From the start…” That’s what Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Novellino Wines Vicente Quimbo answered when asked by the media when did the wine brand reach its success.
It was the visionary idea of Nonoy, as he is widely known in the business community, to create a wine brand for Filipinos when he introduced Novellino in 1999. Knowing how Filipinos are hard-wired to love sweet foods from spaghetti to dishes, he formulated the distinct taste of Novellino Wines – sweet and rich taste that suits the Filipino palate.
Nonoy and his whole family welcomed the guests, led by his college classmate and fraternity brother – former Senator Manny Villar, during the 25th anniversary celebrations held at the Novellino winery in Laguna, recently. Together with his two sons – Director and Chief Strategy Officer Carlos Quimbo and Chris Quimbo, President and General Manager of Novellino Wines – the Quimbo patriarch presented the successful fruition of his vision by establishing the only local winery in the country with full control of wine production – from sourcing out of grapes to blending, winemaking, bottling, labeling to distribution.
TOAST TO SERVICE. The man behind the brand takes pride in the systemization that the company strictly follows, ensuring the high quality of Novellino Wines. He adds that 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,” boasts Nonoy. “The grapes we use are of high quality because we make sure that we achieve the sweetness for our wines.”
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.
All these were further discussed when Chris toured the local media and guests to the state of the art winery, giving them exclusive access and preview to its latest technology and equipment. Novellino’s step by step journey in making wine from fermentation to bottling is a testament to Pinoy’s world class craftsmanship.
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.” Nonoy quips. “We have already captured the hearts of the Filipinos. And this time, we want to make the brand known globally.”
TOAST TO PARTNERSHIP. 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.
“We want to continue delivering fantastic Filipino wine in the Philippines and beyond,” shares Chris. “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.
TOAST TO CELEBRATE. 2024 marks the 25th anniversary of Novellino as the pioneering local wine brand.
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 remarks.
