Livio Pastorino

Is pisco Uvina the most difficult to taste?

First of all, what is Uvina? According to the current Regulation of the Pisco Appelation of Origin: Uvina is a non-aromatic (less aromatic), grape variety for Pisco. Species: Vitis aestivalis M.- cinérea E. by Vitis vinifera L. Cultivation Area: Cultivation & production only limited to the districts of Lunahuana, Pacaran, and Zúñiga, in the province of Cañete, south of Lima region. […]

In the land of pisco... Bad Piscos, good Piscos?

I was listening various radio and TV programs during the celebrations for the Chilcano de Pisco Week (January), and also Pisco Sour day, first Saturday in February, when the hosts said: "You know the drill! Get ready to prepare your Chilcano or Pisco Sour, but... make sure it's with a good Pisco." What did they mean by that? Are there bad Piscos? Who decides which Piscos are bad? […]

From the land of Pisco... "The secrets of tasting"

Something that really fascinates me is sitting in front of a glass of Pisco and having to evaluate it. Even though in national contest we don't know where the Pisco in front of us comes from (blind tastings), we are told the grape variety and type of Pisco. […]

Is a taster born or made?

A question that I often ask my students when we start our tasting classes: Is a taster born or made? Does a taster need to have a specific career? Can a lawyer, economist, or doctor become a taster? Can a Pisco producer also be a taster and participate in national Pisco competitions? In this case, wouldn't they be judge and jury? […]

Modifying The Regulations, Pisco Appelation Of Origin Part 2

The working meeting in Ica was convened by Dr. Ray Meloni Garcia, Director of Distinctive Signs of (Indecopi), to discuss the proposal to modify the Regulations of Pisco Appellation of Origin, presented by the Regulatory Council of the Appellation of Origin.[…]

In the land of Pisco... The aguapié

Some time ago we were on a trip with the tasters group of Noches de Cata to several Pisco regions, but the big surprise happened in Moquegua. We had been asked to do a guided tasting at the Moquegua Club that's is in main square. […]

Talking about pisco

In a conversation with several master distillers, discussing different topics and at one point we asked if we should have a pisco type within the regulations between the wineries with more production, […]

Do Piscos improve over time?

On March 15, 16 and 17 we were at the vertical tasting of Piscos convened by Eng. Juan Carlos Palma at the La Molina Agrarian University. It is the first time that work like this is carried out: samples were presented to us from 2003 to 2013, from the 5 pisco regions. […]

Pisco Contests

On the occasion of the Pisco and Wine Contest in the district of Santiago, Ica, (located at 316.8 km South Lima), the tasters gather beforehand to share breakfast every year, kindly invited by Engineer Juan Mendiola Huayamares, who, along with the Municipality of Santiago, organizes these contests now in their eighteenth edition. […]