PARTY WITH PIPEÑO! THURSTQUEEN GIVES THE 4-11 ON YOUR NEW GO-TO DAY DRINKING COMPANION

Strawberry season (aka Summer) is here, and that means it’s time to bust out anything that’s chuggable and gluggable.

Last year it was the year of Glou Glou, the year before that it was Beaujolais, and let’s not forget the rosé all day nonsense that’s been trending hardcore on the ‘Gram since 2016. As much as I wish that shit would die like the phrase, “Yaaaas queen,” unfortunately I don’t think the pink stuff is going anywhere. Yet I digress. Let’s chat about Pipeño - what I’ve proclaimed to be the wine of the Summer.

Pipeño is Chile’s alternative to Beaujolais. So if you’re a fan of all things Gamay, give this Chilean chilled out red a shot. For the budget conscious, Pipeño typically falls within the $20 dollar price range, making it the ultimate affordable day drinking wine. Crunchy, juicy and fresh AF Pipeño is having a moment here in Southern California I think it’s going to be the “it wine” of the Summer.

As far as how the stuff tastes, picture a carton of fresh strawberries. And no, I’m not talking about the kind at the grocery store or the overpriced nonsense at Erwhon. I’m talking about good old-fashioned roadside strawberries, like the kind you pick up on the way to Malibu off Highway 1. Pipeño is easy breezy beautiful, and also has some salty, mineral vibes which make it thirst quenching and lip smacking good.

WTF IS PIPEÑO?

Pipeño is a juicy, rustic table wine that is traditionally enjoyed by Chilean farmers. This crushable, lighter-bodied red meant to be served with a slight chill is made from the País grape, or the Mission grape. It’s essentially the Session IPA of wines, which means you can enjoy glass after glass of the stuff without getting too… well… buzzed if you get my drift.

This Mission grape hails from the Canary Islands and is called Listan Prieto over there. Folks who know me well know about my love of the Mission grape, largely due to starting out in the Wine Business slinging Mexican wine.

Mission - or País - tastes super fresh and minerally. This grape comes in both white and red clonal varieties. Often dismissed as a boring blending grape, Mission grapes create wines that folks in the wine world would call “crunchy,” which means they have a fresh snappiness one would associate with fresh and crunchy berries.

If you pick up a bottle - or can - of Pipeño, make sure to serve it chilled, as it’s meant to be the ultimate light and refreshing day drinking red - it was meant to be enjoyed by farmers after a long exhausting day in the fields after all.

HOW IS PIPEÑO MADE?

Pipeño is made in the cooler regions of Chile, more specifically the Itata, Maule and Bío Bío Valleys. These grapes are pressed in a traditional zaranda which is a wooden de-stemmer. The wine ferments with natural yeasts in wooden vats and is stored in wooden pipas or barrels. Essentially, Pipeño is the ultimate chillable red for any natty wine lover!

PICK OF THE WEEK: 2021 Cacique Maravilla Pipeño Pais (23.00 for a Liter, FUCK YEAH!)

What can I say? Some wines you just fall head over heels in love with. Such was the case with me and this bottle of Pipeño. This expression of País is a bit more savory than some of the versions that I’ve had, but it makes me love it even more.

There’s loads of racy acidity, bright tart red berry vibes, and a bit of herbs in this feather light wine. As far as wines go, this one isn’t meant to be taken too seriously. It’s just meant to be enjoyed. I suggest bringing a bottle of this to any and all Summer picnics, pool parties, and barbecues.

It’ll definitely be a hit.