as well as what to expect as she matures, gives her reassurance and confidence as she approaches adulthood.

Something Like Life: Looking for love on the World Wide Web

WHEN I interviewed them, I was almost half-annoyed as they absentmindedly gazed into each other’s eyes, held hands and gave each other affectionate pats. They playfully bantered and laughed at each other’s funny—and not-so-funny—remarks. “Inggit ka lang!” the voice in my head jeered. And I couldn’t help but chuckle myself.