Jeju tangerine and hallabong wine beats 472 products nationwide, wins top prize at Korean Sool Award

[Financial News Jeju = Reporter Jung Yong-bok] A fruit wine made from Jeju tangerines and hallabong has won the top prize at the country's only government-run traditional liquor competition. The case highlights the potential of Jeju citrus, which is sold largely as fresh fruit, to be used as a raw material for high-value processed products such as fermented beverages.
According to MAFRA and related industries in Jeju on the 1st, 'MASHEO BLANC SPRING,' produced by Citrus, was selected as the top prize winner in the fruit wine category at the 'Korean Sool Award.'
The Korean Sool Award has been held since 2010 to discover outstanding traditional liquors and improve quality competitiveness. This year, 294 companies nationwide submitted 472 products.
Entries were evaluated in six categories: low-alcohol takju, high-alcohol takju, yakju and cheongju, fruit wine, distilled spirits, and other alcoholic beverages. Experts and a citizen review panel judged taste, aroma, color, texture, and overall quality, while a foreign panel also took part to assess preferences among overseas consumers and export potential.
After document screening and on-site evaluations of factors such as the use of local agricultural products, a total of 18 products were selected as award winners.
In Jeju, 'MASHEO BLANC SPRING' by Citrus, located in Namwon-eup, Seogwipo City, was named the top prize winner in the fruit wine category.
The product is a fruit wine made by peeling and juicing Jeju tangerines and hallabong, then fermenting the juice and adding tangerine blossom honey for low-temperature fermentation and aging. Its alcohol content is 9 percent.
'Masheo Blanc' combines the Korean verb for 'to drink' with 'Blanc,' the French word for white. By adding tangerine blossom honey to the juice of tangerines and hallabong, the product captures the acidity and aroma of Jeju citrus in wine form.
Citrus is a Jeju-based agricultural corporation established in 2013. It has produced tangerine fermented wines and distilled spirits, using citrus as a raw material for alcoholic beverages. 'Masheo Blanc' was first launched in 2018 as a hallabong wine, and the company now operates a product line that includes 'MASHEO BLANC SPRING.'
The latest award is also drawing attention as a sign of Jeju's expanding citrus processing industry. Using tangerines and hallabong not only in beverages and juice products but also as ingredients for fermented and aged alcoholic drinks could help secure markets beyond fresh produce.
MAFRA will support domestic and overseas sales expansion and promotion for this year's award-winning products. It also plans follow-up measures such as buyer matchmaking, tasting consultations, pop-up stores, and participation in overseas trade fairs.
The awards ceremony will be held at the opening of the Korean Sool Festival on Nov. 13 at the aT Center in Yangjae-dong, Seoul. The top prize comes with a cash award of 2 million won.


[email protected] Jung Yong-bok Reporter