Drinks & Wine
Pisco Sour — The National Drink and the War with Peru
The Pisco Sour is Chile's national drink — and the cause of an eternal, fierce dispute with Peru, which also claims Pisco for itself. The "Pisco War" is South America's funniest and at the same time most serious rivalry: Both countries claim Pisco as their own invention, both have registered it as a protected designation of origin, and in both countries, it is a cultural sacrilege to concede to the other.
Chilean Pisco is distilled in the Valle del Elqui and Valle del Limarí (Coquimbo region) from Muscat grapes. It differs from the Peruvian through a different distillation method and a stricter classification system (35°, 40°, or 43° alcohol).
The Chilean Pisco Sour recipe: Pisco (3 parts), fresh lemon juice (1 part), powdered sugar (to taste), and ice — shaken, not stirred. No egg white (that's the Peruvian variant!). The result is refreshing, tart-sweet, and deceptively drinkable. Caution: It goes down like lemonade but hits like a sledgehammer.
Chilean Wine — The Big Overview
Chile is the fifth-largest wine-exporting country in the world and produces excellent wines at surprisingly low prices. The geographical isolation (desert, mountains, sea, ice) has protected Chile from phylloxera — Chilean vines grow on their own roots, ungrafted on their original roots.
The Most Important Grape Varieties
| Grape Variety | Type | Character | Best Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carménère | Red | Velvety, black cherry, green pepper, chocolate | Maipo, Colchagua, Rapel |
| Cabernet Sauvignon | Red | Powerful, fruity, soft tannins | Maipo, Colchagua |
| País (Listán Prieto) | Red | Light, fruity, unpretentious. Old missionary grape, rediscovered | Maule, Itata, Bío-Bío |
| Pinot Noir | Red | Elegant, fine, cherry and strawberry | Casablanca, Leyda, Bío-Bío |
| Sauvignon Blanc | White | Fresh, mineral, citrus and grapefruit | Casablanca, Leyda, San Antonio |
| Chardonnay | White | Full-bodied, buttery, vanilla (if oak-aged) | Casablanca, Limarí |
An excellent Chilean wine costs in the supermarket 3,000–8,000 CLP (3–8€) — quality that would cost three times as much in Europe. In restaurants: Copa de vino (glass) from 3,000 CLP, bottle from 8,000 CLP.
Wine Regions Overview
- Valle del Maipo: 45 minutes south of Santiago. Chile's oldest and most famous wine region. Cabernet Sauvignon and Carménère. Wineries: Concha y Toro, Santa Rita, Undurraga, Almaviva
- Valle de Casablanca: On the way to Valparaíso. Cool climate, Pacific influence. Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. Wineries: Kingston Family, Casas del Bosque, Emiliana
- Valle de Colchagua: 180 km south of Santiago. Warm climate, concentrated red wines. Carménère and Syrah. The Colchagua Valley also has an excellent wine train experience (Tren del Vino)
- Valle de Leyda / San Antonio: Coastal, cool region near Valparaíso. Elegant white wines and Pinot Noir
- Valle del Maule & Itata: The old wine regions of Chile — here grow the País vines that Spanish missionaries planted in the 16th century. Rediscovered by the natural wine movement
Chilean Craft Beer
Chile is experiencing a craft beer revolution: Hundreds of small breweries produce excellent beer — from German styles (heritage of immigration) to experimental varieties. The most important:
- Kunstmann (Valdivia): The pioneer brewery, founded by German immigrants. Torobayo (lager) and Bock are the classics
- Baguales (Puerto Natales): Patagonia's best craft brewery. IPA and Bock
- Kross (Santiago): Premium craft beer from the capital. The Kross 5 (Golden Ale) is excellent
- Szot (Santiago): Experimental brewery with IPA, Stout, and seasonal varieties
Other Drinks
- Terremoto: The "Earthquake" cocktail — Pipeño wine (sweet white wine) with pineapple ice cream and grenadine. Tastes harmless, acts like its namesake. After the first Terremoto comes the "Réplica" (aftershock) — a glass of Pipeño with Fernet. Tradition on the national holiday
- Mote con Huesillo: A sweet refreshing drink made from wheat (Mote) and dried peaches (Huesillo) in caramel syrup. Available on every street corner in summer, served ice cold. 1,000–2,000 CLP
- Mate: In southern Chile, mate is drunk like in Argentina — from the gourd with a bombilla (metal straw)
- Chicha: Fermented grape must — traditionally during the Fiestas Patrias. Sweet, sparkling, deceptively strong
- Café con piernas: A Chilean curiosity — stand-up cafés in the center of Santiago where waitresses in short skirts serve espresso. More harmless than it sounds, but a peculiar institution
💡 Tipp
In restaurants, it's best to order wine as "Copa de vino" (glass) or "Botella" (bottle). "Vino de la casa" (house wine) in Chile is almost always good — even in simple establishments. For a wine tasting: The Casablanca Valley lies on the way to Valparaíso — perfect for a stopover. And: Be sure to try a Carménère from the Colchagua Valley — the best embodiment of Chilean wine.