I HAVE always leaned toward Chilean wines.  It would be hard for one not to get poetic attempting to describe the pleasure which can be derived from it. Oftentimes, some would say: Just drink, don’t think.

This writer was invited to a food- and wine-pairing event billed, “Make Tonight Chile”. Ecstatic about it, maybe I would just savor the moment and hope it could provide some clues why many enjoy Chilean wines so much.

It showcased Caliterra wines of Chile, a fusion of quality—calidad, and land—tierra, representing a passion for quality aimed at creating environment-friendly wines.

It was a pleasure getting acquainted with the Caliterra Reserva sauvignon blanc and cabernet sauvignon at the lounge area of the Tivoli Restaurant of the Mandarin Oriental. The wines were served with mini toasts of smoked salmon on dill cream and chicken liver mousse. On the other hand, the air was thick with anticipation. Everyone was excited to partake in the sumptuous dinner concocted by Mandarin Hotel’s Food and Beverage Director Chico Angeles and Executive Chef Remi Vercelli, under the supervision of the hotel’s General Manager Mark Bradford.

Everyone was amazed as they entered Tivoli Restaurant. They have witnessed its grand transformation with soft lights setting the mood, alongside the tables decorated with fist-sized, long-stemmed red and yellow Columbian roses. Indeed, it was a sight to behold.

The event was made special by the presence of two connoisseurs: One, by wine master Nicholas del Solar, who flew in from Chile to grace the occasion. Another was Tita Trillo of Titania Wine Cellar Inc., who was enchanted by her immersion in the central valley of this famous vineyard in Chile. It is where she met Robert Mondavi and Eduardo Chadwick who, as partners, envisioned this magnificent winery. Tita spoke so highly of Chile that someone said she might as well be an ambassador for the said South American country!

First course: Dinner began with an Amuse-Bouche of Chilean ceviche that was paired with fresh and crisp Tributo Chardonnay 2010, awarded a double gold in the Catad’ Or Wine Awards in June 2011. This was followed by  Nicoise salad (French pronunciation: ni’swaz), a French-composed salad with tuna, haricots verts, quail eggs, cherry tomato, potato, onion and black olives served with vinaigrette.  The lemon flavors of the chardonnay jived with the lemon character of the ceviche and salad, thus heightening the flavors of both dishes.

Second course: Parsnip cream paired with the Arboleda Chardonnay 2010. The rich cream sauce matched well with the chardonnay that has a natural buttery texture and hints of vanilla. (Cream sauces are quite often salty as well, so an extremely crisp wine is an excellent choice. Generally speaking, high fat food prefers acidic wines to mitigate the fat.)

Third course: The main fare was braised veal cheeks served with celery root puree and buttered asparagus. The rich and hearty flavors found its match in Cenit 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Petit Verdot, a multiawarded, full-bodied wine with very soft tannins, wonderful persistence and an incredibly long finish due to the Petit Verdot grape variety which was blended with full-structured cabernet sauvignon and Malbec grapes.

As wine master del Solar puts it, the softness of Petit Verdot is likened to a woman placed between two men: Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. This outstanding wine has a 90-point rating with Wine & Spirits Magazine 2011, won a gold medal in the International Wine Challenge 2011 and silver in the Decamar World Wine Awards in the same year.  The pairing proved to be unforgettable.

Fourth course: To cleanse the palate before dessert, goat cheese and queso rustico were served. The sharp tasting duo was paired with the Seña 2007. Silky smooth tannins gave the wine depth and length. Berry fruit and vanilla oak carried through on the soft finish.  It has been winning in blind tasting conducted in Berlin, Hong Kong, Korea and Singapore for the past seven years over the Grand Cru Classe wines of Bordeaux. Seña 2007 has been rated 96 points by Robert Parker and is the highest rating given to a Chilean wine. No wonder this full-bodied wine with a perfect balance that brings softness to the palate captured the interest of Robert Parker, the famous wine advocate and enthusiast.

Before the dessert came, the guests were treated to the operatic voice of Nic Norman Tugaff, a member of the Filipino Tenors. Clad in chef’s uniform, he proceeded to perform the Ave Maria and other songs to the delight of the guests.

Fifth course: Paris brest, a French dessert made of choux pastry and praline flavored cream, was served with vanilla bourbon ice cream. To match its sweetness, it was paired with Cava Lucendo and Requena Brut Nature.

Needless to say, the pairing of a well-prepared French feast and great Chilean wines was a match made in gastronomic heaven. As a matter of fact, Tivoli, the name of the restaurant, when spelled backwards, hinted my feelings about the entire experience: I love it!

(Caliterra Wines are available at all Titania Wine Cellar branches.)