The winners are determined by the gross sales performance on Winery.ph, the country’s largest online wine marketplace, and will be available on sale in bundles starting December 12.
As interest in wine continues to grow and develop in the Philippines, there is a question that is often asked: Given the country’s unique climate and culinary scene, what wine does the ordinary Filipino drinker love? The answer lies in numbers. Today, Winery.ph is offering a fascinating insight into the Filipino palate by revealing the best-selling wines as purchased by real Filipino customers online at the 2nd Kavino Choice Awards.
The Kavino Choice Awards, named for the online wine marketplace’s term for its community of ‘fellow wine drinkers,’ are determined by each wine’s popularity among its customers. Winery.ph is the country’s largest in-stock collection of wine online at over 2,000 different bottles, giving it more insight into Filipino taste.
This year, a total of 54 wines will receive the coveted Kavino Choice Award across five categories of wine type and price range. The winning wines have all been certified by thousands of Filipino consumers as being of great quality and value for money. To celebrate, a selection of these best-selling wines will be on sale in bundles at Winery.ph’s 12.12 Sale from December 12 to 14, 2021.
“The Kavino Choice Awards are an important milestone for the Philippine wine market,” says Chris Urbano, Winery.ph Managing Director and Chief Sommelier. “It’s the only real data-backed picture of what Filipino wine drinkers actually enjoy, not what foreign wine critics and importers think we should enjoy and place on supermarket shelves.”
Urbano adds, “By making these favorites part of our 12.12 Sale, we wanted to give our customers the opportunity to not just stock up on wines they love, but to also discover ones they might have missed out on. Our mission is Vino for the Filipino, and this means helping to unearth the Philippines’ own unique wine palate and empower our customers with the confidence to drink and enjoy wine on their terms.”
Here are the winners of the Kavino Choice Awards of 2021:
A strong preference for Spanish and Portuguese wines can be seen among the top 12 wines under the Value Red Wines category. “The range has been dominated by wines from the Iberian Peninsula over the past few years,” says Urbano. “This underscores the great value for money to be had from the Spain and Portuguese wine industries, and reflects that fruit-forward wine styles appeal to the Filipino palate. It definitely helps that these pair extremely well to any Spanish-inspired dishes like Relleno, Litson, or Menudo — key influences on modern Filipino cuisine.”
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc continues to reign supreme as the most sought-after white wine style in the Philippines, followed by Chardonnay. Urbano points out, however, that there are a few surprise varieties beginning to pick up traction — particularly Viognier, Chenin Blanc, and Riesling. “It’s great to see that customers are starting to gain an appreciation for other white wine styles as the market develops,” says Urbano. “It shows a real openness to trying new things.”
The Premium Reds category follows a similar pattern to Value Reds, with wines from the Iberian Peninsula proving popular. “Unsurprisingly, the Rioja region in Spain is again well-represented here, moving higher in price point from the younger Crianzas to the aged Reservas,” says Urbano. At this price point, there are also a lot more entries from France, Italy, and the USA, showing the high perceived value of wines from the iconic wine regions of these countries.
New Zealand remains the dominant choice for the popular Sauvignon Blanc, with interest growing for the Sancerre style of the varietal. “There are also signs that Pinot Grigio is becoming a new It grape in the wine market,” adds Urbano, “while fruitier, off-dry Riesling and Gewürztraminer are starting to find favor, perhaps because of their great potential for pairing with spicy Asian food.”
Winery.ph’s top-selling Sparkling Wines Under ₱1,500 showcased a wide range of varieties from around the world. Popular with customers are Italian Prosecco for its value for money and New World sparkling Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for their fruitiness. Regions like Chile and Argentina also make the cut as bestsellers. “This list proves that you don’t have to spend much to enjoy terrific sparkling wines,” says Urbano. “Our awards showcase delicious wines without the price tags of top-of-mind French Champagnes.”
Whether you’re stocking up on your favorites or looking for something new to excite your taste buds, these Kavino Choice Award winners are not to be missed at Winery.ph’s 12.12 Sale, where they will be bundled together for great deals! Get updates and wine drinking tips by following Winery.ph on Facebook and Instagram (@winery.ph) — and for even more great deals on your favorite wines, visit Winery.ph.
Selection Criteria for the 2nd Kavino Choice Awards:
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