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October 14, 2023 In PiscoLogía

Piscología’s Select Bottlings: Celebrating the Diversity of Pisco from Peru

At Pisco Logía, our journey into the world of pisco has always been about more than just crafting a fine spirit. It’s about preserving tradition, embracing authenticity, and supporting small-scale producers who share our values of quality and sustainability. In Peru, the birthplace of pisco, there are over 500 certified pisco producers, but many face challenges when it comes to exporting their products or even finding their place in a saturated local market. Per capita consumption of pisco in Peru is relatively low, making it essential to explore new avenues for showcasing the diversity of this remarkable spirit.

To address these challenges and shine a light on the incredible variety of flavors that Peruvian pisco has to offer, we are proud to introduce our latest endeavor: Pisco Logía “Select Bottlings.” These exceptional products are a testament to the craftsmanship of other grower-producers who share our commitment to quality and authenticity.

Our first “Select Bottlings” release takes us on a journey that’s close to home. We are delighted to introduce our neighbor and dear friend, Alfredo Paino, who resides in Azpitia. Alfredo primarily cultivates Italia grapes and transforms them into exquisite piscos.

Puro de Italia 2021 – The Yellow Label: This exceptional pisco showcases the true essence of Italia grapes, meticulously crafted by Alfredo Paino at his vineyard and bodega. It’s a pure expression of the Italian grape variety, capturing the very spirit of the terroir.

No. 1 – A Blend of 70% Italia and 30% Quebranta 2022 – The Green Label: This blend is a harmonious marriage of Italia and Quebranta grapes, resulting in a pisco that beautifully combines the elegance of Italia with the robust character of Quebranta.

No. 2 – A Blend of 70% Italia and 30% Mollar 2022 – The Green Label: In this blend, Alfredo showcases his skill by marrying the luscious flavors of Italia with the unique character of Mollar grapes, creating a truly distinctive pisco.

These Pisco Logía “Select Bottlings” are more than just exquisite spirits; they are a celebration of the rich diversity found in Peruvian pisco. Each bottle tells a unique story of craftsmanship, terroir, and dedication. By supporting these small-scale producers who share our values, we aim to preserve the traditions that make pisco from Peru so exceptional.

Stay tuned for more exciting releases as we continue to explore the vibrant world of pisco, one “Select Bottling” at a time.

October 10, 2020 In PiscoLogía

All the Peruvian Pisco Grapes- Quebranta, Italia and 6 Others

The 4 aromatic pisco grapes are Albilla, Torontel, Italia and Moscatel. The 4 non-aromatic grapes are Quebranta, Uvina, Mollar and Negra Criolla. But before we explore each variety, first let’s talk about the 2 categories of pisco grapes: aromatic and non-aromatic. While the latter categorization might imply that some piscos lack aromas, it should be clarified that all varieties of Peruvian pisco have very expressive aromas. This often creates confusion for people not familiar with Peruvian pisco. They understandably expect a “non-aromatic” pisco to not have any aromas.

All the Peruvian pisco grapes have highly aromatic qualities because of production methods required by the Denomination of Origin in Peru. First, the single distillation method helps bring out the unique aromatic profile of each grape variety. Then, resting in neutral casks enhances aromas while preserving the pisco’s original identity. This is different than spirits that age in barrels whose flavors and aromas are altered by wood. Please watch the video below for more information.

July 3, 2019 In PiscoLogía

Myth#4- Quebranta is the best pisco for a pisco sour

This is the 4th post of a series of mythbusters to clarify misconceptions about Peruvian pisco.

We think Acholado is the best pisco for a pisco sour.

Contrary to the belief in Peru that pisco sours should be made with Quebranta pisco, we prefer a sour made with pisco Acholado. It’s even better when the Acholado is blended with an aromatic grape like Italia. The floral, fruity notes of the aromatic variety pair well with the citrus in the cocktail.

In a recent blog post we discussed the benefits of highlighting the characteristics of each pisco type when mixing cocktails. To do this, Kami envisions the 8 pisco varieties on a spectrum, drawing a parallel between their flavors and their sense of warmth. To her, the more aromatic the pisco, the cooler it is: “I love an Acholado or one of the aromatics for a pisco sour. I tend to think of Quebranta as warm, while Italia and Torontel are cool. I like my cool/floral/bright piscos with citrus and the “warm” Quebranta on its own or mixed into a Capitán or another booze-forward classic like a Negroni”.

With this advice from Kami, we encourage you to experiment by making pisco sours with different types of pisco. We are confident that you will agree- the floral, fruity notes of an Acholado work best with the sweetness and acidity of Peru’s most iconic cocktail.

May 21, 2019 In PiscoLogía

Learn About All the Peruvian Pisco Grapes

In Peru, the eight grapes used in pisco production are separated into 2 categories: aromatic and non-aromatic. While the latter categorization might imply that some piscos lack aromas, we would like to clarify that all varieties of Peruvian pisco are highly aromatic. This is due to the production methods required by the Denomination of Origin in Peru. First, Peruvian pisco is distilled one time, which helps bring out the unique aromatic profile of each grape variety. Then it is aged in neutral casks, which enhances the aromas while preserving the original identity of the clear spirit.

