February 13, 2016, a day before Valentine’s Day, I was invited by Jan to a wine tasting in Shangrila Mall. I didn’t consider going at first because this friend of mine is experiencing some “love” problem lately, and I figured when he said “wine tasting,” it is just his cultured way of saying “broken hearted ako tara lasingan na.” So I told him I’m going to pass. But my friend insisted that I join them. Apparently, he’s doing this with his friends and it is a real wine tasting and not some lame excuse for a drinking spree. Since I’ve got nothing to do anyways and bored at home, I decided to go. The place is in Planet Grapes in Shangrila Mall in Shaw Boulevard.
Welcome to Planet Grapes
Planet Grapes: Wine without the Drama
I have an admission to make: I don’t drink wine. I may drink beer and tequila like a sailor, but wine is way out of my league. Maybe it’s because wine is very expensive and to spend money on something that I will just consume in seconds is just tragic. LMAO. And wine is for the rich daw kasi. But as my friend said it, minsan lang tayong magpapaka-alta kaya tara na! He’s got a point. And besides, it’s a rare moment that someone invites me for wine tasting…. like, I think, this is the first time? And I really want to experience it and pretend I am rich and I do this on a normal basis… hahaha.. a guy like me can dream!
When we entered Planet Grapes, we were greeted by a foreigner. My reaction was sosyalin nga yata ito Amerikano pa ang greeter! Taray ng Planet Grapes! LMAO. We went upstairs to our reserved table. Yes, you have to make reservation so you can have a guaranteed seat. Though my friend said you can do walk-in, it’s just that sometimes it’s hard to get a seat. So marami palang alta talaga sa Pilipinas? I sat there and looked at the restaurant’s interior. The first thing I noticed are these beautiful chandeliers. It looks do-it-yourself yet elegant.
The chandelier is beautiful. My friend said he would want to have this in his home. It has wine bottles with bulbs inside. Very cool.
We ordered white wine first. I forgot the name of the wine, but they said it’s the sweetest on the Planet Grapes‘ menu. Didn’t I tell you already how expensive these wines are? And there are hundreds of them lined up just behind where I’m seated! Just imagine if I get drunk and accidentally stumbled and crashed onto these wine bottles! It will cost me a fortune!
Expensive wines at my back
Planet Grape also serves dinner and snacks.
The white tastes good. This is the first time I recall I tasted white wine. Maybe I had some before but can’t seem to remember. This white wine is the bomb! I can drink this every weekend if I have the money hahaha. We also ordered some cheese and bread. I’m so ignorant about wine drinking, I didn’t even know you’re supposed to have some good cheese with it! And this is like legit cheese, ladies and gentlemen. Hindi po ito Kraft cheddar cheese. Nothing against that brand, but I’m so used to having that one na kasi. hahaha. This cheese is like the real cheese when chefs and Europeans say cheese. Basta hirap explain, ito yung keso na mahal ganun na lang. There’s one cheese that tastes so good I was surprised to find out that it’s pinaamag na raw. Basta parang ganun, yung matagal na sya. My friend even said na it’s the most delicious amag he ever tasted. I guess cheese and wine have something in common, they become better with time.
The white wine goes here
Say cheese!!!
That bread is also good.
The bread that comes with the cheese is also very good. Anyone knows what it’s called? It reminds me of that bread I had for breakfast in Siem Reap, Cambodia. I can eat the bread alone without the cheese, to be honest. And another random observation. The girl who served the wine is a looker. She’s got a very beautiful face, perfect with the expensive wine. I am thinking of going back there to see her again and maybe get her number. hahaha. No, this is not because of the wine. I’m not drunk.
Red alert… it’s red wine time!
The white wine went down so fast! There’s 5 of us and a bottle just lasted us 2 rounds. They are not kidding when they say you have to have money for this. My tequila can last me the whole night! And it costs half. Anyway, I was told it’s time for the red wine. This should be good. By the way, you must wondering why Wine Without the Drama? Just speculation. I heard they have this type of red wine that’s so high in alcohol content, they don’t serve it in full bottle. So ayun, naisip ko siguro kasi para walang malasing ng sobra. Kasi lasing equals to drama. Thus, wine without drama. hahaha. Naisip ko lang naman.
Pretty in red
We ordered Te Mania, a red wine worth Php 2,250. This wine is from New Zealand. Red wine has more alcohol content than white wine. I have high alcohol tolerance, so I’m not worried. I took a sip. Hmmm… it tastes weird. This is my first time to have red wine, I need some time to get used to the taste. Te Mania is a mania! It’s coming in so strong with an aftertaste. I’m not appreciating the taste, unfortunately, and I asked the beautiful lady to just pour me little of this expensive wine. What I noticed is when I drank some red wine and then try to drink some white wine, the white tastes sweeter. And I love the white wine more! I guess I just found out I’m a white wine person.
Red wine and white wine, what’s your choice?
My red wine, Te Mania. Unfortunately, it’s too strong for my taste.
My friend said he feels like he’s already drunk. Wow. That red wine is a beast. Our bill overall is around Php, 4,800, two bottles of wine and some bread & cheese. So minsan lang talaga ako magiging alta. hahaha. I will revert back to my favorite empi lights after this.
Planet Grapes
About Planet Grapes
Planet Grapes offers an easygoing and wine-friendly ambiance where the uninitiated (and uninhibited!) can begin their journey to discover the world of wine. Our wine bars in Manila and Cebu carry state-of-the-art Italian enomatic machines that allow customers to try different wines by sip, half-glass, and full glass sizes. Customers may also purchase wines by the bottle. The selections in our wine store range from reds and whites to rosés, and are arranged by grape varietal. You will find different representations of each wine from around the world, as we source from premium wine producing regions such as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, North America, and South America. The restaurant portion of our wine shop encourages the harmonious combination of wine and food with traditional pairings such as cheese and cured meats, as well as local comfort foods such as siomai and kikiam. Planet Grapes is where street food meets wine in Manila, and where the expressive flavors of the wines is sure to charm visitors, regardless of their familiarity with the drink. – Planet Grapes website.Unit GD 103, North Wing,
Shangri-La Plaza Mall,
Edsa cor. Shaw Blvd.,
Mandaluyong City(02)531-8207/
(02)532-2950Business Hours:
Sun-Thurs 11:00am-12:00am
Fri-Sat 11:00am-1:00am
