Discovering Kabayan Wines – A Tribute to Community and Filipino Heritage
Kabayan Wines, a wine brand based in Sonoma County, is driven by a vision to showcase the uniqueness and quality of wines made by a Filipino woman. Founded by Justine Osilla, her goal is to shed light on inclusivity and diversity gaining ground in the wine industry. Blending the love for wine with Filipino culture and community values, Kabayan Wines is actively paving the way for a more inclusive and richly diverse wine-making landscape. (Woot woot!)
Through its distinctive flavors and blends, Kabayan Wines invites both connoisseurs and casual drinkers alike to explore a world where the heritage of the Filipino community intertwines with the celebrated craft of Sonoma County viticulture. Each bottle tells a story of identity, passion, and unity, symbolizing a bridge between cultures and a toast to the pioneers challenging the status quo.
With every sip, Kabayan Wines celebrates not just the spirit of innovation, but also the joy and camaraderie found in every shared bottle, making it more than just a wine brand—it’s a movement towards greater inclusiveness and understanding in the world of wine.
The Story Behind Kabayan Wines
Justine Osilla’s goal with Kabayan Wines is “to bring community together by sharing [her] Filipino culture over great wine.”
Born and raised in Central California, Justine was raised with a traditional Filipino upbringing with expectations for her to purse a career in the medical field. It wasn’t until she went to college in Fresno State when she found her love and passion for winemaking. With a degree in Enology and 8+ years of diverse industry experience, Justine has really made herself stand out as an innovative woman within the wine industry. Her unique approach combines traditional techniques with a deep respect for her Filipino roots, allowing her to create wines that tell a story, with love and passion poured out of each bottle.
The Essence of Kabayan
The word “kabayan” is a very special word in the Tagalog language, as it’s a form of endearment among Filipinos, used to symbolize community and kinship. This word is all about having a shared spirit, mutual respect, and a bond that is almost familial. This word is deeply rooted in the brand’s values, as I’m sure you’ve noticed.
The Portfolio of Wines at Kabayan Wines
The portfolio of wines from Kabayan Wines are nothing short of memorable, delicious, and noteworthy. If you’re ready for another word to learn in the Filipino language, it’s “sarap,” meaning delicious. With every sip of wine that I had from Kabayan Wines, I was very impressed and grateful to have tried them.
All of the wines are produced by Sunset Cellars, which gave Justine the opportunity to create the wine labels, harvest the grapes, and mentorship all throughout the vinification process.
2023 Sauvignon Blanc
The perfect wine for getting together with old friends.
Sourced from the El Retono vineyard, a family-run plot in Kelseyville, Lake County, this Sauvignon Blanc is the product of sustainable and regenerative farming practices. With 16 acres planted in 2002, special attention is given to 10 rows of the Musque clone, which thrives in the vineyard’s heavy clay loam soil.
The 2023 vintage boasts a lively profile with aromatic notes of jasmine green tea, peach, orange blossom, and passionfruit, perfect for sipping on sunny days or paired with an array of Filipino dishes like crispy pork sisig or sinigang.
Expertly crafted through a blend of traditional and innovative techniques, the grapes were hand-harvested and either underwent native fermentation or were inoculated with VL3 yeast. Enhanced by battonage and sur lie aging, the result is a complex, zippy white wine with a dry finish, 12.7% alcohol content, and boasting a limited production of just 50 cases.
2023 Pamilya Blend
You’ll have to bring this blend to the next family get-together.
The Pamilya Blend represents the collaboration of select vineyards and family traditions, crafted into a chillable red wine. Comprising of 50% Carignane from the historic Trimble vineyard in Mendocino County and a combination of 38% Pommard and 12% St. Laurent from the Ricci Vineyard in Carneros, Sonoma, this wine is a narrative of old vines and dedicated family-owned farming.
The Carignane underwent whole cluster carbonic fermentation, followed by an extended maceration process, while the other varietals were co-fermented and finished in stainless steel, with all maturing in twice-used Francois Freres barrels.
With Justine’s personal touch, the Pamilya Blend has a profile with characteristics of strawberry bubblegum, ripe cherries, violets, cassis, and a hint of black pepper, meant to complement Filipino culinary favorites like barbecue, lechon kawali, and kare-kare.
Showcasing a moderate alcohol content of 12.8%, the wine is dry with a total acidity of 6.2 g/L and is limited to 75 cases. This one is my personal favorite.
Joining The Kabayan Community
To join the Kabayan Community, you can join the newsletter list on their website. Here you can get the latest updates, newest wine drops, upcoming events, and learn more about Justine Osilla!
Kabayan Wines, Your New Favorite Filipino Wine Brand
There’s always a reason to get together with your frinds and family. For your next get-together don’t forget to bring a bottle or two from Kabayan. I promise you will not be disappointed.
