LATITUDE
LONGITUDE
subregions
Nestled along Vietnam's south-central coast, east of the Central Highland region, Ninh Thuận emerges as an unexpected viticultural treasure that defies conventional wine geography. While most enthusiasts flock to traditional regions between 30° and 50° latitude, this Vietnamese province, located near the equator, is rewriting the rules of tropical viticulture.
Most grapes grown in Vietnam are sourced from Ninh Thuận and Binh Thuận provinces, underscoring the region's importance in the country's wine industry. Ninh Thuận's wine industry represents a fascinating intersection of colonial influence, indigenous innovation, and agricultural adaptation that has transformed Vietnam's driest province into its most prolific grape-growing region.
In this guide, we will take you on a tour through one of the most important wine regions of Vietnam. We'll start by creating an overview of the region, and then we will discuss its signature grapes, wines, the best things to do within this region, and the sustainable practices that its wine producers are adopting.
Ninh Thuận stands as Vietnam's premier grape-growing region, a surprising discovery in a country much better known for its rice wine and beer. This province, located along the south-central coast, is characterized by uniquely dry microclimates that create ideal conditions for viticulture, despite its tropical location.
The region is famed for its beaches, Cham relics, and the Nui Chua National Park, with vineyards adding an unexpected agricultural dimension to its landscape. Unlike most of Vietnam's humid climate, Ninh Thuận's arid conditions have fostered a wine identity that's distinctly Vietnamese yet influenced by French colonial heritage.
This region is becoming increasingly important for Vietnamese wine production.
The grape-growing areas of Ninh Thuận are distributed across several districts, each with its own microclimate variations:
Each district contributes to the region's total production, with variations in varieties and cultivation practices based on specific microclimates within the broader Ninh Thuận terroir.
Vineyard Hectares
WINERIES
Ninh Thuận is situated in Vietnam's south-central coast, bordered by Khanh Hoa to the north, Binh Thuan to the south, Lam Dong to the west, and the East Sea to the east. The province spans 3,360 square kilometres with a topography that gradually slopes from northwest to southeast.
Ninh Thuận's climate represents a fascinating contradiction - a tropical region that's paradoxically perfect for cultivating grape vines due to its unusual dryness. The province features:
This climatic profile creates what viticulturists would call a "warm region" wine climate, though it differs significantly from European or North American warm-climate wine regions.
The topography comprises three primary categories: mountains (63.2% of the total area), half-mountain, half-plain areas (14.4%), and coastal plain areas (22.4%). The ability to grow high-quality grapes suggests well-draining soils suitable for viticulture.
Sustainability practices in Ninh Thuận's wine industry reflect both traditional knowledge and modern agricultural advances:
These practices are particularly important in a region with limited water resources, where sustainable water management is crucial for long-term viticultural success.
Ninh Thuận is home to a wide range of grape varieties, catering to both table consumption and winemaking. While it doesn't primarily focus on popular grapes like Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon, the region still excels in producing high-quality wines from both local and international grape varieties.
Despite Ninh Thuận's unconventional geography for wine production, several distinct styles have emerged, that contribute to the diversity of Vietnam's wine industry:
While most of the wine in Ninh Thuận is made from grapes—utilizing both table and wine grape varieties—there is also a tradition of crafting wines from fermented fruit, reflecting the broader Vietnamese practice of producing wines from tropical fruits such as lychee, mango, and passion fruit.
Rice wine (rượu gạo) is a staple of Vietnamese culture and is produced throughout the country, including in Ninh Thuận. While the region is most famous for its grape wines, local families and ethnic minority communities also craft Vietnamese rice wines using fermented sticky rice and natural yeasts. Rượu gạo is the most iconic Vietnamese wine, deeply ingrained in tradition and often served during celebrations.
In addition to conventional grape wines, the region produces various grape-based products, including grape syrup, grape juice, raisins, dried grapes, and grape jam.
While not traditional wine regions by global standards, winemaking in these areas involves unique adaptations to tropical conditions. Some producers transport grapes to higher-altitude Dalat (1,700 meters above sea level) for vinification and aging, where cooler temperatures create better conditions for wine production. Da Lat is renowned for its cool climate and fertile soil, making it an ideal location for wine production in Vietnam.
Wine tourism is emerging as a compelling dimension of Ninh Thuận's identity, offering visitors unique experiences in Vietnam's vineyard landscapes. Vietnam's wine tourism sector is still in its infancy, but there are increasing opportunities for visitors to explore. These include vineyard tours, wine tastings, and cultural events that showcase the region's unique viticultural heritage. Wine tasting experiences are available throughout Vietnam, allowing visitors to sample a variety of unique wines. Vietnam Wine Tours is the only company in the country specializing in wine tourism, offering curated guided trips that provide a structured way to explore the nation's burgeoning wine culture.
Ninh Thuận’s wineries embody Vietnam’s audacious foray into tropical viticulture, blending French colonial influences with local ingenuity. While the region’s wine industry is young, its estates have carved out a distinct identity, producing Vietnamese wines that reflect the province’s arid terroir and innovative spirit. Below, we explore the wineries redefining Southeast Asia’s wine landscape.
Location: Hiep Hoa Hamlet, Ninh Phuoc District (7km from Phan Rang City)
Key Offerings: Red, white, and black grape wines; grape syrup; raisins
Founded by Nguyễn Văn Ba (“Uncle Ba Moi”), this family-run estate is Ninh Thuận’s most iconic Vietnamese winery. Over the past 40 years, Ba Moi has pioneered chemical-free cultivation, growing seven grape varieties across 2.5 hectares, including table grapes and wine-specific strains such as Cabernet Sauvignon. Visitors enjoy free wine tasting experiences, sampling wines fermented on-site in stainless steel tanks, alongside grape-derived products like jam and syrup.
