31 Jul Feature Article: The Wine Cellar – A Classy and Quiet Place to Chill, Drink Wine and Engage in Good Conversations with Friends
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What Is A Wine Shop?
In reality, the concept of wine bars, wine shops, and wine cellars was never really accepted worldwide since it was a business originally focused solely to selling only wine by the bottle or by the glass. It wasn’t until the early 2000’s when many wine shops began to diversify by also selling other liquor and even beer.
Likewise, many wine shops began having their own bars while selling wine, liquor, and beer, thus attracting a new clientele, now mostly millennials. Today, wine shops are a very popular getaway for people seeking a quieter atmosphere away from the noisy atmospheres of regular liquor bars and music lounges.
Modern wine shops now even have their own kitchen to serve gourmet meals and finger foods that will go well with their wines and liquor.
A Unique Wine Shop in Cagayan de Oro City
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Here in Cagayan de Oro City, a unique and unorthodox wine shop called The Wine Cellar has opened those somewhat hidden doors to fine wines and other liquor and beers since it opened last June 28, 2013.
Many locals passing by its location along J.R. Borja Extension at the Great Spot Arcade, next to Lefty’s, Oliver’s Pizza, and Steve’s Barbecue are often perplexed with what The Wine Cellar is all about. This is probably because it was known as Forth & Tay when it opened back in 2012.
The name has changed and the proprietorship is the same and all the unique wine and liquor experience you probably only see in movies or TV programs are there for you to discover. You will find many wines there that you would normally see only in fashion or food magazines, or perhaps on your trips to Manila or Cebu.
A Wine Shop is Born in the City
Oliver Hill together with Bryan King (Owner of LogicBase Interactive LLC and About Cagayan de Oro)
It all started with the proprietor, Roxanne Hill, and her husband, Oliver Hill, who simply wanted to make wines and liquor more accessible to Cagayanons, and they weren’t talking about the varieties you normally find in supermarkets.
Naturally, they explored the city and discovered that there was not a single wine shop operating in the metropolis. Thus, what started as a passion, a business sense, and with some ideas from their daughter, The Wine Cellar would then be born, though with a different name back then.
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Naturally, the wine shop offers wines that appeal to all classes. Surprisingly, according to Oliver during his interview with aboutcagayandeoro.com, their biggest market are the young female professionals or young female business owners who enjoy coming together for the weekends. They also naturally attract a lot of millennials and a regular clientele of middle aged professionals.
What You Find Inside and the General Atmosphere
The Wine Cellar opens at 5:00 p.m. onwards. The atmosphere inside is very peaceful, quiet, and perfect for conversations, even if you have a table on the outside. It’s a big difference from all the noise from bars and other drinking holes you find in the city.
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During weekends there is a bit of a large crowd at The Wine Cellar but the atmosphere is still kind of peaceful, occasionally punctuated by bursts of laughter and giggly conversations.
The majority of the wines and liquors that they sell aren’t available in major supermarkets in the city, or in any supermarket for that matter. This is because many of their products come directly from the manufacturers or wineries all over the Philippines or are imported from other parts of the world.
They have wine and liquor from the finest wineries from Chile, New Zealand, France, Italy, the United States, South Africa, Spain, and more countries. Some of the collection were even personally selected and purchased by Roxanne and Oliver on their travels to other countries. And the wine and liquor collection is so wide and varied that the price tags range from the very affordable to the very hefty especially for the rare or hard-to-find brands.
If they don’t have it, they can order it for you from anywhere in the world. When you visit the wine shop you are even encouraged to mix your own favorite cocktails if you know how to.
Events and Promos
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From July 31 and August 1 The Wine Cellar is bringing back its Drink-All-You-Can Red and White Wines with free pizza slices, all in at P249.00 only. This makes for a great group bonding experience with family or friends.
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Another great promotion is their Ladies Night every Saturday. All the ladies who come in get a free glass of wine with no strings attached, no questions asked, and no purchase necessary. The Wine Cellar is simply happy to welcome all the ladies and serve them. Please check out their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/WineCellarCafe) to know what offers they have.
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For Fridays and Saturdays they have a promotion called Unlimited Margaritas. Prices start at P229.00 and you get to savor The Wine Cellar bestsellers: Mango Margarita and Strawberry Margarita.
The wine shop is open during weekdays for any type of gathering from birthdays, meetings, small conferences, product presentations, and even weddings. However, the weekend is for the regular clientele who regularly go there to enjoy the drinks and food. You can call to make table reservations. Wi-Fi access is free so you have great internet access for your mobile devices.
Prices and Bestsellers
Prices usually start off at P290 per bottle, with the highest prices normally left to the imagination, especially for the rare bottles and special orders.
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Their bestsellers are usually wide ranging, depending on the clientele or even their mood. It can be the Flamenco, Mitchells, Chardonnay, or Cabernet Sauvignon.
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Aside from the wine, their other bestsellers are their vodka, champagne, whiskey, rhum, and scotch.
The Wine Cellar is a great place where classy people come to grab a few glasses of wine, unwind and have fun, meaningful conversations with friends. It’s far from the noise and irritating crowd you get from local bars/entertainment venues. If what you’re looking for is a special place where you can gather with your friends and somewhere you can call your second home, this is definitely the right place for you!
Contact Details:
The Wine Cellar
Door 6, Great Spot Arcade,
JR Borja Extension, CDO.
Apple – 0905 379 3272.
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