Peru is one of those countries barely noticed by the international wine-loving community. Yet it is a pioneer of South American viticulture because Peru is the country where viticulture was first systematically practised on the South American continent. As early as the 16th century, vines were imported from the Canary Islands, including Listan Prieto. With about 40,000 hectares, the vineyard area was so large that wine was even exported to Europe. Since the 1970s, international varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Syrah, Malbec and Tannat have increasingly gained a foothold. Today, about 11,000 hectares are under vines in Peru; the vineyards are primarily located around the cities of Pisco and Ica. The climate is warm, and with little rainfall, irrigation is indispensable here, but the nearby Pacific Ocean exerts a cooling influence. Because of the high humidity near the tropics, rot and fungal diseases are relevant issues. A large part of the vineyard area is devoted to the Moscatel variety, although not for producing still wine, but the distillation of Pisco, Peru's national drink, as in neighbouring Chile. Peru's wines are scarcely exported, but a few wineries have conquered the European wine market with remarkable quality from international grape varieties. However, the quantities are minimal.
