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Chile II (03/2007)After my visit to Mendoza, I came back to Chile with the enthusiasm to find many wineries that I could visit during my very last days in Latin America. However, when I arrived it in the city of Curicó, I discovered that most of them do not accept visits without at least one day notice for booking, and I just had one possibility available: Miguel Torres, which has visits opened every hour, every day. I accepted my lack of luck combined with a very little planning and, decided to stay in the city in that day, in order to visit the only one and then, to try some luck somewhere else in the following day. Well I gave a hand to my luck and made arrangements to book previously then.
MIGUEL TORRES Arrive to the Winery is fairly easy, you just have to take a local bus in the center of Curicó and in about 10 minutes you are there. They have an excellent guided visit that starts with a video of the company business. The Torres family has wine making tradition of centuries and brought it from Spain to Chile in 1979. The region investment is high and the owner Dom Miguel Carbo Torres, proprietor and founder, makes sure to participate of important moments of the activities. It includes also his participation in the Wine Festival (Fiesta de la Vindima) that takes place in the city every year. The production very is varied and for such, it receives grapes come from many different regions of the country, where the company has properties. It includes an organic wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon, called Tormenta, that supply to North American and European markets. The visit is very informative and the great differential to the other places is the “Garden of Varieties” that can be visited and tasted, in a good way to try the grapes used for them (Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonay, Gewrztraminer, Riesling, Merlot, Shiraz, Carmenere, Pinot Noir) .
I bought a very appropriate half-bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and headed back to my hostel in Curicó.
A new day, a new adventure in the wine world: at this time in the Valley of the Colchagua.
VIU MANENT When arriving from Curicó, I left my luggage in the center of tourist information of Santa Cruz and left to explore the Vale of Colchagua and also, to buy my ticket in return Santiago. I caught a local bus and after a 15 minutes journey, I arrived the neighborhoods of the winery. In a boiling weather, at noon, in the very country site of the Valley of the Colchagua, Chile, I walked more per 15 minutes to arrive in the place. Viu Manent has a pretty and attractive property to the visitors and offers one old fashioned coach for locomotion - very welcome in that sunny day. One runs close to the vineyards and it first stops in the winery, in building far from the main tourist structure. After the winery visit, well organized and commented, we go up in coach for a small trip to the tasting room. From the samples we tasted, the most interesting one was a Sauvigon Blanc, called Secreto, that has Sauvingon Blanc as main variety (85%) and the rest is secret... The wine had characteristic very similar the ones from Marborough, New Zelândia. What is not a surprise, because the responsible for its concept is a Kiwi professional who works there.
It was an excellent way to get started for my next journey: New Zealand. Next stopped: in the opposite site of the world!
Farewell Latin America! Marcia Amaral
Chile II (03/2007)Voltei ao Chile com o entusiasmo de encontrar muitas vinícolas as quais visitar em os meus poucos dias restantes na América Latina. Porem, para minha decepção, quanto do cheguei na cidade de Curicó, descobri que as vinícolas não aceitam visitas sem a reserva de no mínimo um dia de antecedência, sendo a una opção Miguel Torres. Aceitei minha falta de sorte combinada com a consciência de um melhor planejamento e decidi ficar na cidade naquele dia, fazer a visita e tentar a sorte em outra localidade no dia seguinte, que para dar não dar uma mãozinha ao azar, tratei de fazer todos os contatos possíveis com antecedência.
MIGUEL TORRES Chegar a Vinícola é fácil, basta tomar um ônibus local no centro de Curicó e em 10 minutos se esta na localidade.
