Photo/Illutration Bottles of “umeshu” plum wines produced by Nakano B.C. Co. and “Nanko-ume” plums (Hideki Ito)

WAKAYAMA--Famed for being the largest plum-producing area in Japan, Wakayama Prefecture’s local “umeshu” plum wine producers are striving to flow out to new markets abroad.

And they have set their sights on France, a major wine-drinking country.

“France has a culture of drinking aperitif, making it easy for umeshu to be accepted,” a prefectural official said, adding that it would be easier to promote the liqueur in the European market if it is accepted in Paris, which is called “food capital.”

In December producers and prefectural officials traveled to Paris to promote the liqueur made with the local specialty.

They hosted a tasting event at a liquor retailer, where a local-based chef and sommelier introduced the flavor of the plums and the production area.

With foie gras dishes served at the venue, the organizers also promoted the pairing of plum wine with French cuisine.

About 90 people, including representatives from the restaurant and liquor industries, as well as local media outlets, were also invited to a promotional event held at a French eatery.

Wakayama producers encouraged the guests to taste a variety of umeshu ranging from dry to sweet and see how they paired with meat, fish, cheese and other foods.

They started promoting their products in France in 2021 after their plum wines were registered as “Wakayama umeshu” in 2020 under the geographical indication (GI) system.

Under the National Tax Agency’s system, the names of production areas and other brands are protected as intellectual properties when agricultural products and foodstuffs have the unique characteristics of a particular region.

Last year, the plum wine category was added to a French competition for Japanese sake for the first time after its inaugural year in 2017.

Wakayama-produced umeshu made up four of the 11 brands that received the second-best platinum award, while four brands were given the gold award.

There are no statistical data on plum wine exports, but a prefectural official said French people drink umeshu straight as if it were a wine.

“It is gradually gaining popularity,” the official said.

Nakano B.C. Co., a brewery based in Kainan in the prefecture, was one of the companies that participated in the promotional activities in France.

The company starts umeshu production on June 6 each year, adamant about using only locally grown “Nanko-ume” plums.

Workers put freshly hand-picked, unripe and green plums into a large tank containing a mixture of distilled alcohol and sugar.

The plums are steeped for about six months before they are removed. The wine is then matured for at least another six months.

Some of the wine is immediately bottled after the plums are removed and sold as “Umeshu Nouveau” for customers wanting to savor its freshness.

“We can get good plums in Wakayama Prefecture because it’s a major production area,” said Hiroaki Fujiwara, the fourth-generation “toji” master brewer in charge of umeshu production.

“We work hard using the techniques inherited from our predecessors and also the quality of the plums,” he said.

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