Wine and Pisco

Every country has its spirits and liquors. Peru has the pisco, a strong liquor. But only few people know that Peru also produces wine. Until now, Peruvian wine export was limited and production is not as high as the more commercially developed wine industry in Chile and Argentina. But the valleys from Ica and Lima are producing excellent wines.

The wine-hacienda from Tacama

Escpecially in the province of Ica the climate is perfect for making wine. It is a very dry desert region, but because of intense irrigation with water from the Andes, the soil is fertile and any crop can grow here. It is always sunny, and temperature is moderate, mostly between 18 an 28° C. The wine industry has a long tradition, the Spanish conquistadores took their knowledge to the new world and introduced it succesfully in the Ica region. Until now production was mainly for the Peruvian market, but nowadays export is generally increasing. However, the quality of the Peruvian wine was already known in the beginning of the 20th century. South American Handbooks. Peru, by E. Charles Vivian, 1914, tells us: Wines, both cheap and good, are made to the extent of about 2,200,000 galls. per annum. Nowadays, the wines from Magdalena (from the province of Lima), Tacama and Ocucaje are among the best and can compete easily with the best Argentinian and Chilean wines.

The Winery from Tres Esquinas in Ica

Pisco is distilled from a mixture of Peruvian wines. It can be more or less compared to the French cognac, but it tastes totally different and has a unique taste of its own. The best pisco's come from Ica and Moquegua. The Moquegua variety can be very strong. Chile also produces pisco, but any Peruvian will tell you that the Chilean pisco is an imitation of the Peruvian. That makes sense, since the name pisco comes from the Peruvian city with the same name: Pisco. Unfortunately, the Peruvians made the mistake not to register the brandname pisco, like the French did with Cognac and Champagne. Tacama and Ocucaje produce excellent pisco, just like Tres Esquinas in Ica.