Luocheng Hairy Grape

Luocheng Hairy Grape

Luocheng Hairy Grape is a product with a geographical indication for agricultural goods.

　　Luocheng Hairy Grape

　　Luocheng is a mountainous region, and the soil, sunlight, and rainfall in its mountainous areas are highly suitable for the growth of wild hairy grapes. In particular, the county’s low level of industrialization allows these wild grapes to thrive in a pollution-free environment, making it an exceptionally unique treasure land. The Luocheng wine brewed from wild hairy grapes has an amber hue, with a deep red and translucent appearance and an elegant color. When sipped, it offers a mildly sweet yet slightly acidic taste, is rich and refreshing on the palate, stimulates saliva, leaves a lingering fragrance, and features a richly nuanced flavor profile—truly a wine that excels in color, aroma, and taste.

　　Luocheng Mulam Autonomous County is one of the origin centers of wild hairy grapes. Luocheng is a mountainous region, and the soil, sunlight, and rainfall in its mountainous areas are highly suitable for the growth of wild hairy grapes. In particular, the county’s low level of industrialization allows these wild grapes to grow and bear fruit in a favorable ecological environment. Wild hairy grapes are mainly distributed in the western townships of the county, with an annual output of around 4,000 tons. In September 2000, Luocheng Mulam Autonomous County was recognized as the “Hometown of China’s Wild Hairy Grapes” by the Organizing Committee for the Promotion and Publicity of China’s Specialties. In 2004, it obtained geographical indication (original place of origin mark) product certification.

　　Records of wild hairy grapes in Luocheng date back to 1884 (Volume 3 of the 24th Year of Daoguang Reign in the Luocheng County Annals). In the early Qing Dynasty, Yu Chenglong, known as a “model clean official of his generation,” upon taking office as Magistrate of Luocheng in 1661, learned that the locals had a strong drinking culture and wasted food grains. He lamented, “Little do they know the cup holds not joy but tears” (Yu Chenglong’s “Notes on Governing Luocheng and Letter to Friend Jing Xuetao”). He then urged the people to “store more grain” and use wild fruits (i.e., wild hairy grapes) to brew wine instead. Historical records also state, “Official Yu was upright and modest in wealth but fond of drink. Upon finding a local wild fruit homebrew in Luocheng, he paired it with greens and called it absolutely exquisite” (“Anecdotes of Yu Chenglong Governing Luocheng”). As a result, he earned the nicknames “Yu the Greens” and “Yu the Grape Wine” in Luocheng.

　　Fruit Product

　　Geographical Scope

　　The geographical protection area for the Luocheng Hairy Grape agricultural product geographical indication includes 11 townships and their 141 administrative villages within the administrative region of Luocheng Mulam Autonomous County in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The protected area lies between longitude 108°28′42″ to 109°09′18″ east and latitude 24°37′ to 25°11′52″ north, covering a total area of 2,618 square kilometers. The protected cultivation area is 6,666.7 hectares, with an annual output of 75,000 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Characteristics: The Luocheng Hairy Grape bunches are nearly cylindrical or inverted conical in shape, with medium berry density. The maximum bunch weight is 1,255g, and the average is 155g. The berries are spherical, purple-black in color, with minimal bloom on the surface. The average berry length is 1.16cm, width 1.11cm, with a maximum single berry weight of 2.8g and an average of 1.4g. The skin is relatively thick and easily separable from the flesh. The flesh is pale white or light pinkish, with 1–4 seeds per berry. It offers a moderate sweet-and-sour taste with slight astringency and possesses excellent traits for brewing and processing. 2. Internal Quality: The juice yield of Luocheng Hairy Grape berries is ≥60.0%, soluble solids content is ≥9.0%, total sugar is ≥8.0g/100g, total acid is ≤2.0g/100g, vitamin C is ≥30.0mg/100g, and tannin is ≥5.5×102mg/100g. 3. Safety Requirements: Luocheng Hairy Grapes are produced under pollution-free and standardized methods, meeting the quality standards specified in (DB451222/T04－2005).