Vineyard experience tour attracts visitors in Korea

This premium grape variety with unique aromatic flavor was introduced to Korea starting in 2006.

From promoting the cultivation of Shine Muscat milk grape variety...

This is a seedless green grape, large in size, thick flesh that can be eaten with the skin. Milk grapes have high sugar content, firm, juicy flesh and high crispness, so they are very popular with consumers. In particular, milk grapes can be stored for up to 3 months at low temperatures while still maintaining their crisp freshness, so they are very suitable for export.

The production and acreage of Shine Muscat grapes in Korea have increased rapidly year by year as farms have shifted to growing this new variety.

According to the Korea Rural Economic Institute, by the end of 2022, the area of ​​Shine Muscat milk grapes had reached 6,067 hectares, accounting for 41.4% of the national grape cultivation area, surpassing the most popular traditional grape variety in Korea, Campbell Early, with 4,642 hectares, accounting for 31.7% of the grape cultivation area.

According to Lotte Mart statistics, by the end of 2022, the consumption of grape products, including Shine Muscat milk grapes, ranked fourth in total fruit sales, after strawberries, tangerines and apples.

Major supermarkets in Korea have introduced a system to grade grape quality based on fruit size and sugar content. The E-Mart supermarket chain has built a quality database for about 280 farms and manages the products by setting strict standards such as sugar content of 15 Brix or higher, delicious flavor, and large, juicy fruit texture.

Meanwhile, Lotte Mart supermarket chain stipulates that Shine Muscat milk grapes are only sold after quality testing using non-destructive sugar content classification equipment with a sugar content of at least 16 Brix. Homeplus supermarket chain is making efforts to ensure the competitiveness of the product by designating 21 Shine Muscat farms as clean grape farms.

A Homeplus customer manager said that due to the sharp increase in the area of ​​​​milk grapes in recent years, the need to control the quality of milk grapes also needs to be improved. Supermarket chains compete by providing products that meet high standards in terms of sugar content, fruit size, flavor and freshness.

Receiving positive reviews in the global market, Korean milk grapes have emerged as a major export item for Korean grape farmers. Export volume has increased sharply year by year with major export markets including China, Hong Kong (China) and Taiwan (China), Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam.

...to develop a model of grape farm tourism experience

Ms. Lee Boo-gyeong, owner of Wonhe grape farm in Songsan area, about 80 km south of Seoul, said that the total area of ​​her family's grape farm is about 20,000 square meters.

In terms of scale, Wonhe Grape Farm is in the top 3 in the region. Wonhe Farm has been growing grapes for 41 years, mainly cultivating imported grape varieties from the US. However, recently, the Shine Muscat milk grape variety has become very popular, so the farm has also switched to growing this milk grape variety.

According to Lee Boo-gyeong, Songsan Village is the birthplace of grape growing. This area is very close to the sea. The weather is very cold in the mornings and evenings, with low temperatures, while the daytime is sunny with strong light. These conditions are ideal for growing grapes, and the quality of the grapes in this area is therefore very special compared to other areas in terms of the flavor of the grapes.

Unlike Europe and many other countries, grapevines can be harvested for hundreds of years to make wine. In Korea, grapes are grown for fresh fruit as food. Therefore, the life span of a grapevine is only about 10 years.

According to the experience of the farms, the grapevines give the best harvest in terms of both quality and quantity at 5-6 years old. At that time, the grapevines reach maturity, the grapes reach the best size and quality.

Currently, grape farms in Songsan not only trade in grape products but also combine them with experiential tourism models. The farms both grow grapes and design beautiful landscapes to attract visitors. During the annual grape harvest season, Songsan also organizes festivals to promote agricultural products and regional tourism.