Bevvy at Don Revy

written by Gail Sotelo October 18, 2019

I am not that witty when coming up with a title for an article (much to the eternal frustration of people who edit my work), so I am grateful that Bevvy at Don Revy is catchy enough to be a title.

In the immortal lyrics of an old Diana Ross song, “When I think of home, I think of a place where there’s love overflowing.”

We’re fortunate enough to stay in a house that “overflows with love” in the form of family, friends, and pets. I also love the fact that we always have comfortable furniture, good food, and wine.

Yes, our house has, over time, become my ideal “home,” but we do need to air our fogey old selves from time to time.

Thankfully, Bevvy at Don Revy has all my proverbial “creature comforts,” which is why it rapidly became one of my “homes away from home.”

Here are just a few things that make Bevvy home:

The Ambiance

Walking into Bevvy is how I imagine walking into a bar during the Prohibition was like. Once inside though, there are comfortable couches and bar stools where people could order food (they have some of the best brisket I’ve ever tried), and if one is completely lucky, one can catch the very amiable President & Marketing Director of Don Revy Philippines, Jojo Vega. In fact, if one is nice enough to him, he might be game enough to let his guest tinker with the bar’s playlist.

The Wine

Château Routas Coteaux Varois En Provence
Here I go with my love of all things rosé. They’re pretty, and they match the local weather and cuisine. The Château Routas is perfect to drink over good conversation, or with a little bar chow.
Pebble Lane Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
When Chad and I were living in Salcedo Village, our grocery of choice constantly had Pebble Lane. It ended up becoming a staple in our fridge. For something inexpensive, it has a certain elegant restraint for a Marlborough (typically a tasting note of Sauvignon Blanc from this region involves very definitive gooseberry, citrus fruit, and grassy flavours).
Chard Farm “The Tiger” Lowburn Central Otago Pinot Noir
One of my favourite styles of New World Pinot Noir is that of Central Otago’s (New Zealand). They tend to veer away from being what I like to joke around as an “assault of red fruit,” instead possessing some complexity with its spice notes. Bonus points: I adore this particular wine’s delicate texture, and I can imagine myself being perfectly content drinking it without food (when I’m feeling fancy).
Elderton Barossa Shiraz and Command Single Vineyard Barossa Shiraz
I confess, I really adore the textbook Barossa Shiraz: Big, huge, and powerful, with a rich velvety texture, dark fruit notes, and black pepper flavours. The thing is, it’s getting difficult to find them these days, as winemakers from the region started deviating from the style. Elderton, however, still makes them… And the beauty about Bevvy is that they have a selection to choose from. One could start their foray into Barossa Shiraz through the Elderton Barossa Shiraz, and people who already appreciate the style can treat themselves to a bottle of Elderton Command Single Vineyard Barossa Shiraz.
Parker Coonawara Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Terra Rossa, and First Growth
Typically, winos wax poetic about Cabernet Sauvignon from the classic regions: Bordeaux, California, or Chile. Few people would think of Australia in relation to top-shelf Cabernet Sauvignon… Perhaps because they’re famous for Shiraz. In any case, one of the best regions to explore Cabernet Sauvignon in the land down under is Coonawara, where the wines typically have notes of eucalyptus and mint, plus the typical black fruit aromas and oak notes. Again, Bevvy offers a selection to explore the style in different tiers: The Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is a great entry point, while the Terra Rossa offers a different experience because some of its grapes were harvested from old vines giving it a richer character, plus a restraint typical of wine from a colder area. The pièce de résistance, however, is the First Growth, which is only produced in stupendous years. Bevvy has a 2015, but I’d cellar that for 15 years.

The Spirits (and Mixers)

Marylebone Small Batch London Dry Gin
Textbooks usually say that London Dry gin is typically deemed as the “better” gin because of the difficulty in producing them. Marylebone – a distillery dating back to Georgian London – has come up with their own distinct London Dry by sourcing botanicals all over the globe, including Italy, Egypt, Hungary, Bulgaria, Indonesia, Turkey, Poland, and Spain.
Whitley Neill Handcrafted Gin in Rhubarb and Ginger, and Blood Orange
I don’t typically see flavoured gin in the market, which is why I liked the idea of these two gins. The people behind it, the Neill family, gets inspired to make their handcrafted gin using flavours from all over the world. Johnny Neill’s Rhubarb and Ginger was inspired by his grandparents’ old farm, while Frederick Neill’s Blood Orange’s inspiration was the Sicilian oranges he and his wife saw during their honeymoon trip to Sicily.
City of London Old Tom Gin
I confess that my favourite style of gin of late is the Old Tom, partly because of the romanticism behind it (it’s an old Victorian style experiencing a resurgence), and it’s flavour profile (it should be sweeter than a London Dry). The City of London Old Tom fits the textbook characteristics of an Old Tom, but with a touch of spice and citrus that keeps it interesting.
Lamb & Watt Flavoured Tonic Water
Confession: I’m a very lazy person, which is why my go-to at-home cocktail involves a G&T. It’s easy, it’s foolproof, and doesn’t require a full-scale bar to make. The thing is, it can get pretty boring, and there are days when I have no interest in messing around my kitchen to add a some twist to it. Enter Lamb & Wyatt’s Flavoured Tonic Water, which adds additional flavours to a G&T. They come in many different variants in Bevvy, including cucumber, basil, and hibiscus.

Bevvy at Don Revvy operates Mondays to Fridays from 2pm to 11pm, and Saturdays from 6pm to 11pm.