The flavor of pepper in wine of Ecuador
Discover the of Ecuador wines revealing the of pepper flavor during the olphactive analysis (nose) and during the gustative analysis (mouth).
Ecuador is a country located on the Pacific coast of northern South America. There are only a few hundred hectares of Vineyards and rum and beer are produced in much larger quantities.
It is remarkable, however, that Ecuador has wine production: the equator, which gave the country its name, runs through its northern third. If an exception to the theory of the wine belt (the latitudes between which winemaking can be effectively practiced) was needed, Ecuador provides it.
Only the Andean topography of Ecuador's interior makes quality viticulture possible. Over the millennia, the peaks of the northern Andes have risen to altitudes well over 4,500 meters (15,000 feet), taking with them many hectares of what were once low-lying coastal plains. It is in these cooler, mid-altitude areas that Ecuadorian wine is produced, primarily from members of the robust and prolific Muscat family.
The annual climatic cycle of the Ecuadorian highlands is such that the vines experience a period of dormancy during what is considered winter on the equator.
Without this, the plants do not have the opportunity to recover from their fruiting periods, their wood does not harden and, as a result, the fruit they produce is of lesser quality for wine making.
In the coastal plains below, where humidity is high and sunshine is extreme in intensity and duration, the vines produce up to three harvests per year. A similar situation occurs on the other side of the Pacific in Vietnam, where the difference between the wines of the highlands and the lowlands is striking.
Pruning and other vine management techniques can be used to control fruiting in these sweltering conditions, resulting in a single harvest per year, but the quality is rarely high.
With culinary inspiration dating back to 1935, our restaurant brand Madhu’s specialises in South Asian cuisine with an East African influence. It’s thanks to the secret recipes handed down across eight decades that we have become caterers for royalty, dignitaries and Asian weddings – and that our original Southall location has been named Best Indian Restaurant multiple times by Pat Chapman’s Cobra Good Curry Guide. Over the past few years I’ve been working on creative combinations to find the pe ...
Inside the September 2022 issue of Decanter Magazine: FEATURES White Burgundy in three steps With expert Charles Curtis MW Travel: 12 top winery visits around Europe Guided by Chris Losh Wine travel: Walla Walla Valley, northwest USA Brooke Herron Regional profile: Tasmania Cool climate, top quality. By David Sly Why and how wood matters in winemaking Nancy Gilchrist MW LEARNING Wine wisdom Expert tips to help you on your journey through wine Read the new issue in full on the Decanter Premium ap ...
Tina Gellie, Content Manager and Regional Editor (Australia, South Africa, New Zealand & Canada) It was a big year of Decanter travel for me, heading to Napa and New York in June, South Africa in October and most recently a week each in Margaret River and South Australia. These trips have formed the basis of my festive selections. Christmas lunch on North Stradbroke Island (reunited with my family after four years, no thanks to Covid) always starts with oysters, followed by a bucket of prawn ...