[Wakayama Sign] Plums and plum wine

• Table of Contents
• Origin and sustainable cultivation system
• The best variety “Nankoume”
• A mellow-tasting plum wine
• Ingredients and how to enjoy food

Origin and sustainable cultivation system

Wakayama Prefecture is home to a large amount of plum production in the central and southern parts of the Wakayama Prefecture, including Minabe Town and Tanabe City, which are leaders in plum cultivation.
However, 400 years ago, in the early Edo period, this area was not blessed with good soil, so the feudal lord at the time encouraged the cultivation of plums, which could be grown in this land unsuitable for rice cultivation, and this marked the beginning of the formation of a major plum production area.

On the slopes of the mountain where the plum trees grow, the original firewood forests of Quercus phillyraeoides and other trees have been preserved to prevent landslides and ensure water supplies. Furthermore, the cultivation system, which utilizes a natural cycle by having Japanese honeybees living in the forest help pollinate the plum trees, has been designated a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System.

Nanbu Plum Grove (Source: Wakayama Tourism Federation)

The best variety “Nankoume”

Nanko plums are a specialty product of Wakayama. They are characterized by their thick flesh and softness. The secret to their softness lies in the harvesting method, in which nets are stretched under the trees to gently catch the plums as they ripen and fall naturally.

Nanko plums are harvested at the appropriate ripeness for their intended use and can be transformed into a variety of foods.
For example, unripe green plums are used to make plum wine, plum syrup, and plum pickles, while fully ripe plums are used to make umeboshi (pickled plums) and plum jam.

Umeboshi (Source: Wakayama Tourism Federation )

A mellow-tasting plum wine

Plum wine is enjoyed by people of all ages and genders, and in Wakayama both Ome and fully ripe plums are used as ingredients for plum wine, but hand-picked, fully ripe plums are said to have a particularly deep fruity flavor.
There are many different types of plum wine, but plum wine made only from plums, sugar, and alcoholic beverages is called " honkaku umeshu ," and among these, plum wine that has been certified by a specialist committee as meeting established production standards and having guaranteed quality is called " GI Wakayama umeshu ."

Authentic plum wine : plum wine made only from plums, sugar, and alcohol, and does not contain any acidifiers, colorings, or flavorings.

GI Wakayama Umeshu : Umeshu that has been certified by a specialist committee as meeting production standards such as those listed below and having guaranteed quality.

・Alcohol content must be between 10.0% and 35.0%. ・Ingredients other than alcohol and plums must be plum pulp, plum juice, sugars, carbohydrate-containing substances, and carbon dioxide. ・More than 300 kg of plums must be used for every 1 kL of alcohol used for soaking. ・The soaking of plums in alcohol, storage during the sake brewing process, and packaging into containers must all be done within Wakayama Prefecture.

Ingredients and how to enjoy food

Plums contain citric acid, which is known to help relieve fatigue, and polyphenols, which are said to inhibit the oxidation reaction of active oxygen. Because of these effects, plums have been prized in Japan since ancient times as both food and medicine.

For example, umeboshi, made by salting plums, can be stored at room temperature and has been said to be good for preventing food poisoning and recovering from fatigue .
In recent years, umeboshi have become a hot topic as an easy way to get the salt needed to prevent heatstroke .

Now that we've introduced the charms of plums, let's move on to the "experiences."
We would like to introduce some products that use plums.

Wakayama Jewel Box (sold only in winter. Contains several types of plum chocolate. )

Kumano Red and Kumano Amber (plum wine made with Nanko plums, an original product of Kumano Tourism Development)

Katsuura tuna 3-kind combination (marinated with plum and yuzu)

There are many more attractive products! If you want to know more, please come to Kumano Drive-In. You can also view each product on our online shop.

Click here for Kishukumano Marche (online shop)!