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Filipino Cuisine Wine Beverages

Written on November 30, 2011 by Carla Dalembert

Filed Under: Anything, Food, General, Recipes, Shopping

Meet Tondi Navarrete-Bolkan, a Filipina wine maker coming from Francis Ford Coppola Winery whose mission is to uncork the Filipino’s adoration for wine.

Pansit, galantina, lechon, cheese, crackers and cold cuts; with music of love songs; best freinds and family abound-a common image of a Filipino get-together around a spread of delectable Filipino food. In that feast, the centerpiece are six fine bottles of wine vintaged in Sonoma and Napa Valley, California by Tondi Navarrete-Bolkan, a Filipina associate wine maker from the Francis Ford Coppola Winery and part-owner of Alejos Cellars.

The get together is really a wine sampling for Tondi’s wine masterpieces consisting of the Tondi Bolkan Merlot (red), Pinay Muscato (white) and also Pinay Pastel (port-style wine), flagship wines of the Alejos Cellars; and Francis Ford Coppola Winery blends which includes Coppola’s Diamond Series Claret (red), Su Yuen (Riesling) and Sofia (a sparkling wine given its name after Sofia Coppola).

With a degree on Physiology, Neurobiology and Behavior from UC Davis California, Tondi initially planned to take up medicine to follow her father and sister’s path. “Throughout my senior year in college, I got my internship from the University Medical Center. As I saw blood, I immediately passed out.” Fortunately UC Davis is likewise known for viniculture and grape growing.

Her family supported her so much that they actually assisted her to open Alejos Cellars to generate her own brand of wines. “I am very privileged to become a part of a company that enables me to embark outside. In 2006, we started Alejos Cellars with the Pinay Muscato, followed by the merlot and after that the port. It requires a lot of patience to make wine. It is cash intensive and time consuming.”

Tondi chose to name her brand “Pinay”, slang for Filipina. “We wanted a concept that catches attention and defines what our wines are, uniquely stimulated by the Filipino taste buds.” The Pinay Muscato hints of fruity fragrances of lychee and peaches. It’s smooth, light, and as promised, fairly sweet. She suggests partnering the Muscato with drier dishes or Filipino recipes like crispy pata or perhaps chicken adobo. The Merlot could be offered with the kare kare and caldereta while the Pinay Pastel is known as a dessert wine beverage with a perfect blend of sweet and spice.