Brazilian wine
The viticulture in Brazil comprises the years 2008 and 2009 as estimated by the OIV a cultivated area of 92,000 hectares. It's so behind Argentina and Chile 's third-largest wine-growing region of South America. From a harvest of 600,000 to 3 million hectoliters of wine grapes are obtained, the rest is processed into juice. This is done in five different wine regions, which is mainly located in the temperate zone but are also up to 6,000 kilometers apart.
History
The first attempts to cultivate wine in Brazil, began in 1532 with the Portuguese conquest in what is now the state of São Paulo. Not quite 100 years later brought the Jesuits in 1626 Spanish varietals to Rio Grande do Sul. In the 18th century immigrants tried to ennoble from the Azores with budwood their climate zone stocks. As the first commercially successful cultivation, the planting of Isabella on the southern coast of Rio Grande is considered from 1840.
In terms of acreage and production volume played Brazil to 2005 in the international statistics, a rather small role. Since the mid- 1980s, huge investments for the production of high quality grapes have been made. From 1995 Brazilian wines received awards in international wine competitions in a significant degree; to November 2007, there were 1,600 awards. On the food fair Anuga 2007 Brazilian wines won 14% of the medals and moved since then to world market levels.
Growing areas
The main growing area with approximately 54 % of the area is the Vale dos Vinhedos, " the wine valley " in the Serra Gaúcha in the southern, ie it has the largest distance to the equator, State of Rio Grande do Sul. It lies to the 29th degree of latitude, and was founded by Italian immigrants who settled here during the Italian Wars of Independence. The viticulture started here over 100 years ago. How prevails in most growing areas here a temperate climate before, but the specificity results from the sunny summers with adequate rainfall. The vineyards are planted on hills ( up to 600 meters above sea level), where the conditions sometimes been reminiscent of wine cultivation in mountainous altitudes. The floors are made of basalt rock that merges into limestone, with medium fertility. Be grown and harvested by hand here Gamay, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Merlot and Alicante Bouschet. Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Trebbiano, Glera and many Muscat varieties.
Other growing areas are the region fronteira ( Minas Gerais ) on the border with Uruguay, Serra do Sudeste, as well as some areas in the states of Santa Catarina and São Paulo (> 20 % of the acreage ).
A special feature is the wine-growing region in the valley of the Rio São Francisco, located on the 8th parallel and thus the equator next wine region in the world. There wines are produced since about 2003. The initial difficulty that made no grapes due to the dry and hot climate, had been resolved. Since then, two grape harvests per year are at least possible. There are harvested there virtually all year round grapes.
Export
Renowned foreign investors, mainly large European companies have invested in the past in new areas, especially Davide Campari - Milano, Pernod Ricard ( Domecq Bodegas ) and Moët & Chandon, the winery Chandon Brazil.
The Brazilian Wine Institute " Ibravin " supported a joint stand at the wine fair Vinexpo 2011. The country expects to increase its wine exports by 90 % in 2011. During 2010 wines were exported worth 2.3 million U.S. dollars. High hopes to increase the awareness to be set in relation to the FIFA World Cup 2014 and the 2016 Summer Olympics, which take place in the country.