VIU MANENT Marcia Amaral Mendoza II (03/2007)I carried on my search for properties that could visit just by myself, whishing to be a little closer to the whole wine making process. As I could not find how to do it so, I joined another group of tourist in the following day. This program was shorter than the previous one, not having the lunch included, however 2 wineries and a producer of olive oil were in the menu. BODEGAS LOPEZ The first bodega visited is one of the biggest in the region, with 1004 hectares of located vines in the regions of Piedra y Lulunta in Maipu, Lujan de Cuyo and Tupangato from where the company extracts Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Sangiovesse, Pinot Tinto, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Its founder, Jose Lopez Rivas, arrived in 1886 of Spain and 1898 if he established himself in Mendoza. Nowadays, the winery has an important reserve of volumes of red wine aged in French oak barrels (more than 5000 liters) and also has great stainless steel compartments for the white ones. To solve the high temperature problems for storage, they have a similar method used in other South American countries: bamboo and clay as material on the ceiling, which keeps an average temperature of 200C. The place impress for its dimensions. Everything seems to have giant proportion and the romantic way for wine making is far way from there.
CAVAS DE DON ANTURO In the next visit, in the Cavas de Don Anturo located in Maipu, the passion and devotion to wine making is easily found. We were welcomed by owner’s wife, who guided us into this family business – literally, as the whole family seems to be involved – and showed a captivating devotion and enthusiasm for the whole “art” of wine making. Meanwhile we overlooked the vineyard, dark clouds appeared in the sy of Maipu and we heard a strong shoot, which were rockets launched in direction to clouds, performed each time that exists a hail threat in the region, the biggest problem of the local vineyards – as explained our guide. We explored the whole winery – where the work was been carried out in this very busy time of the year – from the grapes reception, concrete tanks, to the cold underground cellar. The hands on approach of the family result in high quality products, especially, their Malbec, which is a balanced wine full of character and red fruits aroma. With a good left taste in my mouth from the national pride variety, we made our way to the city, joined by a light rain - thanks to the technology! The next day, Wednesday, was dedicated to some adventure: horse ridding to the very beginning of the Andes Mountains followed by some rafting in the Mendoza River – what a way to get in touch with nature! At night, I followed a local advice and visited an institution called “The Wines of Mendoza”. The place is an enterprise where you can find tasting rooms - with excellent wines from small wineries - with whose they have a great partnership. Also, as part of its business, it offers an “wine investment” for enthusiasts, who can buy a small part of propriety to grow grapes and have all professional support and advice to produce wine. I got excellent advices from who was guiding my through the tasting, and one of them I checked the following day, visiting a boutique winery – a short ride by bus from the city center.
EL LAGAR In my last day of visits in Menodoza, I woke up early and once again took my way to Lujan de Cujo. Finally... I learnt how to take public transport to get to some wineries, and at 11 am, after a short sightseeing tour by the main street, I was there, right on door of the winery of Carmelo Patti, an Italian born in Sicily who made Argentina his country in his early ages when his family moved to South America. I arrived to the winery without notice and was warm welcomed by the owner, who has hands on approach in his business, literally. Carmelo believes that he has a personal commitment of delivering an excellent product, and has his own name on the brand as a kind of endorsement of its quality. He is an enthusiastic and passionate wine maker who uses his large experience to supervise and collaborate on every single process in the winery – opened in 1998. The result is a wine in a “traditional style” with time of maturation in wood and also in bottle, a little different of the local trend. The wines are excellent, and the production is always in small proportion, in order to keep a level of quality which can be controlled by Carmelo, who aims to offer quality rather then quantity. Carmelo does not own any wineyard, but control very closely the vines production of his suppliers, assuring their excellence. The wines made from Malbec, Merlot and also Cabernet Sauvignon show the terroir of Mendoza and have received many different prizes. Among them, my favorite was the Cabernet Sauvignon 2002, who has its best ready to be appreciated. We had the change to compare the development of a Cabernet Sauvignon on it many stages, tasting samples from the “concrete container” to a 1999 aged bottle. After the end of the "immersion" in the winery, I had a long chat with Mr. Patti, who is not only an excellent producer of wine, but also a captivating creature. He taught me about wine making more than a book could try to do it so, in a very simple and genuine way, and, what a way to end my journey in Mendonza!
