While exploring Ollantaytambo, a village in the Sacred Valley of South Peru, visitors can encounter a diverse array of unique potato varieties. Research shows that Peruvians grow between 3,000 and 4,000 varieties of native potatoes in the Andean highlands. The Andes is an 8,900 km-long continental mountain range that forms the western spine of South America, spanning seven countries, including Peru.
Beyond its abundance of potato varieties, Peru is distinctive in another way: it is the only place in the world to produce wine from this versatile vegetable.
Interest peaks at Nuna Raymi, a restaurant located in the heart of Cusco (a UNESCO World Heritage site), where Chef Giovanni Fernandini leads the kitchen. The signature dish, “Experienca De Papas Nativas – Alturas De Cusco” (translated as Experience of Native Potatoes), features over 480 varieties of potatoes from the Sacred Valley of Cusco, rotated seasonally. Here, native potato wine is served, offering a warm finish, a slightly cloudy texture, and a smoother feel compared to grape wine.
Potato varieties span across colours, textures, and flavours. The earliest archaeological evidence of potato cultivation in Peru dates back to 4500 BC. It was found at Lake Titicaca, South America’s largest freshwater lake.
Potatoes were so significant that the Inca Valley, even today, houses a potato farm called Parque de la Papa, which celebrates, honours, and conserves the many varieties of potatoes grown in the country. It preserves over 1,300 varieties of native potatoes.
The Inca civilisation, which thrived from around 1438 until the Spanish conquest in 1532, was a powerful Andean empire based in Cusco, Peru, and is renowned for engineering marvels such as Machu Picchu. During their reign, Incan farmers domesticated wild potatoes, carefully weeding out poisonous tuber varieties.
Vino De Oca: Peru’s Potato Wine
Peru’s deep-rooted love for potatoes extends beyond food—so much so that it is the only country in the world to produce wine from the vegetable. Peruvian potato wine called Vino de Oca is crafted specifically from oca varieties of potato grown in the Andes.
Oca potatoes grow in high-altitude regions and have a sugary texture. These potatoes are fermented for months to produce white, red, and rosé wines. The tubers are left to ferment in the sun for four to eight months, resulting in a wine with 11-12% alcohol. The flavour profiles are unique, ranging from earthy and citrus notes to fruity ones. At Nuna Raymi, the Jolly Llamas variety is known for a stronger, smoother flavour profile than grape wine.
Although there is evidence that potato wine was consumed by the Inca civilisation, the earliest recorded documentation of the beverage appears in 1746. At that time, Swedish winemaker Eva Ekeblad visited the Andes, experimenting with the oca variety for wine production. Today, Manuel Choqque is known as the most prominent potato wine maker in Peru.
Manuel Choqque has also grown hundreds of varieties of tubers, including super potatoes. These potatoes have antioxidant levels over 10 times those of blueberries. They contain five times the Vitamin C of citrus and are rich in Zinc and other minerals.
The Significance Of Potatoes In Peru
Another interesting ceremony involving the vegetable was their trampling during harvest season. Almost like grape stomping, potatoes were trampled to remove their water and were then freeze-dried for winter rations. This practice was particularly common in the Andes, where food and water had to be preserved.
Potatoes were also used in marriage rituals in Peru. The qachun waqachi variety was treated as a ritualistic offering to the husband by the wife. The vegetable was carefully peeled to remove the skin and the wife was expected to care for it as she would for her beau.
Potatoes were also offered to Earth during the Pachamama ceremony which involves receiving blessings from Mother Earth by offering local produce. They were also buried in the land, along with cannabis leaves, cocoa, and other ancient herbs, to soothe the land and hope for a better harvest. The harvest season came with dances, music, and celebration. All of this was for the mighty potato.
Safe to say, even today, nobody celebrates potatoes like Peru.
Cut to India where potato wine is almost absent. Most people in our country are unaware of its existence and it is often confused with vodka. Some websites also share recipes for potato wine and liqueurs, though experimentation with these remains limited.
According to statistics, wine consumption in India is rising at an average annual rate of 6.4% and the number of Indians who drink wine in the country increased by 29% in 2022 alone. And this is good news for wine traders. Introduction of an unfamiliar product like potato wine in a growing and receptive market holds great potential for stakeholders; more opportunity for wine makers and sellers and more choice for wine enthusiasts in India.
Read more: Dining As Destination: Where Every Meal Becomes An Experience
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