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March 05, 2021
In honour of International Women's Day, we celebrate remarkable women who are trailblazing in the wine community - whether it be excelling in their respective fields or creating their own path in the wine industry.
At Estate Wine, the month-long celebration is a chance to acknowledge and highlight 6 women in our local tight-knit wine community. Read all about these amazing women and their fantastic contributions:
Click to jump to section
Pierre Addison, President – Philippine Sommelier Association, Founder – Love, Pierre
Pilar Almario, Brand Educator, Co-Founder – Uvas Wine Club
Cyrene de la Rosa, Freelance Food & Beverage Journalist - ANCX
Stephanie Zubiri, Editor-in-Chief - Tatler Homes, Writer - Travel + Leisure Asia, Author - Feast with Me
Bel Castro, Assistant Dean, College of Hospitality Management, Enderun Colleges
Gail Sotelo, Founder - 2 Shots and a Pint, Food & Beverage Writer and Consultant
Pierre admittedly barely drank as a young adult, “I knew nothing about wine then.” Her love for wine came about after being exposed to an intensive program in culinary school as part of her curriculum. “The education was an eye opener and it led me to a career that I didn’t think existed back then,” she says. Her first encounter with Robert Parker was during a lavish Food and Wine Festival in Jackson Hole, Wyoming as a cook. She then realized that she wanted to hone her palate and go beyond the kitchen - so she waited tables after culinary school. “All my years of taking courses while working as a waiter, tasting anything I can get my hands on and attending as many tastings as I can led me to becoming a manager and running wine programs for restaurants in Philadelphia and New Jersey.”
Pierre is currently a Diploma candidate for WSET and gives wine advice as well as wine recommendations in her personal digital wine diary: Love, Pierre.
Your first wine memory.
Purchasing my first bottle of wine from a liquor store while in culinary school; a bottle that I enjoyed with my dorm mates in a plastic cup.
The most memorable wine you ever tasted.
This is tough. I like to think that when I taste wine, I want it to be memorable all the time. Tasting a wine and associating it with a memory is the library of profiles I want to build in my head.
You’ve recently tried our 2017 Ridge Vineyards, Lytton Springs. What’re your thoughts on the wine?
A wine of elegance and power. On the initial palate, the fruit is ripe dominated by black and blue fruits. With a little more time in the glass, the wine opens up to notes of cocoa, chocolate and pencil shavings. The tannins are well integrated and round, leading to a smooth and seamless finish. A great wine with a big steak or a rich, meaty stew. This wine will also be perfect for date nights.
What is your favourite exception to this rule: white with fish, red with meat?
Seared Foie Gras on Sesame-crusted Tuna with an aged Burgundy.
The most undervalued bottle you have tried.
For me, this is what I live for. Looking for wines that over deliver, wines that keep on giving. As of the moment, I think I have found a lot of these in Italy. Lately, it’s Tignanello 2014.
Your favourite time to enjoy a glass.
Anytime is a good time!
Your best adviser.
My husband.
What country would you visit for its vineyards?
I’d visit them all one vineyard at a time!
If you could drink only one wine for the rest of your life, what would it be?
This would be the death of me! If I am to drink one wine for the rest of my life, I’d rather not drink at all. The beauty of wine is that it is so organic. It is constantly evolving from the moment you open the bottle to your last drop in your glass. The wine industry is so dynamic that there is never a dull moment, there is always something new to learn. Drinking one kind of wine for the rest of my life, well, wouldn’t that defeat the purpose of wine itself?
Find Pierre at @love.pierre.wines on Instagram
Pilar worked towards becoming a Certified Sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers in New York City. She proudly represented the Philippines in the prestigious International Final Jeunes Sommeliers Competition that took place at Adelaide, Australia in 2015. She then worked in Singapore as a sommelier in various food and beverage environments, from wine bars to fine dining restaurants.
Together with a few friends, Pilar co-founded Uvas Wine Club, a project born during the pandemic. “Uvas offers custom, detailed and theme oriented selections – carefully curated by a team of professionals for those who would like to discover the world of wine.”
