The veranda at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila slowly filled up with guests for a wine dinner last week. While wine from Hugel & Fils has been available here for years now, the dinner was held to reacquaint wine lovers with its range consisting mainly of white wine.
The 55-year-old Etienne Hugel, director general of the Alsace-based winery, introduced the different bottles over dinner while managing to call attention to his Japanese wife, Kaoru, who is almost 20 years his junior, and who works at the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo as its sommelier.
The two met only a couple of years ago when Kaoru and a girlfriend went to Alsace to tour its storied vineyards. They did not know that they had come at a bad time since it was the first day of the annual harvest, one of the busiest days. The vines have to be picked at the right time—not before and not after.
But Etienne took the time out to show Kaoru and her friend the vineyard.
Etienne was in the process of divorcing his first wife, while Kaoru had divorced her Japanese husband. (After six months of marriage, he stopped speaking to Kaoru entirely.)
Since their wedding in June, Etienne and Kaoru have been inseparable. She left her job in Tokyo to live with Etienne in Alsace. They are now on their working honeymoon, which has taken them to different countries.
Kaoru’s 5 things to keep love alive
1. We have wine almost every day.
2. We make it a point to exercise daily, usually running.
3. I’ve learned to cook healthier dishes after all the rich food we have on a trip.
4. We travel together.
5. We try to manage our stress.
Etienne’s 4 things to keep love alive
1. Always have that same sparkle in your eye like what you had on the first date.
2. Always think of how you can please your partner, sexually or emotionally.
3. Consider the other. We both come from radically different backgrounds, but the fact that she uprooted herself to live with me means I should be willing to make her feel comfortable at all times.
4. Keep in touch with your in-laws. Kaoru’s mother, who is 65, is taking English lessons so we can talk.