Indications géographiques des vins du Brésil

Abstract

Brazil has a vast land area, which includes a diversity of areas potentially suitable for wine production. However, until the 1970s, a single wine region (Serra Gaúcha, in Rio Grande do Sul) accounted for almost all Brazilian wine production. Since then and up to the present day, vine cultivation has expanded. Currently, the map of Brazilian wine regions is more complex, with at least eight production centres. There are also a large number of wine-growing companies spread over many municipalities in the country, which are important because they may be the embryo of new wine-growing regions. The transformations that have taken place in the production regions have also extended to wines. There are currently around 1 200 wineries in the country, in at least fourteen states of the federation, which produce mainly still wines (red, white and rosé) and sparkling wines (traditional and muscat). This article underlines the essence of Brazilian fine wine production by region, considering the cultivated varieties and the characteristics of the main types and styles of wine produced in each of thems.