Top 100 wines of Peru - Page 2
Discover the top 100 best wines of Peru as well as the best winemakers in the region. Explore the varietals of the wines that are popular of Peru and the best vintages to taste in this region.
Discovering the wine region of Peru
Peru, a Spanish-speaking nation in western Chile/south-region">South AmerIca, is a country of varied landscapes. Its shores are bathed by the Pacific Ocean and almost immediately give way to desert (in the south) or mountains (in the North).
These mountains turn into a high plateau, the Altiplano, which is at an average altitude of 3,750 meters above sea level. From here the land plunges back down into the Deep rainforests of the Amazon.
The great Amazon River originates in the highlands of the country.
The Grape varieties used in Peruvian winemaking are, as you might expect, those that are well suited to viticulture in a WarmLimate">Climate. Grenache, the grape behind the high Alcohol wines of the southern Rhone Valley, is an obvious candidate, as is the red-fleshed Alicante Bouschet, a cross between Grenache and Petit Bouschet. The ubiquitous Cabernet Sauvignon is increasingly popular here, as is its Bordeaux companion, Malbec, which has been so successful in Argentina.
The light-skinned Torrontés, another Argentine success story, is Peru's leading white grape variety, under the local name Torontel. It is joined by Sauvignon Blanc and various forms of Muscat, renowned for its ability to thrive in hot climates.
Pisco, a brandy similar to Italian Grappa, is the national drink of Peru, although it is also claimed as such by neighbouring Chile. It is made by distilling fermented grape Juice in copper stills to obtain a very strong alcohol.
Discover the grape variety: Malbec
Malbec, a high-yielding red grape variety, produces tannic and colourful wines. It is produced in different wine-growing regions and changes its name according to the grape variety. Called Auxerrois in Cahors, Malbec in Bordeaux, it is also known as Côt. 6,000 hectares of the Malbec grape are grown in France (in decline since the 1950s). Malbec is also very successful in Argentina. The country has become the world's leading producer of Malbec and offers wines with great potential.
News from the vineyard of Peru
Amanda Barnes wins John Avery Award for The South America Wine Guide
Amanda Barnes has been awarded the John Avery Award for her The South America Wine Guide book, which was described as ‘heralding a new era’ in wine travel books. The book, which is the result of a decade of research conducted by Barnes while travelling the continent, details the wine regions, wines and producers of Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia and Peru. It highlights over 70 wine regions and maps out 40 in detail — many of which have never before been mapped or documented in the En ...
Seven reasons to gift Decanter Premium this Christmas
A subscription to Decanter Premium is the gift that keeps on giving; by joining this exclusive club of wine lovers, recipients will unlock unlimited access to the world of fine wine and can take advantage of… 1. Unlimited access to Decanter.com and Decanter Premium Articles Members can enjoy exclusive content that goes far beyond the free content on decanter.com. Every day you will have access to new, exclusive Premium articles providing fascinating and in-depth insight into the world of fine wi ...
Amanda Barnes wins Fortnum & Mason award for The South America Wine Guide
Decanter contributor and Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) judge Amanda Barnes has been awarded the Debut Drink Book award in the Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Awards 2022 for her The South America Wine Guide book. The annual Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Awards, now in its 10th year, champions the achievements of the UK’s current and emerging writers, editors, publishers, photographers, broadcasters and personalities who ‘encourage us to enjoy, explore, experiment and discover more ab ...