Livio Pastorino

From the land of pisco "Savoring Piscos & Distillates"

Included in the Cocktail Magazine edition No 69, grateful for the Opportunity

In recent months, we have been tasting high-quality piscos,, distillates, and mistelas, as well as participating in in pisco contestsI was particularly impressed by the Torontel piscos,both the pure and green musts. This aromatic variety belongs to the muscat family and is used in France to produce one of the world's most prized wines: Muscat de Frontignan.Torontel vineyards can be found south of the city of Ica, approximately 36 km in the district of Ocucaje and 13 km in Santiago. As we know, Torontel grapes are known for their subtle aromas reminiscent of flowers and citrus fruits, with hints of orange blossoms and tropical fruits. Sweet sensations of manjar blanco (peruvian dulce de leche), honey, and golden raisins are also present. On the palate, it has a medium to long-lasting persistence and finishes with hints of citrus zest. The Torontel piscos I've had the opportunity to taste in recent days, both from large and medium-sized and small wineries, are very well crafted. The commitment to offering high-quality products is evident, and that is commendable.

As for distillates,we have been working with various varieties of fruits, cereals, grapes, tubers, and agave, including rum,, whisky,, cañazo, tequila,, tequila, vodka, and singani; some of which are domestically produced. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of a potato vodka..

Peru has great potential in the spirits industry, including liquors, macerated spirits, and more.The country has the capacity to convert more than 160,000 tons of fruit distillates, into distillates and their derivatives. Another interesting product gaining popularity mistela, a liqueur wine made by blending grape must (juice) or different fruits in quantities sufficient to prevent fermentation without the addition of any other substances.With a sweet taste, it pairs well with desserts and could even be enjoyed with some cheeses. In my opinion, the ideal serving temperature is between 10 and 15°C. I have an anecdote from the 1990s in Ica, where I remember that during family gatherings, while most men drank pisco, mistela was served to the ladies. mistelaAt that time, it wasn't bottled as it is today; it was prepared in 4-liter demijohns, left to rest, and then consumed. In Europe, mistelas are aged in oak barrels,offering a wide range of aromas and flavors.

To conclude the month, we were invited to participate in the I Provincial Pisco Competition in Cañete,where 110 samples from different producers were presented. I chaired table 04, where seven judges evaluated 22 samples of Uvina, Negra Criolla, Mollar, and Non-Aromatic Green Must piscos. There were very few samples scoring below 80 points, and several received gold medals. The highest score at our table was for a Mollar pisco with the sample code MO-195, which scored 89 points and received the gold medal, with an OIV standard deviation of 1.26. The second place was taken by a Non-Aromatic Green Must pisco with the sample code MVNA-055, which scored 86.83 points and received the gold medal, with an OIV standard deviation of 1.60. Finally, the third place went to another Non-Aromatic Green Must pisco with the sample code MVNA-035, which scored 86.17 points and received the gold medal, with an OIV standard deviation of 3.60. Let's enjoy our favorite beverages responsibly.

Til next time!

By Livio Pastorino Wagner
Sommelier, Pisco Specialist and Taster
Pisco Taster Registration: CRDO-PISCO RCO-034-2011

@elmagozurdo

Pisco & music

Cocktail Magazine No. 69 October 06, 2023

Cocktail magazine (spanish) in issuu

October 2023

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