Brazil is the fifth-biggest country in the world and the largest in South America. In terms of volume, Brazil is the third-largest wine producer in South America. It has a sizable wine industry, and the majority of this wine produced is consumed locally. Since the early 1990s, quality has improved due to increased imports of foreign wines and Brazilians’ growing interest in excellent wines, making them one of the world’s best wines.
Brazil is primarily covered in rainforests; the Rio Grande do Sul. Brazil’s southernmost state produces 90 percent of the country’s wine and is home to five of the country’s six major wine regions. The Serra Gacha region, which contains five sub-appellations, is the most important and impactful. Seventy-nine thousand hectares of vineyards (roughly 195,000 acres) cover Brazil. There are around 1,000 wineries, with 90% of them being small family businesses and over 20,000 winemaking families who make small quantities of wine for their consumption or to sell through collectives.
Brazilian winemakers need to produce such a type of wine that tastes to be like Brazil. As a result, Brazilian wines are often lighter, fresher, fruitier, and lower in alcohol than the intense, full-bodied red wines we’re used to seeing from California’s wine regions.
Brazil’s local wineries and vineyards are pretty approachable and may be enjoyed on any occasion, from date night to Carnival!
Serra Gaucha – The Soul of Brazilian Wines (Little Italy)
Serra Gaucha, sometimes known as “Little Italy,” is an unexpected sanctuary in the middle of an industrial area. It is the epicentre of the country’s wine industry. The Rio Grande does at the country’s southern border with Uruguay; Soul state is home to this winemaking region. This region is generally referred to as Brazil’s wine capital because it produces 80 percent of the country’s wine, with the best wines coming from the sub-region of Vale dos, Brazil’s first recognized wine appellation, which was established in 2002.
Italian types Trebbiano and Barbera were the first to be planted and thrived here. However, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Semillon are now the most popular. Serra Gaucha is particularly humid, located close to Brazil’s south-eastern coast, which would promote fungal diseases to attack the grapes if it weren’t for the essential cooling winds that weave through the mountains. Because of the volcanic basalt topography, the soil is rich in unique nutrients like iron, magnesium, and calcium, which, when combined, create a landscape that produces robust, disease-resistant vines.
Planalto Catarinense (A New Wine-Producing Region)
Planalto Catarinense is a new wine-producing region in Santa Catarina, situated on a high-lying plateau. This raised plain is home to all of the region’s vineyards, where strong and juicy reds thrive alongside tropical fruit-flavoured whites. The cultivation of European grapes and high-quality wines has advanced in this region. Cabernet Sauvignon and other red grapes are harvested late, in March or April, allowing for appropriate ripeness. Because the vineyards are higher up, temperatures are lower than you do not expect for an area of this latitude, allowing winemakers to produce high-quality red, white, and sparkling wines. The lack of rainfall is the most significant environmental challenge for winemakers here, yet it doesn’t seem to stop them from making alluring wines.
Planalto Catarinense is a temperate microclimate in Brazil’s Deep South located on a plateau where temperatures usually are colder than at sea level, resulting in chilly winters and pleasant summers. The soil’s basalt includes essential micronutrients that assist vines in resisting the harsh dry conditions brought on by the region’s proximity to the Equator. The volcanic ash soil’s calcium, iron, and magnesium aid in root growth, disease resistance, and complexity in the grapes.
Campanha (Welcoming Region)
Campanha is the most southerly wine region in Brazil, and it’s been gaining popularity in recent years due to the high quality of wines. Currently, Campanha is working to obtain GI status. The high quality of the product, as well as the tourist-welcoming possibilities, continue to surprise us. Natural circumstances are similar to those seen in the Mediterranean. There are no mountains; transporting and selling red and sparkling wines at reasonable costs is easier.
There is less moisture in the ground and air to dilute grape flavours and skin colour; winemakers can develop significantly darker reds here than anywhere else in the country. Soft, fruity reds and some punchier Cabernet Sauvignons are typical of this region, while whites are full-bodied and generally made from Chardonnay. The climate in the area is ideal for growing European grapes and producing high-quality wines. The soil in Campanha is acidic and fertile; the vines find the nutrients they require, resulting in fruitier, higher-quality grapes. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tannat, Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro, Tinta Roriz, Teroldego, Malbec, Carmenere, and Cabernet Franc are the major red wine varieties produced.
Campos de Cima da Serra (A Little Paradise)
Campos de Cima da Serra, also known as the Brazilian Subtropical Highland Grasslands, is a little paradise of tropical plants and species and one of Brazil’s newest wine districts. The region is renowned for making exquisite reds, aromatic whites, and sparkling wines from grape varietals that are not commonly seen in the United Kingdom. This small, up-and-coming region is complete with winemakers quietly honing their craft, crafting incredible blends with native Brazilian types.
Campos de Cima da Serra is a hilly location on the border of Santa Catarina that reaches altitudes of 1,100 metres. Its slope vineyards benefit from mild temperatures and regular winds, allowing winemakers to produce healthy plants. More extended maturation is possible due to the balance of temperature and cooling breezes, resulting in nicely concentrated grapes. The green, rugged environment makes an excellent bed for viticulture with water-retaining granite and nutrient-rich clay soil.
Serra do Sudeste (Smaller Wine Region)
One of Brazil’s smaller wine areas is Serra do Sudeste. Investors from the country’s largest wine-producing region, Serra Gacha, have lately given the area a much-needed financial boost, with enough grapes to produce 500,000 bottles of vino. Cabernet Sauvignon and Tannat are used to make soft, light red wines, and Chardonnay and Viognier are used to create rich white wines. The fresh, fruit-driven sparkling wines made in the Italian Spumante style, on the other hand, have gotten the most attention.
Warm summers and chilly winters characterize the Serra do Sudeste, with fog and frosts expected throughout the cooler months. Its steep topography ranges from 400 to 500 metres, and grapes are typically cultivated on hillsides. Lime in the soil supplies calcium and magnesium to the vines and improves their ability to absorb nutrients. Basalt is also found in the ground, beneficial to root growth and disease resistance in vines.
Brazil is a sparkling country known for its vibrant, colourful culture and easy-drinking, light, fresh fruit wines. High-quality wines with some sweeter sparkling’s attract the tourist to recognize the region’s most sparkling wines.
If you want to explore fascinating and engaging vineyards with some of the best wineries and wines, then Brazil is a super chance. Don’t miss it!
