In the land of Pisco... “Pisco touches Heaven”

Pisco / Peru more than 400 years of History & Tradition (1613-2014).

 Last week we were Tasting at the XX National Competition of the 2013 Pisco Harvest. It was truly one of the best Pisco competitions in which I have had the honor to participate as a Taster. The samples were impeccably presented, the service was impeccable as well as the tasting room. The event took place in the Westin Lima Hotel and Convention Center in San Isidro, one of the best and most elegant Hotels in Peru and South America. As the Master of Ceremonies and great friend and Pisco aficionado said during the inauguration, “Today Pisco will touch heaven,” and it did. The Regulating Council of the Pisco Denomination of Origin organized the event, and the President of the Competition’s Organizing Committee was Engineer Lyris Monasterio and Ms. Paula Rina Elias was the Tasting Director. The event also had, for the second time, the welcome presence of an observer from the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV). Peru pertains to this organization, and this time observer was Ms. Regina Vanderlinde from Brazil. 

We had a delay regarding the competition, which should have takenplace in early May; however, due to the change in the Minister of Produce, the event date was cancelled. However, as they say, every cloud has a silver lining. 

So, starting on July 16, we began to evaluate the presented samples: 271 from the five Pisco regions. The environment inside the tasting room was ideal: with good natural and artificial light, 7 tasting tables with everything we needed to fulfill our roles, and 6 tasters at each.

Preference was also given to the Tasters from Provinces that are Aspiring to be Official, which is why we did not have, for example, in the case of Tacna more Tasters than in Lima. In general, there was very good order to the event, which ensured that its success was guaranteed.
Something important to highlight is that every time we have a competition, all of the Tasters sign a sworn declaration that indicates if the Tasters are producers or master distillers, and if we are participating in the competition with samples. In those cases, the Taster is not allowed to taste at the tables where his or her Pisco is being evaluated, and is made to evaluate Piscos of other varieties.

The first days were dedicated to the Regional Competition, and we evaluated the best Piscos from the five Pisco regions: Tacna, Moquegua, Arequipa, Ica and Lima independently. From there, approximately 30% of the winners from each category go on to participate with zero points in the National competition which took place on that Friday, the 18th. This time there were 111 samples, which resulted in 46 Piscos that received awards, two Grand Gold Medals for the Quebranta Pisco “Paca Paca” from Ica and the Green Must Acholado Pisco “El Sarcay de Azpitia” from Lima.

The celebration, as happens every year, ended in a great party in the Pisco Festival which took place in the Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC) in Barranco. There we shared our experience and enjoyed the best Piscos from Peru and the world.

See you in 2015,

Livio Pastorino Wagner
Editor of the magazine elpiscoesdelperu.com, Pisco bilingual magazine, Specialist and Pisco Taster, Sommelier, Registered in the Pisco Tasters Registry of the CRDO-Pisco No. RCO-034-2011,Co-Anchor in the Dionisos Radio Program “Let’s Talk about Pisco,” Professor at the Institute of Wine and Pisco. Member of the Panel of Tasters “Pisco Tasting Nights” which publishes the blog: www.nochesdecata.blogspot.com

Translated by Katrina Heimark

July 2014  

   

In the land of Pisco... Guest Producer

Pisco / Peru more than 400 years of History &  Tradition (1613-2013).

We are glad to have the presence of Mr. Cesar Antonio Chiarella Yacub, Manager of the bodega “Pisco Don Cesar” from Tacna, for our interview of the producer of the month. 

1.-Good Morning Mr. Chiarella. We would like to know where your bodega Pisco Don Cesar is located. 
Good morning. Before starting this interesting interview, 
I would like to thank you for the deference you have had with our bodega and congratulate you for the marvelous initiative for creating a means of information where the protagonist is our TODAY, TOMORROW AND ALWAYS PERUVIAN PISCO. Our Bodega is located in the Alta Street in Lima, number 1381 in the heroic city of Tacna. 

2.-Which year and how did the bodega Pisco Don Cesar form? 

In 1982. Don Cesar Alejandro Chiarella Arce and his wife Violeta Yacub de Chiarella founded it. It is a beautiful story about how the bodega was born, and it fills me with pride and nostalgia. In 1981, a good friend of my parents, Giovanni Terlevick, a Yugoslav, came for a visit to my parents’ house. He had lived in Peru for many years, and when he entered the house, the first thing he noticed were the proudly-displayed grapes, beautiful clusters of the marvelous Negra Criolla grape, typical of the Tacna area.
He asked my dad what that type of grape was used for. My dad responded that some was eaten at home and the rest was given away to family and friends. One of the days in which Mr. Giovanni was in Tacna, he had lunch at the Rancho San Antonio restaurant, which was also owned by the family. My parents had many antiques decorating the restaurant, and in the bar, a small still from Chincha was proudly displayed. Once he was back in the house, Mr. Giovanni asked my dad why they didn’t distill some Pisco, seeing as we had the grapes in the house and the still in the restaurant. The next day they harvested, crushed the grapes and left them to ferment while they maintained the small still. Once the must was at its optimum quality, they began to distill the Pisco. Since the still was small, it took a long time for the Pisco to come out of the still. Once it did, the first drops were crystal clear and of extraordinary pure quality from Tacna grapes. Later, we called it Pisco Don Cesar.

Later, my dad, advised by his good friend and another producer from Tacna (Don Pedro Liendo Potales), implemented a complete bodega. Proudly, it was the most complete bodega in Tacna.

3.-What are the factors that are important to you in the distillation of a good Pisco? 
The production of a good Pisco is not started in the bodega, but rather in the field with the care and good management of the plants and the soil. There is a say that goes “good grapes give good Pisco,” and that is why a producer must closely follow the cultivation, harvest, and transportation processes. This must be done hand in hand with the knowledge of the person in charge of the distillation, good resting tanks and above all, the care that one puts into their work. These are the fundamental factors to obtain a quality product.

4.-As a producer of “Pisco Don Cesar,” what is, in your opinion, a characteristic that a good Pisco must have?
The characteristics are as follows:

Appearance: It must be clear, clean and bright.
Color: Without color

Smell:
Pure Pisco of non-aromatic grapes:
Slightly alcoholic, the raw material of origin does not predominate, clean with structure and balance, free from any strange elements.

Pure Pisco from aromatic grapes:
Slightly alcoholic, reminds one of the raw material it is derived from, ripe or overly ripe fruits, intense, full, refined perfume, structured and balanced, free from any strange elements.

Acholado Pisco:
Slightly alcoholic, intense, faintly reminds of the raw material it is derived from, ripe or overly ripe fruits, very fine, structured and balanced and free from any strange element.

Green Must Pisco:
Slightly alcoholic, intense, the aroma of the raw materials predominates, or might faintly remind one of the ingredients, light ripe or overly ripe fruits, delicate with structure and balance, free from any strange element.
Flavor: Pure Pisco from non-aromatic grapes:
Slightly alcoholic, light flavor, the aroma of the raw ingredients does not predominate, clean with structure and balance, free from any strange element.

