Growers and Grocers

Photos from Don Roberto's Mango Wines

When people say “wine”, we normally think “grapes”. While grapes do not grow in hot climates like in the Philippines, local entrepreneurs have taken it upon themselves to produce wines anyway. Since mangoes are widely popular and Philippine mangoes are making their mark around the world, which fruit is better to start with than this luscious tropical delight?

Fruit wines are nothing new to the Philippines. As early as the 1970’s, a label called Sevilla’s fruit wines made it big, but just as suddenly disappeared. The early 90’s saw a resurgence of fruit wines sparked by the government’s initiative to turn the research and experiments of the University of the Philippines, Los Banos, scientists into a profitable ventures for local entrepreneurs.

However, it wasn’t until early 2000 that interest in local fruit wines truly sparked. This can be largely attributed to Don Roberto’s Mango Wine entering the scene. Don Roberto’s Mango Wine comes in 2 varieties. There is the Sweet Mango Wine made from ripe mangoes that can be sipped with appetizers and dessert, and the dry Green Mango Wine from unripe fruits that comes with a slight tartness that goes well with any entree.

I remember my first taste of this pale golden liquid 5 years ago. There was a mango-filled booth at a mall near my college that was offering wine-tasting that caught my curiosity. The signage said, “Don Roberto’s Mango Wine” and a friendly elderly man with white beard invited me to have a taste. Wary, but intrigued, I first tried the Yellow Mango Wine. A sniff gave off a fragrant fruity scent that was unmistakenly mango with a slight floral bouquet. Not being used to drinking alcohol, a sip of the wine was surprisingly pleasant. A well-rounded flavor with mild tannins, it went down the throat quite smoothly, leaving a deliciously ripe mango aroma as aftertaste. A sniff of the Green Mango Wine, on the other hand, left my mouth watering with a bouquet of a fresh green mangoes that reminded me of summer. A sip of this variant left me with a crisp, clean taste, leaving a tart, dry aroma.

Early this year, the Philippine Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) released P1 million (approx. US$19,600) in working capital to buy additional equipment and supplies for the Mountain Province Fruit Wine Processors Association to increase production and create additional employment. This grant opened opportunities to widen the scope of fruit wine production that now includes mango wines.

Greg Arano, another wine enthusiast, looks forward to the day when the Philippines will be known for its fruit wines along side Europe, California, Chile and Australia. His Patubas method used all-natural fruits which are mashed in a wine press. The resulting fruit juice is left to ferment and age in sealed glass jars. The fermented juice is then filtered and transferred into wine bottles and left to age for another 6 months to a year. Aside from mango wine, his wine products includes pineapple, guyabano and other local fruits.

Araño says that:

“What I make are table wines cheap enough to drink at dinner every day, like people do in Europe.

Patubas wines are fresh, young, easy-drinking and food-friendly, though they can also be drunk alone.

In most blind-tasting parties with friends, the mango emerged as the most preferred, being slightly sweet.”

Philippine mango wines are now slowly gainly recognition by joining international exhibitions and have been making their mark by winning several awards.