Taiwan Fruit Wines up to World Standards

Wine and liquor play an important role in the everyday life of the Chinese people. Wine is used to flavor foods, and of course is often drunk when friends get together. A person can also drink by himself: "I lift my cup to invite the moon, and with the shadow, we become three," the saying goes.

"The wine cup that glows in the dark" mentioned in Tang Dynasty poetry can really inspire the imagination. Since the Chinese customarily drank alcohol distilled from grain, the grape wine mentioned in the Tang poems must have come from the Western regions. Grapes and methods of making wine were introduced to China during the reign of Han Wu Ti, but the new the drink was not well received.

In Taiwan, the climate is hot and humid for much of the year, and a wide variety of fruits can be grown. In order to make the fullest use of the natural products of the island, the Taiwan Tobacco and Wine Monopoly Bureau (TTWMB) began to experiment with grape wine production in 1953. Jan Yi-wen, who has been working at the TTWMB for more than 20 years explained: "Any kind of fruit can be used to make wine but we chose grape wine because it is popular overseas, and because the production process is already well advanced." Grape wine owes its popularity to the fact that its flavor is retained and even enhanced after bottling. In wine making circles there is a saying: "God gave us grapes so we could make wine."

Wine grapes are sweeter and more juicy than normal ones, and because the flavor is in the skin they are smaller than average.

After the TTWMB had perfected the manufacturing process using grapes, it started to produce plum wine, followed by wine made from sugar cane, lychees, bananas, pineapples, pears, and oranges. Since the domestic market is limited, TTWMB has been exploring export markets. Several types, including grape wine (white, red, and brandy), lychee wine, rum, and plum wine are already sold abroad. At the 16th World Selection of Wines, Spirits, and Liquors held in Geneva in 1978, Taiwan-made lychee wine won a gold medal and plum wine a silver. These achievements helped to open up export markets.

Last year, the TTWMB's Nantou winery produced 530,000 dozen bottles of white wine, 13,500 dozen bottles of red, and 50,000 dozen bottles of brandy.

During the harvesting season in July, trucks filled with grapes pour into the Nantou winery. Employees have no time to rest after lunch and work until 7 every night. After being tested for sweetness and acidity, the grapes are de-stemmed and liquified.

The TTWMB signs contracts with farmers for their entire crops. Grapes with a sweetness rating of 18 and over sell for NT$27.8 a kilogram while those with a rating of 11 and under sell for only NT$6.1. Working together with the National Taiwan University Horticulture Department and other parties, the bureau has improved the quality of grapes grown in Taiwan.

The Nantou winery is relatively new, and all its equipment is up-to-date. The stainless steel outdoor fermentation vats are double lined in order to maintain temperature control. Quality is the same as in the case of indoor fermentation, but costs are much less.

After fermentation, white wine is filtered to remove impurities and stored in stainless steel vats for three months. High quality wine is stored in wooden vats.

Red wine gets its color and tart flavor from the grape skins. It is stored in oak vats for a year to improve its quality even further.

Brandy is made from wine which is distilled to enhance the alcoholic content and flavor. About four bottles of wine are needed to make one bottle of brandy. Immediately after distillation, brandy is colorless, but after five years of storage in oak casks, it takes on the familiar brown hue.

Made from sugar and honey, the Nantou winery's rum is filtered and distilled before being stored for four years in oak vats. Lychees are peeled, de-stemmed, and pitted in the first step of the wine-making process. Two-thirds are placed into fermentation vats and one-third are soaked. Later the two groups are recombined and placed in vats for two years. Both these liquors are popular overseas, and the TTWMB is planning to increase production.

[Picture Caption]

1) Cocktails made from fruit wines (special thanks to Hong Chin-chue). 2) Mild fruit wines are often used in mixed drinks. 3) Fruit punches are becoming more and more popular.

1) Chilled cocktails help to counter the summer heat. 2) Good wine is checked for taste, aroma, and color. 3) Analyzing a new grape wine at the Nantou winery laboratory. 4) The main ingredient in white wine. 5) The three types of grape wine produced in Taiwan: White, red and brandy. 6) Ice cream and brandy, delicious! 7) The beginning of a bottle of red wine.

1) The Nantou winery's outdoor distillation vats. 2) Domestically produced liquors and wines: Brandy, rum, white wine, red wine, plum wine, and lychee wine. 3) Brandy is aged for five years in these oak casks.

Mild fruit wines are often used in mixed drinks.

Fruit punches are becoming more and more popular.

Chilled cocktails help to counter the summer heat.

Good wine is checked for taste, aroma, and color.

Analyzing a new grape wine at the Nantou winery laboratory.

The main ingredient in white wine.

The three types of grape wine produced in Taiwan: White, red and brandy.

Ice cream and brandy, delicious!

The beginning of a bottle of red wine.

1） The Nantou winery's outdoor distillation vats. 2）

Domestically produced liquors and wines: Brandy, rum, white wine, red wine, plum wine, and lychee wine.

Brandy is aged for five years in these oak casks.