Pure Pisco from aromatic grapes.
Slightly alcoholic, flavor that reminds one of the raw ingredients, intense, with structure and balance, free from any strange element.
Acholado Pisco:
Slightly alcoholic, light flavor that reminds one of the raw ingredients, very refined intensity, with structure and balance, free from any strange element.

Green Must Pisco:
Slightly alcoholic, the aroma of the raw ingredients predominates, very fine and delicate, velvety, with structure and balance, free from any strange element.

5.-What varieties of grapes do you distill for Pisco Don Cesar?
For the distillation of pure non-aromatic grapes, we use the Negra Criolla variety,
tell us approximately how many produers you think the Tacna regoin has?
Tacna, if I‘m a grape that is originally from the old valley of Tacna (Calana, Pachia, Pocollay, and Calientes).
For the distillation of Pure Pisco from aromatic grapes, we use Italia grape from the fertile valley of Magollo, a grape of exceptional quality, with an unmatchable flavor and aroma, which is unique in Peru.

For the distillation of Acholado Pisco, we use three grape varieties: Negra Criolla, Italia and Quebranta in equal proportion.

For the distillation of Green Must Pisco, we use the Negra Criolla grape. This year we will produce a Green Must Pisco with Italia grapes.

6. What time of year is the VENDIMIA in Tacna?
It generally takes place in March. 

7.-There are many regional Piscos that are not very common in Lima despite the fact that their consumption has increased. Why do you think that is?
That’s true. I think that it is particularly due to the operating costs. In order to be in Lima, producers must have a distributer and reach supermarkets and large liquor stores, which signifies high operating costs. I think, and I will seriously propose it someday, that just as there is the fruit market, the potato market, Gamarra and other large emporiums, there should also be a place where we can find all the Pisco producers in Peru.

8.-What future project does Pisco Don Cesar have in mind?
Continue to produce Pisco with our demonstrated quality. Each year we will produce more, and some day be able to export each day a higher volume.

9.-In your experience, what limitations are there for the industry in regards to the export of Peruvian Pisco?
Year by year Peru exports more and more Pisco. The moment will come in which the request will be extraordinarily high due to the quality. I worry about where will we get the raw materials when this becomes reality? In Tacna, for example, the grape plantations have grown very little; we must take these matters into our own hands.

10.-What prizes has Pisco Don Cesar won?
Many regional and national prizes, among which the most important was being the Champions with our Pure Pisco in 2001, when only one producer was awarded with a gold medal. In 2005 we won the gold medal for our aromatic Italia Pisco.

11.-Could you tell us approximately how many Pisco producers there are in the Tacna region?
If I am not mistaken, Tacna has 14 producers with the Pisco Denomination of Origin.

12.-Just out of curiosity, have you read our March bulletin?
I read your bulletin every month!

I ask because of the following. In the section “Pisco in the World” we have published a letter from a Peruvian who lives in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Being so close to Tacna, how is it that we can’t satisfy this demand with our Pisco? How can we help? How can we reach these markets? Thanks so much for your answer.

We have been sending our Pisco to Bolivia for consulates to use. The price of their distilled alcohols is cheap, and it is difficult to compete because of the price, especially for quality. Another inconvenience is the distribution; they do not have ways on land to reach these routes. We hope that once the transoceanic road is complete in the future that we will be able to bring our product to all Bolivia. 

Translated by Katrina Heimark

Pisco bilingual magazine

In the land of Pisco... Regulating Council of Pisco Denomination of Origin. Reinforcing a National Identity

Pisco / Peru more than 400 years of History & Tradition (1613-2013).

Ask for Pisco, Request Pisco! Enjoy Pisco
 
The Regulating Council of Pisco Denomination of Origin (CR-DOPISCO) is the name that the National Association of
Pisco Producers has been given so that they function as such and represent the beneficiaries of the Pisco
Denomination of Origin (DO-PISCO), among other obligations. They verify, care for and defend Pisco’s quality, both in Peru and abroad. The organization’s seat is in the city of Pisco in the department of Ica, Peru.

CR-DOPISCO was authorized to function by the National Institute of Consumer Protection and Protection of Intellectual Property: INDECOPI, via Resolution Number 002378-2011/DSD-INDECOPI on February 14, 2011.

With the objective of integrating Pisco into the vine production chain and involving those members in CR-DOPISCO’s decisions, the Regulation of the DO-PISCO possess four (4) principle registries, which are:
1.Producers, 2.Vineyard owners, 3.Bodegas, and
4. Tasters. Additionally, there are other secondary registries, among them is “Friends of Pisco,” which are entirely at the orders of anyone interested.
 
 The principal functions of the CR-DOPISCO are:
 
Guarantee the authenticity of Pisco for the consumer, by monitoring and controlling origin, production and quality of Pisco for its commercialization in both the national and international markets.

Generate a system of quality control including the necessary analytical an organoleptic exams.

Act with legal capacity in representation and in defense of the general interests of the DO-PISCO.

Keep track of annual Pisco production.

Pisco Process of Production
Harvest: When the Pisco grapes have reached their optimal maturity, in other words, when the adequate sugar concentration has been reached (which is measured and given in degrees Brix), the harvest or collection of grapes proceeds. The grapes are then transported to the bodega for weighing.

De-stemming and Crushing: Consists of separating the grapes from the individual stems and the stalk. The individual grapes are then crushed to free the juice or must.

Maceration: The grape must soaks along with the grape skins and seeds for a period of time (a few hours to much longer) before fermentation. This takes place as a way to extract the typical aromas from each Pisco grape.

Pressing: After the maceration and through the use of a press, the solids and the liquids are separated from the must, which is placed into a tank for the initial
fermentation stages.

Fermentation: Consists of the natural transformation of the grape sugars from the must into alcohol and carbon dioxide due to yeast. Next, the recently fermented must is taken to be distilled.

Distillation: One of the most important stages in the production of Pisco. It consists of heating the recently fermented must until its volatile components have evaporated and later, once cooled, are recovered in liquid form through condensation. This process takes place in a still or in a warm-wine still made from copper. In the latter, the distillation is direct and finishes at the alcoholic proof that the producer establishes.

Aging: The Pisco must age for at least three (3) months in a sterile tank in order for the organoleptic characteristics to really develop and allow for the positive evolution of all components. Before the Pisco is bottled, it is filtered as a way to eliminate impurities from the ceramic or glass storage tanks. Bodegas generally bottle Pisco at 42 proof.

Pisco, National Drink of Peru and Symbol of Identity and Peruvian Heritage

Pisco is the product obtained exclusively through the distillation of fresh “Pisco Grape” must, which has been recently fermented via methods that maintain the principal traditional qualities.

It is protected by the Denomination of Origin (DO-PISCO. Its production and commercialization are subject to the fulfillment of the Regulation of the DO-PISCO as of 14 February, 2011, and as administered by the Regulating Council of the Pisco Denomination of Origin.

