Wines of Peru

By Caroline Bennett

Few foreigners realize the tastiness and quality of wines produced in Peru, or the deep history of wine grape cultivation in the country. Though the grape growing region is quite small and doesn't boast the production scale or reputation of larger markets in neighboring Chile or Argentina, the quality of wines is comparable. Also produced in the area and receiving far more fame is the nation’s national drink Pisco, a strong traditional beverage extracted from white grapes.

Wine grapes were first introduced in the 16th century when Spanish conquistador Marquis Francisco de Caravantes brought wine vines from the Canary Islands and initiated wine production in the region. As production expanded Peru began exporting wine to other colonies, Spanish wine producers became nervous and negotiated a ban on wine trade with the king, shifting focus away from wine trade to increased production of grape liquors using pre-Inca style earthenware containers, called piscos.

These early endeavors of Jesuit monk farmers established the foundation for the trading of Pisco and new centers of production, particularly within the province of Ica, today's center for Peruvian wine culture. The Ica region enjoys fertile soils and the cool air of the Humboldt Current much like the Napa Valley, blessing the area with ideal conditions for the cultivation of wine grapes. Peru's best wineries—or bodegas—are located here, such as the larger Bodegas Tacama and Ocucaje. Grape harvest is annually celebrated with lively parades, marching bands, and tastings in Ica every March during the colorful National Vintage Festival.