APEC Dinner Drinks Spotlight Korea’s Traditional Alcohols
Creatrip Team
4 months ago
APEC’s recent summit left a taste for Korean drinks as its toasts and dinner selections drew global attention. The toast drink was ‘Horangi Yuzu Saengmakgeolli’ (fresh rice wine flavored with yuzu), praised for its bright citrus aroma, delicate rice grain notes, mild carbonation, and balanced sweetness and acidity—an accessible “introductory fruit makgeolli” made with Korean rice and yuzu. The dinner white was Grand Coteau’s ‘Cheongsu Single Vineyard (2023)’ (a Korean grape wine), produced in limited quantities on Daebudo island; it showcases the terroir with clear acidity, floral notes, and apple/white-peach flavors backed by a subtle mineral finish. Other featured bottles included regional traditional brews and wines from North Gyeongsang and Incheon. Selections have boosted pride and consumer curiosity about our traditional alcohols and helped small producers see sales gains.