For more information, visit our website at: www.consejoreguladordelpisco.pe

What is the Denomination of Origin?
The Denomination of Origin is understood as the name of a country, region or a specific place that is used to designate a product that is native to that place. This product’s qualities and characteristics are due exclusively and essentially from the geographical environment, which includes natural factors such as geography, climate, raw materials, etc. This also includes human factors such as history, tradition, labor, art, ingenuity, etc.

This description is of Pisco in Peru, such as Tequila in Mexico,Champagne and Cognac in France, Brandy from Sherry in Spain and many other Denominations of Origin around the world.

Departments or Pisco Zones.

Pisco Production Zones
The geographical zones as indicated by the regulation of the Denomination of Origin of Pisco are: The valleys along the coasts of the departments of Lima, Ica, Arequipa, Moquegua and the Valleys of Locumba, Sama and Caplina from the department of Tacna.

Coast:
Geographical area that extends along the Peruvian coastline, with elevation ranging from 0 and 2000 meters above sea level.

Pisco must present the following characteristics: 

View: Transparent, clear, clean and shiny

Nose: slightly alcoholic, should remind one of the grape used to make the Pisco. Able to identify mature or overly mature fruits, intense, very refined, with structure and balance, without any strange elements.

Mouth: Slightly alcoholic with a flavor that should remind one of the grape used to make the Pisco. It should be persistent, intense, very refined, velvety, with structure and balance, without any strange elements.

Varieties of Pisco Grapes
Pisco should be made exclusively using the so called “Pisco Grapes” cultivated in the recognized production zones. There are eight Pisco grapes, their species and cultivation zones are:

Pisco Grape            Species                 Cultivation Zone
Quebranta           Vitis vinifera L.     All Pisco Zones
Negra Criolla        Vitis vinífera L.     All Pisco Zones
Mollar                 Vitis vinifera L.     All Pisco Zones
Italia                  Vitis vinifera L.     All Pisco Zones
Moscatel             Vitis vinifera L.     All Pisco Zones
Albilla                 Vitis vinifera L.     All Pisco Zones
Torontel              Vitis vinifera L.     All Pisco Zones
Uvina                  Vitis aestivalis             *
                          M.-cinerea E.x
                          Vitis vinifera L.    

*Cultivation and production are limited only to the districts of Lunahuana, Pacaran and Zuñiga in the province of Cañete, in the department of Lima.

Regulatory Council of the Pisco Denomination of Origin
Av. Benavides 2426 of. 203 Miraflores Lima 18, Peru
Telefax: (511) 2664626
National Association of Pisco Producers
RUC: 20392665715
www.consejoreguladordelpisco.pe
mail@consejoreguladordelpisco.pe
Look for us in Facebook as: Consejo Regulador de la Denominación de Origen Pisco.

National Commission of Pisco: CONAPISCO
The Authority of Public-Private coordination that brings together producers, associations and instutions that promote the development of the Pisco production chain, which was constituted via the Supreme Decree Nº 014-2003-PRODUCE from May 28, 2003 and is presided over by the Vice Ministerial Office from the Micro and Small Businesses and Industry of the Ministry of Production.
www.conapisco.org.pe
 
Translated by Katrina Heimark

 

December 2013

In The land of Pisco... The tiny bottles of Pisco

Pisco / Peru more than 400 years of History & Tradition (1613-2013).

Something that surprises me about my city is that when one goes tothe liquor store, one can’t find tiny bottles of Pisco, or ”chatas” (Peruvian slang for “short”). There are these small bottles for rum! However, when asking the liquor store if there is demand for the small Pisco bottles, they tell me there is, that certain producers such as Quierolo, Vargas, De los Reyes, and others produce them, but their distribution is limited.

The Pisco “chata” costs no more than 5 to 7 soles, and allows us to differentiate between different qualities and types of Pisco. If these little bottles were designed to educate and inform, it would give access to those of us who think twice before buying a bottle that costs 19 soles or more. Every time I go to the store I see a bottle that is priced at 64 soles, and believe me, I always say: That sounds great! When I get enough money I’ll buy it. But year after year I still see the same bottle on the same shelf. I’m sure that I’m not the only one who would like to drink that Pisco!

When we talk about Pisco, we talk about a feeling of identity, of a Peruvian culture that brings something to the world. We should promote the consumption of Pisco, especially those sectors that are more economically limited.

I would like to offer my services of theater, puppets, miming to some Pisco company in exchange for their products. We will bring our spectacles to the Peruvian Community in Rio de Janeiro for Peruvian Independence Day in the II Metropolitan Encounter: The Mimes Live! Rio de Janeiro Lima July 2007. I would love to bring some of my Brazilian colleagues some Peruvian Pisco!

Cheers!

My proposal is up for grabs!

FERNANDO RAMOS GARCIA 
Experimental School for Mimes
tramos@terra.com.pe

Translated by Katrina Heimark

elpiscoesdelperu

In the land of Pisco... Pisco and Cusine "Suspiro a la limeña"

Pisco /Peru more than 400 years of History & Tradition (1613-2013).

A Little History...

Suspiro a la limeña

The “suspiro de limeña,” also known as the suspiro limeño or the suspiro a la limeña, is a traditional dessert of Peruvian cuisine that originates from the Peruvian capital of Lima. 

The origins of the dessert began in the middle of the 19th Century in the city of Lima, Peru; however, it has a clear Islamic influence. The first information that we have in regard to the production of the dessert is summarized in the “New American Dictionary of Cooking” from the year 1869, under the name of Manjar Real del Perú. 

The story of its production began with the wife of the poet José Gálvez Barrenechea, also known as Amparo Ayarez, who invented the recipe. The poet named the dessert “because it is smooth and sweet like the sigh of a woman,” therefore today it is known as the “sigh of the woman from Lima,” or suspiro de limeña.

It was presented as a thick cream made of milk, almonds and sugar; made of ingredients of Iberian and Arab origin.

Manjar blanco, as it is described above, was considered to be a medieval dish that the Spanish contributed to the rest of Europe. In France it was called mangier blanc," and in Italy "Blanc mangieri."In Peru there were two versions of menjar blanc: one with manjar blanco and chicken breast, with sugar and thickened with rice flour; and the other with manjar blanco without the chicken, and only with sugar and flour. From the second version is where the Suspiro de Limeña was born.
Another element of the Suspiro de Limeña is the meringue, a dessert also brought to Peru by the Spanish. In Spain a dessert known as “Suspiro” is made with a base of meringue. We can understand that the name of the Peruvian dessert derives from combining some creativity with the traditional “sigh” from Spain.

This dessert is consumed principally in the city of Lima, although other cities in Peru also consume it, as well as a few countries that border Peru. Over the past few years, due to the internationalization of Peruvian cuisine, the consumption of the dessert has extended to other countries around the world, especially where Peruvians have emigrated and opened restaurants.

Paper on the History of Wine and Cuisine at the Peruvian Sommelier School


The traditional recipe of this dessert, which serves approximately 6 to 8 people, is the following:


For the Meringue
1 cup or 200 grams of sugar
180 grams of egg whites
A few drops of aromatic Pisco (we recommend Torontel)
For the “manjar blanco”
1.5 cups of port

Decoration:
Put the milk in a pan with the cinnamon. Cook over low heat until a thick “manjar blanco” or dulce de leche is formed. If you do not have evaporated milk, you can make manjar blanco by substituting 3 cups of fresh milk and 2 ¼ cups of sugar.

