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Sa Pa district is famously known as the land of ethnic alcoholic beverages, featuring Bản Phố corn wine, apple cat wine, San Lùng rice wine, and notably, Thanh Kim rice wine—a celebrated Sa Pa specialty.
Thanh Kim Rice Wine – A Unique Specialty of the Dao Do People
Produced by the Dao Do people in Thanh Kim commune, Sa Pa district, Lao Cai province, Thanh Kim rice wine originates from a village nestled at the foot of Fansipan mountain. The locals here, immersed in terraced fields and rice cultivation, have ingeniously crafted Thanh Kim rice wine—a unique and distinctive specialty. To create this heavenly elixir, they ferment humble grains of rice with traditional yeast strains from mysterious leaves.
A visit to Sa Pa without experiencing Thanh Kim rice wine is a missed opportunity. The distinctive, fragrant flavor, combined with a soft sweetness and a tingling sensation on the palate, will provide you with fascinating experiences.
Initially brewed for family consumption, entertaining special guests, or offering to deities during festivals, Thanh Kim wine, with its exceptional taste, has left the confines of homes, becoming the renowned Sa Pa specialty of the Dao Do people.
In today's era, with the development of Sa Pa's tourism industry, the traditional craft of Dao Do people in brewing Thanh Kim rice wine is thriving.
Filtering the Essence from Grains of Rice
Visiting Thanh Kim offers more than just enjoying the exquisite specialty of Thanh Kim rice wine; it provides a firsthand view of the meticulous process that creates these precious drops. The Dao Do people in Thanh Kim warmly welcome guests, and just a visit to the village ensures a warm reception, guiding you through the various stages of the brewing process.
Thanh Kim rice wine is crafted with great precision, using high-quality ingredients: rice harvested from terraced fields and traditional yeast infused with the herbal essence of the Northwest mountains.
The distillation process is entirely manual. Sun-dried harvested rice is cleaned and cooked for 5-6 hours. Locals then cool and mix the rice with finely ground yeast. After fermentation in bamboo vats for 5-7 days, the rice, now infused with yeast, is transferred to another fermentation system. Water is added for an additional 8-10 days, depending on the weather. Finally, the fermented rice is placed in wooden or cast-iron stills and distilled into wine.
It can be said that the fragrant Thanh Kim rice wine not only embodies the essence of mountain rocks, rice grains, and traditional fermentation techniques but also carries the 'yeast of affection' from the local Dao Do people.
If you find yourself in Sa Pa, be sure to make a stop in Thanh Kim district to indulge in this fantastic Sa Pa specialty.
