Dexing Wild Bayberry Wine

Dexing Wild Bayberry Wine

　　Dexing Wild Bayberry Wine is a specialty of Dexing City, Shangrao, Jiangxi Province. The wine has a crystal-clear body with a bright and vibrant color, rich fruity aroma, and pleasant wine fragrance. It tastes refreshing and smooth, with a long-lasting aftertaste.

　　Bayberries are said to “quench thirst, harmonize the internal organs, cleanse the stomach and intestines, and eliminate discomfort and foul odors.” When made into bayberry wine, it also offers benefits such as relieving fatigue, dissipating summer heat, driving away rheumatism, and treating diarrhea and vomiting. Regular consumption can help prevent colds, boost immunity, and provide antioxidant effects, regulate blood lipids, lower cholesterol, and remove toxins from the body, while also benefiting digestive health.

　　The climate in Dexing City is suitable for growing bayberries, with large-scale cultivation taking place in areas such as Zhangcun, Xiangtun, FanDa, and Huangbai. It is common for locals to make bayberry wine. Among the more well-known varieties are FanDa Bayberry Wine and Huangbai Bayberry Wine, which are meticulously crafted using freshly ripe bayberries, premium glutinous rice wine, rock sugar, and other ingredients. These wines boast a strong lingering bayberry fragrance. The wine has a crystal-clear body with a bright and vibrant color, rich fruity aroma, and pleasant wine fragrance. It tastes refreshing and smooth, with a long-lasting aftertaste. The bayberries in the wine (those soaked in liquor) are especially refreshing and cooling when consumed in the peak of summer, helping to eliminate summer heat and reduce greasiness. It is the preferred fine drink for gatherings with family and friends. Sold at a local price of 30 yuan per jin (approximately 500g), it makes an excellent gift for elders or as a present for relatives and friends.

　　Dexing’s bayberry wine also has a unique historical background. On November 30, 1957, during early winter, Comrade Fang Zhichun visited the foot of the Damingshan Mountain in Dexing to survey the terrain and forest resources and to select production sites for relocated cadres. He successfully developed bayberry wine using a large quantity of wild bayberries and named it “Xiangmei Wine” (Fragrant Beautiful Wine). Zhu Mei, a brewing expert from the Central Ministry of Light Industry, gave the wine a sixteen-character review: “Red and glowing, sweet and fragrant, slightly sour and refreshing, often drunk for longevity.” At that time, the Damingshan Reclamation Farm had two sayings about developing this wild fruit: “Liberate the wild fruits and rocks from neglect,” and “Let the wild grass and deadwood shine brightly.” The wild fruit referred to was bayberry.