Story by Kerrie-Anne Riles and photos by Kerrie-Anne and Alan Riles (unless otherwise indicated)
You cannot really say you have visited Peru without sampling their national drink. In a restaurant it is almost obligatory to drink a pisco sour before any meal and it is often offered as a welcome drink at accommodation or functions. Peru has a long history of producing wine from the 1540’s when Francisco de Carabantes created Tacama, the first vineyard in Peru, with vines brought from Spain. So what’s so special about pisco?
Pisco is a brandy or a high-proof spirit from distilled grapes. Having lived in Peru for two and a half years I have drunk a pisco sour (or two!). In a weekend visit to Ica we went on a private guided tour through three of the best producers of wine and pisco in the country. The three were Tacama the oldest wine producer in Peru and the venue for the famous Peruvian Step Horse Show, Vista Alegre a highly automated commercial producer, and El Catador an artisanal producer who blends pisco with Peruvian fruit. All were very different.
Getting To Peru
Ica is approximately 300 kms south of Lima. Traveling by coach you travel through vast expanses of flat sand with minimal vegetation. Many coastal developments are dotted along the coastline. Although advertised as a four and a half hour trip, in reality it took closer to six and a half hours.
Our Tour
We chose to take a private tour with Pisco Tasting Tour (Private Tour): Cusco Unique Experience. Our very knowledgeable guide, Brian, and our driver picked us up from our hotel. Firstly we had a guided tour of Ica township. Sadly many buildings are still not completely re-built after the devastating earthquake of 2007 when thousands of adobe buildings were destroyed. We then visited three very different wineries producing many different Peruvian wines as well as Pisco.
Vista Alegre
Founded in 1857, Vista Alegre today is a highly automated winery with 97 hectares of grapes and a pecan orchard. Production includes ten varieties of wines and three piscos.
While waiting for the scheduled tour, Brian gave us a commentary on traditional pisco making. The unique grape combinations used in pisco are selected from eight varietals that are blended then allowed to ferment in ceramic vessels called pisqueras or bolijitas before distillation in lined cement vats. However in this mass produced modern winery, the grapes are transported by a series of rotating augers to huge fermentation vats then piped to the copper vats for distillation. Bottling takes place in a huge automated warehouse
Our tour concluded with pisco tasting at the cellar door where we learnt the correct way to appreciate neat pisco:
Breath in
Take a generous mouthful
Hold in mouth
Swallow
Breath out through nose
What do you give the bride who has everything? In the grounds of Vista Alegre is a beautiful chapel that was built for the owner’s daughter for her wedding!
Tacama
The vineyards at Tacama were established in 1540 when Francisco de Carabantes brought grapes from Spain that had a similar climate suitable for growing wine grapes. Tacama is a Quechua word for Black Duck. The striking pink buildings were traditionally painted with a combination of cochineal, grape skins and bull’s blood. The last Sunday in July is National Pisco Day and the fountain in front of the chapel sprays free pisco instead of water.
Tacama produces twenty-three types of grapes that are harvested at night during summer with white wine grapes in January, red in February and the super sweet grapes for Pisco being harvested in March. It takes 7kg of grapes to make 1litre of pisco. The higher the sugar content, the higher the alcohol produced. Our tasting of the world renowned Tacama wines and piscos included three wines and one pisco.
The highlight of our visit to Tacama was the performance of their famous Peruvian Paso Horses where a barefooted lady performs a seductive dance for the caballero on his dancing horse. These performances are only available on Saturday or Sunday.
El Catador
Our visit to el Catador artisanal winery was a step back in time. Tradition here is still honored in the making of the pisco. The grapes are sourced from many small local growers. After the grapes are crushed, the first fermentation takes 14-15 days in the ceramic pisqueras known here as burros–“donkeys”. The distillation takes place in open pits with copper heating pipes entwined around the vats.
It was a laugh a minute with our sweet young sommelier Analie. Each of our multiple tastings came with a different cheeky toast. The piscos we tasted were infused with Peruvian fruit flavors and some had cream added like the lucama–a unique Peruvian fruit and chirymoya–Peruvian custard apple, flavors.
