The now-defunct Chocolate Kiss Cafe inside the University of the Philippines in Diliman used to serve calamansi juice, and the concoction came with its very own supply of honey. I put as much honey as I wanted while my friends did the same so we can all reach our personal Goldilocks zone. It was nice because of the freedom that it allowed.

Of the many times that I passed by that cafe, I never thought that I would remember their calamansi juice several years later and I definitely never imagined that I would be using it for a semi-analogy in a job that I also never planned on taking on. I love my job as a winemaker though. It is one of those dreams that I thought I never had but did. Now back to business, you cannot tweak a bottle of wine like you would your calamansi juice but you can choose the right one for you by trying as many as you can.

For the past few years, Basi del Diablo has been getting queries about finding the right wine. Some of these questions include, What is the right wine for me? What is the right wine for my mother? What would you recommend for a man who usually drinks liquor instead of wine?

My formula for these things is to ask what wine they drank last and what they like about it.

A patron once told me that she likes her wine smooth. That sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? But to winemakers and sommeliers, this is rather vague. I usually interpret it as wine that has a very small amount of tannin and one that is not high in acidity but sometimes, if they tell me that they like it smooth and bold, I would suggest a bottle of Basi Maria. The Maria is generous in the mouth and yet smooth enough to be enjoyed by casual drinkers. It has lots of tannins though so you know where I am going with this. We don’t have the formula to determine which wines will suit each customer. We just ask questions that might help us lead them to the right wine.

With wine, it can be both simple and complicated. Casual drinkers won’t know what a sommelier is talking about when he throws words like Central Coast Grenache or Secco Lambrusco but they will know what they’d like if they choose between sweet and tart or sweet and bitter. They will also know if they like their reds earthy or sweet or spicy.

Your Perfect Match

Are you addicted to coffee? Try the Nottola Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2006 (Italy). This Tuscan red is a bargain for its age. Imagine cherries bathed in a hot brew of freshly ground coffee with a tinge of herbs.

If you find those tasting notes appealing, you will also love a bottle of Shiraz. Oh so many options! Shiraz is a heavy hitter in terms of flavour. You’ll get notes of peppers and spices, making it the right choice for folks who like their coffee black. If you want a wine from Basi del Diablo, the best choice would be the Basi Maria. This is a bold red wine with a tart and spicy finish.

Love red fruits? Choose a wine that is fruity. If you want one from the brand, I would suggest the Ambaristo, especially if you like your red fruits sweet and your wine red. The Virginia Blush is also a top choice if you want it to be more refreshing or if you don’t like red wine in general.

If you can’t get a hold of our wines, get any Pinot Noir. This is a fragrant wine known for its light body and fruity notes. The Domaine Lecheneaut Les Pruliers 2016 has a lot of spine for a light-bodied wine. This is a sophisticated bottle that can be paired with both meat and seafood.

Fond of citrus? You will enjoy our Basidina. This is made from a mix of sugarcane and chardonnay. You will get grapefruit flavours with a tinge of orange. It also has a nice aroma and if you are one of those poetic types, you might associate it with summer rain.

You can buy other Chardonnays, too. Any Chardonnay from Burgundy, for example, would be a blast. I particularly like them because they don’t have an obvious oak influence. Some of the best in the world include Vincent Girardin 2016 Corton-Charlemagne, Domaine Berthelemot 2017 Abbaye de Morgeot Premier Cru (Chassagne-Montrachet), Antonin Rodet 2018 La Bressande Premier Cru (Rully), and Joseph Drouhin 2017 Clos de Mouches Premier Cru (Beaune). If you would like to explore some more, get a bottle of Riesling.

Used to liquor? Get the Basi Puro. This is pure, unadulterated sugarcane wine reminiscent of the older and much stronger Ilocano basi.

Already know what kind of wines you like?

Cabernet Sauvignon fans will love Rioja, a grape variety grown in La Rioja, Navarre, and Alava. It is similar to Cabernet Sauvignon and most of them offer a mouthful of red fruits. If that is not exciting enough, you can also get a bottle of Sangiovese.

Those who love Merlot will be equally satisfied with a nice bottle of Grenache. While the two are not exactly alike, they both have hints of raspberry.

If you would like to know which type of wine is the right wine for you or which brand will satisfy your palate, do not hesitate to send me or Basi del Diablo a message.