Argentina butts into Chile-Peru liquor dustup

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Chilean producers of a grape brandy known as Pisco petitioned their government on Friday to stop an Argentine producer from selling the product in Europe under the same name, which Peru also claims as its own.

This latest episode adds a new wrinkle to the long-standing Pisco dispute, one of several feuds between Chile and its northern neighbour, Peru.

The U.N. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) lists Peru as the holder of the Pisco appellation of origin. But Chileans, who drink great amounts of the liquor, are having a hard time swallowing the notion of Argentine pisco.

"The pisco denomination is exclusive to Chile and they cannot market any liquor under that name," said Fernando Herrera of Chile's Association of Pisco Producers to reporters on Friday.

Herrera and a group of producers presented their concerns directly to Foreign Relations Minister Alejandro Foxley.

"We have an excellent team of professionals who are going to defend Chile's right to the Pisco denomination of origin," Foxley said.

Argentina and Chile are both big grape growers and wine producers.

Argentine pisco is made by a company called Tapaus in Mendoza province, which neighbours Chile. The company also produces grappa, brandy and triple sec from grapes.

Regarding the dispute with Peru over the beverage, Foxley referred to Chile's proposal to Peru several months ago that the countries join forces to market Pisco internationally.