High Tea Wednesdays at Wine Depot Featuring French Tea Brand, La Maison Du The

Afternoon High Tea. Big words. It sounds so royal and regal; it’s a thread away from intimidating. For some it can be a total strange concept. But with the emergence of restaurants and cafes in Manila offering afternoon high tea packages, our culture that is rather familiar with coffee is now slowly being introduced to what started as a social event for upper class men in Europe. Recent addition to the establishments offering afternoon high tea is Wine Depot with branches at Alabang, Makati, and Greenhills. Yes, Wine Depot does not just sells wines, they also have café with good selections of gourmet food and drinks.

Wine Depot, in partnership with La Maison Du The, a tea brand of delicately handcrafted premium French tea, celebrates the beauty of tea culture through their High Tea Wednesdays. Although rooted from the much celebrated tea gathering, Wine Depot’s High Tea Wednesdays suggests a different tea culture but not devoid of respect for the traditional ritual.

For a start, High Tea Wednesdays at Wine Depot is priced at Php500 only. An affordable feat considering most high tea packages served in Manila are not as friendly in terms of its price. Second, Wine Depot has this “not just tea” feature thrown in the mix for a good measure. Indeed, it’s a different tea culture that Wine Depot is introducing, so intimidation may take a back seat.

These notable features for an afternoon high tea are just icing on the cake because what is Wine Depot mostly proud about this offering is the tea brand they are dishing out; La Maison Du The. From one of the oldest and most prestigious teahouses in France, La Maison Du The boasts of premium quality of handcrafted tea leaves. Hand torn rather than cut through a machine, La Maison Du The teas aims to provide the beauty and authentic tea experience that goes beyond the richness of tea history and the culture it was rooted from.

La Maison Du The is available in seven different variants; Green Tea, English Breakfast, Darjeeling, Earl Grey, Chamomile, Peppermint, and Lemon & Ginger. Each variant is housed in fine silk mesh that made the hand torn tea leaves visible.

The High Tea Wednesday worth Php500 at Wine Depot entitles the guests to one pot of their preferred tea variant which I believe is good for sharing, and selections of sweet and savory pies.

Choosing among the tea variants for some can be taxing especially if you do not have particular flavor that your palate favors often. Sometimes, it really depends on the mood. So, if you are up for something fresh with fruity highlights, you may want to try the Green Tea variant which is known for its anti oxidant. Lemon & Ginger shares the same “cure-all” title with the Green Tea since it is known to help in aiding common colds, stomach aches, and improved blood circulation.

If you are a coffee aficionado wanting to cut back on caffeine, English Breakfast can be a good option since it provides the same jolt that usual coffee does. If your aiming to beat the stress on the other hand, Chamomile’s smooth and floral flavor with honey undertone could do the trick. Same goes for the Peppermint variant, only it has a crisp minty taste to boot. If you are up for pleasurable sips of tea that suggests luxury and fine living, Darjeeling which is known as the “Champagne of Teas” is your best option. The aromatic flair of Earl Grey Tea comes close to a second.

Included Sweet and savory pies included in the High Tea Afternoon package are two sausage rolls, one chicken pastry, two salmon puffs, one lamington, one fresh fruit tart, and one cheesecake.

As previously mentioned, this different tea culture at Wine Depot follows a “not just tea” policy. Yes, you may opt for iced tea done Wine Depot’s way (hello spiked!), or you may enjoy Vittoria Coffee if tea is well, isn’t your cup of tea.

For its price, I found this treat reasonable enough. Choices are generous and great, flvor-wise. Of all the savory and sweet treats included on the package, it was the cheesecake that I found hard to resist. Pairing it with my La Maison Du The Green Tea variant, it was a perfect high tea ritual I would love to repeat, even on a daily basis.

Wine Depot’s High Tea Wednesdays is available every Wednesday from 3pm to 5pm at Wine Depot Alabang, Makati, and Greenhills. Aside from Wine Depot, La Maison Du The is also served at its partner establishments; Chateu 1771, Café 1771, Corner Tree Café, Epic Café, and Lemon Café in Boracay.