I met Guillermo D. Payet back in London at the International Wine& Spirit Fair in 2008. They had a massive stand in the spirit section and as I did know much about Pisco, so I approached them. He came immediately very friendly across as we would know each other since ages.  He said if I’m in Peru I should definitively pay him a visit. That`s what happened…

The name Pisco means “bird” in Quechua languages (Inca language) but it is also a name of a town in Peru between Lima and Ica. As and this would be not enought it also suppose to mean the ceramic jar in which the spirit was held.

I don’t know why but I thought Pisco is made from grape skins, hence a close relative to grappa, marc/trester or the Hungarian törköly spirit. But no, its a wine distillate. The grapes for pisco are usually harvested at dawn, early in the morning to preserve acidity, it can incredible hot in the dessert like conditions of Peru (around Ica).

Pisco can be made from the following grape varieties which are divided into aromatic and non aromatic sections.

Aromatic: Torontel (famous in Argentina, Salta still white wine), Italia, Albilla, Moscatel
Non Aromatic: Quenbranta (most famous in Peru), Mollar, Ubina, Negra Criolla

Pisco has an own D.O. which is regulated and it should be distilled from “fresh must” of either a single grape variety, so called Puro or a mix which is called Acholado (blended) or from incomplete fermentation (mosto vedre the so called green must). The finishing Pisco has to remains for minimum of three months in vats, containers that do not change its flavour, aroma, nor its colour.

At Pisco Payet the grapes arrive in good condition (careful handling) in plastic crates. All of the staff wears a white uniform, protection against the sun but also for hygienic reasons of course.
The grapes come into a destalker, crusher to remove the stems, after crushing it goes into the pneumatic press. Careful pressing takes place, the juice is pumped into steel tanks. Senor Payet uses 200 hl stainless steel tanks which can be cooled to maintain certain aromas and after the distillation it comes back either to the tanks for a year or so or into other vats. But remember no changing of colour or taste.

The wine is distilled only once, in a batch process in the same method as in Cognac (swan neck) the brandy is made. Its heated by liquid gas and controlled by computer to catch the right aromas, head and tail will be eliminated and go out as a waste only the hearth remains and is somewhere between 38% and 48% alcohol.

Guillermo showed me back in London and also this time his famous Pisco brandy. Several years back he began to age some of its Pisco in Limousin oak casks which he bought in Cognac and as it changes colour and taste you are not allowed to call it Pisco, but using the second norm labeling the major ingredient 99% is Pisco, hence its a Brandy de Pisco. And its delicious, have to check my tasting notes from London but this time I tasted the mix  blended one from cask, 25% Quebranta old cask, 25% new cask, 25% Torontel new cask and 25% old cask. The older casks provide less colour (280 l)  and less wood and it’s a good mixture with the new ones (220l). Rich golden colour, lovely ripe nose, no attack just charming and elegance, fine wood use with grapy aromas, tobacco, orange peel. Smooth on the palate and yet fresh, good weight complex, rich-rich since 2002 in casks.

Guillermo Payet is a Peruvian born entrepreneur who spend quite a bit of time travelling around the world. He loves to get informed, whats going on in the world. He said: the worst deaf is the person who doesn’t want to listen. Absolutely right. He spent several years working in the US and visited intensely “brandy” producing regions like Cognac and Jerez but also wine producing areas as well. What a coincidence that one of this favourite brandies is actually the same as mine,
Cardenal Mendoza from Sanchez Romate, Jerez. What a fantastic creation it is.

Back to senor Payet, he has some Italian influence and a “Catalanico” heritage that actually was enough that he has to do something sooner or later with grapes and wine. He worked for Xerox, important telecommunicaton companies in high positions before he settled down and bought the property just outside of Ica. Wonderful place, he owns 23 ha most of it`s Quebranta but he also does Torontel (Torrontes). The soil he called “vale” there is a lot of sand in the area but its not neccessary reflected in the vineyard. Trimming to achieve concentration is important as the flagship variety Quebranta is very vigorous. Often sold also as table grape with huge berry formation and not the best skin-pulp ratio. The average yield is around 11 tonnes /ha, picking time is usually determined by the brix level (Oechsle).
Harvest takes place around February-March, but in 2009 it`s very warm, harvest might come even earlier this time.
The Quebranta grape was brought in by the Spaniards probably from the Canary Islands. Its vigorous as mentioned and can have a pinkish skin with a time.

There is plenty of sunshine hence good canopy management is important yet shortage on water is a problem, therefor irrigation is necessary. It happens with well water and over floating. You have to pay for the hourly use of the water which is very carefully supervised by the government. Water can come from lakes, rainwater and river as well.

Lyre training is popular but also a halfway pergola (galera) and guyot can be found too. There is an infamous wind the so called “Paraca” which brings a lot of dust with it in August and it can be very unpleasant, you see often high thorn like bushes at the properties this holds it a little back.

Guillermo started the chiller (all important machine) which cools down the water for the fermentation tanks, yeast would die above 38ºC but also unpleasant acetaldhyide flavours would be produced. He uses white grapes only and and as he putted there are to ways to make Pisco, the Payet (or the white) way in which is no skin contact while the red way with skin contact for a time is releasing some tannins.

Skins however, remains for just one night in contact with the juice, enzymes are used for fermentation. The flow of dead yeast cells are controlled in the stainless steel tanks by the so called busca claro a pipe sort of instrument o the side of the tanks.
Pisco is only distilled once, maybe in the future Guillermo considers double (or more) distillations, yet this is traditions at the moment. When he started off making Pisco the best advice was “bring your warmest sleeping bag”, the reason as fraudulent individuals might change your Pisco while you are away. Bottling takes place at the site and Guillermo watches carefully every move. He has to as he makes a superb Pisco, rich but at the same tieme smooth.

But he is not only proud of his Pisco, he has the one and only tractor in Peru with air condition and stereo radio. Pisco is famous but not only is it drunken pure but also as a cocktail and perhaps the most famous one is Pisco sour. A summer drink, very romantic, cool, sweet foaming and after the second serving the lady is in your hand. I quote Guillermo on this. In a bar in Ica they asked me if I wanted to have it sweet or fuerte (strong), I should have ordered it dulce. Here is Guillermo`s recipe:
- 3 parts Pisco
- 2 parts of lime juice
- 1 part white sugar
- 1 egg white for the foam as you mix it add ice to the mixer
this is very lemonish but you could do
3 parts Pisco 1/2 lemon juice, 1/2 syrup (sugar) water

I shall just mention another “invention” with Pisco is the so called Perfecto Amour wine which is Quebranta wine arrested fermentation with Pisco spirit, it becomes high in alcohol (around 14% or more) and remains sweet usually comes as a red wine. It`s like Ruby Port yet very oxidized and I couldn’t get hooked on it, no matter how perfect this love sounds.
We had a great time and  discussion with Guillermo and tasted some great Pisco´s too his Brandy is fabulous, probably the best Pisco Brandy in the world. Well done!

I hope to return one day again, maybe even for harvest time.

Pisco Payet
Guillermo Payet, President
+51 1 9810 5853
www.piscopayet.com

Tags: pisco

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