Your first wine memory.
I honestly can’t remember! But one of my first wine memories was when I had a glass of wine during our family Noche Buena.
The most memorable wine you ever tasted.
I’ll never forget my first time having a glass of Dom Perignon P2 1998.
You’ve recently tried our 2015 Mastrojanni, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG. What’re your thoughts on the wine?
A fantastic wine with aging potential! Juicy red and black cherries. A touch of hibiscus tea and fresh rosemary. Full bodied with smooth and supple tannins. Even better after decanting for an hour. Best paired with grilled meats, such as a grilled tomahawk steak, beef kebabs, roast lamb with mint jelly, beef ragu. Delicious!
What is your favourite exception to this rule: white with fish, red with meat?
Bubbles with everything!
The most undervalued bottle you have tried.
So many! One of my last trips before the pandemic was to Portugal and I discovered that there were so many affordable but high quality wines being produced in the region, not just fortified wines like Port and Madeira either. There are some awesome still reds and whites. Luis Seabra Xisto Ilimitado.
Your favourite time to enjoy a glass.
When celebrating something special or with a delicious meal.
Your best adviser.
My grandfather.
What country would you visit for its vineyards?
Once we can travel again, I would like to explore Italy, more specifically Sicily. I am fascinated by how the volcanic island is capable of producing such interesting and delicious wines using indigenous grapes.
If you could drink only one wine for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Champagne please!!
Find Pilar at @thepilarsomm and @uvaswineclub on Instagram
Cyrene generally enjoys eating & drinking and is the best person to ask for restaurant or bar recommendations in the Metro or abroad.
During her stay in Lagos, Nigeria where her dad was based for the United Nations from ’96 to ’98, her family got close to a group of ambassadors that would send a good bottle from their collection to try. “My father is allergic to alcohol thus, by default I end up with all the wine gifts,” she says. The most note-worthy wine she ever received was a limited edition Yarra Valley red from an Australian Ambassador, “he gave me all his leftover supply (2-3 cases) when he transferred to another country.”
She seriously got into wine when she moved to New York for grad school at New York University. “I had access to a better selection. There were good wine stores everywhere, and free tastings every week.” She eventually interned for the International Wine Center and completed the WSET shortly after. She also planned to intern as a Wine Steward at the Windows of the World located at the World Trade Center, “submitted my application form to their HR on September 10, 2001, but 9/11 happened the day after.”
Your first wine memory.
A friend gifted me with a case of Michele Chiarlo Moscato D’Asti for my 21st birthday.
The most memorable wine you ever tasted.
A 2005 Ornellaia.
You’ve recently tried our 2017 Frog’s Leap Winery, Merlot. What’re your thoughts on the wine?
It brought back fond memories of my internship at the International Wine Center in New York. This was one of the wineries always sending us their new wines to try (and for my boss – one of the very few female Master of Wines then – to review).
Nice deep purple red color. An easy-to-drink red with low tannin & medium acidity that needed some time to breathe. Bursting with ripe fruit flavors (plums and black berries). Medium plus finish. Best served at around 60-65 degrees F (Chill 15 minutes in the fridge before opening).
What is your favourite exception to this rule: white with fish, red with meat?
White wine with meat. Especially in our hot weather.
The most undervalued bottle you have tried.
Bodega Piedra Negra Alta Colección Pinot Gris, Mendoza, Argentina. This Pinot Gris from the Uco Valley of Argentina made by renowned global French winemaker Francois Lurton is a gem of a lively, fresh citrus-driven wine that is perfect to enjoy all year round with food or by itself as an aperitif.
Your favourite time to enjoy a glass.
Usually with dinner.
Your best adviser.
I’m not following any one source nor person at the moment.
What country would you visit for its vineyards?
Italy.
If you could drink only one wine for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Most likely a German Riesling or Champagne.