Marcia Amaral
Mendoza, Argentina (03/2007)ALL AND A LITTLE EXTRA To arrive in Mendoza is like finding an oasis in the middle of a “semi-desert” – as it actually is. After eight hours crossing through the Andes Mountain, where the magnitude of the rocks impresses and makes one realizes about the smallness of human being. The landscape impress and after crossing the mountains with very little green on it – just few plants and cactus, I had the best view of my journey: Mendoza River which comes all the way down from the mountains to color the environment with a deep unforgettable blue – which came from the high natural level of minerals. The vineyards are constant company during our way to the city, among them could be seen different systems of growing vines, depending on the quantity of production desired (massive or not). The city of Mendoza is small where the main square still is the social meeting point on weekends. It has an excellent tourist infrastructure that explores very well the natural diversity and radiance of the area. The production wine business is also a big attraction. Mendoza is the most important producer of wine in Argentina and where it is called the "World’s Wine Capital". The business has a great amount of foreign investment and has being growing quickly; however the “Latin touch” is everywhere. I arrived in the city one week after the “Fiesta da Vindima” (Wine Fair), an event of great importance for them, reflecting the economic and social involvement among all community. It is an extremely pleasant place to be: delicious food, good wine and the siesta to digest size pleasure - between 13 -17 h the city shuts down for a nap. Mendoza is divided in 5 distinct areas of wine production: North of Mendoza, High of the River Mendoza, Valley of the Uco, East of Mendoza and South of Mendoza.
To make my first contact with the local production easy, I chose to buy a “tourist package”. It was not cheap, but worthy of any penny. We left early morning in a small group towards to Lujan de Cujo, to visit 2 wineries, a liquor producer and, finish it with a traditional lunch.
BODEGAS Y CAVAS WEINERT The business has not only the Lujan de Cuyo vineyard but also in the district of Maipu and is known for being the first company to test the for wine production in Chubutm, Patagônia. It belongs to a Brazilian entrepreneur, Bernardine Carlos Weinert. The most impressing thing I first saw was the way the local wine makers use to ferment their wine: in big concrete structures of concrete protected internally with epoxy paint, which are excellent to preserve the ideal temperature for fermentation. With a peculiar smell of grapes fermenting we walked down to the cellar where the wine rested in HUGE oak barrels. The next room was for tasting. Where we tried some of their wines made for big amount of consumer. We tried a sweet Sauvingon Blanc, called Cosecha de Otono (late harvest) and a blend, which the main grape was Cabernet Sauvignon, also used in a rose. The Sauvignon Blanc also marked its presence (very discrete) in a blend Semillon and Cheninc Blanc. We left the smell of grapes fermenting and headed to where they were still being crushed.
VIÑA EL CERNO
This is a small family business, also located in Maipu, a typical "boutique winery" that make sure to preserve tradition and, the production in small amounts, keeping one high control of the quality, with a good result: the Cabernet Sauvignon presented in the tasting has a good balance and had a good long finishing. The wine was poured straight from a small barrel, for a German guy who left his previous career in the grey cold Europe in order to fallow his passion: wine – I am not the only one!
Before leaving the premises I took advantage of the coincidence and talked a little with our guide, who gave some tips about the region - always helpful!
After a visit to a liquor producer, we finished our tour in great style, in the best Argentinean meal ever, at Cavas de Cano - old residence of Don Guillermo Pipe, governor of Mendoza, who in 1936 created the Fiesta da Vindima in the region –
It was a delight with cheeses, “fiambres”, chorizo with Malbec gravy and the best ones: “empanadas” all washed down wine produced on the propriety - A feast in the heart of the wine region! What a treaty, ah?!
To be continued...
Marcia Amaral
Mendoza II (03/2007)Continuei minha busca por propriedades que pudesse visitar sozinha e com isto ter um contato mais próximo com os envolvidos no processo de fabricação. Porem, isto não foi no dia seguinte. No dia posterior, tomei o rumo dos vinhedos novamente com um grupo de turistas. Desta vez foi um programa mais curto que abrangia duas vinícolas e uma produtora de azeite – assim com outros lugares de clima parecido, a argentina eh uma grande produtora de derivados da oliveira.
BODEGAS LOPEZ
CAVAS DE DON ANTURO Na próxima visita, na Cavas de Don Anturo localizada em Maipu, a paixão e dedicação ao vinho éramos facilmente percebidos.
