A matter of taste

MANILA, Philippines - As a symbol of status and celebration, wine drinking has become part of many Filipino festivities and has become evident in Philippine lifestyle. While it has become a common sight, one may note that a hurdle to wine drinking among Filipinos is the preference for sweetness.

“We Pinoys are known to have sweet tooth. We love sweet delicacies and it is apparent in our usual practices like cooking. For instance, most of us enjoy our spaghetti because it’s sweet. There’s no wonder we also look for that sweetness in drinks, even in wines. Globally also, there is a growing preference for sweet wines,” says Von de Torres, managing director of Emperador Distillers, the company that distributes the Carlo Rossi brand of red and white wines in the Philippines.

The market for wine drinkers has been growing and can be somehow attributed to the openness of females to wine drinking because of its perceived health benefits. However, the preference for sweet wine is dominant since they find dry wines bitter.

To satisfy this, the company brings to the market, from Carlo Rossi, the No. 1 imported wine in the Philippines, the Rossi Sweet Red.

To suit the quality and authenticity of a red wine that fits the Filipino taste, Rossi Sweet Red provides a well balanced palate, complemented by fresh fruit flavors and a velvety soft-finish.

Made from grapes grown in California’s sun-drenched vineyards, Rossi Sweet Red is soft and sweet, with layers of vanilla and flavors of bright cherry and wild raspberry. It is guaranteed to burst with flavor and aroma with the right alcohol content, so it is not just grape juice packed in a wine bottle.

Rossi Sweet Red also innovates a creative means to drink wines: have it on the rocks. The ice complements the rich, deep red color and allows the drinker to enjoy its sweet taste in the smoothest way possible.

“This is a perfect fit for a tropical country such as ours,” says De Torres.