Coquimbo, Chile - part 1

Is a port city in the middle of this long country, in the Elgui Province. Vicuna, with the clearest atmosphere and skies, is known for astronomical observation of the Universe (it was on the main path of totality of the Solar eclipse in 1919). It is in a valley that is 6 miles south of La Serena (the big city in the area with 400,000 people). The region has 740,000 people and on the Pan American highway which goes thru Peru and Chile. This large harbor area was taken over from the indigenous people by Pedro de Valdivia for Spain in 1550 and is still a cultural center for this history. In the 1840s this began to be a very popular area due to the gold, silver and iron that was found here. It is still a large industrial and shipping port with copper mines, and pisco produced.

After driving thru the small villages of Algarrobito, El Molle and El Tambo we got to the largest Pisco plant in the area. and toured this Pisco grape brandy distillery that has been in the area since 1938. All the grapes in this region are used for Pisco as there are 1200 farmers that bring their grapes to this production facility to make into Pisco and have it produced and bottled for them. The output of this facility is more than 8,000 bottles per hour, producing Pisco for all over Chile and around the world. Pisco sours are the national drink of both Chile and Peru. Pisco, which is limited to production in only certain regions in the these Countries, is always a subject of continuous debate over which is the best (we loved all the Pisco we had from Peru, Chile and when we got a few different types back in Newport Beach at Total Wine!).

Making PISCO is not easy ...but its worth it!Read more