Recipe Ingredients

Preparation

It is made with a base of manjar blanco (also known as menjar blanc or dulce de leche) which dates back to the medieval cultures. Manjar blanco came to Peru from Spain. 

Cinnamon

1 can of condensed milk (1 ¼ cup). Can substitute a can of evaporated milk with 150 grams of sugar

1 can or 1 ¾ cup of evaporated milk.

1 cinnamon stick

5 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

Let cool.

Add the egg yolks and the vanilla. Let cool slightly. Place into individual cups or a dessert mold.

Make syrup out of a cup of sugar and port, until it is in the thread stage

Beat the egg whites into peaks. Slowly add the syrup and make a meringue (same process as making an Italian meringue). Continue to beat until cool.

Decorate the cups with the meringue and sprinkle cinnamon on top.  

Translated by Katrina Heimark 

Pisco bilingual magazine

June 2011

In the land of Pisco... Pisco and Cuisine "Arroz Tapado"

Pisco / Peru more than 400 years of History & Tradition (1613-2013).

A little bit of history...
 
Chinese migration to Peru and the arrival of rice

 
The arrival of rice to Peru begins with contemporary history and the voluminous Chinese immigration, which began in 1849. The massive arrival of 90,000 Chinese immigrants until the year 1874 resulted in the concentration of a huge labor force. A large part of this work force was destined to work in the costal haciendas, where the immigrants were forced to work for 8 years. The Chinese also worked as servants in cities, especially in Lima, in the guano islands, and also in railroad construction.

On one hand, the Chinese needed rice for their daily diet, as well as a form of payment. The landowners were obligated to supply a daily, fixed amount of rice as part of payment for the work the Chinese did in their agricultural properties. Therefore, part of the obligations of the landowners was to make sure they had enough rice (and in large quantities) stocked. Obviously this daily requirement was something new for Peru, and the country began to commercialize this product, as well as the surge of commercial rice-importing houses. Before this point in time, Peru did not produce this grain.


Beginning in the 19th Century, the price of rice increased due to the demand to provide the grain as a daily food source for the Chinese. Therefore, the landowners were forced to plant rice in order to avoid conflicts with their workers.

“[…] Starting in the second half of the 19th Century, a new phrase began to resonate, in our country, preceding the rewarding act of eating: “Sec Fan,” which, due to its complex pronunciation would soon divert into Shic Fan, later Chi Fan, and later became and propagated as Chi Fa, which literally translates to “Come and eat rice!” As the years passed, some immigrants abandoned their agricultural work in order to move to some coastal cities. There they opened small--but innumerable--restaurants that little by little aroused the curiosity of the locals. In this type of restaurant, which later was called Chi Fa, a new type of cooking, and therefore, eating, was popularized […]” (http://www.generacion.com)

From the previous paragraphs, we can infer that rice began to expand and appear in restaurants dedicated to the preparation of meals with rice, which today is a side dish that is almost always served with Peruvian food. Therefore, it is a product of high national demand, whose production has increased over the years. However, this has occurred to the detriment of native Peruvian products such as the oca, mashua and kiwicha.

In conclusion, since rice first came to Peru, Peruvian cuisine has changed, creating meals that combine well with rice, since rice is today the principal ingredient of many Peruvian dishes and desserts.

(i) Cfr. Olivas 1996: 191 – 192
(ii) Cfr. Olivas 1996: 192
(iii) Cfr. Olivas 1996: 192 - 194

Bibliography:
OLIVAS, Rosario (1996) Cultura, Identidad y cocina en el Perú. Lima: Universidad de San Martin de Porres.

Generación (2010) (http://www.generaccion.com/secciones/gastronomia/articulos/?codarticulorevista=132) Website which contains information about “Chifa” restaurants in Peru. (Visited June 31, 2010)

http://servidoperonoconvido.blogspot.com/2010/06/la-llegada-del-arroz-con-las_02.html

“Arroz Tapado”
 
Ingredients
3 cups of cooked rice
½ kilo  of finely chopped beef
1 finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 teaspoon paprika or cayenne pepper
Oil
2 hardboiled eggs, chopped
50 grams of raisins
6 olives, chopped
1 tomato, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon of pepper
2 teaspoons of chopped parsley
Salt, to taste
Quebranta Pisco, for flavor

Preparation
Since the rice is already cooked, we will make the filling first. Heat oil in a frying pan, add the beef until it is browned, add the onion, garlic, the paprika or cayenne pepper, flambé with Pisco for added flavor. Add the tomato, and salt and pepper to taste. Once everything is cooked, remove from heat and add the raisins, the chopped hardboiled egg and olives. Stir well in order to mix with the sauce for the filling.

Presentation
Serve in individual molds. Before filling, line the mold with a little oil or water in order to easily remove the rice mixture. First fill with a layer of rice by pressing it into the mold. Then add the filling. Add another layer of rice (press it firmly in order to prevent it from falling apart). Place the mold on a plate, and remove. Decorate with chopped parsley.

 
Chef de Cuisine Johan Knell Lavaggi
 
Translated by Katrina Heimark
 
Pisco bilingual magazine

In the land of Pisco... Vine Zone

Pisco / Peru more than 400 years of History & Tradition (1613-2013).

Don’t miss this exclusive interview in “Vine Zone.” This month we have interviewed Mr. Alan Watkin, President of APPUNASCA (Pisco and Grape Producers of Nazca Association), an association beginning a viticulture project jointly with Citevid.

1. Good Morning, Mr. Watkin. We would like to know where exactly the association that you direct is located, and how long have you all been working on this viticulture project?

It is located in the province of Nazca, which includes the valleys of Pajonal, Taruga, Las Trancas, Ocongalla, Pirca and the sector of Molino Trigal, in the department of Ica. Work began on the project in November 2003.

2. As of today, how many associates do you have?

As of today we have eleven associates, of which ten are classified for the project.


3. Talk to us a little about the project. What grape varieties are you going to plant, or are already planted. How many hectares do you have?

The project has 119 hectares, distributed throughout the valleys I mentioned earlier, in parcels ranging from 7 hectares to 15 hectares maximum. We are going to plant the following varieties: quebranta, torontel and muscatel. The entire project is new; in other words, there will be new plants grafted onto stock from imported plants from the Mercier nursery in France. This will take place with Citevid as our facilitator of this Pisco grape production chain that is the first of its kind in Peru. COFIDE as a financial institution approved the project for an approximate amount of 3,000,000. US dollars, which will be invested in: vine arbor infrastructure, irrigation systems, civil works, agricultural supplies, saplings, wages. In other words, this amount will cover 100% of the crops and we’ll have a “returning” amount per season. Citevid will install an office in Nazca in order to direct the project, with technitions trained in viticulture and administrative personnel who will remain working on the project while it is running, which is estimated to be approximately 8 years.

