This is a verse left by Gabriela Mistral, a Chilean writer who was the first in Latin America to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. The Elqui Valley, where he grew up, is the heart of Chilean pisco culture. The vineyard reflected in his childhood eyes was "an emerald imbued with moonlight." He described the pisco produced there as "a drop of water that contains the spirit of the Andes."
Today, pisco faces new challenges in Gabriela's hometown. The surviving distilleries are now battling the triple difficulties of climate change, labor shortages, and cost pressures.
According to a report from the Chilean Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) on the 30th, the average temperature in the Elqui and Limarí valleys has risen by 1.5 degrees over the past 20 years. In contrast, spring precipitation has decreased by 35%. The sun is getting hotter, and with rainfall diminishing, the grape harvest in 2023 was down 25% from 2019.
The area planted with grapes for pisco has also decreased by 20% compared to 2000. The United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL) predicts that by 2030, up to 40% of the current planting areas will be unsuitable for pisco grape cultivation.
Juan Carlos Muñoz, head of the Climate Change Team at the Chilean Agricultural Research Institute, noted at the climate summit in Santiago last December that "climate change is threatening the survival of grapes for pisco" and said, "The lowlands of the Elqui Valley have already reached a tipping point, and unless the vineyards are transferred to higher altitudes of over 1,200 meters with wider temperature variations, pisco cannot guarantee its future."
The issue of rising costs is also serious. According to the Chilean Wine Industry Association, the price of glass bottles has increased by 65% and the price of grape purchases has risen by 40% over the past three years. Logistics costs have more than doubled compared to 2019.
The Chilean government is seeking new avenues amid this crisis. Since 2018, it has undertaken protection through the Pisco Industry Development Strategy (Programa Estratégico Pisco Spirit). The Chilean Economic Development Agency (CORFO) is providing low-interest loans and technological innovation grants, and is implementing support for modernizing irrigation facilities and technology training for grape-growing farms in the Elqui and Limarí valleys.
The Korean market is expected to become a foothold for pisco exports in Asia. According to the International Wine and Spirits Record (IWSR), the domestic import market for distilled spirits grew by 22% in 2023 compared to the previous year. In particular, the success story of Chilean wine in the domestic market highlights the potential that pisco holds. Statistics from the Korea Customs Service indicate that Chilean wine imports surpassed $100 million in 2023, a 195% increase compared to 2018.
A representative from the Coquimbo Pisco Association said, "The success of Chilean wine in the Korean market is a good sign for pisco" and added, "Pisco made from grapes grown in the same soil and environment is also expected to suit Korean tastes."
Chilean wine, competing for the highest market share (18%) with France in the domestic wine market, already has a proven distribution network. Additionally, it can enjoy tariff-free benefits due to the Korea-Chile Free Trade Agreement.
The Chilean government has also developed a specific plan to target the Korean market. According to the Chilean Embassy's Trade Office, a phased entry strategy will be implemented over three years starting in 2024. The first phase involves training key city bartenders (2024–2025), the second phase expands distribution channels (2025–2026), and the third phase strengthens mass marketing (2026–2027).
A representative from the Chilean Export Promotion Bureau noted, "Korea will not just be an export market; it will become a platform for cultural exchange" and added, "Since it is still in the early stages, what is more important than specific sales figures is the blending of culinary cultures that both countries have through pisco."