茹擁政

紹興酒的世博情緣

在韓國麗水市舉辦的2012年世博會上，一款來自中國的古越龍山紹興（花雕）酒吸引無數(shù)游客駐足。

這是一壇高50厘米、容量10公斤的古越龍山紹興酒。“從一瓶酒可以追溯到田頭的稻米、古代的酒具、名士的詩賦……”在世博會現(xiàn)場，展示方代表對黃酒充滿獨特文化魅力的介紹，令不少游客為之著迷。

黃酒起源于中國，與中華民族相依相隨數(shù)千年。而黃酒中最有名的當數(shù)紹興酒，它以選料上乘、工藝獨特、酒精度低、營養(yǎng)豐富，并具有多種養(yǎng)身健體之功效而著稱于世。黃酒起興于唐代，定型于宋代，盛行于明清。名著《紅樓夢》中就有許多飲紹興黃酒的場面，賈府三日一小宴，五日一大宴，飲的多是黃酒。第六十三回上半回“壽怡紅群芳開夜宴”中，襲人與平兒商議，“已經(jīng)抬了一壇好紹興酒藏在那邊了”。這是大觀園兒女皆可參加的盛宴，果然赴宴者都歡喜上這壇好酒，盡情暢飲，直至“酒缸已罄，眾人聽了，方收拾盥漱睡覺?！倍宕匙V《調(diào)鼎集》則對紹興黃酒的歷史演變、品種和優(yōu)良品質(zhì)有全面的闡述。

紹興酒第一次與世博結緣是在上個世紀初。1915年2月，為慶賀巴拿馬運河開航，美國在舊金山舉辦“巴拿馬太平洋萬國博覽會”，31個國家參展，中國也派出了龐大的代表團參展，紹興酒首次參加這一國際盛會，并摘獲一枚巴拿馬太平洋萬國博覽會“金獎”。

時隔百年，2010年世博盛會在上海舉行，紹興黃酒再次進入世博會。為期一周的黃酒文化展示活動，包括展覽、酒道表演、品鑒活動……向世人展示了黃酒深厚的文化底蘊與魅力。最有意思的是一壇為2010上海世博會量身定制的古越龍山佳釀還被抬上花轎，吹吹打打進入上海世博會中國館，被中國館永久珍藏。

2012年世博會5月12日至8月12日在韓國麗水市舉行，這是繼上海世博會后的第一個專業(yè)性世博會。位于朝鮮半島東南端的麗水市是韓國最美麗的口岸城市之一，也是紹興市的友好城市。1997年5月21日，紹興市與麗水市正式簽約建立友好交流關系，10多年來兩地交往不斷深入，麗水市曾派代表參加紹興黃酒節(jié)等活動。

此次韓國麗水世博會期間，“麗水館”特地為友好城市紹興開辟一個展區(qū)，于是也成就了紹興酒和2012年韓國世博會的一段情緣。

“從上海世博會到韓國世博會，是紹興黃酒的品牌之旅”。古越龍山紹興酒股份有限公司負責人表示，與參加1915年巴拿馬太平洋萬國博覽會時相比，今天的黃酒在釀造工藝、口感以及包裝上，既傳承古老文化，又接軌國際潮流。

祭酒神與制佳釀

在紹興，有兩場祭祀盛典非常值得一看，一是谷雨時節(jié)祭祀大禹，二是立冬時節(jié)祭祀酒神。

每年的谷雨，紹興都會舉行隆重的公祭大禹陵典禮。祭祀儀式十分講究，采用古代最高禮祭—“諦禮”形式進行，共分肅立雅靜、鳴銃、獻供品、敬香、擊鼓、撞鐘、奏樂、獻酒、敬酒、恭讀祭文、行禮、唱頌歌、獻祭舞13項儀程。

紹興從1995年起恢復公祭大禹陵典禮活動。為表達對大禹的崇敬，當時古越龍山捐資百萬修建了大禹陵牌坊，并拿出百年陳釀公祭大禹陵。當琥珀色的醇酒倒入酒爵時，撲鼻酒香彌漫了整個大禹陵，國內(nèi)外好多媒體都作了報道，引起了轟動。據(jù)在祭祀現(xiàn)場的人回憶，那一壇百年陳釀真是香?。?/p>

這壇百年陳釀，可以說是國內(nèi)保存歷史最長的黃酒，釀制于1928年，是古越龍山前身—一個老酒坊釀造的。上個世紀50年代拆建倉庫時被發(fā)現(xiàn)，存放在瓦房里，約有百余壇，用特制的大型陶壇盛裝，最小的有40公斤重，最大的有60公斤重。開壇時，酒液只剩下三分之二左右。酒壇泥蓋里還存放標有1928年釀制的坊單，是手寫的。這些酒被當作“鎮(zhèn)廠之寶”加以悉心存放。

