One month… two months… three months… four months? I’ve lost count, to be honest. In fact, I don’t even really remember the last time I was at a bar drinking with my friends – which is a real surprise if you know me because I used to go out every night. Before you judge me, let me explain: life is stressful, okay? That’s it. That’s my explanation. :p
But seriously… life hasn’t become less stressful for me since quarantine started. I have always worked at home and if anything, it has become even more stressful because I haven’t been able to go out and unwind. Add to that the fact that there was a liquor ban a while back; and despite fewer restrictions now, bars still haven’t opened.
I’m not complaining, though. I completely understand (and support) the reasons behind it. But that doesn’t eliminate the fact that I need my wine fix. Thank goodness for Alcoline.
Alcoline was established a little less than 10 years ago, stemming from the need to have another company that would cater to on-premise clients since one company could not handle both off-premise clients and on-premise clients. On-premise clients are the establishments where you can drink on the premises (i.e. bars, casinos, hotels, restaurants) while off-premise clients are, well, the establishments where you cannot drink on the premises (i.e. supermarkets, subdealers, and convenience stores).
Now that the demand online has exponentially grown, Alcoline wants to cater to end consumers, especially now that most of their on-premise clients will not be fully operational anytime soon. They actually have a wine shop in Burgos Street, Poblacion, which is strategically located where nearby establishments can also buy alcohol. 😉
It goes without saying that the liquor ban and the closing down of Alcoline’s on-premise clients are still taking a toll on them because they have always been a B2B company. This is what forced them to explore new ways of making sales – which I am, by the way, personally very, very thankful for.
Being a lover of wine (but in no means an expert), I was ecstatic to see their carefully-selected wines from the International Business Wines Meetings in Lleida, Catalonia, Spain in 2018. Patricia Depante shares that they got the opportunity to be invited to the said event and have intimate discussions with the Export Managers and owners (if they’re a small winery).
“It was pretty difficult to choose because there were a lot of wines to choose from with limited time,” Tricia admits. “However, we always went back to our bases: Filipino palate, price, and label. The wines needed to pass those three categories/criteria to say they are “shortlisted”. We even got to visit the wineries! It was an educational and insightful trip, seeing how wines are made firsthand.”
Since I don’t really know much about wine, but I love drinking it; Tricia was kind enough to make my wine selections for me – and we have been on a wine binge ever since (in moderation and with no regrets).
I love the passion and dedication that has gone into Alcoline, and I love how friendly and approachable the team behind it is, as well. After all, that’s what makes people keep coming back. Aside from hand-picking their wine, Alcoline also makes sure to fulfill their same-day delivery commitment for all orders placed before 6PM. Their delivery is reliable and efficient, and their delivery guy will help you get all your bottles in the house if you need help (not that I ordered that many or anything…). And yes, they deliver all around the Metro, so if you need wine… think of Alcoline!
Alcoline
88953830
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alcolinecorp
Instagram: @alcolineph
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