Category Archives: Wine & Food

January 20, 2016 · 5:35 am

Monte Grande, Vicuña, and Lunch by Solar Power


Monte Grande Church

Monte Grande Church

I showed you the exterior of the church at Monte Grande earlier in this series on Elqui Valley.  Here’s the interior:

Elqui Valley 3-15-2015 12-28-26 PM

Monte Grande’s church

Our arrival to Monte Grande happened to coincide with the noon rush hour:

Rush Hour in Monte Grande

Rush Hour in Monte Grande

We headed back to the west, but first we would stop for lunch.  The fascinating thing about this eatery was the method of cooking — solar ovens and solar broilers.  And, yes, lunch was delicious.  So much so that I forgot to photograph it.

Solar Oven

Solar Oven

Solar Broiler

Solar Broiler

Baking Bread

Baking Bread

After lunch it was off to Vicuña.  Vicuña was the largest town we visited in Elqui Valley.  It has a population of 25,000.  Here are some photos from this stop on our day trip into Chilean wine/pisco country:

Bauer Tower — Yes, it rhymes; No, I didn't make up that name

Bauer Tower — Yes, it rhymes; No, I didn’t make up that name

A Case of Prickly Heat

A Case of Prickly Heat

Vicuña statuary

Vicuña statuary

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January 18, 2016 · 5:35 am

Inside Fundo Los Nichos


The Pisco Awaits

The Pisco Awaits

Today we’re inside Fundo Los Nichos’ pisco aging cellars.  As you can see, it’s quite the charming place to be.

Aging Bottles of Pisco

Aging Bottles of Pisco

Our little tour group has gathered here for a sampling of Los Nichos’ wares:

We're WAITING!

We’re WAITING!

But before we partake, let’s wander around a bit:

Stoned at the pisco distillery

Stoned at the pisco distillery

There is quite a lot of art here, and not just the statuary above:

How one feels after too much pisco

How one feels after too much pisco

I absolutely loved the storing niches built into the cellar walls:

Fundo Los Nichos Pisco

Somebody forgot to dust the bottles!

So, how does pisco taste?  Let’s begin with what pisco is.  It’s made from fermented grapes (a.k.a., wine), then distilled.  That is the classic definition of brandy.  Chilean pisco, is traditionally made from the Moscato, Pedro Jiminez, or Torontel varietals.  Thus, pisco is similar to traditional brandy, but has a slightly sweeter taste with a stronger hint of grape.  As with traditional brandy, Chilean pisco can also be aged in oak casks which if done will give this brandy an amber color and a slight hint of vanilla.  Peruvian pisco differs here in that the Peruvian version must be aged in a container that will not alter either the flavor or color of the pisco — stainless steel tanks or glass containers, for instance.  The scent is fragrant and slightly floral in nature.

Contemplating Another

Contemplating Another

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January 13, 2016 · 5:35 am

On to Fundo Los Nichos


A map of Elqui Valley

A map of Elqui Valley

You’ll notice from the above map that to get to Pisco Elqui we first passed through the town of Monte Grande.  Monte Grande is considerably larger than Pisco Elqui, but still a small town.  It is also a great place to take photos.  Here’s one of the church in Monte Grande:

Monte Grande Church

Monte Grande Church

And just beyond Pisco Elqui?  That would be Fundo Los Nichos distillery.  Fundo Los Nichos are far from being the biggest pisco distillery, but they are one of the oldest.  As such, they distill pisco here the traditional ways, adhering strictly to time-honored methods rather than succumbing to the siren call of mass distribution.

Fundo Los Nichos distillery

Fundo Los Nichos distillery

It’s a truly charming little family-owned operation.  Los Nichos even display old-time equipment in their courtyard:

Fundo Los Nichos distillery

Fundo Los Nichos distillery

And then there’s that classic old B-series International Harvester truck we stumbled across.  What a beauty she is:

Old International Harvester truck

Old International Harvester truck

Even some of the old, now abandoned structures remain preserved in the Atacama Desert dryness.  Here an old adobe structure sits in the distance (we’ll take a closer look at that in next week’s Fun Photo Friday):

Fundo Los Nichos distillery

Fundo Los Nichos distillery

On Fun Photo Friday I’ll present to you some more of my favorite shots from this portion of our cruise.  Until then here’s one last look at some of the buildings making up Fundo Los Nichos Distillery with high desert mountains in the backdrop (we’ll go inside Los Nichos for a taste of pisco next week):

Fundo Los Nichos distillery

Fundo Los Nichos distillery

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