4. Based on what you wrote to us by email, it sounds like the project is thinking about things other than planting—such as the construction of a corporate bodega. Could you tell us more?

It’s true, the original project focused on the production of Pisco, but as a productive chain we had to have an existing buyer. That is the reason that the idea of dividing the project into two periods: the first grape-producing with the sale of fresh grapes to bodegas, and the second, the construction of a corporate bodega with corporate brands. This would begin to be worked on once we begin to harvest and the project begins to produce its first income.

5. Wonderful. Is there anything else the you would like to add?

I would like to thank you for your kind invitation to participate in this interview, and tke advantage of the occasion to thank Citevid, especially their director Mr. Manuel Moron and the president of the directorate, Mr. Pedro Olaechea, our manager Mr. Enrique Suarez, Cofide for believing in our project, Mr. Atilio Munoz, representative and promoter of productive chains in the Ica region. Finally, I would like to invite you all to our province the first week of September to participate in our V Provincial Pisco Competition, so you can taste our product.

Sincerely,
Alan Watkin
President of APPUNASCA

Translated by Katrina Heimark
 
elpiscoesdelperu

In the land of Pisco... Pisco / Peru: The country you have never visited

Pisco / Peru more than 400 years of  History & Tradition (1613-2013).

Jauja, variation of the Quechua word “Huaca” which means…

Province of Jauja
Jauja, variation of the Quechua word Huaca which means peaceful,placid, quiet place. In the pre-Inca period it was the seat of the Xauxa-Huanca confederation and was the administrative capital of the city of Tunanmarca. In the Tahuantinsuyo period it stretched from Hatun Xauxa and part of Hurin Huanca, and in the period of the Conquest it was founded by Francisco Pizarro as the Capital of the New Castille on April 25, 1534. It was a settlement for Spaniards during the colonial period, and thanks to its location as a mythic place of riches, it was called the “Country of Jauja.”

Jauja is a typical colonial city with two storey buildings, wide doors, windows and balconies made of wood, and peaked-tiled roofs. The city is characterized by its religious festivals, colorful dances, beautiful natural landscapes, and by its excellent climate. In the 18th Century it was recommended to visit the city to cure oneself of respiratory problems; important people from international society and from distant places went to Jauja to be cured, which caused the construction of the Olavegoya hospital. A novel about these events, titled “The city of the Tisicos” was written by Abraham Valdelomar. The principal plaza of Jauja has a central fountain constructed of molded metal, with beautiful gardens surrounding it, two squares to the sides and under which public restrooms have been installed. In the front part of the plaza there is a monument to Don Andrés Avelino Cáceres, a bust in honor of Francisco Bolognesi, and a small statue that represents a farmwoman and her child.

In the surrounding area there is the Matriz Church, the Provincial Municipality, the INC, banks, colonial style houses, commercial establishments, and other buildings. The 1st Sunday of October is the celebration of the Patron Festival in honor of the Virgin de Rosario and Mamallanchic Chapetona.

Matriz Church of Jauja 
When he founded the city of Jauja on April 25, 1534, Pizarro assigned a place for the construction of a future church; which is today located in front of the principal plaza of the city. Its construction is monumental, with roman traits. Its main altar is beautifully and over-elaborately styled and dedicated to the Virgin de Rosario. The church also has a pulpit made of wood and side altars of different styles. The dome of the church is decorated with paintings on china. 

The towers were built in different eras, and in regards to the bells, the biggest is said to have been made in the Ocopa Convent with golden jewels of the highborn women of Jauja. Its pealing can be heard up to five leagues away. In the church there are also old Italian-made pipe organs. The celebration of the Patron Festival is the first Sunday of October. The church was remodeled in 1935, with a dome added to the nave and the side wings. The presbytery has three beautiful paintings from the 18th Century. 
Poor Christ Chapel “Capilla de Cristo Pobre”

The Capilla de Cristo Pobre was ordered to be built by the French priest Luis Grandin sometime between the years 1920 and 1928, and was the first chapel built with noble material in the city of Jauja. Its exterior is a smaller scale replica of the famous gothic style cathedral: the Notre Dame of Paris. One can observe just one nave, the altar, the pulpit and the confessional are all made of artistically carved wood. The church is decorated with paintings brought from France that represent the Stations of the Cross. The altar is dedicated to the Virgin of the Miracles. It has two towers and each one of them has six points; together they represent the 12 apostles. At the center of the church there is a statue of Jesus. 
Private Museum: El Caminante

The Private Museum El Caminante belongs to Professor Enoch Loayza Espejo, member of the Julio Espejo Núñez Cultural Circle. Inside the museum there are various exhibits of plant and animal fossils, above all marine species that are native from this valley, such as trilobites, gastropods, amontes and a fossilized fish and a quinual. There are also ancient and valuable ceramic pieces such as pitchers, vases, mortar and pestles, and a figure which some studies indicate is the predecessor of the Huacon. The museum has been open for about 10 years, and is permanently attended to by the owner. 

Virgen del Rosario 
A statue made of concrete between the years 1991 and 1992, it represents the Virgen del Rosario, the patron saint of Jauja. It is at the entrance of Xauxa as you face the valley. It is 6 meters tall, approximately. The statue is placed on a circular pedestal, which one can climb to via concrete stairs. There are concrete benches in a semi-circular form. The district of Sausa or Xauxa, where the monument is located, is very important in the history of the Mantaro Valley. That is where the Xauxa archeological site is found, and important cultural point for the valley and was an Incan Administrative Center. The Xauxa Church has not been modified and maintains it original construction of adobe. It also has paintings in the interior that belonged to the Cuzqueña school of art. 

Laguna de Paca
The Laguna de Paca (Paca Lagoon) is located in the natural Quechua region, and is about 6km2. It is flanked by the Eastern Cordillera, which when seen from the other side of the lagoon seems to be the figure of a man lying down. The locals call it the “Sleeping Indian.” 
Inside the lagoon there are floating reed islands, the biggest of which is called the “island of love.” The lagoon’s chrystal clear waters have a temperature of 12°C and the lagoon is some 22 meters deep. It is surrounded by the districts of Paca, Pancán and Chunán. 

Among the plant species there are eucalyptus trees, willows and cypress trees. As for natural vegetation there is the reed used to make the floating islands, grasses and one can observe the raising of sheep and cattle. The species that represent the local fauna are gulls, kingfisher, gadwall ducks, herons, paca (a small black bird that hides in the reeds), huachuas and others. The principal economic activities that take place around the lake are agricultural activities as well as touristic services, such as restaurants, hostels, and boat rides. 

Tunanmarca or Siquillapucara Archeological Site 
Tunanmarca means “town on top of the mountain” and comes from two quechua words: Tunan = top of the mountain and Marca = town. It is also known as Siquillapucara, which means the Siquilla Fortress. 

Sometime between the years 600-1000 AD the Wari invaded the aerea followed by the Yaru in the year 1100. Due to this, the Wanka--Xauxas became organized militarily and built houses on the tops of the mountains. Between 1000 and 1500 AD they were besieged by the Incas and succumbed to their power. 