Find Cyrene at @cyrenedelarosa on Instagram
Stephanie’s true love for wine began when she moved to Paris for university. “I was fascinated by how even most inexpensive bottles in a little café could be so satisfying. A lovely Brouilly, slightly chilled or delightfully crisp Sancerre, even ice-cold rosé drank copiously on sunny terraces,” she nostalgically recalls. She had taken a year off from university and went to the Cordon Bleu. She took the beginner’s course to understand wine and spirits. “I fell in love with all the passion involved in wine making. How each glass has its own unique story.” She went on to complete the course up to Superior Wine and Spirits.
During her stay in Paris, she learned so much about French wine from her caviste around the corner, “I would come to him with what dishes I would be cooking for my friends that weekend and he would select bottles from small producers and specific appellations that would work well with the flavours.”
Moving back to the Philippines in 2008, she found it difficult to navigate the wines as there weren’t many options for French wines then. This was a pivotal moment for her to learn more about other regions by attending wine tastings and writing about them in her column in the Philippine Star.
Eventually in 2016, she decided to pursue her WSET in preparation for her book. Currently, Stephanie holds a WSET Level 3 and her book, Feast with Me, is the first food and wine pairing cookbook intended for the general public in the Philippines. It won the Best Book on Food in the 37th National Book Awards.
Your first wine memory.
My mother used to take me everywhere with her on her travels. During my trip to Italy, I must have been around 9 years old, when we visited her friend. I was seated at the kids table with a young boy my age who had a wine glass filled with wine and water. I complained, why I didn’t have the same. And the host said, in Rome we do as the Romans do and served me the same.
The most memorable wine you ever tasted.
Château Angelus 1990 was the first time I had ever tried a wine of this calibre and which pushed me to further my knowledge about wine. Here’s an excerpt from an old 2010 article in Philippine Star about my first encounter:
“The pièce de résistance: veal brisket so tender that all those soft pockets of fat were like flavor explosions in my mouth. The Château Angelus 1990 was nothing like I’ve ever tasted before — almost surreally impeccable. I could say that hands down so far, it was the best nectar from sweet, innocent grapes that I’ve ever tried. It was like Dionysius himself came to bestow upon us his presence, pouring the wine lovingly for my pleasure. The nose was exquisite, verbena-perfumed fields with pepper and spice. If I could capture just that scent I would ditch my beloved Chanel Chance in the dumpster and bathe myself in this extraordinary, fleeting thing of beauty and perfection. Fork by fork, sip by sip, I could feel the old grandfather clock of the world tick slower and slower, making every delightful moment count.”
You’ve recently tried our Champagne Pommery, Brut Royal. What’re your thoughts on the wine?
When Louise Pommery took over her husband’s business in 1860, she most definitely left her mark. Best expressed by the feminine qualities this Pommery Brut Royal – fresh, light and lively. It’s like inviting one of your favourite girlfriends to a party. That one woman who is charming, easy going and can hold a witty conversation with any guest.
What is your favourite exception to this rule: white with fish, red with meat?
Shrimp or lobster with red wine - or Chablis with buffalo wings. So yummy!
The most undervalued bottle you have tried.
Nothing can beat a crisp Côtes de Provence or an easy Sancerre on the sun-soaked terraces during a Parisian Summer.
Your favourite time to enjoy a glass.
It’s Friday and you’re at a resto, a bar or even at home, when the day is over and there’s no more work. I love that moment right before dinner, and you finally get to have a sip of wine. It’s like the whole week melts away and you can relax and take a breath.
Your best adviser.
I trust all wine importer friends. I love getting their recommendations and trying new things. They’re my new “cavistes.”
What country would you visit for its vineyards?
Honestly? I would love to go deep into new world territory – Central Otago in New Zealand or up in the mountain ranges in Argentina.
If you could drink only one wine for the rest of your life, what would it be?
This is so difficult, like terribly difficult – but If I had to choose one grape variety (I’m trying to be clever here!) it would be Pinot Noir. It’s such a complex and versatile grape that has very unique and different expressions depending on the region and winemaking process. It can even be made into sparkling!
