Wine In Vietnam: A Timeless Spirit In A Changing World

Vodka, French red wine or Korean Soju have gradually replaced the traditional rice wine as one of the most commonly consumed alcoholic beverages in Vietnam. However, amidst the wave of imported foreign wine, have you ever questioned about the origin of Vietnamese traditional wine and why Vietnamese people drink wine?

Since the early time of the Hùng Kings - the ancient Vietnamese rulers of the Hong Bang period (2879-258 BC), wine (referred to as 'rượu') has been found in the story ‘Họ Hồng Bàng’ (The Hồng Bàng clan). It was a time when people wore shirts made of tree bark, used mats woven from grass and drank alcohol made from rice.

Trace Back To Ancient Vietnam

Thanks to the prosperous wet-rice civilization in Vietnam, Vietnamese wine was often distilled from sticky rice, white rice or brown rice. As a result, rice wine is a traditional alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice that stands out as a beverage deeply embedded in the country's history and culture.

Just like other Southeast Asian countries, where alcoholic beverages have a strong ritualistic importance, Vietnam’s spiritual culture is always intertwined with the role of wine in rituals and ceremonies such as New Year, weddings and death anniversaries.

Accordingly, wine has been an indispensable part since ancient Vietnam, when wine has become a drink to worship gods and ancestors. People drain glasses of wine together, hoping that gods and ancestors will witness their friendships or their husband - wife relationship. This spiritual culture aims to pray for good things to come and to be blessed by ancestors.

Wine Drinking In Vietnam: Not Only For Fun

In a country predominantly made up of rural villages and small towns, men - and to a lesser extent, women - regularly drank wine daily, usually before going into the fields or during lunch and dinner; the elderly also sip a little in the morning. This is because wine was regarded as a vital component of a healthy lifestyle as people believed that it can prevent and cure illnesses.

Since ancient times, wine has been an important component to produce traditional medicines, which are often infused with a variety of herbs, leaves, roots, insects, and animals. The father of Vietnamese medicine - Lan Ong even wrote “bán dạ tam bôi tửu [...] lương y bất đáo gia,” which can be roughly translated to “three cups of liquor at midnight keeps the doctor away.”

Moreover, drinking wine in Vietnam is often associated with masculinity, proven by the social expectation that men drink alcohol is underscored by the saying “A man without spirits is like a flag without wind” (Nam vô tửu như kỳ vô phong).

Although this is becoming outdated in the modern age, the ideology implicates how wine is closely connected to normal life in ancient Vietnam: Males in a family rarely share their life burdens with others, so they often drink wine and express their problems with one another, extending the connectedness among breadwinners in the family and helping them relieve their stress.

In Vietnam, the common saying “rượu vào lời ra”, roughly translated to “when alcohol enters (the mouth), words come out”, implies that wine enables people to confess and facilitate their conversations. Therefore, drinking in Vietnam is also for business purposes as it acts as a catalyst for sharing and building good relationships with others.

“... that’s how people can talk and socialize easily… when there’s a glass of wine, it’s easier for men to talk, make friends and get to know each other. All in all, everything is easy.”, an interviewee shared.

How To “Nhậu” Like A Pro

From the long tradition of drinking wine in daily life, Vietnamese people have gradually formed the drinking culture (văn hóa nhậu), and drinking has become an essential social skill of most Vietnamese adults.

Enjoying wine in Vietnam can be an interesting experience, whether you're a local enthusiast or a visitor exploring the country's evolving wine culture. To help you make the most of your wine-drinking experiences in Vietnam, here are some essential tips:

• Pay great attention to communication goals.

The social status or the order of age and role are of importance when drinking together, which is implicated through codes of behavior at the drinking table.

For example, the person who is younger or has a lower status must be the one to pour the liquor. When clinking glasses, this man's glass must be placed in a lower position. Also, in a context involving family, the youngest members in the host family often have the responsibility for serving like filling the guests’ cups.

• It’s rude to drink on your own.

Groups drinking alcohol together in Vietnam do not usually sip their alcohol individually because public drinking in Vietnam is an energetic and collective affair. Before drinking, everyone at the table raises their cups and then sips in unison. For that reason, it can be seen as rude if you drink on your own.

• “1, 2, 3, Cheers!”

The phrase “Một, Hai, Ba, Dô!" (1, 2, 3, Cheers!) is often shouted as loud as possible to express their enthusiasm and happiness at the drinking table.

People on a drinking table can also challenge one another to drinking contests by saying “trăm phần trăm” (one hundred percent), meaning they declare that a percentage of the glass of alcohol is to be drunk on the spot.