"Among poets, a taster in search of a 'ten' wine (Pisco) is also an artist in search of the best personal expression of their idea. We can call it, in a more economist's slang (jargon): flavor optimization."
Memories...
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We were chatting with Engineer Francisco Cutipe Angulo Vargas, one of the most experienced tasters, during a break at the 2009 National Pisco Competition, and he asked me: How do those Piscos that win medals abroad achieve it? Who and how evaluates them? This is a question many of us ponder. To participate in these events, an entry fee and another for the number of samples must be paid; the categories vary depending on the competition. In some cases, white grape distillates are mixed with aged ones, which is incorrect for Pisco, as it is an unaged white distillate. Do they have the right to a medal by paying these fees? Not necessarily. In Peru, each Pisco-producing region with a Denomination of Origin has an Association of Producers that organizes the reception of samples, which are then sent to the Regulatory Council of Denomination of Origin Pisco. This organization, in charge of the competitions, divides them into three categories, with the national and regional ones being the most important, as district competitions are limited. Samples with scores above 80 move on to the national competition, paying a fee to participate.
In Peru, these evaluations have value because the judges know the product perfectly: they are producers, oenologists, specialists, and sommeliers with over 20 years of experience. Interestingly, Piscos that win abroad do not always succeed here. Why might that be?
In the "Noches de Cata" tasting group, to which I belong, we have evaluated Piscos that have won medals abroad and have not reached the minimum score of 80. They ask us: Why don't you recognize a Pisco that has won abroad? First, a tasting is subjective and hedonistic. Also, it is crucial to know the judges' training regarding Pisco, how many hours they have dedicated to tasting. This reminds me of an Argentine winemaker I spoke to last year: his grandfather used to say, "tasters are like airplane pilots, the more flight hours, the better." So, we must ask ourselves if these judges know fundamental aspects about Pisco, such as its distillation to degree, the prohibition of adding water, the 8 grape varieties, the Denomination of Origin Pisco regulations, the descriptors of each grape, and possible defects. I assure you that not all of them do. That's why we must establish measures regarding these events, determine who can participate, and what parameters must be followed. We need to stand out because our distillate is unique in the world.
Sometimes, it seems like we underestimate the work of our Pisco tasters, as if tasters abroad are better just because they are not from Peru. The question is: do they have a deeper knowledge of Pisco? I do not doubt that they are professionals and upright judges; that is not in question. But do they master the subject? In Peru, we have outstanding "Pisco and Wine "Mojoneros*" or Tasters (*as they were called in the 16th century). Let's set things straight!
Until next time!
Livio Pastorino Wagner
Editor of the magazine elpiscoesdelperu.com, Bilingual Pisco magazine, Pisco Specialist and Taster, Sommelier, Registered in the Pisco Tasters Registry of CRDO-Pisco No. RCO-034-2011, Co-host on the radio program Dionisos "Let's Talk about Pisco," Instructor at the Institute of Wine and Pisco. Member of the Tasting Panel for Noches de Cata, which publishes the blog.
Pisco & music
in spanish
May 2014
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