The remains are protected by three walls. They are 2000 meters long and approximately 400 meters wide. More than 3000 houses made of stone and mud have been counted, the majority of them in a circular form. They are on average, 3 meters wide and 2 meters tall, which implies some 12,000 to 15,000 inhabitants. It was not a place of permanent residency. There are four types of buildings: common, religious, military and nobility. There are avenues that enter from the West and the East to the principal plaza which is surrounded by walls. The streets are small hallways that if one were to follow them, one would get lost, or in some cases be led to a dead end. 

Thermal Baths of Acaya 
Acaya, a Quechua word that means “Metal Glass” is a small human settlement located in the Quechua region (bordering Suni) where there is a warm-water spring that is contiguous to the Mantaro River. The spring contains sulfur, chlorine, carbonate and other minerals. The water has a temperature of 34°C.

The thermal baths consist of two installations; one of them in the open air (12 meters long by 5 meters wide), which is the place where the water rises from the ground. It is conditioned to be like a pool, but is currently not maintained. 

Some 200 meters away there is a second construction that has two closed and roofed rooms. Inside there are two private pools (one in each room) and each room is about 3.5m by 3.5m. The waters are brought in channels to these pools. 


Translated by Katrina Heimark


Pisco bilingual magazine 

In the land of Pisco... Pisco in San Francisco

Pisco / Peru more than 400 years of History & Tradition (1613-2013).

The Lost Bank Exchange Painting

By Guillermo Toro-Lira

The Bank Exchange and Billiard Saloon of San Francisco, California, the place where the Pisco Punch was created, was cofounded in 1853 by John Meiggs, brother of Enrique, shortly before both brothers emigrated to South America in order to contribute to the history of Peruvian railways, as well as that of other countries.

A few years later, the saloon passed into the hands of George Parker, an art connoisseur. He adorned the walls with oil paintings imported from Europe. Among these paintings there was a large one, of Sampson and Delilah, which later became an icon of the establishment.

During that period of time, the Bank Exchange was the meeting space for the most powerful people of the city. In fact, its name was derived from the fact that the first transactions of the stock exchange took place there. The Exchange raised the spirits of its patrons with a large amount of available drinks, among them Pisco (Figures 1, 2 and 3).

One of the regular visitors was a young reporter named Samuel Clemens, who would later change his name to Mark Twain and would become one of the most famous American writers (figure 4). Twain wrote an article for a newspaper where he sarcastically described the scene of the painting.

In 1876, the Saloon changed owners and the painting was sold. One of the devoted regular visitors purchased it (future senator Milton S. Latham) for the amount of $10,500, a considerable amount for this time period.

The history ended there, until this author found another clue in an article published in 1889 where it was indicated that the painting had passed into the hands of a man named Haquette, who hung it at his locale on Kearney Street (Figure 5).

Everything signaled that the painting had been destroyed during the fierce fire of 1906, since this street was totally destroyed. However, fortunately it was discovered that the painting was donated prior to the fire to a museum outside of the disaster zone.

After many inquiries, it was discovered that the museum sold the painting to an anonymous private collector, but not before a photo reproduction was taken, which we are proud to publish here for the first time (Figure 6). There is nothing better than to analyze the picture as Mark Twain did in his 1864 article, perhaps with a glass of good Pisco in his hand. Cheers!


You take a stranger into the Bank Exchange and show him the magnificent picture of Samson and Delilah, and what is the first object he notices? – Samson's fine face and flaming eye? or the noble beauty of his form? or the lovely, half-nude Delilah? Or the muscular Philistine behind Samson, who is furtively admiring her charms? Or the perfectly counterfeited folds of the rich drapery below her knees? Or the symmetry and truth to the nature of Samson's left foot?  No, sir, the first thing that catches his eye is the scissors on the floor at Delilah's feet, and the first thing he says: "Them scissors is too modern – there warn't no scissors like that in them days, by a d--d sight!"

 
Translated by Katrina Heimark
 

Pisco bilingual magazine

En the land of Pisco... The Negra Criolla or Negra Corriente Grape

Pisco / Peru more than 400 years of History & Tradition (1613-2013).

This grape is a non-aromatic variety from the Moquegua and Tacna valleys. It is possibly the oldest of the varieties brought to Peru by the Spanish. It has berries that range from tones of red-violet to red-blue, irregularly colored, round, of a medium size, in cone shape clusters and produces abundant fruit. The grape produces Piscos that are very pleasant and structured in the mouth, with enjoyable and well constituted flavors, with a very good persistence. In the nose the grape evokes light aromas of green, and recently cut grass.

Variety: Variedad: Negra Criolla
Origin: South Canary Islands of Spain
Other Names: Criolla Chica (Argentina), Mission (USA)
Principal Use: Pisco, Red Wine
Strength of the Plant: Good
Clusters: Cone-shaped, large size, long and loose
Berries: Sphere-shaped, flattened, medium sized Color: reddish-purple or black
Harvest: March
Zone: Most prevalent in Moquegua and Tacna

Tasting: Fresh herbs, apple, pear, honey, raisons, cocoa, caramel, in mouth
Pleasant Pisco, with good persistence, and well structured.

Pisco bilingual magazine 

In the land of Pisco... Pisco Gatherings "Picasso de Juerga"

Pisco / Peru more than 400 years of History & Tradition (1613-2013).

We would like to thank Mr. Carlos Barriga for sending us this article about Mujica Gallo’s recollection of a cheerful reunion with Pablo Picasso.

The Flamenco party had begun during broad daylight, early, under the pretext of a lunch under the warm Nice sun, like the gold colored Guadalquivir River passing through the middle of the Seville Fair. It was only that there, on the Costa Azul, no one
smelled the perfume of oranges, nor did they enjoy the flowerpots filled with geraniums, nor the patios filled with white jasmine, nor did they see the bull and the light of the arena.

But there on the sunny coast of France, the figure of Picasso is alive, the eternal lad that makes everything Spanish and young again. There he is, smiling as he follows the gypsy rhythms of the cañas, the ay-yay-yayes and the clapping. The flamenco
ambiance transports Nice to Andalucia. We could perceive from the beautiful French coast the enchantment of the Santa Cruz barrio and the grace of La Giralda.

The fact is that now, there, in front of Picasso, Antonio Gades is dancing, that this, which is already something, isn’t everything. While “La Polaca” a Spanish woman from Madrid without a drop of “cale” blood swirls her dotted train with passion and gypsy grace, creating a trance, Rafael Alberti drops his andalusian compliments and majestically strums “mar y tierra” in front  of the couple.  
Then Luis Miguel “Dominguín” stands up as if he were in the plaza and claps. In the oles there is a nostalgia for the arena which held the bullfight in othertimes.

Picasso has recently been operated on. He can’t taste the sherry nor the wine nor the Malaga. He isn’t even looking nor does he need to. Picasso is witty and cheerful like a young man who has just started to live. I hand him a bottle of Pisco which he smell appreciatively.

Everyone drinks directly from the bottle, except for him. His alert, smiling look centers on the brand “Picasso” of this bottle of  Pisco which contains the most Peruvian of all liquors, the healthiest and the one most internationally reknown.


