Sapa is a familiar destination in the northwest of Vietnam. Beside owning the cool atmosphere, beautiful mountainous landscapes and unique ethnic villages, it is also the homeland of some famous kinds of strangely delicious wine made from the northwestern raw materials. Among them, San Lung wine is one of the best kinds that you should try once in your lifetime when coming to Sapa.
1/ The origin and significance of San Lung wine
San Lung wine is a famous specialty of Red Dao people living in Lao Cai. It is originated from San Lung Village, Ban Xeo Commune, Bat Xat District. This wine is associated with a mysterious legend of Red Dao ethnic group. Specifically, local people believe that San Lung wine is the wine of the heaven. At the ideal time, there are three tornadoes appearing and sucking up the wine into the sky. In San Lung, whenever it is rainy or sunny, people often see a rainbow like three fountains draining water from the heart of Po Sen Mountain up against the sky. Consequently, from this legend, San Lung Wine is only used to worship the heaven, the earth and ancestors in some great festivals.
Together with Bac Ha corn wine, San Lung wine is considered to be the most well-liked kinds of wine in Sapa. Thus, it will be such a pity if you have not tried tasting this special wine when being in Sapa tours.
2/ How to make San Lung wine?
San Lung wine is made quite carefully and elaborately. The grain used to mix with herbs must be picked in the suitable time. After that, it will be cleaned and put in the tight box. When all the seeds completely bloom, people will pick it out to place in the grain. To create the distinctive aroma of San Lung wine attracting a lot of tourists, Red Dao people always use a special yeast. It is made of the glutinous rice mixed with 15 kinds of forest leaves. These kinds of leaves are all the mountainous herbs. After 2 nights, the rice yeast evaporates strongly, people will continue putting it in a container to brew it. In particular, the brewing time depends on the season: it will be 5 or 6 days if it is in the winter and it will be only 4 days if it is in the summer. After being brewed, it will have to be steamed with a sufficient amount of water. During that time, the fire must always be on the same level. The other important thing is that the water at the top of the pot should always be cold and this step is repeated twice to create the best San Lung wine.
3/ The taste of San Lung wine
The aroma and taste of San Lung wine are so strong that it can make you freak out to all organs in your body. It is a feeling of freshness so you will not get a headache after drinking San Lung wine. If you enjoy it in the morning, you will feel much healthier and has a plenty of energy to work all day long without fatigue. Because of containing 15 kinds of herbs, it can be used to treat a lot of common diseases.
4/ Where to buy San Lung wine?
San Lung wine is a product characterizing the folk culture of Red Dao people in Lao Cai. Therefore, beside enjoying it in Sapa, you should bring San Lung wine home as a gift for your relatives and friends. In fact, you can buy it along the roads, in fair markets or some stores. However, it will be better to visit San Lung Village and directly buy the genuine wine from Red Dao people.
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