Peruvian Wine – A New Discovery…

Earlier this summer, I had the opportunity to travel to Peru, a place where I always thought nowhere near my adventure paradigm.  Having seen plenty of National Geographic and History channel episodes of the story of Machu Picchu and of course assuming that aliens really did have a part in its construction (well, maybe), I was intrigued.  Savoring fresh ceviche in Lima, awestruck by the brilliance of the star filled sky in the Sacred Valley, travelling the long yet exhilarating path to the Sun Gate at Machu Picchu (and no, aliens did not build it…), and honoring the hard working village women who shared their weaving skills were only part of the wonder I felt towards this beautiful country.  And then there was the Peruvian wine.

In general, many if not most consumers think of Chile and Argentina as the South America countries producing wine. Yet Peru has been making wine since the Spanish conquistadors brought grapevines to cultivate.  In the 16^th and 17^th centuries, a fair amount of wine production was found around the cities of Pisco and in the Ica Valley in south central Peru.  However, the massive earthquake in 1687 destroyed these cities…including their wine cellars and storage containers.  The wine industry such as it had been was all but eliminated and as time went on, these vineyards were put to better use as agricultural areas producing food products for the Peruvian people and for trade.

But time marched on and currently, there is more wine produced in Peru than ever with 2008 being a year when 16 million gallons were made.  Viticulture can be found in the coastal plains around Pisco which is 125 miles south of Lima.  Other centers are Chincha, Ica, Moquegua and Tacna, all towns which surround that city.  Between the cool Pacific Ocean, the mountains of the Andes, and the northern limits of the Atacama Desert vineyards are found with wine production ongoing.  But the interesting fact I discovered is that Peruvians drink very little wine!  In 2010 the average consumption was around 1 litre.  Wine production is less than half of what they consume and they export hardly any.  Now domestic demand seems to be increasing slightly and I did find a few on restaurant wine lists which are worth a mention.

**Intipalka 2011 Chardonnay –  Pale lemon in color with tropical fruits on the nose and palate, this was a decent Chardonnay.  High acidity, medium body, and a crisp finish made this wine quite food friendly.

**Vina Tacama 2011 Gran Blanco – Consisting of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Chenin Blanc, and Viognier, this  was good, not great.  Light in body with faint pear and other stone fruits aromas and tastes, the finish was short.  This simple wine could be easily paired with appetizers and a good book!

**Intipalka 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah – Deep red and purple in the glass, I enjoyed the dark fruits, spice, jammy and black pepper tastes.  Its integrated tannins and satisfying finish helped make our last evening in Peru that much more memorable!

**Intipalka 2011 Malbec – This wine was dark ruby in color with chocolate and cherry aromas.  Add those notes to some licorice on the palate and a reasonably long finish and you have a wine which paired quite well with cuy (guinea pig)…

Perhaps you won’t find these wines in the United States or elsewhere in the world.  But if you have the opportunity to visit Peru, don’t ask for a wine with which you are familiar.  Find a Peruvian wine and have your own “grape experience”.

Cheers to discovering something new~ Cindy