{"id":7348,"date":"2025-10-24T02:14:06","date_gmt":"2025-10-24T02:14:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/liviopastorino.com\/?p=7348"},"modified":"2025-10-24T03:07:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T03:07:10","slug":"aromas-del-tiempo-moscatel-e-italia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/liviopastorino.com\/en\/aromas-del-tiempo-moscatel-e-italia\/","title":{"rendered":"\"Aromas of Time: Moscatel and Italia\""},"content":{"rendered":"
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Aromas of Time: Moscatel and Italia<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Placeres magazine edition No 20<\/a> grateful for the opportunity<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u201cOnly a thousand bottles?\u201d asked one of the foreign participants after a talk on how to appreciate pisco.<\/p>

\u201cYes,\u201d I replied, adding: \u201cThat\u2019s what the back label says \u2014 1,000 bottles, and this one is number 765.\u201d
What happened next was fascinating. As I was gathering my things to leave, I felt someone slip something into the pocket of my jacket. When I reached in, I found a 50-sol bill. I looked up and saw the participant walking briskly away, carrying \u2014 if I remember correctly \u2014 three quarters or half a bottle of that extraordinary Italia pisco we had just tasted. I could only smile.<\/p>

We sometimes experience situations like this with visitors from other parts of the world: they value our national spirit perhaps even more than we do, to the point of paying whatever it takes to have a bottle, even if it\u2019s unsealed or not for sale.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Italia Grape: History and Essence
Today we focus on the pisco grape known in Peru as Italia \u2014 the second most widely planted and second most used for pisco production, after our beloved Quebranta.<\/p>

Why do we call it \u201cItalia\u201d?
The name may derive from Italian immigrants who promoted it, or from a historical confusion with its cultivation in Italy. In reality, it is Muscat of Alexandria (VIVC 8231, according to the Vitis International Variety Catalogue), but the name \u201cItalia\u201d also refers to another grape: Pirovano 65 (VIVC 23924), used both for pisco distillation and as a table grape.<\/p>

Originally from the Mediterranean \u2014 probably from Alexandria, Egypt \u2014 Muscat of Alexandria arrived in Peru in the 16th century, brought by the Spaniards from the Canary Islands for winemaking. The Jesuits, experts in agriculture, planted these vines in the valleys of Ica, Lima, Arequipa, Moquegua, and Tacna, where the rich soils and warm climate enhanced their aromatic character.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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From San Francisco to Peru: An Aromatic Legacy
In the 19th century, in San Francisco, the famous Pisco Punch was created \u2014 considered the first known cocktail made with pisco, prepared with Italia pisco. Researcher Guillermo Toro Lira described it as \u201ca manifestation of Peru\u2019s cultural mestizaje and its insertion into the world\u201d (Toro Lira, G. 2006. Wings of Cherubs).<\/p>

In the 20th century, another \u201cItalia\u201d reached our country: Pirovano 65 (VIVC 23924), known in Spain as Ideal or Do\u00f1a Sof\u00eda. Created in 1911 by \u00c1ngelo Pirovano through the cross Bicane \u00d7 Muscat of Hamburg, this variety, with large, oval, green-yellow berries and a muscat-like flavor, became a star both in distillation and as a table grape. It was introduced in Peru between the 1960s and 1970s.<\/p>

Today, it is believed that production of Muscat of Alexandria exceeds that of Pirovano 65.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Identity and Regulation
The Reglamento de la Denominaci\u00f3n de Origen Pisco (CRDO-PISCO, 2011) includes eight varieties, listing \u201cItalia\u201d and \u201cMoscatel\u201d as distinct, but without explicitly mentioning Muscat of Alexandria or Pirovano 65. In practice, the term \u201cItalia\u201d encompasses both aromatic varieties.<\/p>

Studies by Peruvian and Argentine universities confirm that Muscat of Alexandria, with its ancient lineage, is perfectly adapted to the warm soils of Ica.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Sensory Profile of Italia Pisco
Nose: fresh. Despite its high alcohol content, the aromatic intensity of Italia conceals the alcohol. Notes of tropical fruits (pineapple, mango, passion fruit), flowers (jasmine, orange blossom), citrus (lime), raisins, and a hint of fresh grass.<\/p>

Palate: warm entry, medium alcohol, flavors consistent with the nose, slight spiciness, notes of citrus peel (lime), medium-long persistence (over 20 seconds, a sign of quality), and a fruity finish.<\/p>

A Promising Future
The Pisco D.O., for now, excludes other muscats, such as Black Italia (Muscat of Hamburg) and Pink Muscat, despite their similar aromatic profiles. This adds a touch of mystery to the world of pisco.<\/p>

I am confident that, with the growing momentum of Peruvian viticulture, the vineyards of our pisco grapes will continue to expand. Enjoy pisco responsibly.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTil next time!\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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By Livio Pastorino Wagner\nSommelier, Specialist, and Pisco Taster\nRegistration: CRDO-PISCO 2020 RCO-034-2011\n
@elmagozurdo<\/a>

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Placeres magazine No 20<\/a> octubre 07 del 2025<\/p>

Pisco & music<\/p>