In this post, we will list the flavors and aromas of each grape variety used in the production of Peruvian pisco: Quebranta, Negra Criolla, Uvina & Mollar (non-aromatic) and Italia, Torontel, Moscatel, and Albilla (aromatic).

Note: These are general tasting notes, as every pisco is different, depending on the region, the terroir of the vineyards and the methods of the distiller.

Quebranta

Origin: The Quebranta grape is a cross between Negra Criolla and Mollar grapes. It is the most common grape used in pisco production in Peru.

Pisco aromas: Banana, hay, lucuma, passionfruit, raisins, orange peel, dried grass & chocolate

Pisco flavors: Apple, hay, vanilla, peach, citrus, syrup, pecans, almonds

Negra criolla

Origin: Spain. AKA Listan Prieto. It’s a cross between Muscat of Alexandria and another unknown vitis vinifera.

Pisco aromas: Dried grass, apples, peaches, honey & chocolate

Pisco flavors: Spices, raisins, cocoa & caramel

Uvina

Origin: Rootstock from the USA or France (possibly Summer grape or Winter grape) and another unknown vitis vinifera. It is similar to Quebranta, but Uvina is known for its green olive nuances.

Pisco aromas: Green olives, mango & banana

Pisco flavors: Green olives, berries & mango

Mollar

Origin: Andalucia, Spain. AKA Mollar Cano, Mollar de Cádiz, Mollar de Granada & Mollar de Huelva. It is very similar to the Quebranta grape.

Pisco aromas: Honey, floral, apple & banana

Pisco flavors: Pear, apple, almond & banana

Italia

acholado, quebranta, types of pisco, singani, chilean pisco

Origin: A cross between Muscat of Hamburg and Bican grapes. It was created in Italy in 1911 by Luigi and Alberto Pirovano.

Pisco aromas: Tropical fruit, mango, pineapple, peach, jasmine & rose petals

Pisco flavors: Lime, mandarin, flowers, orange blossom & tropical fruit

Torontel

Origin: Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains. AKA Torrontés.

Pisco aromas: Flowers such as geranium, jasmine and magnolia, citrus, orange blossom & tropical fruit

Pisco flavors: Citrus, honey, tropical fruit & toffee

Moscatel

Origin: There is dispute about the origins of Peruvian Moscatel grapes. One theory is that it comes from the Muscat Rose à Petits Grains grape (Jiménez). This muscat grape is not to be confused with Italia, even though they are from the same family.

Pisco aromas: Vanilla, chestnuts, jasmine & mandarin

Pisco flavors: Peach, apple, flowers, cinnamon and spicy pepper

Albilla

Origin: Spain. AKA Albillo Real

Pisco aromas: Lime, lemongrass, peach, apple, vanilla & cinnamon

Pisco flavors: Honey, peach, pineapple & apple

Sources:

“Italia (Grape).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 7 May 2015, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italia_(grape).

Jiménez, Jorge. “Uvas Moscateles En El Pisco .” Excella by Andrea Bruno, https://www.excella-andreabruno.com/articulo.php?articulo=43.

“Noches De Cata Con Pisco ‘Cata Descriptiva’ .” El Pisco Es Del Perú, Feb. 2012, elpiscoesdelperu.com/web/boletin.php?ver=detnot&id=143&idboletin=101&idC=zoyeca@yahoo.com.

Vera, Nico. “Genealogy of Pisco Grape Varietals.” Pisco Trail, 2018, www.piscotrail.com/.

April 16, 2019 In PiscoLogía

Understanding Peruvian Pisco Labels

If you have ever felt overwhelmed by the jargon on a Peruvian pisco label, you have come to the right place. In this blog post, we will explain the vocabulary used to differentiate between types of pisco, pisco grapes and production zones in Peru.

The Denomination of Origin in Peru requires that pisco labels list 3 key elements: the type of pisco, the grape varietal(s), and where the pisco was produced. Before showing examples, we will detail these 3 parts.

1) Type- There are 3 types of pisco:

Pisco puro– A single varietal pisco made from wine from one type of grape.

Pisco acholado– Made from more than one varietal. It can be a blend of grapes or a blend of piscos.

Pisco mosto verde– Pisco made from musts that aren’t fully fermented and sugar is still present in the juice. Mosto verde piscos tend to be more expensive because they use more grapes.

2) Varietal(s)- There are 8 grapes allowed in Peruvian pisco production:

Four aromatic grape varietals: Albilla, Italia, Moscatel & Torontel

Four non-aromatic grape varietals: Mollar, Negra Criolla, Quebranta & Uvina

Some producers may denote whether the grape used is aromatic or non-aromatic on their labels, although it isn’t required.

3) Production Location– There are 5 pisco-producing regions in Peru:

They are: Lima, Ica, Arequipa, Moquegua and Tacna (only in the valleys of Locumba, Sama and Caplina). Some labels might have more specific information about the D.O., for example the name of the valley or town where it is produced. This can be seen in our labels below.

