Wine in Santa Catarina, Brazil

Wine producers in Brazil do normally prioritize quantity before quality, and many Brazilians who drink wine prefer a sweet type that leaves much to wish for. In general, Brazilians do not drink a lot of wine at all.

But there are more serious wine makers and the best sorts are produces in the south of Brazil, where the best conditions for the grapes is to be found. The most famous area is Bento Gonçalves in the state Rio Grande de Sul, just to the south of Santa Catarina, and the wine from this district measures in many cases up with wine from Europe, Australia, South Africa, Chile, Argentina and California, even if they do not end up on top of the ranking.

Wine produces in Santa Catarina is not of the same quality level as in Rio Grande de Sul. The cheaper wines are based on American grapes that are not known to give a product of high class, but the better producers in Santa Catarina use more famous grapes such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and so on. And the best producers in Santa Catarina are now focused on export.

The classification of wine in Brazil uses the terms Vinho de Mesa, a simpler wine for daily usage, and Vinho Fino de Mesa, which is made on European grapes. But there is another classification as well which is more commonly used, seco, demi-seco och suave, which relates to the sugar content of the wine.

Wine Tours in Santa Catarina

Even if the wine yards in Santa Catarina are not on the same quality level as in Rio Grande de Sul, there are some good producers that is well worth visiting. Most producers have "adegas" where it is possible to taste wine and to accompany with some food or cheese.

The closest wine producer is situated in the small town Rodia that was founded by Italians, in the middle of the German enclave in the European Valley. It takes a little bit more than 1 hour to get there, and there are many other places in the region that are worthwhile visiting during the trip. The producer is SanMichele who also makes wine based on the European grapes Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. There is also a cheese factory in the town and a stop-by to get some Italian cheese is a good idea.

The next wine district is situated another 3 hours car drive towards the inland, in the region of the cities Videira, Tangara, Treze Trilias and Pinheiro Preto. This is one of the two main wine districts in Santa Catarina, and Videira is the main center with well assorted wine stores, a wine museum, and with a yearly festival to the honor of wine. There are many producers in this district, such as VinicolaPanceri, a quality producer in Tangara, Vinhos Casal Piccoli who is supposed to hold a very high quality, and VinhosWolff.

The city Urussanga in the south of Santa Catarina is the main center of the other major wine district and is known to produce the best wine in Santa Catarina. The better companies are now entering the export market and some of the better producers are VitivinicolaUrussanga, VinicolaMazon, Caruso Mac Donald, Vinhos Mazzucco, Vinhos Trevison, Vinhos de Pellegrin, and Vinicola Epagr. It takes somewhat more than 3 hours to get here from Balneario Camboriu

Wine trips to Bento Gonçalves, Rio Grande de Sul
This is the district that produces the best wine in Brazil, and there are many stories about smaller and unknown wine yards that produces wine of high quality that does not end up on the open market. There are about 25 larger wine producers in the region, some of them with WEB sites in english, and the following site lists most of them. Academia do Vinho

There are several options to travel to Bento Gonçalves. It would take between 6-8 hours by car, but one would pass by many interesting places during the trip. Bus is also an option that is relatively inexpensive. One could also fly to Porto Alegre and then drive up to Bento Gonçalves on a mountain way full of beautiful scenery.

	Wine in Brazil	May 2005

Wine producers in Brazil do normally prioritize quantity before quality, and many Brazilians who drink wine prefer a sweet type that leaves much to wish for. In general, Brazilians do not drink a lot of wine at all. But there are more serious wine makers and the best sorts are produces in the south of Brazil, where the best conditions for the grapes is to be found. The most famous area is Bento Gonçalves in the state Rio Grande de Sul, just to the south of Santa Catarina, and the wine from this district measures in many cases up with wine from Europe, Australia, South Africa, Chile, Argentina and California, even if they do not end up on top of the ranking. Wine produces in Santa Catarina is not of the same quality level as in Rio Grande de Sul. The cheaper wines are based on American grapes that are not known to give a product of high class, but the better producers in Santa Catarina use more famous grapes such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and so on. And the best producers in Santa Catarina are now focused on export. The classification of wine in Brazil uses the terms Vinho de Mesa, a simpler wine for daily usage, and Vinho Fino de Mesa, which is made on European grapes. But there is another classification as well which is more commonly used, seco, demi-seco och suave, which relates to the sugar content of the wine. Wine Tours in Santa Catarina Even if the wine yards in Santa Catarina are not on the same quality level as in Rio Grande de Sul, there are some good producers that is well worth visiting. Most producers have "adegas" where it is possible to taste wine and to accompany with some food or cheese. The closest wine producer is situated in the small town Rodia that was founded by Italians, in the middle of the German enclave in the European Valley. It takes a little bit more than 1 hour to get there, and there are many other places in the region that are worthwhile visiting during the trip. The producer is SanMichele who also makes wine based on the European grapes Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. There is also a cheese factory in the town and a stop-by to get some Italian cheese is a good idea. The next wine district is situated another 3 hours car drive towards the inland, in the region of the cities Videira, Tangara, Treze Trilias and Pinheiro Preto. This is one of the two main wine districts in Santa Catarina, and Videira is the main center with well assorted wine stores, a wine museum, and with a yearly festival to the honor of wine. There are many producers in this district, such as VinicolaPanceri, a quality producer in Tangara, Vinhos Casal Piccoli who is supposed to hold a very high quality, and VinhosWolff. The city Urussanga in the south of Santa Catarina is the main center of the other major wine district and is known to produce the best wine in Santa Catarina. The better companies are now entering the export market and some of the better producers are VitivinicolaUrussanga, VinicolaMazon, Caruso Mac Donald, Vinhos Mazzucco, Vinhos Trevison, Vinhos de Pellegrin, and Vinicola Epagr. It takes somewhat more than 3 hours to get here from Balneario Camboriu Wine trips to Bento Gonçalves, Rio Grande de Sul This is the district that produces the best wine in Brazil, and there are many stories about smaller and unknown wine yards that produces wine of high quality that does not end up on the open market. There are about 25 larger wine producers in the region, some of them with WEB sites in english, and the following site lists most of them. Academia do Vinho There are several options to travel to Bento Gonçalves. It would take between 6-8 hours by car, but one would pass by many interesting places during the trip. Bus is also an option that is relatively inexpensive. One could also fly to Porto Alegre and then drive up to Bento Gonçalves on a mountain way full of beautiful scenery.