Considering the generosity of all the tastings included in our three winery visits, it is definitely recommended to have a designated driver!
Pisco Sour
Pisco Sours were invented by an American bar tender Victor Vaughen Morris in Lima in the early 1920’s when he ran out of whisky for whisky sours. Slightly modified since then, with the addition of egg white, it has become so popular it is now considered Peru’s national drink.
Shake vigorously in cocktail shaker with ice.
Strain into glass and add a dash of Angostura Bitters
(To the embarrassment of my husband I always ask for a teaspoon to scoop up the remaining espuma–foam, my favorite bit!)
There are now many variations of pisco sours, such as Pisco Maracuya, which adds Maracuya– Peruvian passionfruit syrup, to the blend. Sizes vary from clasico, an aperitif size, to catedral, a monster version.
Recipe (from: Jhoan at Hotel B Lima)
3oz Pisco
1oz lime juice
1oz sugar syrup
1oz egg white
Hotel Villa Jazmin Ica
Our choice for the weekend was Hotel Villa Jazmin Ica. Although not in the heart of Ica township, being 5 km from the bus, it was an ideal place for a relaxing weekend break. We arrived just on closing time due to our late bus arrival, but the restaurant kindly still made our evening meal: very welcome after a long trip. We had planned a busy weekend but also wanted a place to “recharge our batteries” after a busy working week. With two pools, one heated, the atmosphere was relaxed and never felt crowded.
The casual bar area provided a pleasant place to mingle with other guests.
Saturday night is bonfire and marshmallow night. Hosted by the owner/manager, Mozes, guests from many different countries gathered around a blazing fire to indulge in melting copious marshmallows with childlike enthusiasm and chat about their travel experiences.
Built in 2006 on 3,000 sq meters of towering sand dunes, the sprawling multi-level buildings maintain a tranquil atmosphere, exactly what we were wanting for our weekend break. However, with lots of steps Villa Jazmin is unfortunately not suitable for anyone with limited mobility.
If you have more time…
Taking this tour was the perfect introduction to the wineries of Ica for us as we only had a weekend. However, if you have time and your own transport you could easily spend a day at Tacama with its gorgeous tranquil gardens and gourmet restaurant Tambo offering leisurely dining while enjoying the show. El Catador offered more, like exploring the arcade with many restaurants and bodegas–wine shops, to choose from. Of course there are also other wineries to explore.
Huacachina
If adrenaline tourism is more your thing, in Ica you are only twenty minutes from Huacachina, the adventure capital of Peru. Bars, backpacker accommodation and a market surround the lake with a spectacular backdrop of towering sand dunes in the only desert oasis in South America. According to our guide, there were originally nine lakes in the greater Ica area. Unfortunately indiscriminant use of water for agriculture has left Laguna Huacachina as the only significant lake in the area.
Dozens of rowboats and pedalos for hire take advantage of the vast expanse of calm water. Poinciana trees offer a tranquil shaded walk along the lakeside.
However, the peace is shattered by the constant cacophony of hundreds of sand buggies racing up and down the dunes. Sand boards, belly boards and sand buggies for hire are everywhere. Prices vary considerably so it is worth checking around. At the end of an exhausting day, Huacachina is renowned for its spectacular sunsets over the sand dunes.
Many tourists combine Ica and Huacachina with a trip to the Nasca lines or Paracas and the Ballestas Islands.
Useful Links for Planning Your Trip to Ica, Peru
Perú Bus: S/75 pp rtn https://www.perubus.com.pe/
Pisco Tasting Tour (Private Tour): Cusco Unique Experience $50 USD per person https://www.cuscoexperience.com/
Hotel Villa Jazmin Ica https://villajazmin.net/
Vista Alegre http://www.vistaalegre.com.pe/
Tacama http://tacama.vinesos.com/
El Catadorhttps://www.elcatador.pe/
