Pisco (schnapps)

Pisco is the denomination of a brandy made from grapes, produced in Chile and Peru, mainly made by distilling the product of the vine, such as brandy and cognac., but without the prolonged aging in wooden barrels. It is usually included within the family or category of brandies, and has two different standards for its production —for Chilean pisco and for Peruvian pisco—, for which reason it is they technically consider different products, but within the group of spirits.

Background

This alcoholic beverage has its origin in the nautical and mining need, rather than peasant, to volumetrically concentrate the wines in a stable and lasting way, for their proper storage and transport, typical of the Pacific coast of South America, close to the Andes miners.

Both varieties, Chilean pisco and Peruvian pisco, have in common the fact that they are grape spirits, obtained by distillation of white and pink strains of Vitis vinifera, approved by their respective legislations. as "uvas piscoras". Another common situation is that many, in their respective countries, consider them national drinks. Likewise, in both countries, the importation of the product from the neighboring country is prohibited if it is labeled as "pisco", since the denomination of origin is the subject of dispute and controversy; due to the existence of a city in Peru called Pisco (city), which is why, for example, in Chile pisco from Peru is marketed labeled as "aguardiente de uva" or "distillate of wine".

Differences

Although it is possible to find common characteristics between these products, such as some types of grapes used by both, it is also true that there are important differences between them, beyond the production area.

Chilean Pisco

Chilean fish show.

The Chilean regulation of the Denomination of Origin Pisco (decree 521 of 2000 of the Ministry of Agriculture), defines «pisco» as the «spirit produced and bottled, in units of consumption, in Regions III and IV of the country, made by distillation of genuine drinkable wine, from the varieties of vines that are determined in this regulation, planted in said regions.

In the case of Chilean pisco, the main grape used is Moscatel, in various varieties, and, to a lesser extent, Pedro Ximénez and Torontel. Chilean regulations reject the País grape, which shares its origin with the Quebranta, and any other variety not expressly considered a "Pisco grape".

In Chile there are four official classes of piscos, according to their minimum alcohol content:

• Pisco Corriente (30°)
• Special Pisco (35°)
• Pisco Reserved (40°)
• Great Pisco (43°)

Chilean pisco is distilled at around 70ºC and then hydrated with demineralized water to adjust its alcohol content to the desired one, just as it is done in the production of singani, vodka and whiskey. The alcoholic graduation of Chilean brandy varies regularly between 30° and 50°, being more popular and consumed those between 35° and 40°.

Peruvian Pisco

Peruvian pisco sample.

The Peruvian Technical Standard on pisco (NTP211.001:2002), defines «pisco» as the «spirit obtained exclusively by distillation of recently fermented fresh musts of Pisco grapes, using methods that maintain the traditional principle of quality established in recognized production areas".

In the case of pisco from Peru, the varieties used and legally recognized as “pisco grapes” are the following grapes: quebranta, negra criolla, mollar, uvina ("non-aromatic"); and italia, muscatel, albilla and torontel ("aromatic"). These grapes come from the five pisco regions recognized by the pisco designation of origin in Peru: Lima, Ica, Arequipa, Moquegua and Tacna.

In Peru there are officially four kinds of pisco:

• Pisco Puro (of non-romatic varieties),
• Aromatic Pisco (of aromatic varieties),
• Pisco Mosto Verde (of musts that have not yet completed fermentation) and
• Pisco Accholado (mix of aromatic and non-aromatic varieties).

Peruvian pisco is distilled without adjusting its final alcohol content with water or other additives. The alcoholic graduation of the pisco of Peru varies regularly between 38º and 48º, usually having 42º.

Controversy over appellation of origin

Countries that recognize the name of Pisco origin to Chile Countries that recognize the name of Pisco origin to Peru Countries that recognize the name of Pisco origin to Chile and Peru

Arguments

There is a controversy about the legitimacy of the use of the denomination "pisco", in reference to the grape brandy produced in Chile and Peru. In this regard, there is a historical difference between the two countries. Peru reaffirms that the name is an exclusive denomination of origin, while Chile maintains that both have the right to use it.

Chile maintains that the term is equally applicable to the distilled beverage produced from grapes in its territory, where there is a town that uses that name —Pisco Elqui, adopted in 1936; formerly known as La Unión and before La Greda, and of pisco tradition since the beginning of the XVIII century, establishing itself legally as a Chilean denomination of origin and delimiting a geographical area for its production in 1931. He does not deny that such a product could have been first manufactured in Peru, but he argues that this denomination has been used to designate the grape brandy produced in both countries, since colonial times, so it can be used both by Chile as by Peru; in this sense, it has been argued that it would be a generic term, defending that the denomination of origin of its variety is "Chilean pisco", or that it would be a binational denomination.

For its part, Peru considers that the name applied to the spirit drink has a close relationship with the geographical space where it is produced in that country, in the city of Pisco and its surroundings, so that it should have exclusivity in its use, in addition to the fact that such spirits have been produced in Peru since the end of the XVI century. Peruvian origin by administrative resolution in 1990, officially establishing its territory of production the following year.

In addition, the Royal Spanish Academy, in its Dictionary of the Spanish language, recognizes the origin of the term "pisco" from Pisco, a city in the department of Ica in Peru.

Recognition of pisco by country

At the international level, various countries have ruled on this controversy, recognizing the name “pisco” (with or without additives) in favor of Chile, Peru or both. A particular example is the recognition of pisco in the European Union. This, in accordance with a joint declaration with the Republic of Chile, member of the Association Agreement between the two of 2002, recognized the denomination of origin "Pisco" for the exclusive use of products originating in Chile, without prejudice to the rights that it could recognize, in addition, for Peru; and, in 2013, through the European Commission —and following a request submitted by the Republic of Peru—, the European Union recognized "Pisco" as a geographical indication of Peru, without prejudice to the use of the denomination for products originating in Chile under the Association Agreement between the European Union and Chile. On the other hand, of the three recognized quality regimes for agri-food products, wines and spirits, the European Union only recognizes & #34;geographical indication (GI)" for spirit drinks, and not the "protected designation of origin (PDO)" and "Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)" which are used for food and wine. However, both countries can use the name "pisco" for its grape distillates marketed in the European Union.

Continent	Pisco recognized for Chile	Pisco recognized for Peru	Pisco recognized for Chile and Peru
America	-	Bolivia Colombia Cuba Ecuador El Salvador Guatemala Haiti Honduras Nicaragua Panama Dominican Republic Venezuela	CanadaCosta Rica United States Mexico
Africa	-	Algeria Burkina Faso Gabon Republic of the Congo Tunisia Togo	-
Asia	Brunéi Hong Kong Japan	North Korea Indonesia India Israel Laos	China South Korea Malaysia Singapore Thailand Vietnam
Europe	Turkey	Georgia Moldova Montenegro Ukraine	European Union
Oceania	Australia New Zealand	-	-