Black vinegar condiment and ume plum

The plums used ( the Ume plum is the fruit of the Japanese apricot tree) are all grown and monitored (from blossoming to bearing fruit to the harvest) by the producer and the "Nanko Umé" variety is the most well-known.
Checking blossoming time (January to March) is the most sensitive moment (weather conditions) because it precedes the arrival of the fruit and therefore determines the quality and quantity of the annual production.
Kishu Minabé is a mountainous region. The fruit is harvested during the rainy season, from May to July, and the mountains are covered by clouds. Only the fully mature fruit is picked, when its skin is the thinnest. The plum is fleshy, colourful, very aromatic and rich in flavour.
The rest of the year, from October to December, the apricot trees are pruned, aired and the soil looked after in every way. The soil requires particular attention because it has an enormous influence on the fruit.
This love of the Umé plum has recently been the reason for the arrival of two new products : Umé plum miso and Umé plum black vinegar.