The water used for brewing Maotai liquor is mainly from Chishui River, and the water quality is very good. The wine distilled with this slightly sweet and insoluble impurity is especially sweet. Therefore, poets in the Qing Dynasty once praised Chishui River with the chant of "gathering spiritual springs in one body and gathering clear water in the east".
Maotai Town also has a very special natural environment and climate conditions. It is located in the lowest basin in Guizhou Plateau, only 440 meters above sea level, far away from the plateau airflow, with dense clouds all day long. The high temperature of 35 ~ 39℃ lasts for five months in summer, and most of the year is shrouded in hot and humid rain and fog. This special climate, water quality and soil conditions are very conducive to the fermentation and maturity of wine materials, and also play a decisive role in the production and refining of microorganisms and the increase and decrease of aroma components in Moutai. It can be said that if we leave the special climatic conditions here, some aroma components in the wine will not be produced at all, and the taste of the wine will be lacking. This is why for a long time, the manufacturers of Maotai-flavor liquor in the surrounding areas of Maotai Town or in some parts of the country have tried their best to imitate Moutai without success. The traditional production method of Moutai can only be carried out in a small place in Fiona Fang, Maotai Town, in order to create this exquisite and incomparable good wine.
Moutai liquor cellar construction is also quite particular. From the site selection, the direction of the pit area and the space height, to the temperature and humidity control, air permeability, the form and capacity of the wine cylinder and the mud sealing technology of the cylinder mouth, it is very strict. These are the keys to the ripening of finished wine and the improvement of aroma purity. Every day, someone should check the wine cellar, open and close the ventilation holes and control the temperature and humidity. It is said that even those who guard the wine cellar must dress neatly and have good conduct, and are not allowed to swear and make noise in the wine cellar, otherwise it will affect the quality of the wine. Of course, people's general clothes, words and deeds are not necessarily related to the quality of wine, which only reflects people's respect and admiration for Moutai and their good wishes to encourage people to be kind and brew good wine.
The high quality of Moutai has remained unchanged for many years. The national evaluation reception summarized the style of Kweichow Moutai as "outstanding sauce flavor, elegant and delicate, full-bodied and long aftertaste". Its aroma components reach more than 1 10, and the empty cup will last for a long time after drinking. Some people praised it for its charm of "three families next door are drunk and open a bottle ten miles after the rain". Maotai liquor is fragrant but not bright. It never adds any spices in the brewing process, and all aroma components are naturally formed in the process of repeated fermentation. Its alcohol content has been stable at 52 ~ 54, which is the lowest among the famous white spirits in China for a long time. Never add a drop of water when blending, but use wine to blend wine. Therefore, the alcohol content is low but not weak, pure and light yellow, crystal clear, soft and mellow, not stinging the throat and not starting. After drinking, it is refreshing and refreshing, and has the effects of relaxing muscles and tendons, promoting blood circulation, protecting health and prolonging life. Premier Zhou Enlai commented that Maotai liquor "tastes better than vodka and has the characteristics of no sore throat, no headache, no fatigue and stable spirit". "He also said that at the Geneva Conference from 65438 to 0954, there were" two sets "that helped him succeed: one was Maotai and the other was the movie Butterfly Lovers, which was shown there at that time. During the meeting, Premier Zhou used this wine and film to entertain foreign heads of state and delegations attending the meeting. Former US President Nixon once praised "Moutai can cure all diseases". Former Japanese Prime Minister tanaka kakuei praised Moutai as a "fine wine". The masses, compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao and overseas Chinese regard Moutai as a good gift for relatives and friends, and regard it as "national wine", "diplomatic wine" and gift wine.
The brewing technology of Moutai is called "a must for all time". Maotai liquor has a set of production processes different from other liquors, and the production cycle is 7 months. Distilled wine is stored in the warehouse for more than 4 years, then blended with aged wine stored for 20 years, 10 years, 8 years, 5 years, 30 years and 40 years, and finally tested, tasted and bottled for sale.
At first, the bottles used to hold Moutai were made of local jars. From the Xianfeng period of the Qing Dynasty, it was changed into a ceramic jar with a small bottom, a small mouth and a big belly. According to the present situation, there are models with 0.5 kg, 1 kg, 1.5 kg. Later, it was once changed into a slightly flat rectangular wine bottle. After 19 15, it was changed into a cylindrical yellow ceramic glaze bottle with a small body and a long mouth. After the founding of the people's Republic of China, it was changed to white ceramic bottles and milky white glass bottles that people now see, which are antique and simple and generous.
The trademark of Moutai was originally printed in woodcut, but the word "Kweichow Moutai" was written in a petal-shaped pattern in regular script. Later it was changed to continuous history paper lead printing. Trademark naming: Cheng Yi pub is "Shuangde brand", Ronghe pub is "Maisui brand" and Hengshi pub is "Shan Ying brand". 1952 was changed to "workers and peasants". 1954 is divided into two trademarks: the domestic brand is "Golden Wheel Brand" (also known as "Gongnong Brand") and the export brand is "Feixian Brand". During the Cultural Revolution, it was once changed to "Sunflower Card", and then it was restored to "Golden Wheel Card" and "Feixian Card", which have been in use ever since.
Maotai liquor won five national famous wine gold medals in succession, and achieved five consecutive domestic gold medals and four consecutive international gold medals (including Asia Star Packaging Award and the third world advertising first prize). The output has increased year by year and sold to more than 50 countries and regions.