At Cantabria by Chele Gonzalez, Wine Dinners Are a Decadent Spanish Feast
Flavors of Spain take the spotlight with Candabrian cuisine and Riojan wine.
(SPOT.ph) I've always loved wine dinners. For wine enthusiasts like me who rarely drink at home, these fun nights out are a delightful (and delicious) way to unwind and "let my hair down," so to speak. The world of wine dinners is all about indulging in good food and great conversation, fueled by more than a few glasses of quality vino.
That’s why the recent A Taste of Rioja dinner at Cantabria by Chele Gonzalez was such a pleasure. Nestled on the top floor of the gleaming new Westin Manila in Ortigas, the event promised all the elements of a proper wine dinner: excellent Spanish fare by one of the country’s top chefs, superb whites and reds from Spain’s most celebrated wine region, and a relaxed atmosphere that steered clear of the stuffy formality that tends to turn some diners off.
What exactly is a wine dinner? These epicurean events typically see chefs and/or restaurants team up with wineries, wine merchants, or wine experts to create a multi-course feast. Each dish comes specially paired with a a different glass of wine (usually at least three!). Admittedly, these dinners don’t come cheap. But for those keen on trying different grape varieties (without splurging on a whole bottle), honing their food-and-wine pairing skills, or simply looking for an excuse to upgrade from the usual run-of-the-mill dining experience, then a wine dinner can be a truly enriching experience.
Thankfully, this Taste of Rioja dinner at Cantabria delivered in more ways than one, immersing diners in the flavors of Spain's Cantabria and Rioja regions. And if you happened to miss this event, fear not; Cantabria has another wine dinner brewing on December 17—but more on that later.
Also read: 10 Really Good Spanish Restaurants in Manila
A taste of Cantabria's best flavors in Chef Chele Gonzalez' most Spanish-centric restaurant yet
Beyond the lure of discovering new wines, the Taste of Rioja dinner was the perfect excuse to finally experience Cantabria by Chele Gonzalez which opened last March 2024. The restaurant is the brainchild of Spanish born-and-bred Chef Chele Gonzalez, the creative force behind Gallery by Chele, Deli by Chele, and most recently, Asador Alfonso. Cantabria stands out as his most Spanish-centric creation, an homage to the renowned chef's roots. Named after his home region in northern Spain, this restaurant celebrates traditional Cantabrian cuisine, famous for its bountiful seafood, meat, and produce.
True to its namesake, Cantabria offers Spanish classics familiar to Filipino diners, alongside more creative Spanish fare. Chef Chele collaborates with fellow Cantabrian and Chef de Cuisine Ivan Saiz Sordo; together, the chefs weave their culinary memories into a unique Spanish dining experience unlike any other in the metro.
Through five courses, the Taste of Rioja wine dinner shared a sampling of what the restaurant Cantabria is all about—Cantabrian classics like a creamy bacalao salad and a traditional sponge cake, premium meats like Ibérico pork and lamb, and of course, everyone’s favorite chorizo.
Wine lessons from the Rioja region
A secret to food-and-wine dinners? Balance. The perfect wine pairing happens when neither food or wine overpower each other. Rather, one should elevate the other. That's where Besay Gonzalez of Txanton, our wine guru for the night, came in. He expertly matched each course with an exquisite Rioja vintage, showcasing the diverse flavors the well-known wine region. Hailing from Spain, Besay knows his Spanish wines to the core, regaling the crowd with fascinating stories behind each glass of wine chosen for the dinner.
The most intriguing tale of the evening involved the 2016 López de Heredia Viña Gravonia Blanco, a fruity yet complex white paired with the first course of Ensalada de Bacalao (codfish salad). This vino happens to come from the R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia winery, a brand founded in 1877 with a presence in the Philippines since at least 1899. To illustrate this surprising Spanish-Filipino connection, Besay shared a copy of a vintage 1930s photograph of Escolta’s Bronx Café, with a Viña Tondonia advertisement on its walls. Imagine, our great lolos and lolas might have been sipping the same wine!
Here’s another interesting tidbit divulged at the wine dinner—there’s no such thing as a singular Tempranillo style. The subsequent three red wines served at the wine dinner may all use Tempranillo grapes (the signature grape of the Rioja region), but each one tasted vastly different.
Take the 2023 Remirez de Ganuza R. Erre Punto: made mostly with Tempranillo grapes, yet it feels almost like a bubbly white, best served chilled and with a bit of fizz. Paired with the second course of Crema de Patatas a la Riojana, this fun, young red can match a wide range of dishes or even sipped on its own. Marjon Mendoza, Txanton’s friendly and knowledgeable Operations Manager, explained this crowd-pleaser is made with a unique carbonic maceration process. It's fermented in stainless steel tanks filled with carbon dioxide (yup, no wood barrels involved) that results in a light, fizzy, and fruity vino. Bonus: it's well-priced, too, perfect to bring to a family pot-luck or friends’ get-together.
Next up: a 2015 Sierra Cantabria Viñedo de Páganos El Puntido. This 100% Tempranillo features a fuller, more rounded character than the previous red, perfectly complementing the richness of the Secreto Ibérico con Menestra de Verduras it was paired with. For those in the know, the secreto is a “hidden” cut from the prized acorn-fed Ibérico pig. My simple rule of thumb? If you see secreto Ibérico on any restaurant menu, order it immediately.
The third and last Tempranillo served was a personal favorite: 2016 Marqués de Vargas Gran Reserva is a classic Riojan blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Mazuelo grapes. This powerhouse red made an already exceptional dish—Cordero Lacado con Arroz de Setas (slow-braised lamb with mushroom and snow peas rice)—taste even better.
More wine dinners to come at Cantabria
While one-night-only wine dinners tend to be plentiful in the Makati and BGC areas, Ortigas Center could honestly use a few more wine-focused events of its own. Thankfully, Cantabria is filling the gap with what looks to be a regular series of wine dinners. That's right; this Taste of Rioja event might just be the beginning.
The next wine dinner on the calendar is on December 17, starring wines from the world-famous Bordeaux region in France. Expect top quality Bordeaux vintages paired with a decadent five-course menu, all for P5,900+. Those interested in joining can book the Bordeaux-themed wine dinner here.
And if you're planning your holiday feasts already, the restaurant is also currently accepting bookings for Christmas celebrations on December 24 and 25, as well as reservations for the New Year’s Eve Dinner on December 31.
Cantabria by Chele Gonzalez is at The Westin Manila, San Miguel Avenue corner Lourdes Drive, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City. For inquiries and reservations, contact 8256-2020. You can also check out Cantabria's Instagram page. For more information about the featured wines, visit Txanton's website.