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Costa Rica: wine’s new frontier?
The global winemaking map may soon be due for another expansion, as plans are being laid to build the first winery in Costa Rica.
Kerry Damskey, Napa Valley winemaker and consultant to Sula Vineyards in India, has revealed that he is currently assessing the suitability of a particular site in Costa Rica for viticulture, confident that the altitude of 6,000ft will present good growing conditions.
Explaining his motivation to produce wine in a country with no viticultural heritage, Kerry told the drinks business, “Costa Rica has a large international presence and subsequently a niche market for domestic premium wines. If the project is successful, we are looking to produce 15,000 cases a year.”
“With my experience in tropical and mountain wine growing, this project seemed the ideal extension of what we have done at Sula. At 6,000ft, temperatures will be possibly two low to fully ripen our red varieties, so we are planning to produce amarone-style desiccated reds.”
Working with an Israeli flavour manufacturer based in Costa Rica, Kerry intends to use his land to plant Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Grenache, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon in December 2011.
Rajeev Samant, CEO of Sula Wines in Nashik and business partner of Kerry has been producing wine in West India for 10 years despite being warned it was an impossible task.
“People thought it was ridiculous to plant vines in Nashik and produce wine. But when you look at heat accumulation during the growing season, you find that Nashik is actually pretty cool when you would expect it to be hot, being in India.”
“Costa Rica will present a challenge but you can always adapt to local conditions and the high altitude site shows great promise for grape growing”, he added.
Ending with a strong note of optimism, Kerry said, “The growing conditions are not dissimilar to my vineyards in Napa Valley, albeit higher.”
“We now produce premium wine in India, why not Costa Rica?”
Construction of the winery will begin in spring 2012 with a projected initial output of 1,000 cases after two years.
James Lawrence, 23.03.2011
I was in Costa Rica this winter (fabulous place), and a local told us that last year it had rained for six weeks.
“Every day for six weeks?” we asked?
“No. It rained for six weeks. Continuously for six weeks.”
I suspect that the winery will have to contend with the vine’s double-harvest tendencies, even if they avoid the rainy season, but there is certainly altitude. Good luck to them.
A winery in Costa Rica! That is great! I have worked in the Okanagan wine industry in Western Canada. I am in Costa Rica now and I would love some more information on where the winery is planned to be built and maybe a contact?
Cheers!
It’s about time! With domestic wine producers to the north and south, there has been a void in wine production in this very fertile nation. Cheers to this individual for the determination to make it work. Please let me know whether the story can be featured on our site.
– Tee
Tee is the founder and senior editor of Costa Rica CLOSEUP a Travel Guide to Costa Rica with Events, Articles and Information for everyone traveling, retiring and/or purchasing real estate in Costa Rica. Please visit www.costaricacloseup.com for more information.
We here at the Costa Rican business blog fijatevos.com are also interested in this venture. This country has a wide variety of micro-climates because the altitudes vary, from the high Central Valley with its cool spring-like weather (70-80 F)to hot, dry tropical lowlands on the coast.
In the late 1970s, an Italian family tried to raise wine grapes in Guanacaste province near the Pacific Ocean. The English-language publication The Tico Times wrote a story on their efforts but nothing was heard of it thereafter.
We can be contacted at www.fijatevos.com
We here at the Costa Rican business news blog fijatevos.com are also interested in this developing story. This country has a wide variety of microclimates often only a few miles apart. These range from the high mountain Central Valley with its cool, spring-like weather to hot, dry tropical lowlands.
In the late 1970s the English-language publication The Tico Times ran a story about an Italian family that planted red wine grapes in Guanacaste province near the Pacific Ocean. But nothing more was heard from them thereafter.
We can be reached at www.fijatevos.com
James,
Thank you for writing this very interesting article. I was wondering if you had any more news on this matter since your story published in March? I am very interested to find out where I can follow Mr. Damskey’s progess.
Cheers,
Katie