7 Things You Need To Know About Peruvian Wine

You’ve definitely heard about pisco or a pisco sour, Peru’s most popular spirit and drink, but did you know Peru also has a growing wine industry? To some this may come as a surprise, but Peru has been growing wine for centuries and it is a source of national pride. Here’s what you need to know before enjoying your first glass in Peru.

It has a sweet taste

One thing to know before drinking your first glass of Peruvian wine is that you shouldn’t exactly expect the flavor of wine you’re used to, which isn’t to say that you won’t find a wine you love. Most Peruvian wines taste very sweet, which catches most drinkers off guard if they’re expecting a specific taste. Just expect the unexpected and go in with an open mind because what you’ll taste is unlike anything you’ve ever tried before.

Peruvians love it

While pisco is beloved by all Peruvians and is a source of national pride, locals still love their wine. Peruvian wines have had an uphill battle in fighting to erase perceptions that their wine is only good for a cheap buzz. Those days are no more and today, their wine is beloved more than ever—don’t insult it if you don’t happen to like the flavor!

Ica is the place to be

As any Peruvian will tell you, Ica is the place where you want to try wine. It is the capital of wine growing in Peru and where you’ll find the vineyards producing the best wine. Ica also makes for a great vacation spot: its giant sand dunes and harsh climate are out-of-this-world and, paired with wine, will make for the most unique drinking experience in the world. Ride some dune buggies in the desert or hang out by a pool at one of the winery resorts.

Dates back to the conquest

Peruvian wine dates all the way back to the arrival of the Spanish on the shores of Peru, who couldn’t live without their grapes and wine production. Since then, wine production has had a continuous presence in Peru; only now is it being taken more seriously.

Just starting to emerge on the world stage

As Peru begins to enjoy an uptick in the production and quality of its wine, the country is also growing on the world’s wine stage. Each year, more and more wine is being exported to other countries, growing the Peruvian taste for wine.

Grown in a desert

One thing you should keep in mind when trying you first glass of Peruvian wine is where it comes from. The harsh desert climate of Ica is unlike that of any other wine region in the world: sand dunes reign supreme, which is not exactly what comes to mind when you think of an ideal wine-producing climate. It is due to these unique conditions that Peruvian wines have a distinct sweet flavor. Historically, the desert climate has been more conducive to producing pisco, which is Peru’s drink of choice.

South America’s first vineyard

When the Spanish arrived in Peru, they brought grapes with them, making Peru the first country in South America to have a vineyard. Though the country hasn’t cultivated their wine industry as quickly as other South American countries (like Chile or Argentina), Peru’s wine stock is on the rise.