紹興的另一個重要祭祀是立冬時節(jié)祭祀酒神。紹興酒生產(chǎn)有明顯的季節(jié)性，從立冬開始到第二年立春，這段時間最適合做黃酒，稱為“冬釀”。因為冬季水體清洌、氣溫低，可有效抑制雜菌繁育，確保發(fā)酵順利進行，又能使酒在低溫長時間發(fā)酵過程中形成良好的風味。立冬是釀酒發(fā)酵最適合的季節(jié)，也是紹興酒投料開釀的日子。

對酒神的尊崇其實深埋在每一個釀酒師傅的內(nèi)心。由于黃酒是敞開式發(fā)酵，多菌種共酵，釀制工藝比較復雜也比較神秘，稍有把握不當，釀出的酒味道容易發(fā)酸。所以在從前，不管是尋常人家還是大小酒坊，在每年立冬開釀之時，為祈求能釀出好酒，都會舉行一個祭拜儀式：一般選在開釀這一天的早上，天蒙蒙亮的時候，打開釀酒間的所有門窗，擺上五牲四果、三茶六酒，點燃香燭，然后大家輪流祭拜酒神。正像一位釀酒師傅所說：“祭拜過酒神后，我的心才會覺得踏實，才會自信滿滿地開始這一冬釀季節(jié)的生產(chǎn)?！?/p>

獨特的稽山鑒水與千年精湛工藝釀造出中國黃酒的完美滋味。

國禮與詩酒藝文

紹興黃酒1988年起被定為國宴酒，而且屢被選為國家領導人贈送外國元首或領導人的禮品。

1985年9月，鄧小平與來華訪問的美國總統(tǒng)尼克松在家共進午餐，尼克松喝了紹興酒大加贊賞。賓主欣然握別時，鄧小平遂贈其“古越龍山”加飯酒4瓶，并祝他旅途愉快，身體健康。1998年6月，美國總統(tǒng)克林頓訪華，作為國禮贈送總統(tǒng)的是100多壇十年陳紹興花雕，壇上塑有天女散花等圖案，并刻有“美國總統(tǒng)克林頓訪華紀念”字樣。

紹興酒還是周恩來總理與柬埔寨王國元首諾羅敦·西哈努克親王友誼的見證。在周總理的熱情推薦下，親王亦對紹興酒情有獨鐘。親王偕夫人莫尼克公主兩次訪問紹興，都曾親臨紹興釀酒總廠參觀，并說：“周恩來總理生前曾要我有機會到紹興酒廠看一看，嘗一嘗。今天我終于得償夙愿！”

紹興酒又稱老酒，越陳越香；越陳，味越醇。

據(jù)傳，古時有一裁縫婚后多年無子，后因妻子有孕而喜不自勝。他釀酒數(shù)壇，以備生子慶賀，不料臨盆竟是女孩，再無心緒酒宴，遂將釀成之酒埋入院中。孰知女兒越長越聰慧俊俏，至18歲，更是人見人愛，說親者接踵。裁縫不忍愛女遠嫁，即讓女兒與自己的得意徒弟成親。人逢喜事，裁縫忽然想起18年前埋下的酒，便小心翼翼挖將出來。不料甏蓋一開，竟然奇香襲人。品嘗少許，則口感綿柔醇厚，余味無窮。裁縫大喜過望，遂開壇大宴鄉(xiāng)親。有詢之究竟者，裁縫隨口答曰：“女兒紅?！?/p>

自此，紹興酒竟成了女兒必備的陪嫁?！芭畠杭t”以其特有的溫馨和無窮的寄情空間，不僅醉了秉性柔婉的江南才子佳人，而且能在醺醺然的氛圍中讓北方的豪士俠女醉在越地文化的柔美之中。

紹興十三年（1153）陸游赴臨安應考，在紹興沈園與前妻唐琬邂逅。接過唐琬敬酒，陸游痛飲不已，百感交集便索筆揮毫，在沈園壁間題書千古絕唱《釵頭鳳》一闋：

紅酥手，黃縢酒，滿城春色宮墻柳。

東風惡，歡情薄，一懷愁緒，幾年離索。

錯、錯、錯！

……

今年5月，樂壇著名詞人方文山有感于古越龍山黃酒的醇美，特意作了一闋詞。詞中有這樣的文句：

“鑒湖岸、溢酒香，紹興佳釀、佐蟹黃?！?/p>

“一壺一碗一舉觴，酒是中國黃。

—茶一湯一過往，故事我淺嘗。

古越憑龍山，我舉杯，品無雙。

曲水流觴，蘭亭對飲擊掌。

這天地微醺，我獨酌夢江南?！?/p>

古往今來，吟詠、描繪紹興黃酒的詩詞文賦、佚聞逸事、戲曲書畫數(shù)不勝數(shù)，以紹興黃酒為題材的諸如《女兒紅》等影視作品更是可圈可點，從中可見黃酒文化源遠流長，底蘊特別深厚。