What sets Ba Moi apart:
The winery’s Cardinal-based red wine, though light-bodied, bursts with tart cherry notes—a signature of Vietnamese wine adapted to equatorial conditions.
Location: Vinh Hai Commune, Ninh Hai District (30km northeast of Phan Rang)
Key Offerings: Syrah-Cardinal blends; rosé; grape jam
Established in the 1990s, Thai An Cooperative’s 200-hectare vineyard is a cornerstone of Ninh Thuận’s Vietnamese wineries. Known for its sun-drenched pergola-trained vines, the estate grows four grape types, including NH02-90 (Syrah) and Candy grapes. Visitors wander freely through rows heavy with fruit, sampling wines infused with tropical flavours—think lychee and passionfruit—that defy traditional Old World profiles.
Highlights:
Thai An’s rosé, a blend of Cardinal and local mulberry, exemplifies Vietnam’s playful approach to wine tasting, balancing sweetness with herbal complexity.
Ninh Thuận plays a pivotal role in shaping and enriching Vietnamese wine culture, establishing a unique wine culture that is gaining recognition both nationally and internationally. In Vietnam, wine is not just a drink; it is an integral part of the social fabric that connects families and friends. Vietnamese wines often exhibit fruity flavours with moderate acidity and a lighter body, reflecting the tropical climate and innovative winemaking techniques. As Vietnam’s leading grape-growing region, Ninh Thuận has become a symbol of innovation, resilience, and cultural pride in the Vietnamese wine scene.
Ninh Thuận’s wineries, such as Ba Moi and Thai An, are at the forefront of developing Vietnamese wines that emphasize local terroir, innovative grape varieties, and sustainable practices. Sharing wine is a sign of respect and camaraderie in Vietnamese culture, often involving toasts before drinking. Their efforts have helped elevate Vietnam’s reputation in the global wine community, positioning Vietnamese wine as a bold, fruit-forward, and culturally distinctive product. The region’s annual Grape and Wine Festival, which attracts thousands of visitors, celebrates this emerging unique wine culture, highlighting vineyard tours, tastings, and cultural performances that deepen the connection between local traditions and modern winemaking.
The influence of Ninh Thuận extends beyond production; it is a catalyst for wine tourism and cultural exchange. Visitors are drawn to its picturesque vineyards, where they experience wine tasting amidst stunning landscapes, learn about indigenous grape varieties, and participate in festivals that honour ethnic minority cultures. These activities foster a sense of pride and identity, making wine an integral part of Ninh Thuận’s cultural fabric.
By successfully cultivating grapes in a challenging environment and producing quality wines, Ninh Thuận is inspiring other regions in Vietnam to explore tropical viticulture. Its pioneering spirit is helping to redefine Vietnamese wine culture—from traditional rice spirits to contemporary grape wines—making it more diverse, innovative, and globally relevant. Vietnam's wine industry relies on a combination of traditional methods and newer techniques introduced from global partners, which have contributed to its remarkable growth over recent decades.
In essence, Ninh Thuận’s influence is transforming Vietnam’s unique wine culture into a vibrant tapestry that celebrates local ingenuity, cultural diversity, and the evolving palate of a nation eager to showcase its own wine identity on the world stage.
The viticultural story of Ninh Thuận is relatively young but deeply connected to Vietnam's colonial past. Grape cultivation began in 1960 when vines were first planted at the Nha Ho Cotton Research and Agricultural Development Institute in Ninh Son district. The varieties originated from tropical and temperate regions of Thailand, Korea, and the United States.
Vietnam's broader wine history dates back to the French colonial period in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when European colonists introduced viticulture to the region. However, large-scale wine production didn't truly develop until the economic liberalization of the late 20th century.
One of the pioneers in regional viticulture is Mr. Nguyen Van Ba, owner of Ba Moi vineyard, who has spent decades experimenting with different grape varieties and advancing cultivation techniques in Ninh Thuận's unique climate. His 40 years of experience have contributed significantly to establishing wine grape cultivation in the province.
By the 1990s, larger wineries had begun producing wines using both locally grown and imported grapes, marking the start of Vietnam's commercial wine industry. Dalat Beco winery, for instance, sources its grapes exclusively from Ninh Thuận, further emphasizing the province's central role in the nation's wine production. Today, Ninh Thuận has evolved from experimental plots to the country's largest grape-producing region.
Ninh Thuận represents Vietnam's most intriguing viticultural experiment - a tropical region that defies conventional wisdom to produce increasingly respected wines. The province has leveraged its unique microclimate, characterized by aridity within a tropical setting, to create a wine identity that is distinctly Vietnamese. Wine production in Vietnam is still relatively young but has shown remarkable growth over recent decades. While not competing with established Old World regions, Ninh Thuận's vinous journey demonstrates how agricultural innovation, cultural heritage, and tourism can transform a regional specialty into an emerging wine destination.
The future of Ninh Thuận wine appears promising, with continued research into more suitable varieties, enhanced sustainability practices, and increased investment in wine tourism infrastructure. As Vietnam's wine culture develops, this once-overlooked province may well become the standard-bearer for tropical viticulture in Southeast Asia.
Copyright © 2024 Vinerra Corp.
