Online wine seller reveals 2023's most popular wines for Filipinos
MANILA, Philippines — Online wine seller Winery.ph has marked its fourth Kavino Choice Awards by recognizing the Philippines' best-selling wines this year.
"These awards are backed by real sales data from real transactions," said Winery.ph managing director and chief sommelier Chris Urbano about the annual awards. "They're like a GPS (global positioning system) for navigating the Philippine wine market’s tastes and preferences."
For accurate tallying, sales volumes made under selective promotions like flash or clearance sales and erratic purchases were excluded from analysis.
A total of 66 wines were recognized across seven categories, with a set of criteria that included price range (value and premium) and wine type (reds, white, sparkling, rosé).
The Spanish Tempranillo made a significant appearance in the Bestselling Value Reds list for a third year in the row, with the Matsu El Picaro from Toro and Gonzalez Byass Beronia Reserva from Rioja standing out.
Two Australian wines, Printhie Mountain Range Merlot and Chrismont Sangiovese, also made the list, which was dominated by wines from countries in the Americas like the United States, Chile and Argentina.
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"Many Filipinos continue to prefer styles of red wine that are more intense and fruit-forward, which is best seen in bottles from outside of Europe," said Urbano. "But the greatest commonality we see is that they are gaining a deeper appreciation for regions with bang for buck, which you'll find plenty of in Spain, Chile and Argentina."
Sauvignon Blanc remains the most popular among Bestselling Value Whites for Filipinos. This is likely due to its burst of tropical fruits alongside high acid and herbaceousness, making it food-friendly.
Leading the charge are New Zealand's Cloudy Bay, Matua Valley, Marlborough Vines and Dog Point, and Santa Rita 120 from Chile. Urbano noticed a rise in demand for other varieties like Albarino and Pinot Grigio.
Two wines from Italy (Abbazia Moscato Rosé Dolce and Martini Asti Spumante) and Australia (Chrismont Prosecco NV and Brown Brothers Prosecco) stood out in the Bestselling Value Sparkling list.
"It's likely that many [Filipinos] buy sparkling wine because of its carbonation, rather than other preferences like specific tastes or styles — though we do see that Sparkling Moscato is popular, possibly for the fact that it is sweet," said Urbano.
Rosé from France's Provence region is still the global leader for this wine type, as indicated in Bestselling Rosé favorites, Château d'Esclans Whispering Angel and Minuty M Rosé, still being go-tos for Filipinos.
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An interesting appearance on the list is Australia's LEKO Rosé, a natural low-intervention wine made only from unadulterated fermented grape juice.
When it comes to Bestselling Premium Reds, Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley remains supreme. DAOU from Pasa Robles, Joseph Phelps, The Prisoner, Stags' Leap, Clos du Val, Caymus Vineyards and Duckhorn also made the list, possibly due to Filipinos' preference for fruitier, more intense reds.
Sauvignon Blanc is also a favorite in the Bestselling Premium Whites list, though Chardonnay like France's Joseph Drouhin - Chablis Reserve de Vaudon appears a popular alternative.
Natural wine again made an interesting appearance, with orange wines such Australia's Koerner 'Pigato' Vermentino and VHS Wines ’Eighteen Views of Kuitpo Forest’ Gewürztraminer making the list.
For the first time, Winery.ph has introduced a Bestselling Premium Sparkling category and the list is entirely composed of Champagne, the most popular being Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial and Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut NV.
"We are, however, seeing an interest in growers Champagne, which is made and bottled by the same people who grew the grapes," Urbano noted. "These are fantastic reflections of terroir and vintage, and the growing demand shows that Filipinos are becoming more discerning about who makes their Champagne."
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