Mention Bolivia and the first thing that comes to your mind is probably the Salt Flats, if at all any picture comes to your mind.
You probably haven’t heard about high-altitude coffee and wine in Bolivia, have you? It’s no surprise. Bolivia hardly exports these good stuff from their own backyard. Blame it on poor business infrastructure, or just the general lack of interest in pushing for international trade, but I’m pretty sure the day would come soon enough that the world would get a taste of Bolivia, literally.
High Altitude Coffee in Coroico
Let’s start with Bolivian coffee. Coroico, mostly associated with a pleasant climate, the infamous Death Road, and breathtaking natural beauty, is situated at about 1600 m above sea level. Just two hours form the madness of La Paz, it’s a popular getaway with Paceños (people of La Paz) and the occasional smattering of tourists.
I had always wanted to do a coffee tour, but never expected that I would find coffee plantations here in Coroico. I headed to Cafe Munaipata, a plantation about an hour’s trek from town, and signed myself up for a three-hour coffee tour. Owned by a Swiss couple, Cafe Munaipata tries to set itself apart by being highly selective about the beans and fruits it chooses to process. The coffee fruit takes a lot longer to ripen at high altitude, up to seven months as compared to three, but this apparently gives the beans a better flavor.
I know, this sounds promising, and the coffee does taste pretty solid. I just wish that cafes in Bolivia would brush up on their coffee-making skills to do Bolivian coffee more justice.
The tour was pretty enlightening, and ended with a tasting session. Who knew that so much effort was required for a good cuppa?
There are other coffee plantations around the area, but for a comprehensive tour by a passionate coffee-man, Cafe Munaipata wouldn’t disappoint.
A three-hour tour costs 100 Bs. I made an appointment through my guesthouse, but you can call them at +591 77553535.
High-altitude wines of Tarija (yes, altitude is the theme)
Tarija lies in the south of Bolivia, and is an often overlooked destination by most travellers. But mention to other locals that you’re heading there and they almost always go ” ah… que bonita” in reply. It is a beautiful (and very small) city itself, gorgeous climate and a vibe that demands everything to slow down to its pace.
The vineyards just kilometres away from the city are really the main draw, not just for foreigners, but for domestic tourists as well.
A half-day Ruta del Vino would take you to a few of the vineyards. I opted for one that goes to Campos de Solana, simply because I’ve heard that it’s one of the best wines of Bolivia. The tour wasn’t conducted by a wine expert, unfortunately, but by a regular tour guide. So, you’d be disappointed if you were expecting a Wine 101 or a chance to show-off your impressive wine jargon.
According to the vineyards, higher altitude means greater proximity to the sun, and this gives the grapes a much more richer and intense flavor. Campos de Solana does have some wines that had won a fair share of awards at international festivals. The priciest bottle of wine, Coleccion de Altura, costs only USD 25 or less at the bodega. You might want to prepare some luggage space, since, well, you probably can’t find them at home.
I’ve heard some nasty things about Bolivian wine tours, such as the whole group tasting wine from the same glass. You could imagine my relief when each of us had a glass of our own for the degustation, complete with cheese and ham too. I would say that Bolivian wine doesn’t pale in comparison to any of the other wine producing regions, and it’s only a matter of time that the world starts to take notice.
As most vineyards in Bolivia hardly produce enough quantity for export, if you want a taste of one of the highest altitude wines in the world, you’d just have to make your way down here.
A half-day wine tour costs between 100-120 Bs and you can easily arrange one from a travel agency in town.
May your journey be blessed with copious amounts of coffee and wine.
Cheers,
Tilda