The painter then discovers the happy coincidence of the names and I told him that the success of the brand is due to the popularity of his name.

Under his brown hat, slightly askew, his expressive face becomes truly youthful. A gray coat over a green jersey, the checkered pants and the sporty shoes, the same color as the hat, help, without a doubt, make Picasso seem more jovial, make his happy image
more graceful, without a trace of affectation. Picasso is pure simplicity.


The bottles of sherry, of Malaga and red wine--I think the red wine is from Cataluña—disappear with shocking ease. There are signs of fatigue on the faces. The party ends when the light of the sun disappears over the horizon. Picasso says good
bye. The endless lunch seemed to reach its end, and here I have unexpectedly revived it.


But the party starts anew with the warm atmosphere and the aroma of the Peruvian Pisco. Luis Miguel and Picasso synchronize their hand-clapping with Antonio Gades and La Polaca’s dancing and Rafael Alberti’s humming.

The last bottle of Pisco is passed on from hand to hand. Pisco isn’t bitter, nor is it sweet, but it slides down the throat smoothly. Picasso is especially interested in the destination of the Pisco Picasso. He measures the contents and caresses the bottle: he makes it his own.

I now associate this gypsy party to those unforgettable “Traditions of Don Ricardo Palma,” so praised by Unamuno. Palma, with his Lima-ease-of-expression, claims that food flavoured with a mix of Cataluña red wine, sherry and Malaga, accompanied by
good Pisco, “the troublesome” Peruvian firewater, necessitates the immediacy of dance; something that we in Peru call “jarana” and in Spain they call “juerga,” And there we were, in Nice, applying the recipe of the great Peruvian writer.

But in fact now not only the day had become night, but the night was becoming morning. We watch the moon shine while Picasso, in light of the question about the state of his health after such a lively gathering, dramatically unbuttons those black and white checkered pants in order to show us his scar. Picasso then shows the same viril and arrogant stance of a matador showing his livid scars.

I ask him then if he hadn’t at one time in his childhood, dreamed of becoming a bullfigthter. The answer was clear enough: “I have not thought of anything else,” he told me “except being a painter.” “But since you were a child,” I add. And with a sort of melancholy he continues to talk, gazing at me, “I am surely the only child in the world that did not ride a bicycle in order to have fun; I was always absorbed by the urgency of my brushes. It was the need to pain, which was so vital for me,” he said, “like breathing and eating,” he added, complaining that Jacqueline, due to medical recommendations, would not let him touch nor grab a pencil.


While Nice still  swarned with people on their terraces and Picasso now rested in his bed after  the lengthy lunch and its night, the friends, Luis Miguel among them, started running around frantically, looking for the empty bottle with Picasso’s name on it which he had urged to rescue: “That will be for me”, he said “an unforgettable reminder of this day, and I will always enjoy seeing my name on the bottle.”

Manuel Mujica Gallo, Madrid 1969

Pisco  bilingual magazine

Translated by Katrina Heimark

In the land of Pisco... The Invader who arrived from America

 Pisco / Peru more than 400 years of History & Tradition (1613-2013)

We were visiting one of the vineyards in Southern Peru and conversing with Engineer Edwin Landeo. He motioned towards one of the vines, and showed us a leaf that was totally doubled over, and its top face was full of small yellow lumps. It was then that the conversation turned to the Phylloxera and the Great Plague of the 19th Century.

It is known that during the second half of the 19th Century, under the commercial exchange that took place over the sea, plagues that attacked the vines of Europe were also transported from the new world. Three of them had American origin, and against which the vitis europea was not prepared. These plagues caused great damages until remedies were found to counteract them, which was done with large economic sacrifices, and for the first time, with the invaluable help of science.

Two of the plagues above mentioned were caused by fungus, and the third, the Phylloxera, is borne by an insect, a parasite of the vitis Americana, which lives within the plant without damaging it. But when it was transferred to the vitis europea it strangled the plants’ roots and caused the inexorable death of the plant.


The Phylloxera, Daktulosphaira vitifoliae (Fitch, 1854), is considered to be the most global, devastating and decisive plague of the world viticulture history. The fact is that no event, plague, or sickness, spread as fast and caused as much change to the centers of grape production as the arrival of this insect to Europe did at the end of the 19th Century.

Although there are some natural conditions that slow the spread (dry environments and sandy soils), in the rest of the cases there is no natural chemical treatment against this plague. The only solution was to substitute European bases for American ones. More than 5 million hectares of vineyards had to be pulled up throughout Europe from 1870 to 1930.

The production of wine suffered large ups and downs; the scarcity in determined periods increased the price of wine to values that had never been reached before. The international wine market reached volumes never before seen; the areas of vineyards experienced huge changes. At the end of the process, the fight against the plagues and the surmounting of the crisis brought about great scientific advances and a modernization of the sector, up to the point that viticulture in the 20th Century really was a “new viticulture.”

By Gladys Romaní*

Translated by Katrina Heimark

*Sommelier, Specialist and Pisco Taster
 

Pisco bilingual magazine

In the land of Pisco... Letters to the Editor

Pisco / Peru more than 400 years of History & Tradition (1613-2013).

Translate by Katrina Heimark

1.-Sirs at Elpiscoesdelperu:
We would like to know how to import Pisco and Peruvian wine to the United States. We live in the State of Virginia.
Sincerely
Lucio Dueñas
Tel: 703-825-1681
lurosemaduenas@aol.com

2.- Hi! I’ve just finished writing a book on Pisco titled “Pisco in its birthplace” (Pisco en su cuna in Spanish). I would like to advertize it on your website.
Luis Felipe Hernández
anael200077@hotmail.com

3.-This letter is to send you my greetings and at the same time ask how I can offer my products to various companies in the wine sector.
Sincerely,
Comercial Era
Luis C. Díaz Espinoza
eracomercial@yahoo.com

4.-Congratulations on your effort of spreading the word about Pisco. Where is your office in Lima so I can purchase copies of your magazine?
Ing. Julio Cesar Pizzali Graus
Julio_pizzali@hotmail.com


5.- Good afternoon. My name is Walter, I’ve tried to contact you from Ayacucho. I’m writing to request information about companies that provide equipment for the production of wines and Pisco. I ask because in the city of Ayacucho, the Universidad Nacional de San Cristobal de Huamanga and the Department of Agricultural Sciences, which has had for several decades a vineyard and systems for the production of wine which are in very primitive conditions, would like to improve their equipment, machinery and materials in order to optimize their operation. I ask you to please give me the contact information of these companies and suppliers of vine seedlings for the following varieties:
-Common black grape
-Moscatel
-White Italia
-Cobertel
-Merlot

We are thinking of planting a minimum of 20 hectares for a vineyard.
We also need:

Five stainless steel fermentation chambers, 05 M³
20 250 liter pipes
Transfer pump
Other equipment that may be necessary for the production process.
At the moment I can’t think of other materials that would be necessary, as I am not a specialist in this area, so I ask you for your help in this matter.
Sincerely,
Walter F. Huayllaccahua Velásquez
huayllave@hotmail.com

