PISCO VINEYARD GUIDE

Many different types of grapes grow here, including negra criolla, mollar, uvina, quebranta, torontel, moscatel and italia being the most popular varieties.

The first thing explained is the festival, known as Vendimia, which takes place every year during harvest time in February and March, where everyone is invited to be part of the entire experience. This begins from the collection of the grapes, then carrying them to the grape press and getting to participate in a pressing. A scene perhaps witnessed by some before in other places: people treading grapes following the rhythm of music.

The process:

• After the treading, the grapes are passed to another pool in which they are squeezed with a huge wooden press, extracting the juice. This press is made from "huaranga", which is a type of mesquite native to Peru and other South American countries. The huaranga press is around 160 years old.
• From this pool of pressed grapes, the juice and peels are then removed; the peels become a fertilizer or a simple cover for the earth, preventing the raising of dust. The juice is passed through a wall to its appropriately sorted holding tank, so that clay vessels or “botijas” may be filled. The botijas are placed on the outside of the tanks, below the tank so that the liquid fills them. Finally, the tanks are moved to a shaded area so that the liquid may ferment for about 2 weeks.
• The tank then goes to a still that can contain up to 1,600 litres. The still is cooked for a lengthy 18 hours, during which time the fermented grape juice is converted to steam and passed to another chamber where it is condensed. This results in a clear liquid which then gets transferred to another chamber.
• The first 100L or so are the head: Distinguished by its high alcohol content - between 50 and 75%; this first part from the chamber is used as fuel for the furnace.
• Then comes the body which is around the next 400L: This section of the chamber has around 40- 45% alcohol, which is the official media for the Pisco in southern Peru.
• Lastly, the tail-some part of the chamber, around 1,000L, is obtained but because it falls in the still it is discarded.

This is the produce from 8,000kg of processed grapes. The body which comes out of the chamber is placed in special plastic containers for pisco, where it rests for a month. After one month passes, the pisco is finally ready, at 42% alcohol it is bottled and goes up for sale. If you find yourself leaving the Pisco Vineyard with a bottle of pisco, make sure to check out all of the different drinks you can make with them!