Montes plants vineyard near Machu Picchu

Daring Chilean winemaker Aurelio Montes has planted an experimental vineyard close to the famous 15^th century Inca site Machu Picchu in Peru’s Cusco region.

Just under a hectare in size, the vineyard resides 3,000 metres above sea level in the Sacred Valley of the Incas close to Machu Picchu and the city of Cusco.

But while the project sounds exciting, getting it off the ground hasn’t been easy, as Montes has come up against opposition from the local authorities.

“They have been strict about our cuttings and have made it difficult for us to plant there. Grapes aren’t so ingrained in their culture – they have more of a tradition of planting corn in Cusco,” he told db at Vinexpo this week.

Aurelio Montes

“But there is a history of winemaking in Cusco – in the 15^th century Spaniards brought vine cuttings to the region and planted vineyards there.

“It’s a fun adventure that could prove very interesting or could fail before it’s even begun,” he added.

Montes has planted Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot on ancient Incan terraces to see which variety performs best there.

He was unable to buy the land outright and instead has to pay a yearly fee to rent the plot.

While not involved in the project, his son Aurelio Junior, winemaker and owner at Kaiken in Argentina, is fired up about the prospect of wine from near the sacred site.

“Machu Picchu is a very special place and is so important in the history of South America so it’s great to be experimenting with grape growing there,” he said.

“It won’t be a problem getting the grapes to ripen at 3,000 metres, humidity will be the bigger issue,” he added.

Machu Picchu means “old peak” in Quechuan. Archaeologists believe the site was build as an estate for the Incan emperor Pachacuti in the mid-15^th century.