Now, let’s see how these terms are used on our acholado label:

This corresponds to the type(s) of grape used to make the pisco. Remember, “acholado” is a blend of grapes.
This tells where the pisco is made. We produce in the Denomination of Origin of Lima, but more specifically, in the town of Azpitia.
It is common to specify what grapes are used to make an acholado. To make our PiscoLogía acholado, we use a blend of Quebranta and Italia piscos.

How to read a single varietal pisco (pisco puro) label:

Again, this tells us the type(s) of grape used to make the pisco. The “quebranta” grape is used to make our pisco puro, which means it is made from only one pisco grape varietal. Many producers will provide more information about that single varietal. For example, the back of our label states: “A single variety pisco distilled from quebranta, a low aromatic red wine”.

We hope we have demystified some of the difficult vocabulary used to label Peruvian pisco bottles. Knowing these terms will give you the knowledge you need to make smart purchase the next time you are looking for PiscoLogía or another high-quality Peruvian pisco. The next step is mixing your cocktails. Don’t miss the recipe page on our website: https://piscologia.com/drink-recipes/. ¡Salud!

March 12, 2019 In PiscoLogía

PiscoLogía: The Craft of Batch Distillation

copper pot still, how to make pisco, peruvian pisco, piscologia, distilling

Our 300L Copper Pot still

Fermentation is now complete, which means native yeasts have converted our sugary Quebranta and Italia grape juice to alcohol, leaving us with tanks of unaged wine. Soon Nati will start distilling this wine in our 300L copper pot still. PiscoLogía is made using batch distillation, which allows for greater flexibility and promotes Nati’s artistic expression through pisco-making.

There are generally two types of distillation used to create alcoholic beverages: batch and continuous. Continuous distillation is an efficient method of making large quantities of liquor with uniform flavor. On the contrary, batch distillation is more versatile. We believe it allows the consumer to appreciate the true skill of the distiller.

In addition, distilling in small quantities allows us to adhere to traditions that have existed for thousands of years. Archaeologists have uncovered the first artifacts associated with batch distillation believed to be dated over a span of 3,000 years from “the end of the fifth millennium BC to the end of the second millennium BC”. (Belgiorno 21). Using a method that has been perfected over the course of several millennia provides us great satisfaction. It also gives us more flexibility to create an artisan product. Every single batch of pisco that we make is unique. Continuous distillation gives you a consistent product, but consistency isn’t something we strive for when crafting our pisco. We want each and every batch to show Nati’s distilling skills, to reflect the terroir of our vineyards and the characteristics of harvest that year.

So, how does batch distillation work? Remember, Peruvian pisco is distilled only one time, which means Nati has only one chance to create an exceptional pisco at the desired proof . She first loads our copper pot still with wine made from our estate-grown grapes. The still is then heated until the wine boils at a temperature of 78.4 °C/173.12 °F (This is a lower boiling point than water, so the alcohol evaporates faster than water). The vapors travel up the neck at the top of our still, down the lyne arm and into the condenser, where they cool. As all experienced distillers do, Nati separates methanol and other impurities during this process by removing the initial and final condensed liquid (heads and tails). The final result is a pure, delicious Peruvian pisco.

Sources:

Belgiorno, Maria. “Experimental Archaeology.” BEHIND DISTILLATION EXPERIMENTAL ARCHAEOLOGY , edited by Antonio De Strobel, De Strobel Publisher, 2018.

“Pot Still.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Feb. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pot_still.

February 6, 2019 In PiscoLogía

The DNA of Peruvian Pisco grapes

It is widely know that the Spaniards brought the first grape to Peru on one of their voyages across the Atlantic. In this post, we would like to dig deeper into this subject, citing the research of some of the most involved pisco specialists. What exactly was the first grape varietal to be planted in Peru? What are the current variations of this original vine? According to Jorge Jiménez, in his article “Uvas Moscateles en el Pisco” on Andrea Bruno’s “Excella” website, Peru’s first grape was the Negra Criolla varietal. Negra Criolla is the Peruvian name for Listan Prieto, which has origins in Spain’s Canary Islands.

Jiménez further explains that the famous Peruvian Quebranta grape is a cross between this Negra Criolla and Mollar, an Andalusian grape, and that most Peruvian pisco grapes belong to the Muscat family:

Torontel (Moscatel de Grano Menudo/Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains)
Italia (cross between Bicane with Moscatel de Hamburgo)
Negra Criolla o Rosa del Perú (cross between Moscatel de Alejandría and a vitis vinífera)
Quebranta (cross between Negra Criolla and Mollar)

To clarify the genealogy of pisco grape varietals even more, we would like to share this diagram made by our good friend Nico Vera. Nico Vera is founder of the “Pisco Trail” blog and Pisco Society.

The next time you drink Peruvian pisco, you will know the history of Uvina, Quebranta, Italia, Torontel, Albilla, Mollar, Negra Criolla and Moscatel grapes! Salud!

Sources:

Jiménez, Jorge. “Uvas Moscateles En El Pisco .” Excella by Andrea Bruno, https://www.excella-andreabruno.com/articulo.php?articulo=43.

Vera, Nico. “Genealogy of Pisco Grape Varietals.” Pisco Trail, 2018, www.piscotrail.com/.