Justin Pitt and Cristalle Belo-Pitt’s wine brand, Hearts & Vines, is crafted for the Filipino taste and budget, and is ideal for first-time wine drinkers.

In an interview with the Daily Tribune, the couple said the idea began when they lived in Australia during the pandemic from 2020 to 2022. “We really couldn’t find a wine that was going to work specifically for Filipinos,” Pitt said.

Knowing that Filipinos generally prefer sweeter flavors, the couple took it as a challenge. “Why don’t we make our own wine?” they said, describing how “what looked like a small project became a very large project.”

It has been a true partnership between the two, with Belo-Pitt saying she represents the very market they aim to reach. Like many Filipinos, she drinks only on social occasions and isn’t particular about wine varieties or technicalities. “Our market are those who want to explore a new world and go on an adventure,” she said. Pitt added, “With my perfect palate in hand, we created wines that Cristalle loved.”

Started in 2022 and officially launched this year, the couple now offers five wine varieties that cater to the Filipino palate. Belo-Pitt likened Filipino taste buds to “a Jollibee spaghetti palate… Everyone in the Philippines has a Jollibee spaghetti palate.”

The couple also put thought into the brand name. “Hearts & Vines captured our love story,” Pitt said. “Because hearts definitely represent our love story. There’s this tale of Australia and the Philippines, the tale of Justin and Cristalle.”

The brand reflects their goal to make wine accessible to Filipinos by keeping it affordable, priced at P499. Drawing from her experience with her family’s cosmetic line, Belo-Pitt said, “It’s also the same market as Belo Sun Expert. Belo Sun Expert is like P500 to P700.”