Vietnam apricot wine vintners seek trademarks

Vietnam pricot wine, wine-makers in Huong Son Commune are planning to safeguard their famous apricot wine with a new trademark.

Many residents in the area who produce 'Huong Tich' apricot wine are behind the push to trademark the unique concoction, which has a special flavour thanks to the unique slightly sour taste and thick pulp of apricots grown in the region.

According to Trinh Tien Dung, owner of the biggest apricot wine producing workshop in the area, demand for the apricot wine has not been met due to the limited quantity of harvests.

"Huong Tich apricot wine is mainly consumed by the domestic market," said Dung.

"But in the future, the product will have to face harsh competition from imported goods.

"To avoid fake products, it is necessary for us to register a trademark and build a concrete foundation for local farmers' integration."

Local farmers also need help from the government in modernising farming techniques to improve product quality.

Taste the sensation

Many households in the commune, who are currently planting apricot seedlings for future harvests, believe the special taste of their apricots is due to the fruit being grown on plots on mountainous terrain.

Consumed as a refreshing snack, the apricot is also used for medicinal purposes. According to some experts, drinking Huong Tich apricot wine helps people develop a good appetite and improve their eyesight.

During the Vietnam Tet holidays, which take place in spring, households in Huong Son Commune, My Duc District produces from between ten to a hundred litres of wine each to sell to tourists.

Each household has a slightly different formula for making the wine, which results in a variety of subtly different tastes.

The wine is produced manually. Apricots are immersed in sugar in large terracotta jars. Then some wine made from a typical kind of glutinous rice (known as "nep cai hoa vang") is added to make the final product more tasty. Huong Tich apricot wine has a greenish-yellow colour, is light on the palette and has a slightly sour taste.

Authorities in Huong Son Commune said they were on track to finding solutions for increasing apricot production, including plans to expand apricot plantations. Currently, more than 2 hectares of Huong Tich apricot have already been replanted.

(Source: Viet Nam News)