Deep ruby color; raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, black cherry, plum, blueberry, licorice, leather, spice, meat on the nose and palate.
Dry; moderate tannins and acidity. Medium body. Packed with dark-fruit syrah flavors from ripe fruit; can benefit from decanting or time in glass to lose some of its pop-and-pour rusticity. 100% syrah grapes are hand-harvested into small containers to prevent crushing and premature oxidation. Fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel. Aged entirely in stainless steel; no oak aging, resulting in fruit-centric effort. 12.5% ABV
The Viñas Queirolo story began in 1877 when an Italian winemaking family immigrated to Peru from Genoa, Italy. In 1880, during a time when Peru was engaged in a tumultuous war with Chile, Santiago Queirolo Raggio established a general store in Lima that is still open today. While part of the operation was a restaurant, Santiago personally oversaw wine production for his venues.
In 1906, Viñas Queirolo began bottling wine. The family steadily built the wine business while also maintaining the general store and restaurant. By the 1960s, with Lima’s rapid urban growth, the family shifted wine production operations to the Cañete Valley south of Lima where they already owned vineyards. In 2000, the third generation of the Queirolo family initiated a complete renovation and expansion of the winery. In 2002, they acquired almost 2,000 acres in the Valle de Ica, a near-desert region that, with irrigation, would prove ideal for wine growing, and began an aggressive expansion in export markets.
In 2009, Viñas Queirolo launched a new premium brand, Intipalka, of which this wine is a product. In Quechua, Peru’s native language, “Intipalka” means “Valley of the Sun.” Growth continues both with wine production and sales and the development of the only premium hotel in a vineyard in Peru. Today, under the leadership of Santiago Queirolo, grandson of the founder, Viñas Queirolo is Peru’s largest winemaker and exports to more than 50 countries. They also are a major maker of pisco, a Peruvian clear spirit distilled from ripened grapes and leftover wine.
Viñas Queirolo Intipalka Valle del Sol Syrah, Ica Valley, Peru 2019 is a quality syrah made by the largest wine company in Peru. The combination of desert climate, extreme diurnal variations, and distinctive soil make for an interesting and delicious interpretation of syrah. Intipalka is the flagship brand and export leader for Viñas Queirolo. $16
Pairing—lamb is classic, grilled lamb chops, lamb shawarma, lamb gyros, roast leg of lamb with garlic and rosemary. Grilled steak, especially with pepper crust; beef teriyaki; steak fajitas, lomo saltado (Peru’s signature stir-fried beef dish). Barbecued pork, roasted pork with herb seasoning, anticuchos (Peruvian grilled meat skewers, especially beef heart meat and peanut sauce). Grilled eggplant, eggplant parmesan; portobello mushroom dishes; roasted root vegetables. Cheese—roquefort, manchego; aged goat cheese with pronounced flavors; gouda, parmigiano-reggiano, gorgonzola; emmental.