Wine and Brandy Production in Colonial Peru: A Historical and Archaeological Investigation

Abstract

Wine and Brandy Production in Colonial Peru: A Historical and Archaeological Investigation Peru's colonial wine industry was born of necessity in the late sixteenth century, when it became increasingly apparent-in Spain and its New World colonies alike-that the homeland was incapable of supplying the colonies with adequate wine for both sacramental and secular use. At first, Spain had encouraged the planting of vines (Vitis vinfera) in Peru as it had elsewhere throughout its empire. But with growing recognition of the economic threat that these thriving vineyards posed to the home wine industry, the crown reversed its stand. Scores of ineffectual decrees were issued prohibiting the planting of new vineyards and sale of Peruvian wine in the colonies. Finally, however, bowing to the inevitable, Spain resorted to slapping exorbitant taxes on the colonial product. Despite these negative royal sanctions-together with natural disasters (earthquakes and volcanic eruptions), economic boom and bust cycles, and a product of dubious quality-colonial Peruvian viticulture was hugely successful. Wine has been described as second in importance to silver ... as a motor of the Peruvian economy. 1 Most studies of Peru's colonial viticulture are histories of trade