Find Stephanie at @stephaniezubiri on Instagram
“I got into studying wine actually very late,” Bel recalls that she was in her late 30’s when she took her first intensive - hardcore as she puts it – wine subject as part of her Masters program. She was based in Adelaide which has a very strong wine culture. “It didn’t take long to get terminally infected,” she admitted as she’s fully absorbed by the culture of wine.
In the succeeding years, she continued to pursue an academic interest in wine. She studied with WSET and the Wine Scholar Guild. She is also a Certified Sherry Wine Educator and is currently working on her Rioja certification. “It’s a bit addicting,” she will be embarking on Certified Specialists of Wine with the Society of Wine Educators soon thereafter.
Your first wine memory.
Oh dear. Most of my first wine memories are all bad. Back in the day, there was not much to choose from and there were a lot of oxidized, light-struck, and over-the-hill wines being sold. But for a pivotal wine moment, it would have to be the first time I set foot in a vineyard.
The most memorable wine you ever tasted.
Once upon a time, I walked into the back section of a wine store and was immediately profiled by the attendant who proceeded to escort me out of the room and steer me towards the 2-buck chuck wines. I ended up buying a half-bottle of Château Latour that I couldn’t afford. It was an empty triumph as I gave that store a sale that it didn't deserve. The wine (Latour) - tasted a little bitter with a hint of regret. Will never forget it. It’s the bottle that made me resolve to study wine more.
You’ve recently tried our 2017 Berry Bros. & Rudd, Pauillac, Château Lynch-Bages. What’re your thoughts on the wine?
A very approachable example of Left Bank Bordeaux. On the nose, medium intensity aromas of black and red fruit with some floral notes, medium acidity, medium tannin--an all-rounder. It’s bottled for Berry Bros. & Rudd by the same family that owns Château Lynch-Bages so it has a pedigree. Unlike its bigger brother, it does not carry the hefty price tag and as an added bonus, we do not have to wait 10-15 or more years to enjoy this Pauillac. You can drink now and pair with any meaty dish with some weight to it - and it doesn’t have to be a steak.
What is your favourite exception to this rule: white with fish, red with meat?
This rule needs to be retired permanently because it doesn’t hold true. It’s actually the cooking method or the flavor profile, rather than the ingredient itself, which will have the strongest influence on which wine to enjoy with it. Escabeche-style fish can take a Gamay, for example. If the chicken was already braised in a red wine, why not pair with red? A steak with a béarnaise sauce can pair with an oaky, full-bodied Chardonnay. Try it sometime.
The most undervalued bottle you have tried.
Most sherries actually, are terribly undervalued. I had a tasting flight of VOS and VORS sherries and every single one was incredibly complex, were at the top of their range, yet priced less than mid-range Burgundy. You don’t have to take my word for it - Google “sherry” and “underrated.”
Your favourite time to enjoy a glass.
When I’m eating! I rarely drink wine by itself anymore. When I am eating something really salty, or creamy, or savory, or even sweet, I do find myself looking for a glass. My last pairing was a little bit of moscatel with a dried orange zest and macadamia nut cookie.
Your best adviser.
Believe it or not, the internet. I'm a wine educator, so I am a bit nerdy when it comes to wine. I like to drink it, but I also like to read about it.
What country would you visit for its vineyards?
Just one?! The expected answer is France, but I do want to see Spain, Portugal, and Italy. I am also curious to see what’s going on in the New Latitude regions - Thailand, China, even the UK.
If you could drink only one wine for the rest of your life, what would it be?
For the rest of my life? Even if it was the best wine in the world, I would tire of it eventually, right? Actually, I’m not that picky. As long as the wine is decent and in good condition, and is not the André Cold Duck of my youth, I can live with it.
Find Bel at @bel.s.castro on Instagram
Gail’s journey into wine on a professional level started when she worked for Mandarin Oriental. Her former boss and mentor thought it would be a wonderful idea to get her to focus on wine sales and service, “he supplied me with books and constantly grilled me on the restaurant’s inventory,” she recalls. After working in a restaurant for a few years, she got into wine marketing and academia where she took her WSET certification. “I never thought I’d still be dabbling in academia and doing media-related work for wine and ending up meeting so many amazing people from different wineries in the world so many years later.”
