MANILA - While Europeans saw waste in surplus wines during the economic crunch, a Filipino businessman saw an opportunity to launch his own wine label.

Manny Osmeña, owner of "Manny O." wines, is one of a handful of lucky people who made money out of the economic crisis by making the best out of a tough situation.

On a routine trip to European wineries in 2005, this avid wine-collector found himself in the middle of a wine crisis - the wine market in the West was in a slump and there was a surplus production of wine that went unsold.

Seeing an opportunity, Osmeña decided to create a new style of wine customized for the Asian palate.

He convinced a French wine-maker from Languedoc, among others, to experiment with different wines and he spent time developing his first wine varietal, Dicipulus Syrah. 

"If me, a Filipino, could challenge a Frenchman to help make some wine, I knew, I was in the wine business," he said. 

Upon the coaxing of friends, in 2006 he was finally able to launch "Manny O." wines under a trademark tagline "I love wine", thought up by his daughter Megan. 

Two of his blends under the Dicipulus line have already sold out in less than a year, while his Sumiller wine is flying off the shelves.

Custom-fit tastes

While Westerners opt for acidity or tannic tastes in their beverages because of their dairy-heavy diets, Osmeña believes that Asians prefer sweeter drinks with their sweet, sour, and spicy food.

He has seven wine varietals in his stead, all glassed in sexy and sleek bottles. These are the Bibulus, an elegant Bordeaux Cru-Bourgeois red; Dicipulus Syrah; Dicipulus Blanc, a fragrant, buttery well-rounded white; and the Sumiller, produced from 40 or more year old Monastrell vines.

Soon, he will also introduce the Agapitos Branco, a fruity and tropical refreshing white; the Agapitos Rosé, with tutti frutti bouquet and lively aromas; and the Celebrus, a Blanquette de Limoux with 'fino' bubbles and floral aromas.

For now, he is still working on another "elegant and classy" wine variety called "Mistress." 

In a gloomy economic climate, Osmeña banks on the quality of his wines to attract even the most hardy spendthrifts.

Since his wines can be paired with almost any cuisine, he tries to snag a broad section of the market especially Asians who are more inclined to spend for luxury products than their Western counterparts.

Loving wine

As a child, he had an intense dislike for alcoholic beverages like whiskey or beer. Up to now, he harbors a strong distaste for hard liquor and the way some people drink it down as if it were a race to the bottom of the bottle.

He prefers wine because it is has very low alcoholic content and is more of a "gentleman's drink." Historically, he insists, wine was never a tool for drunkenness but was used for religious purposes and was meant to be served in moderate doses.

His deep interest in wine started during his stint as a furniture export businessman when his European clients would take him out to lunch or dinner and they would sample various kinds of wine. As an admirer of continental lifestyles, he opts for Old World wines or those from France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy.

"I discovered the beauty and emotions of wine, which is more [about] sophistication and not intoxication. It's partly cerebral because as you're eating, it teaches you to become a conscious eater. It trains you to think of the flavors you're experiencing," he said.

His first glass of wine was a Riesling variety at a Munich supper club called "Trader Vic's", and shared with his German friends along with two lovely nurses. He said he remembers this wine best because of the good company he had that night. "As they say, good wine loves good company," he quips.

As a wine collector since the 1970s, he has almost 4,000 wine bottles in his cellar, which he samples on occasion or sells at auctions. As he is wont to say, "rare wines are even more valuable than diamonds" since a certain vintage cannot be produced again.

Osmeña has even set up a "Wine Fund" with his buddies and invests in wine futures.

Quantity, with quality

 Currently, the "Manny O." label is exclusively retailed by Cav restaurant in Bonifacio High Street and the D&B wine shop in Cebu; as well as select hotels in both cities. The wines are priced from P635 to P1,235 per bottle.

Osmeña's metropolitan wines might even be offered in China, Thailand, Hong Kong; where the wines are perfectly paired to the local cuisine. Importers from Russia and Germany have also expressed interest in selling his wines.

The distinct taste of his wines have won over customers and tough wine critics alike.

He said his sharp sense of smell and taste are what makes his wines good.

"Manny O." wines were a big hit at a food and beverage expo in Shanghai where he was given stellar reviews by popular food critic Willie Wai Ling and wine critic Lau Chi Sun. His wines have also fared well in blind tastings in the Philippines.

"Manny O." is planning to launch a whirlwind wine tour in Manila and Cebu in October, where he will offer his 7 wines for free at 77 restaurants within 77 days.

His strategy is to get his wines on as many restaurant and hotel tables as possible, confident that customers will keep coming back for more. "The proof of the pudding is in the eating. If people like it, then you're made," he said.

Osmeña comes from a long line of hard-working Chinese merchants based in Cebu, so one could say business is in his blood. 

Aside from his wine business, he is the head of the OikosCebu, which owns the Hilton Cebu Resort & Towers and the Hilton Cebu Resort & Spa. He is also the founder of Cebu Pacific Catering Services, the only airline catering in Cebu.