In the quiet mountain village of Ungyang-myeon, Geochang County, South Gyeongsang Province, sits a modest country home. Beside it are a small winery and a vineyard spanning about 18,000 square meters. Compared with the vast vineyards of Europe’s famous wine regions, the place feels more like a humble Korean grape farm than a grand vineyard. Yet the organically grown grapes harvested here are transformed into Jeong Ssang-eun Wine, a natural wine that has wine lovers across Korea lining up to get their hands on. The winery, run by first-generation grape farmers Jeong Ssang-eun and Lim Hye-sook and their son, second-generation winemaker Jeong Gyu-song, produces only about 9,000 bottles a year due to its small scale. Despite the limited supply, their wines often sell out soon after they become available. Hankook Ilbo visited Jeong Ssang-eun Winery on Aug. 14 to explore the family’s approach to making natural wine and its vision for Korean wine. Breaking stereotype of ‘sweet’ Korean wine For first-time drinkers, perhaps the most striking characteristic of Jeong Ssang-eun Wine is what it lac
