Blue Mountain Black Paste Wine

Blue Mountain Black Paste Wine

　　Blue Mountain Black Paste Wine is a specialty of Lanshan County, Yongzhou City, Hunan Province. This wine has been an imperial tribute through the dynasties, boasting over 2,500 years of brewing history. It is made from high-mountain, pollution-free glutinous rice using unique traditional folk techniques and organic fermentation. Commonly known as “ox dung wine,” the brew turns a golden-black hue, with a rich, sweet aroma and a uniquely fragrant taste, offering a long-lasting aftertaste — it is China’s version of “XO.”

　　Lanshan’s “Black Paste Wine,” commonly called ox dung wine, is highly distinctive to the region. According to the *Lanshan County Annals*, this product has over 2,500 years of production history and was an imperial tribute. When poured from the bottle, it flows out in sticky, thread-like strands. In the cup, it shines with a jade-green luster, exuding a rich fragrance. Upon drinking, it feels smooth and cool in the throat, with a refreshing sweetness and unparalleled richness, earning it the title “Lanshan Maotai.” The ingredients and brewing process both originate from rural villages such as Xinxu in Lanshan, making it a green food product.

　　The production of “ox dung wine” is extremely meticulous: first, high-quality local glutinous rice is selected as the raw material. After being steamed in a specially made large wooden barrel, yeast is added, and the mixture is placed in a jar. After half a month, sweet well water is added along with various precious medicinal herbs for fermentation. Once the wine is ready, it is poured into narrow-necked ceramic jars, which are then sealed with clean cloth, covered, and coated with cement or lime to prevent air leakage. Next, a hole is dug in a spot within the cattle pen where cow dung is abundant, and the jar is placed inside and covered with cow dung. After six months or longer, the wine is retrieved. By then, the liquid has turned a color similar to cow dung — dark brown. Generally, the longer it is stored, the thicker the wine becomes, and the more fragrant and mellow its taste. “Ox dung wine” is rich in vitamins, proteins, and other nutrients, and offers medicinal benefits such as promoting blood circulation, invigorating the mind, and dispelling cold and dampness. Locals also apply this wine to the bodies of feverish patients to help reduce their temperature.

　　After outsiders taste Lanshan’s “ox dung wine,” they often find themselves deeply attached to it. As a result, some try to replicate it at home upon returning, but none succeed. It is said that this is related to Lanshan’s unique geographical conditions. Bordering Guangdong and Chenzhou in Hunan, Lanshan County is mountainous with undulating terrain, enjoying warm winters and cool summers. Coupled with naturally superior rice quality and water sources, these factors come together to create this exceptional brew.

　　Black Paste Wine is rich in glucose, protein, vitamins, and all 18 of the amino acids that make up human proteins. There are over 20 types of amino acids that form human proteins, and this product contains 18 of them: the 10 essential amino acids that the human body cannot synthesize on its own and must obtain through food — lysine (Lysine), tryptophan (Tryptophane), phenylalanine (Phenylalanine), methionine (Methionine), threonine (Threonine), isoleucine (Isoleucine), leucine (Leucine), valine (Viline), histidine (Hlstidine), and arginine (Argnine); as well as the 8 non-essential amino acids that the body can synthesize without dietary intake — aspartic acid, proline, tyrosine, alanine, glutamic acid, cystine, glycine, and serine. It has the effects of relaxing muscles and tendons, invigorating the brain, and nourishing health, making it a premium green health food and an excellent gift choice.