Your first wine memory.
My first wine memory involves my mom “introducing” me to alcohol with a bottle of Rioja as a teenager. I think that started my perception that wine doesn’t need to be treated with so much pomp, but more as a welcome accompaniment to a scrumptious meal and a conversation.
The most memorable wine you ever tasted.
It has to be the 1979 Henri Richard, which we had back in 2012 somewhere in Dijon. Apart from the fact that it was a glorious vintage (plus the wine hardly moved from its storage, so one could only imagine how wonderful the state of the wine was), the circumstances around consuming the wine were pretty amazing: drinking the wine while talking to the proprietor of Mon Millésime, Philippe Renaud, in the heart of his cellar as he was sharing his knowledge about vintaging wines.
You’ve recently tried our 2012 Baron de Brane, Margaux. What’re your thoughts on the wine?
In my honest opinion, it was the best way to welcome myself home after being away for a couple of months. It was incredibly coy, I could imagine it as something one could enjoy over a particularly long conversation, because it took an hour to open up - totally worth the wait. Apart from having such a wonderfully spicy aroma with some hints of red flowers in the back, I really enjoyed how it had enough acidity to even out the rich dark fruits, dark chocolate, and baking spice. It was also incredibly chewy, so despite the restraint in the flavors, I’d have it with a roast, such as beef or even duck, preferably with mushroom sauce on the side to complement the tannins and earthy aspects of the wine. Honestly because it’s the second wine of Château Brane-Cantenac, I’d likely drink it sans food.
What is your favourite exception to this rule: white with fish, red with meat?
I know I’m going to sound so basic, but I love duck with red wine. I specifically enjoy Magret de Canard with a pitchon of Cahors, specifically in one of our favorite restaurants in Paris, Chez Papa.
The most undervalued bottle you have tried.
It’s honestly a toss between a Lebanese Rosé and a Casablanca Sauvignon Blanc. People forget that Lebanon has a huge French influence when it comes to winemaking, hence they have plenty of rosés that are reminiscent of Provence. I also find that a proper Casablanca Sauvignon Blanc can hit the spot just as much as its Marlborough counterparts.
Your favourite time to enjoy a glass.
I sincerely believe in the concept of afternoon “day drinking.” I know it sounds like I’m pushing for alcoholism – I’m not – but in moderate amounts, it allows your body time to metabolize the alcohol. It also allows for a longer conversation with friends and a better visual assessment of the wines because of the daylight.
Your best adviser.
I have two: My former mentor from Mandarin Oriental Mr. Ernani Castaño (who unfortunately passed away many moons ago), and my colleague Ms. Bel Castro of Enderun Colleges. I love that they both challenge (challenged, in the case of Mr. Castaño) my technical understanding of wine and what I think I’m capable of doing in the industry.
What country would you visit for its vineyards?
I want to do an “ancient world” wine tour. I’d love to visit Israel, Lebanon, Greece, and Georgia to see how they stay true to their ancient traditions in wine production. If I really had to choose one, however, I’d prioritize Israel because we have friends there who are dying to hook us up with vineyard tours.
If you could drink only one wine for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I think it has to be a Burgundy red. I think the styles could vary just enough to pair with a myriad of food without losing their elegance. It’s also generally consistent in terms of quality.
Find Gail at @elaigh and @2shotsandapintofficial on Instagram
Click on the wine to learn more
As tasted and recommended by Pierre: 2017 Ridge Vineyards, Lytton Springs
As tasted and recommended by Pilar: 2015 Mastrojanni, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG
As tasted and recommended by Cyrene: 2017 Frog’s Leap Winery, Merlot
As tasted and recommended by Stephanie: NV Champagne Pommery, Brut Royal
As tasted and recommended by Bel: 2017 Berry Bros & Rudd, Pauillac, Chateau Lynch-Bages
As tasted and recommended by Gail: 2012 Baron de Brane, Margaux