Disclaimer: There is a liquor ban in the Province of Ilocos Norte which means that selling and drinking alcoholic beverages is illegal for the time being. It is also important for wine enthusiasts to know that the World Health Organization warned that alcohol in general is “an unhelpful coping strategy” for the global health crisis…

There is nothing like a global health emergency that helps us mortals determine what is important. For me, it is family, health, and access to rice but in the evenings, when there is nothing left to do but watch Netflix, I realise that I also need wine.

“This is the right thing to do. I know though that we can’t set the trend since we are a small company but I am wishing that anyone with a business will follow suit if such a move is within their means. This is easy for us because we maintain a very small team in our manufacturing plant as most of the processing done are done by machines,” Salucop says.

Wine has been served in diplomatic dinners and lunches for centuries and in its capacity as the liquid welcoming mat, it has broken barriers, relaxed tense atmospheres, and has turned dry dialogues into meaningful conversations. As a winemaker, I am inclined to say that very few deals have been sealed over fruit juice or a cup of tea although the latter likely works for the English.  

It is De La Bodega’s anniversary month and a huge discount has been approved by the brand. Now at 35% off, you can get a bottle of the sweet white wine for P812.50 instead of paying the original price of P1,250. De La Bodega is the youngest among Basi del Diablo’s wines and also among…

British Ambassador to the Philippines Daniel Pruce received a bottle of Basi Maria from the Office of the Vice Governor during his visit to Ilocos Norte last January 7. The token came from Vice Governor Cecilia Araneta Marcos who is a stalwart supporter of local products. “The Vice Governor has always made sure to promote…

“The project will surely boost domestic tourism expenditure and I am thankful that the House Committee on Tourism is actively promoting local products. We need that. The show also has fringe benefits. One of the most important is it gives Filipinos an insight on how diverse the country is in terms of its local products. There are so many wonderful local products just waiting to be discovered. Cong Tour will help all of us with those little discoveries and may even aid in our understanding of our own culture,” Salucop says.

Wine is associated with seduction and Greek gods agree.

The homegrown product has been carried by the Laoag-based establishment since the former’s earlier years but was only displayed at the Pasalubong (Souvenir) shop. By February 2020, the wine brand produced by Salucop Group will be available in every restaurant inside the hotel. 

Basi in its purest form needs to be enjoyed in an Ilocano setting. With Basi Puro carried by Fort Ilocandia Hotel since the former’s earlier years, drinking basi in a place that showcases the culture of Ilocandia can be experienced with relative ease. All you need to do is get to the hotel. (However, if…