This weekend, we chanced upon this business month exhibit going on at SM Naga City, today is the last day actually and we were just lucky to catch it. There were a couple of nice stuff we did see. Some booths showcased a lot of local products like furniture, delicacies, candied local fruits and wine. They were selling unique items from nipa vinegar to skin peeling products promising to make one’s skin fair and young looking.
Actually, as I am writing this, I feel a little tipsy as I have just again sampled the Lipote Red Wine that I am blogging about. That is why I think it took me a really long time than necessary to write my first paragraph. By the way, this Lipote Wine that I am featuring was made by Yulaik Wine Products located along Universal Road in Triangulo, Naga City.
I have sampled three of their wines – the Lipote Red Wine, Lipote Red Wine with Sea Salt and Guyabano White Wine. Among the three, my least favourite was the Guyabano wine. I found it has a bit of an unpleasant after taste which resembled bitter medicine or unripe fruit. The Lipote Red Wine, however, was pleasantly tangy and sweet. It reminded me of the baligang fruit which I know so well, being a fruit of my childhood. Now, when I tasted Lipote Red Wine with Sea Salt, I thought it tasted the best among the three. The salt really did make a difference, as subtle as can be, but still a noteworthy difference.
Now for those of you who are not Filipino, Lipote is a fruit that is found only in the Philippines and locally known in Bicol as baligang. It looks like blueberries but with a deeper color and a lot more tangy in taste. One bite of the fruit and the blood like juices just burst. The popular way to eat this is by first vigorously shaking the fruits inside a container along with salt and sugar. You allow the fruits to soak in its own natural juices, which resembles blood more than red wine really. Then you eat the delectable flesh which is sweet, salty and tangy all at the same time. And if you’re like me who likes these kinds of stuff, you will take a swig of the juice as well. Now this juice is so potent that it always did cause me to have red blotches all over my neck and face and I would always feel a little tipsy like I just drank liquor. And that was not even fermented yet, so you can imagine how potent the wine can be (or maybe I just get drunk easily lol).

I am no wine connoisseur, but drinking red wine is one of the few pleasures that I allow myself to have. There are just times when the thought of the red wine chilling in the fridge is the very thing that gets me through all those stressful Mondays. Just half a glass each time (I’m not yet an alcoholic, people). My opinion on wine may be biased as well since I really prefer red, sweet red to be exact. My all-time favourite is Carlo Rossi Sweet Red wine, it’s just so subtle and the effect on me is a good night’s sleep each time. I buy Doña Elena sweet red wine as well. I find that it has a stronger alcohol content, less sweet, but it’s cheaper and comes in a bigger bottle.
Yulaik products also include dried fruits, jams and condiments all packaged very nicely. They will make good gifts during special occasions like weddings and anniversaries or will be great souvenirs for those who are looking to get an authentic taste of what Bicol has to offer.
This is interesting. I never knew about this fruit, let alone the wine we can make out of it 🙂
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Thanks! I’ve known this fruit all my life as baligang but I only learned yesterday that it is also called Lipote. When you visit Bicol, make sure you try the fruit and the wine =)
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My Mom is a Bicolana but I’ve never been there…not that I remember of 😂😂😂😂 I wanna go there 😂😂😂
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You should, especially that you have roots here, your mom being a Bicolana and all =) Summer is the best time to visit by the way, as the rainy season is so notorious here in Bicol. =)
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Hay…i really wish
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I think Lipote is also called duhat here in Metro Manila. Duhat is good for diabetics as it lowers blood sugar but easy on the salt! I’ve been to Sorsogon and it’s always raining there even during the Christmas season.
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Hi! lipote is actually different from duhat. We also have duhat here in Bicol. Although they look almost alike, duhat is mapakla while lipote/baligang is very sour but some are sweet when ripe. And yes, I agree, it is almost always raining in Sorsogon whenever I go there too and it’s worst during Christmas season. Thanks for dropping by =)
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Interesting! Salt has always been a great neutralizer and enhancer. Lipote looks similar with “duhat” (blackberry). I just don;t know if they taste the same.
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I know right, and in the case of Lipote wine, it was definitely enhancing the natural flavors of the fruit. It kind of looks like duhat but they’re not the same. Duhat is mapakla while lipote is unbelievably sour when unripe (almost as sour as calamansi) and can be very sweet when ripe. I seldom see it being sold in Manila though.
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Hey, thanks for the like 🙂 Interesting blog you have!
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You’re welcome! And thanks also for dropping by!
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Wonderfully-written. I’ll make tambay to your blog 🙂 I must include bicol in my bucket list.
Btw, thanks for the follow..
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Thank you Albert! I hope you get to visit Bicol. 🙂
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Surely! I’ll bring my wife and son with me. Who knows we might be able to meet, it’s a small world after all (and the song goes on and on in my head..hehe)
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That would be nice, and yes, it’s a small small world =)
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This fruit looks like blueberries, but they look extra juicy – and so many of them on one branch/stem! I could almost taste the wine as you were describing it. Mmm!
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They sorta look like blueberries, don’t they? Lipote is really sour though. When ripe, the color changes to black and the skin is shiny. Thanks for dropping by!
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Thank you for reading my history facts I like your blog too. Wine is my special day drink and every day is special. I worked for Government too and like you have a degree but mine is in history and law. Now retired and healthy built my own house and landscaped 5 acre gardens.Dinner I cook and sip red wine as my tea.
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Thanks so much for your lovely comment. I agree, wine could be our tea haha. I’d drink wine everyday too if only my work did not require me to be totally lucid. Wow, how to landscape a 5 acre gardens! Must be why you’re so healthy. Take care of yourself always! 🙂
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When po ang season ng Lipote?
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Hi Bince, sorry I just read this now. Anyway, I am not sure kung kelan ang season ng lipote. Basta ang alam ko may time talaga na marami sya sa market pero kadalasan wala.
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Hi Frances.. This is great! Hoping that more and more products from Bicol, such as this, be made available to the Philippine market. Not only does this promote the region’s identity, provide locals their livelihood and stimulate economic activity in the area, but, more importantly, it teaches the people to take care of this God-given resources by taking care or by propagating the trees and the environments where these fruits belong.
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I totally agree with you Wilhelm! Thanks for your wonderful words. I appreciate them a lot. You are so on point about my goals for this blog – promoting Bicol Region, its natural resources and culture. I am hoping that when the more people, even from other countries, appreciate Bicol, I can somehow inspire the people here to better take care of our natural resources and be proud of our own native products. Thank you!
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