The growing of grapes for wine production was an important activity in Latin America between 1500 and 1860 for various reasons. Growing grapes and producing wine were responsible for the creation of unique opportunities that led to socio-economic development in the region. These activities granted women an important role in entrepreneurship and work in South America. This economic activity created a turnaround in the traditional large scale production. Vineyards became the new model where small scale farmers would grow their grapes for wine production. This model was convenient because it created lots of opportunities for small scale farm owners who would engage in intensive agriculture and produce wine too. Even though beneficial to the native Latin, this model was a disadvantage to the Spanish colonialists who felt that the wine industry would become too competitive. However, the locals in overcame the Spanish regulations and increased their productivity of wine and grape growing. Wine produced by the small scale farmers was distributed at small taverns called pulperas. These were social activity focal points where other basic provisions were also sold. People met at the pulperas to exchange ideas, entertain, and play games and other activities.
Mendoza was founded in 1561 and served as the capital of Cuyo province in the Chilean Kingdom for 200 years. The city is believed to have been an important city in the production and sale of wine. The city grew as a result of the intensive grape growing and wine production activity. It was separated from other big cities at the time by the pampas. It is estimated that by the middle of the 16th century the city had 5000 inhabitants. These population owned 650000 grapevine plants and had 40 wineries. At that time, the wine and brandy produced in a day was estimated at 1 million litters each day. Wine became the city’s main export to other cities situated in the La Plata Viceroyalty. The trend of viticulture continued to develop and mature into the 19th century.
The arrival of European immigrants led to a boom in the wine industry. The building of a railway between Mendoza and Buenos Aires was instrumental in increasing the export of wines. Mendoza made Argentina the largest wine producer in South America, as well as the fifth largest producer of the same in the world. To date, Argentina still retains the fifth position of the largest wine producer worldwide. This can be attributed to over 5 centuries of cultivation of vineyards and the manufacture and sale of wine. These long tie practices marked the cultural, economic and social life of Mendoza and especially its women.
Women played a major role in the success of the wine production business in Mendoza. They were responsible for the growing and harvesting of grapes in the vineyards. It is an intensive agricultural activity that required constant labour force throughout from planting to harvest. Women, especially the married ones, were responsible for the provision of labour on the farms. The women were also tasked with the harvesting of grapes from the farm and the extraction of grape juice to form wine. The women were also responsible for the sale of wine at pulpreas. Therefore, women played an important role in Mendoza’s rise as a wine giant. The activity also empowered women economically apart from teaching then to be entrepreneurs.
The wine production in Mendoza made the city and important land transport centre in South America. The city had developed its reputation as a wine producer and exporter. This led to the development of roads and railways from the city to other cities where wine was exported. This made Mendoza a strategic location to port cities on the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans. The city also acted as a transport link between Santiago-Valparaiso and Buenos Aires. The city facilitated political, commercial and social activities in the region as people could travel 5000 kilometres through Mendoza. It was like an inland port where over 10000 cargo mules and 1200 carts passed through annually on their way to and from Santiago, Valparaiso and Buenos Aires.
The transport centre status of the city enabled the change of culture. Male domination over women reduced significantly. Women had been empowered through vineyard nurturing and wine production activities. Therefore, they were civilised and aware of their role in society. However, the transport status of the city where men would spend more time on the road rather than with their family made these women more autonomous than before. The women could now maintain their families, farms, businesses and households even without the help of their husbands.
Mendoza’s reputation as a transport centre and a wine producing city led to increased business activity. The increased business activity attracted more people to the city on annual basis. Travellers came in search of rest, food and leisure. This is where the pulpreas came in handy. These social places hosted travellers, they could drink, enjoy themselves and get accommodation till they are ready to leave. The grape growers in Mendoza were the same people who ran these pulpreas. The increased number of people into the city acted as an advantage because it created ready market for the wine produced.
Mendoza had a unique culture in that women held a peripheral role in the development of the economy. Women could not participate in other economic activities such as cattle rearing, commerce, transport and flour milling. Therefore, viticulture was the only opportunity for these women to take part in a productive economic activity. Therefore, viticulture, which entails vineyard cultivation and production and sale of wine, was the main activity that empowered women to economic superiority in Mendoza.
Pulpreas were basically beverage stores in Mendoza and the rest of Latin America. The stores sold products that were mainly extracted from tropical fruits. The pulpreas were owned by the people who did not have the economic capability of merchants to take part in international trade. Therefore, they took part in local business such as owning and running pulperas. Pulperas sold basic provisions in the neighbourhoods in Mendoza. They sold agricultural products and were the main sources of economic activity at the merchant base pyramid. They also played another major role in the economy at that time. They acted as credit providers to many people at that time. The pulperos were in touch with the local people and understood their problems due to the day to day interactions. The pulperas also gave women in society such as widows to empower themselves economically. Widows owned small beverage shops that also sold wine called pulperias. Therefore, Mendoza had high regard for women as they were allowed to empower themselves economically.
Therefore, Mendoza is popularly known for its vineyard nurturing, wine production and sale. The city developed in the 1500s and its popularity grew, as well as its economic activity due to the wine production and export business. Women played an instrumental role in the wine industry in Mendoza because men were involved in other economic activities such as transport and cattle raising. The rise of Mendoza as a strategic city in land transportation led to the increase in the wine industry as more wine was produced for export and for the visiting traders. Pulperas and pulperias also arose all over the city of Mendoza. Their role was quite significant because they empowered the less economically equipped people. Pulperas sold basic commodities to people and also gave to them credit. Widowed women were also granted the opportunity to earn some income by owning pulperias. Therefore, Mendoza’s rise since the 1500 can be attributed to the pulperas and grape growers in the city.
References
Lacoste, P. (2008). Wine and Women: Grape Growers and Pulperas in Mendoza, 1561-1852.
