The Cradle of Chilean Wine Industry? The Vitiviniculture of the Pica Oasis

Pica vitiviniculture has a valuable history that dates back from the sixteenth century, but social, political, and economic consequences derived from the War of Pacific gave place to the last harvest in 1937. Some of the descendants of the first winegrowers of Tarapacá Region are currently seeking to recover and preserve their wine history. Subtropical conditions characterize the viticulture of Pica, providing a series of physiological problems, such as markedly acrotony and berry heterogeneity. Bioclimatic indices define the Pica viticulture as the warmest in Chile. The vines cultivated in Pica are affected by biotic and abiotic factors, mostly by bird damage and boron toxicity. Criolla varieties are mostly cultivated due to their important adaptation to pedoclimatic conditions of Pica compared to the European ones. This chapter provides valuable information about Pica vitiviniculture, which deserves more attention and support by the public and private sectors.