Until recently, I had not figured out why this is and was the case. Growing up, I never recall my parents, or anyone in my family for that matter, drinking wine at any gatherings. While coffee, beer, and rum, of course, (thanks to Ponce de León's introduction around 1508) have historically been popular drinks, no one brought a bottle of wine for the many parrandas of my childhood. The only wine in my house was the bottle Manichevitz in the refrigerator my father bought for any particular Thanksgiving that lasted anywhere between 5 and 7 years.
The answer is quite simple, Puerto Rico does not produce any wine, no worries, we more than make up for it with our rum, the Puerto Rican national drink. We are the world's leading rum producer, and probably consumer as well. My favorite, Barrilito Tres Estrellas, is still distilled in my hometown of Bayamon.
Fernando Fernandez, also from Bayamon, was the owner of a plantation located there. The Santa Ana Plantation was granted to his grandfather (also Fernando Fernandez) by the Spanish Royal Crown in 1797. Fernandez's grandfather was a naval captain who fought against pirates and English merchant ships. The Spanish Royal Crown granted him this land in recognition of his service to Spain, there he planted sugar cane and raised cattle.
In 1804, the elder Fernandez used a mixture of sugar and honey to process and distill rum for his personal use and that of his family (I love this guy.) His rum became very popular after he offered samples to people outside his inner circle. Who needs wine when you have Barrilito.
I would love to be around (if and when, but not likely) Fernandez' special barrel is made available to the public, but that's another story.
No wine because there are no grapes?
ReplyDeleteRum because of the local sugar cane?
Is it that simple?
No, things are never that simple. While some wine grapes are grown there, Puerto Rico has no appellation (a legally defined and protected geographical indication to identify where the grapes were grown.) It has to do with labeling and the percentage of wine having to come from a certain region.
ReplyDeleteNot being smart, I need to simplify.
ReplyDeleteI thought that alcohol was fermented, distilled, or whatever depending on what was available.
Russian....not a wine culture.
British Isle.....known for whiskey.
Kentucky....Bourbon
Belgium....beer.
While I understand that grapes could be grown in Puerto Rico...and that wine is made in Argentina, Chile, etc.....
I have never heard of wine from the Caribbean. ..anywhere.
Is there Cuban wine?
There are many Cuban wines, some produced in tobacco territory Pinar del Rio. They are becoming very popular in international markets and the locals are starting to dig them as well.
ReplyDeleteBodegas San Cristobal produces one million bottles of wine a year for export. They cultivate Italian grapes that were genetically modified to deal with the heat.