Unique products for celebrating the Lunar New Year made from Xa Doai oranges.

For many years now, every Tet holiday, Xa Doai orange wine has been an indispensable part of the celebration for Nguyen Ngoc Dung's family in Vinh City.

“Xã Đoài orange wine has a very distinctive aroma. Previously, I used to go directly to the orchards to buy oranges and soak them myself in homemade glutinous rice wine. Ten oranges would make about a 10-liter bottle, and it only needed a little over a month to be ready to drink. It was very easy to drink, light, and had a unique flavor. But in recent years, I've learned about the wine sold by the orange orchard owners, so I no longer make it myself but buy it instead. That wine tastes smoother, sweeter, and doesn't have the harsh taste of the orange peel like the one I make myself.”

In Nghi Dien commune (Nghi Loc district) – the "capital" of the famous Xa Doai orange orchards – Mr. Phan Cong Huong (Yen Phuc hamlet) is one of the households producing the most orange wine. He also owns one of the largest orange orchards in Nghi Dien commune, with 3 orchards covering nearly 1 acre (0.5 hectares), containing over 400 orange trees, of which about 250 are currently producing fruit, and the rest were planted a few years ago after clearing the old, degraded orchards. Every year-end, leading up to the Lunar New Year, he not only sells oranges but is also known to customers near and far for his famous orange wine.

Making a delicious bottle of rice wine requires meticulous care. The wine must be made from glutinous rice, brewed by the grandmother herself, rich and flavorful; the soaking process must preserve the unique taste of the oranges, blending them with the aroma of the homemade rice wine, resulting in a rich flavor and delightful experience, suitable for any party, celebration, or family meal.

Each season, when the cold weather sets in and the oranges on the trees ripen to a golden yellow, those in the profession begin harvesting the oranges for fermentation. Only small oranges are selected for making orange wine, but their quality and juiciness are no different from larger, more beautiful oranges. The harvested oranges are washed, drained, and then soaked whole.

Almost all families in Nghi Dien commune are rice farmers, growing glutinous rice. Mr. Huong's family harvests about 2 tons of glutinous rice each year. His wife starts brewing rice wine at the beginning of the year, continuing throughout the year. The brewed rice wine is stored in earthenware jars for at least 3 months before being infused with oranges. "The longer the glutinous rice wine is aged, the smoother and more mellow it becomes. Starting this year, I will bury it underground to make it even smoother. Infused with delicious oranges for at least 5-6 months, Xa Doai orange wine has a sweet, smooth taste and a very fragrant orange aroma, with an alcohol content of only about 25-28 degrees. It is becoming increasingly popular and widely consumed," Mr. Huong shared.

Each year, he soaks about 500 kg of oranges, yielding approximately 500 liters of wine. Besides oranges, he adds a small amount of honey to make the wine sweeter and more fragrant. This Tet holiday, he sold a 5-liter bottle of orange wine for 500,000 VND. Since 2023, Mr. Huong has started making smaller bottles. Some customers bring their own bottles to pick up the wine, while others buy large bottles or small bottles with attractive packaging to give as gifts in Saigon, Hanoi, and other places.

Besides being delicious, oranges soaked in alcohol can also help cure many diseases. The peel can be eaten to treat digestive problems, intestinal issues, and colds. According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Thiet, a land and agriculture official in Nghi Dien commune: In addition to 10 hectares of oranges grown in concentrated farm settings, Nghi Dien currently has about 50 households growing Xa Doai oranges in their home gardens, covering an area of ​​over 30 hectares, of which 15 hectares yield a stable harvest annually. However, only a few households specialize in soaking oranges in alcohol for sale, making this a highly sought-after specialty, with demand often exceeding supply, especially during the Lunar New Year.