There is a healthy wine market in the Philippines. As trends in spirits ebb and flow, Filipinos’ love of wine remains constant. However, Filipino food is not the first cuisine that comes to mind when one thinks of wine and food pairings. Most of the time, the drink of choice when eating local food is beer, soda, or bottomless iced tea. Casillero del Diablo, the most widely recognized premium brand of Chilean wine, is changing that preconception through their newest ambassador, chef/host Sharwin Tee.
Drinking wine can be intimidating to some, but the stiff rules of what to drink with what food are softening up, making way for a more relaxed approach to imbibing. One of the ways to raise appreciation for wine and to make it more accessible is to use it in cooking. “Casillero del Diablo gives you an opportunity to experiment and know which wine will really suit and should be paired with the taste of a Filipino food,” Chef Sharwin says.
You might know him from winning the Lifestyle Network’s Clash of Toque-en Ones or from his own TV show Curiosity Got the Chef. His specialty is Filipino food, and he is adept at tweaking and experimenting with recipes to give familiar yet unconventional twists to classics. Together with Casillero del Diablo, they are demystifying the notion that Filipino food and wine don’t go well together. Not only did they choose Filipino dishes to go with their wines, but did one better by actually using the wine to cook the food.
This is by no means an easy feat, since wine isn’t a staple in cooking Filipino food, but Chef Sharwin is up to the task. He’s chosen dishes and paired them with wine that would complement and enhance each other. “Filipino dishes have already a very distinct and strong flavor—but I’ve decided to spice it up with Casillero del Diablo,” he shares.
He’s chosen to pair an appetizer, Pulled Pork Adobo Nachos, with Casillero del Diablo Merlot, which will works well for parties. The soothing Spicy Mussel and Clam Binakol with Casillero del Diablo Chardonnay is a combination perfect for a rainy day. The Grilled Chicken with Guava Glaze is served with Casillero del Diablo Carmenere, and is a filling option for a dinner date, while the hearty Arroz a la Cubana Omu-Style is complemented with Casillero del Diablo Cabarnet Sauvignon.
This mash-up of Pinoy food and wine might seem peculiar to purists, but it works. And this just might grab the casual drinkers’ and the millennial market’s attention enough for them to shift to wine, since they are more open to new ways of consuming alcohol and are not yet set in their ways. The main takeaway from chef Sharwin’s and Casillero del Diablo’s collaboration is to not be intimidated by the preconceived notions about wine. Don’t be afraid to experiment when pairing wine with Filipino food. We’re looking forward to what this team-up comes up with next.
Casillero del Diablo offers Merlot, Chardonnay, Shiraz Tinto, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Chile’s famous Carmenere, and the bestseller Cabernet Sauvignon. Casillero del Diablo is also meant for those who seek identifiable flavors and blends but have taken their wine drinking passion to the next level.
Casillero del Diablo is distributed by Fly Ace Corporation. To learn more about Fly Ace, visit www.flyacecorp.com and find out more about Casillero del Diablo on www.casillerodeldiablo.com.
