An evening with Aurelio Montes from Chile’s first ultra-premium winery

MANILA, Philippines — Sometimes, a glass of wine can tell you everything you need to know about the winemaker. Aurelio Montes is undoubtedly one of the most influential winemakers of this generation. Yet his unassuming, salt-of-the-earth demeanor betrays the lofty pedestal on which many have put him. He’s a man of unbridled passion and perseverance, with a love and concern for the conservation of nature that borders on obsession and a pioneering spirit that shines through in every new endeavor Montes has pursued.

River Joseph, Ida Manalo Joseph, Noey Lopez, Rafa Joseph, Ralph Lim Joseph, Freddie Garcia and Jonny Revilla

Making his sophomore visit to the Philippines last May 26 at Finestra of Solaire Resort and Casino, he and his lovely wife graced us with their presence with a motley array of award-winning, standout wines in tow. Among them, the icon wine, Taita, which is the aggregate result of all Montes has learned in his long and storied life. One sip of Taita spoke of more than just the complex and layered flavors and aromas of dark fruit and spices, integrated oak and tannins and a finish whose length stretches almost as endlessly as Chile’s coastline. It spoke of humble beginnings and a success story that has inspired countless people the world over, of visionaries who wanted to put Chile on the map of the wine world and did so.

Chilean Ambassador Jose Miguel Capdevila, Bernardita del Campo, Aurelio Montes, Elena Garcia and Rafa Joseph