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FijiFlavors · Curacaví
Drink made from fermented grape must, slightly sweet, produced in Curacaví, near Santiago, with cooking in copper or stainless-steel vats. It has a designation of origin since 2017 and an annual festival.
Traditional drink from Curacaví, Metropolitana de Santiago
Also known as: chicha de uva de Curacaví
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Click a photo to enlarge it.
Chicha de Curacaví — Curacaví, Chile
In Chile, chicha is the drink made from fermented grape must, lighter and sweeter than wine. The Curacaví chicha, from the comuna in the Puangue valley on the road between Santiago and Valparaíso, is the best known in the country. The país variety is among the grapes allowed by the regulation, alongside moscatel, torontel, syrah and pinot. The must is cooked in copper or stainless-steel vats before fermentation.
In 2017, Chicha de Curacaví received the origin seal, registered as a designation of origin by the National Institute of Industrial Property of Chile, together with the comuna’s traditional sweets. Chicha also lent its name to a cueca, the Chilean national dance, which is named after the drink and is performed at the September festivities.
Every year, at the end of April, after the harvest, the comuna holds the Fiesta de la Chicha, with contests among local chicha producers, folk music, handicrafts and typical food stalls. The drink is a staple at the Fiestas Patrias in September.
Curacaví , Metropolitana de Santiago
Chicha de Curacaví has a registered designation of origin with INAPI for the comuna.
Grape must from varieties listed in the regulation, such as país, cooked in copper or stainless-steel vats and fermented.
Served fresh, in a glass or mug, alone or with empanadas and barbecue. It contains alcohol, usually less than wine: enjoy in moderation.
Fiestas Patrias in September, and the Fiesta de la Chicha de Curacaví at the end of April.
Your questions
It is a drink of fermented grape must, lighter and sweeter than wine. The Curacaví variety is the best known and has a designation of origin.
It is usually at the end of April, after the grape harvest, with a chicha contest, music and typical food. The date changes each year; confirm before you go.
Yes. It is a fermented drink, generally with less alcohol than wine, but still alcoholic.
Flavors of Chile
Sweet shortcrust tart topped with seasonal fruits such as raspberry, strawberry, murta and currant, inherited from the German settlers of southern Chile. In Frutillar, it is the pastry served in the tea houses.
Earth oven of the Rapanui people: meats, fish, sweet potato, taro and banana slowly cooked on hot volcanic stones, wrapped in banana leaves. It is the most traditional preparation of Rapa Nui cuisine.
Artisanal sweets made by families of confectioners from La Ligua and sold by vendors wearing white aprons and carrying baskets, in town and along the road. They have a geographical indication and are Chile’s intangible cultural heritage.
Shellfish, meats, sausage, potatoes and potato breads cooked in a hole in the ground, over hot stones, covered with large leaves. It is the dish most associated with Chiloé, in southern Chile.
Whole lamb opened on an iron cross and slowly roasted beside the fire, a dish of the sheep estancias of the Chilean Patagonia. It is the one most associated with the gastronomy of Magallanes.
Grape brandy with Chilean designation of origin, distilled from wine made from grape varieties defined by law in the regions of Atacama and Coquimbo. The Elqui Valley and the village of Pisco Elqui are its heart.
Hot sandwich of thin beef cooked on a griddle with melted cheese, usually served on marraqueta bread. It’s named after President Ramón Barros Luco, who used to order it in Santiago.
Pipeño wine drink with pineapple ice cream, sometimes with grenadine or fernet. Its name is linked to the bars of Santiago and the 1985 earthquake, and it became a drink of the Fiestas Patrias.
Platter of french fries topped with strips of beef, sautéed onion and egg, served for sharing. It is associated with Valparaíso’s traditional bars, where it became popular.
