Lechon, pansit, galantina, crackers, cheese and cold-cuts; with music of love tunes; friends and family abound-a typical image of a Filipino get together amidst a spread of delicious Filipino food. In such a feast, the center are half a dozen fine bottles of wine vintaged in Napa Valley and Sonoma, California from Tondi Navarrete-Bolkan, a Filipina associate winemaker of the Francis Ford Coppola Winery and co-owner of Alejos Cellars.
The party is really a wine tasting for Tondi’s wine delights which includes the Pinay Muscato (white), Tondi Bolkan Merlot (red) as well as Pinay Pastel (port-style wine), flagship wines of the Alejos Cellars; and Francis Ford Coppola Winery concoctions like Su Yuen (Riesling), Coppola’s Diamond Series Claret (red) and Sofia (a stunning wine branded after Sofia Coppola).
With a degree on Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior out of UC Davis California, Tondi initially planned to take up medicine to follow her sister and father’s path. “While in my senior year attending college, I got my internship at the University Medical Center. After I saw blood, I instantly passed out.” Luckily UC Davis is likewise recognized for viniculture and grape growing.
Her family supported her that they actually partnered with her to start Alejos Cellars to produce her very own brand of wines. “I am just very blessed to become part of a company that allows me to embark outside. In 2006, we began Alejos Cellars using the Pinay Muscato, followed by the merlot and next the port. It will take lots of patience to make wine. It is money intensive and time consuming.”
Tondi chose to name her brand “Pinay”, slang for “Filipina”. “We preferred a word that catches attention and defines what our wines truly are, uniquely inspired by the Filipino taste buds.” The Pinay Muscato hints of fruit-like aromas of peaches and lychee. It’s light, smooth, and as promised, fairly sweet. She advises partnering the Muscato with more dry dishes or Filipino recipes such as crispy pata or chicken adobo. The Merlot can be offered with the caldereta and kare kare while the Pinay Pastel is known as a dessert wine which has a perfect blend of sweetness and spice.
For Tondi, the rewards for producing these blends are two times as wonderful. “We have been getting e-mails and telephone calls about Pinay, additionally, the exhilaration and enthusiasm from my client’s voices are really uplifting. They are saying the word Pinay as they hold up a bottle.”
At some point Tondi hopes to develop her brand name into other types like Gewurztraminer, Riesling and also Chenin Blanc.