Yellow Wine： A Tasteful Cultural Phenomenon

By Ru Yongzheng

In September 1985， ex-president of America Richard Nixon visited China. At a home banquet hosted by Deng Xiaoping， Nixon and Deng sipped yellow wine made in Shaoxing， a historical city in eastern Zhejiang Province. Nixon enjoyed the wine very much. After the banquet， Deng gave four bottles of yellow wine in the brand of Gu Yue Long Shan as gift to Nixon. When American President Clinton visited China in June 1998， he received more than100 jars of 10-year vintage yellow wine of Shaoxing as state gifts from China.

Yellow wine， also known as Shaoxing wine or rice wine， is almost another name of Shaoxing， although rice wine is brewed in many places across the southern part of China. Rice wine is several thousand years old. The best known is the wine produced in Shaoxing.

It is said that people in Shaoxing began to brew yellow wine in the Tang Dynasty （618-907）. In the Song Dynasty， it became well known and in the following centuries， the reputation became widespread across the nation.

In “The Dream of Red Mansion”， a timeless novel of Chinese literature written during the Qing Dynasty （1644-1911）， there are descriptions about banquets in which yellow wine is served. A book on food and wine written in the Qing Dynasty has a comprehensive description of the evolution， brands， quality of the yellow wine made in Shaoxing.

In 1915， the Panama–Pacific International Exposition was held in San Francisco， the United States. Thirty-one nations participated. Of the exhibits showcased by China was the yellow wine made in Shaoxing. The wine was awarded a gold medal at the exposition.

Shaoxing displayed its yellow wine at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. A jar of yellow wine tailor-made in Shaoxing for the expo was escorted into the China Pavilion with all the fanfare. The jar of yellow wine is now in the permanent collection of the national pavilion.

Yellow wine made in Shaoxing also had a remarkable time at 2012 World Expo Yeosu Korea. Shaoxing and Yeosu became sister cities in May 1997. Over the past 10 plus years， the two cities have been engaged in promoting friendship through mutual visits and other programs. At the 2012 Expo Yeosu Korea， the Yeosu Pavilion assigned a space for Shaoxing to display its wine. The exhibit was a 50-centimeter-tall jar of ten-kilogram yellow wine.

Sacrificial Ceremonies in Shaoxing

Nowadays Shaoxing holds two important annual public ceremonies. One is to honor Yu the Great at the Yu Mausoleum， a legendary emperor who brought prehistoric floods under control. The great emperor was buried in Shaoxing， hence the mausoleum. The other is to honor the god of wine at the beginning of the annual wine-brewing season.

In 1995， Shaoxing resumed the public sacrificial ceremony at the Yu Mausoleum. At the 1995 ceremony， Gu Yu Long Shan， a major wine maker in Shaoxing， donated one million yuan to restore the memorial archway at the mausoleum. The wine brewer also donated a jar of vintage yellow wine for the sacrifice. When the jar was opened at the ceremony and the wine was being poured into ancient-styled wine cups， the aroma of the wine wafted， causing a huge sensation. Many who attended the ceremony in 1995 fondly remember the permeating aroma at the sacrifice.

The vintage wine came from a secret wine vault discovered in a screen wall in the 1950s when some construction workers were dismantling a warehouse. They discovered about 100 pottery jars of yellow wine. The weight of these jars varies， some about 40 kilograms heavy and some about 60 kilograms. A jar was opened； in the sealant earth on the opening of the jar was a workshop record form indicating that the wine was brewed in 1928. These huge jars of yellow wine are now cherished as the brewers most important treasure.

The other important public sacrificial ceremony in Shaoxing is the sacrifice in honor of the god of wine at the beginning of winter， a solar term that falls on early December. The period between the beginning of winter and the beginning of spring is the brewing season in Shaoxing largely because water quality and temperature are especial suitable for wine to mature.

As yellow wine making is a complicated process and wine may go wrong if any detail in the long process is amiss. Nowadays， a wine brewing process takes 100 days including 20 plus steps and 5 key procedures before it matures. So brewers， no matter whether they are factory-size brewers， workshop-sized brewers or home brewers， hold a sacrificial ceremony to seek blessing from the god of wine. The important ceremony is complex. Many brewers say that they become confident to begin a years work only after the ceremony is properly performed.