NOVELLINO, A TOAST TO WINE PERFECTION
Filipinos are hard-wired to love sweet foods – from spaghetti to dishes. No wonder, the sweet and rich taste of Novellino Wines suits their palate.
This unique blend is the winning formula of Chief Executive Officer Vicente Quimbo in creating a wine brand distinctly for the Filipinos. Nonoy, as he is widely known in the business community, has painstakingly established his company as the only local winery with full control of wine production – from sourcing out of grapes to blending, winemaking, bottling, labeling to distribution.
Nonoy and his whole family welcomed their partners, guests and media during the company’s 25th anniversary celebrations held at the wine manufacturing plant in Calamba, Laguna last October 17.
The man behind the brand takes pride in the systemization that the company strictly follows, ensuring the high quality of Novellino Wines. Accordingly, the process for making sweet wine is actually difficult and costly. It is a time and labor-intensive process; but worth it.
“We never run out of stocks as we source out our grapes from three continents,” shared Nonoy. “The grapes we use are of high quality because we make sure that we achieve the sweetness for our wines.”
“We want to continue delivering fantastic Filipino wine in the Philippines and beyond,” quipped Chris Quimbo, President and General Manager of Novellino. “That’s why we’re exploring other wine-infused experiences, giving Filipinos more options to enjoy and appreciate our wine.”
The young Quimbo affirms the company’s aggressive and strategic goals for the brand capitalizing on Novellino’s equity as the country’s leading Pinoy wine brand.
The company elevates its winery by investing in new, state-of-the-art equipment and infrastructure to increase production and capacity. All the upgrades are complemented with revolutionary wastewater disposal solutions and renewable energy.
After the short presentations, Chris led the members of the press and guests to a quick facility tour giving them exclusive access to the state of the art winery and Novellino’s step by step journey in making wine from fermentation to bottling.
First step is the fermentation, in which yeast initiates the process by converting grape juice sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The whole process yields more sugars turning into alcohol, making it a “dry” wine that Novellino is known for.
Second, the Centrifugation which is a process that removes yeasts and lees preventing further fermentation. The advanced equipment used is the state of the art Alfa Laval centrifuge from Sweden. It’s the first and one of the few wineries in Asia that has this modern equipment.
Third, the process that involves clarification, filtration and adjustment refining the wine to meet standards and specifications. The winery boasts its three-stage micro filtration process that removes debris as .45 microns, ensuring pure liquid wine.
Fourth, the Chilling is the cooling of wine to 0 to -2°C. This allows reintroduction of CO2, a byproduct of fermentation, to make wine effervescent and refreshing.
Last step is the bottling of wine. Bottles are cleansed and rinsed with reverse-osmosis purified water, then filled with fresh wine. Each bottle is capped, corked, dry sealed and packed into boxes for distribution.
“We really want to have a sustainable company to meet the increasing demands of the market.” beamed Nonoy. “We have already captured the hearts of the Filipinos. And this time, we want to make the brand known globally.”
From the start, Nonoy has been clear with his mission: To convert as many Filipinos to wine drinking, democratizing wine among Filipinos with an aspirational and healthy drink.
“Before, people would buy any kind of drink during the season – beer, whiskey, imported wines. Now, Christmas isn’t Christmas for most families unless there’s Novellino on the table.”
The wine brand has become part of Pinoy lifestyle, a brand of choice at any given occasion of whatever reason and season. Novellino has changed the culture in wine drinking: That it is not only during big occasions like Christmas but also in small gatherings – deepening bonds and ties between friends and families. Significantly, the brand has made winemaking, drinking, and appreciation part of the growing cultural movement in the Philippines.
In the past twenty-five years, Filipinos have fallen in love with Novellino. That sweet and rich taste has become their standard in choosing a wine. And when it comes to wine, they think of the only brand that they are familiar with – Novellino Wines.
To date, Novellino has 17 wines and counting with the Filipinos in mind. This Pinoy wine brand has consistently pursued excellence and achieved milestones making it synonymously a national pride. And Novellino Wines is ready to conquer the global market as it continuously writes in the world history of winemaking in the next 25 years and beyond.
“We take pride in the workmanship and craftsmanship involved behind every Novellino bottle. A big toast to Novellino!” Nonoy ended.
