Intipalka Chardonnay

Discerning minds always go the extra mile. And this is true for the Queirolo’s, an Italian family who emigrated to Peru in 1877 to become one of the most reputable wineries in the production of wine and pisco. They then took their work one step further when the third generation decided to produce wines of exemplary quality under the Intipalka brand (meaning “valley of the sun” in the ancient Inca language). To do this, they plant noble French varieties in specific plots with unique terroirs and have all the necessary technological resources to facilitate and review the work in the vineyard and in the winery. They also took on one of the most renowned winemakers in Argentina, Luis Gómez, and together they brought Peruvian wine into the high-end range.

But apart from ramping up the quality of their dry wines, the Intipalka range is able to showcase the potential of Peruvian high altitude white wine. This is clear to see in Intipalka Chardonnay, a white wine made with the Chardonnay variety from vineyards planted in 2000 on deep loam soil at an altitude of 500 metres above sea level. Being one of the driest places on the planet, with less than 20 mm of rain per year and more than 300 sunny days, the vineyards are drip irrigated and the grapes are harvested and selected by hand at the optimum point of ripeness. In the winery, the grapes are again selected, destemmed and pressed, and the resulting must is fermented in 500 hectolitre stainless steel tanks with a refrigeration system. The wine then remains in the bottle for 3 months to enhance all the freshness of the fruit.
                
Intipalka Chardonnay is a clear example of how Chardonnay, the leading white variety of French origin, has won over the New World quickly and easily. A fresh and aromatic white wine that highlights the quality of high-end Peruvian wines.