6.-Hi! I’m from Ica and I live in Los Angeles, USA and I love a good Pisco!
Gustavo Cabrera
g.cabrera@sbcglobal.net 
 
7.- Sirs. I would like to know if in Lima there are 20 liter barrels of good quality Pisco, and if you could give me an address. Or will I have to travel to Chincha or Pisco to get them?
Sincerely,
Pablo Fernández Sánchez
pablofernan75@hotmail.com

8.- Hi! You’re effort is very important to me, and I would love to learn more about Pisco!
Regards,
Marisol
luana_1123@hotmail.com

9.-I’m interested in subscribing to the free e-magazine. I enjoy the way it is presented. I am convinced that Peruvians should become united in the campaign to publicize the qualities and benefits of our Pisco! I reside in Barcelona, and just recently Pisco has become available through a few importers, but there are no publicity campaigns for Peruvian Pisco. I would like to work on this, and hope you can contact me.
Regards,
Elsa
eagle2011c@yahoo.es

10.-Good morning. We are pleased to contact you and present our company FONDO DE PROMOCIÓN DEL PISCO S.A.C. - FONPROPISCO, made up of Peruvian capital, which was born out of the mission to give every Peruvian a “Pisco-loving heart.” We hope to one day be an institution that serves the Pisco producing sector of Peru, where producers can find quick and dynamic solutions to their needs, and achieve continual growth.

The idea for this company arose out of the experience we have had during more than 20 years of Pisco commercialization, especially in exports to important markets such as that of the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Chile, France, Switzerland, Germany, Norway, and New Zealand, to name a few. We are the pioneers in the South Korean market, which we are recently entering.
During this long period of time, we have been able to note the complete abandonment of some 80% of Pisco producers, which are excluded from our governmental support programs. We are saddened by this, as Pisco is a national product, which represents our tradition, and culture, and has a guarantee of origin.
We invite you to visit our newly inaugurated website, www.fonpropisco.com.pe We hope to count on your support, and perhaps a few lines that could be dedicated to the coverage of such an important project.
Julie Escudero Asin
www.fonpropisco.com.pe

11.-Sirs at El Pisco es del Perú
I would like to know how things are developing in regards to the “grape firewater” in the northern region of Peru, as it cannot be called Pisco due to the fact that the area does not have a respective Certificate of Origin. Thank you.
Luis León
siulnoel40@hotmail.com

12.-Mr. Livio Pastorino, thank you for your quick response. I am unable to subscribe to your website; it must be the way my computer is programmed. Would you be so kind as to register my subscription please? Also, do you know with whom I need to speak in the Peruvian Embassy in Madrid in order to begin activities that would promote Pisco?
Thank you,
Elsa Merino.
eagle2011c@yahoo.es

13.-Hi, I would like to get more information about Pisco that I cannot find in other areas. History professor Alejandro Málaga recommended that I contact you.
Thank you
Verónica
betty15_155@hotmail.com

14.-Hello. I believe that it is very important that people know the true origin of Pisco.
Regards
Said
lelis_sasa@hotmail.com

15.-Hi Livio, congratulations on the initiative. I am a producer of Pisco Chacra Maestra in Ica. I would like to meet you sometime soon! Hugs!
Carlos Olaechea
marketing@chacramaestra.com

16.-Hello, this is a very interesting website.
Regards,
Cristel

17.-Hi! I don’t want to generate a controversy, and even less so a byzantine fight against those who ignore the right to be the only ones who can use the Guarantee of Origin (“denominacion de origen”). However, the title of this website is wrong: Pisco is from Peru…certainly I must say that the enemy is not Chile, even in their audacious use of the guarantee of origin. I must say that the enemy of a Peruvian is another Peruvian. We poke each other’s eyes out, we marginalize one another, and we are even disparaging with our own countrymen.
Ancash, specifically the district of Moro, has been a Pisco producer since the beginning of colonization, and currently we are the regional capital of Pisco.
Pisco is from the SOUTH…and not only the southern producers of our country, but also those of our neighboring country. They are one and the same. It is outrageous that those who marginalize us do so without allowing us to defend ourselves and are exceptionally strict. They are famous for their “Adam’s Complex” and far from being nationalistic are super regionalistic.
Moro is about 2 hours away from Chimbote in the Nepeña River Valley. Visit our lands, see and spread the word about our Pisco, which modestly competes with southern Pisco, and even more so with what is produced in Chile.
Regards,
Manuel A. Gayoso Castillo
xcibernauta@gmail.com

18.-When it was not the custom for a lot of people to drink Pisco, ever since I was a teenager I learned to drink it with my grandfather and uncles. I taught my friends to drink Chilcanos, and they always said I prepared them well. This magazine has allowed me to get to know the experts a little more as well as more about the Pisco culture.
Regards,
Alberto Peña Neumann
penaneumannalberto@gmail.com

19.-Congratulations on a very interesting magazine. In March I formed ZACOS, an importing business and promoter of Peruvian products. I am Peruvian and I have been living in Sydney, Australia since 1992. I ask that you send me links or contacts that are related to the export of Pisco. The Australian market does not yet know about our Pisco. Unfortunately the Pisco that is served here is Chilean. As a Peruvian, I feel the obligation to promote our Peruvian products. Please let me know if you can send me information.
Regards,
Roberto Zegarra.
roberto@zacos.com.au

20.-It is very unfortunate that despite the fact that I am Peruvian and I celebrate important days such as the Day of Pisco, the Day of the Pisco Sour and other festive national dates, I am living here in the Russian Federation without Pisco.
What’s going on friends!? Don’t fall asleep on me!
Here in the Russian Federation, since about the month of April 2011, once again, and I repeat, once again, Chilean firewaters such as those of Capel, Bauza and Aba are being promoted via consumption, sales and advertising, as Pisco.
What’s going on friends!? I’m all alone here in Russia, and I’m trying to find someone in Peru to listen to me, so we can begin to sell our Pisco here. But I would also like to register it here in Russia before importing Pisco; register it with the name of Pisco in the brand and patent registries of the Russian Federation, and do so before the Chileans do it with their products! Otherwise, we will have yet another regret. At least as of April 2010, I knew that the name of Pisco was not registered in the patent office of the Russian Federation, but the word “Capel” was registered.
Pay attention friends! I repeat that I have been waiting for more than a year for someone to listen to me, and so far, no one has answered my call…what a shame!
Many Russian companies that import alcoholic beverages have told me, even without trying or seeing the true Pisco which only comes from Peru, that they cannot differentiate between the quality or even compare it to the Chilean product, under the brand name of Capel.
I hope someone hears my plea!
Wilder Gómez Ramos
villy-jamwildergomez@yandex.ru .

P.S. If you would like to call me, here is the information.
7 is the country code. 812 is the city code, and my cell phone is 953 3494773; the other phone number I use is 906 2502983. You can call me any time, but I prefer between 12pm and 3pm, Lima time, which is between 9pm and midnight here.

Write to us! At: editores@elpiscoesdelperu.com