Bound by his passion and years of expertise, Eanglebert Guina remains thirsty for knowledge and is generous to pour his own onto others’ waiting cups.

Eanglebert “Eagle” Guina, 49, is a certified sommelier under the Court of Master Sommeliers Americas and a proud Philippine-based wine professional. He founded Wine Head Sommelier Training and Services and shares his expertise as a part-time lecturer at De La Salle College of Saint Benilde, Manila. Decades of hands-on mastery have made him a trusted representative for the nation in prestigious contests such as the Best Sommelier of the World Competition held in Belgium.

However, the vines he’s standing on today did not grow overnight. 

At seventeen, while most kids his age were figuring out what to do with their weekends, Guina was already planting the seeds of the life he dreamed of. By day he sat in Human Resource Management classes; by night he was on the floor of Jollibee, Shakey’s, and Sala, learning how a restaurant breathes when it’s full and how it feels when it’s empty.

 Then came the cruise ships, where the ocean became his classroom and a glass of wine became his first real craft. It was there, among the guests and the pours, that he discovered he wasn’t just serving wine. He was becoming a sommelier.

Life At Cruise

“I strongly believe that we will meet at the finish line. I can make things happen. If I don’t know how to do it, I will ask someone to teach me,” Guina shared in an interview with Hello MNL. 

Under the guidance of his mentors, he mastered the art of working the front of the house: serving tables, selling wines, and tending bar. What began in busy fast-food kitchens led Guina to the tables of international clients, where he learned to watch more closely and master the craft of making every guest feel valued. Beyond sharpening his skills, Guina found financial footing while working aboard cruise ships, earning his first million along the way.

But every milestone comes with challenges. For Guina, working on a cruise meant sailing on bought time. For seven days a week, he had to work 12 to 14 hours a day. Away from his family while being confined in a ship in the middle of the vast sea.

“It’s lonely up there.”

Guina shared that while he is earning enough for his family, he was also missing the critical moments in the lives of the most important people for him. The path that nurtured his abilities has become a dull and looping course. The driving force shifted from his salary to something richer: the freedom to be present with his family.

Therefore, in 2016, Guina took the biggest gamble of his life – he retired from the ships that had carried him so far.

Life On Solid Ground

“If you do good, opportunities follow you. Recommendations will always be there. The opportunity will never stop.”

Life after retirement had its hiccups. He admitted that for the first two years he had to be a “survivor”, as his bank accounts slowly bled dry and his lifestyle began to reshape itself. The realities of the Philippine economy made it hard to match the income he had enjoyed during his years in cruise ships. 

Yet Guina refused to accept a life of mere survival. Knowing that he himself was his most valuable asset, he leaned onto his friends from the industry and mastered the game. He established himself where he could represent his brand not only on knowledge but with the weight of his lived experiences.

Through this, he was able to withstand even the most challenging times of pandemic. He taught wine online classes, discussed wine essentials, and wrote eight modules about wines for hospitality students undergoing their training. From here, he launched his private wine training and consultancies in different restaurants and resorts. Additionally, he offered his services to a broader market including private institutions such as the Lyceum of the Philippines University, where he conducts masterclasses on wine and hospitality. 

Life Travels

“Until now I’m still craving to learn about wine because it is endless knowledge.”

As a sommelier and wine instructor, Guina teaches beyond theories. He takes his students to different places around the world through the lens of his experiences. Through his lens, he imparts expertise to young aspiring hospitality practitioners in the Philippines. 

Every footprint he left behind in his journeys marks the culture he assimilated across the globe. Each voyage feeds his appetite for learning and motivates him to continuously study wine. As he himself says, it is a thirst that can never be fully quenched.

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