Viña Ocucaje
Heritage and Tradition
Viña Ocucaje S.A. is a family business that has been producing wines and piscos of renowned quality in its wineries located south of the city of Ica, in the Ocucaje Valley, for more than 120 years.
Over the years it has managed to develop a variety of wines that have become emblematic products of Peru, which are at the forefront of the national market and are recognized internationally. Throughout their history the Ocucaje have won numerous prizes in international competitions.
Historical records show that vine cultivation in “El Valle de Ocucaje” dates back to the time of the Viceroyalty, which soon brought with it an artisanal production of wines and piscos that in turn stimulated the manufacture of clay jars and botijas. In the 17th century the Del Valle lands and the artisanal complex of wine and pisco production passed into the hands of the Jesuits who gave a special boost to the planting of vines and the production of spirits.
After the expulsion of the Jesuits by Viceroy Abascal, the ownership of the lands of Ocucaje and its complex of wine and pisco production passed through several hands, until in 1898 Don Felipe Zunini acquired it, constituting the company Zunini y Osella – Vinos Ocucaje. Zunini became the new great promoter of the production of piscos and wines in this area of Peru. The Rubini family’s involvement in Ocucaje originated at that time, at the beginning of the last century, when Don Virgilio Rubini Fulle began to collaborate with Don Felipe Zunini.
This new company promoted the production of piscos and quality wines from a semi-craft level to an industrial one, improving the infrastructure and the work in the field, importing selected vines from the Rhine Valley, France, Italy, Portugal and Spain and modernizing the winery with new equipment for distillation of pisco and the introduction of pipes and wooden barrels for wines from Yugoslavia.
As a result of this effort, in 1934 the first exports to the United States were made and in 1947 the name of the company changed to Viña Ocucaje S.A. and became 100% owned by the Rubini family, thus beginning a stage of expansion of the cultivable area, renewal of vines and improvement of the irrigation infrastructure, which in subsequent years were affected by two processes of agrarian reform.
Today, Ocucaje Piscos are recognized for their quality and are emblematic of Peru. They are at the forefront of the national market and have international recognition.