O próximo dia, quarta-feira, dediquei ao turismo de aventura – o que eh excepcional! Cavalgada aos pés dos Andes, almoço típico e para encerrar descer o rio Mendoza de “rafting” fizeram deste passeio um dia para relembrar.
CARMELO PATTI No meu último dia de visitas em Menodoza, acordei cedo e segui novamente em direção a Lujan de Cujo, distante não mais que 30 km do Centro de Mendoza. Finalmente... descobri que o transporte público leva até a porta de muitas vinícolas.Como havia chegado cedo, aproveitei para caminhar um pouco pelas redondezas antes de iniciar minha visita. O pequeno vilarejo não tem muito a oferecer, além dos vinhos excelentes – o que não verdade eh mais do que suficiente.
Salud Mendoza!
Marcia Amaral Mendoza, Argentina (03/2007)TUDO E UM POUCO MAIS Chegar a Mendoza e como encontrar um oásis na semidesértica região dos Andes. Mendoza engloba 5 áreas distintas: Norte de Mendoza, Alto do Rio Mendoza, Vale do Uco, Leste de Mendoza e Sul de Mendoza. BODEGAS Y CAVAS DE WEINERT
Além da produção local a vinicola tem vinhedos em outras regiões do pais, sendo esta umas das primeiras empresas a testar a nova área vinícola de Chubutm na imensidão da Patagônia, porem que tem sua produção concentrada nos distritos Mendinhos de Lujan de Cuyo e Maipu. VIÑA EL CERNO
A “boutique winery” faz questão de manter a tradição e, a produção em pequenas quantidades, mantendo um alto controle da qualidade. E que resultado... O Cabernet Sauvignon apresentado na degustação era muito equilibrado e tinha uma longa persistência na boca, como se uma boa lembrança de um momento feliz. Os vinhos destinados a degustação são mantidos em pequenos barricas, das quais são diretamente servidas as tacas. Antes de sorvermos o primeiro gole, nosso guia - um alemão que abandonou a carreira de administrador após se apaixonar por vinho, para o qual atualmente dedica-se de forma integral (qualquer semelhança é mera coincidência...) - demonstrou técnicas básicas de degustação, que o grupo gostou tanto que continuou praticando em todos os momentos que se fez possível, incluindo um jantar de confraternização na noite do mesmo dia – O vinho aproxima as pessoas. Antes de nos despedirmos de minha visita favorita no dia, aproveitei a oportunidade para conversar com alguém que tanto tinha em comum comigo. Sempre se tem muito a conversar a respeito e eu particularmente, sempre muito a aprender com isto.
Marcia Amaral Chile (03/2007)A COUNTRY OF TWO WORLDS Chile is a very particular country in Latin America. It is multiracial faced; as any Latin American country; however it seams to be far away from there. It has a hot dry climate that is particular of its geographic region, though the country takes advantage of this in its own benefit. It is a country that had gained an important space in the international market, especially with fruits and wine trading, generating a financial and social improvement. The main spoken language is Spanish, what would make easy to be understood by its neighbours, but their differences make things a little more complicated. Chile was involved in many battles with its neighbours and it is not hard to hear from them bad comments from its way of dealing with any sort of business.
During my first time in the country, I established myself in the “Providencia”, close to Santiago centre, which is a good base for who wants to explore the city. It has a reasonable infrastructure, however it only has a supermarket – if that can be called “super”... Nevertheless, it was where I bought the cheapest wine ever! The wine was just “OK”, but considering the price... (US$2.50). I tried to find out a way to make the most of my time in the capital, though I could not find any wine event suitable neither a winery around the corner. To tell the truth, you are never far from a vine in Chile, since the majority of the country cultivates grapes, yet you can reach them by car or travel agency, either very expensive for my backpacker budged. To make it possible I found out a place where I could go using public transport (underground to “Puente Alto” and then a local bus to “Pirque”). So, my student hunger was satisfied when I booked a visit Concha Y Toro winery.
CONCHA Y TORO Concha y Toro is the biggest and one of the oldest (established in 1883) wine companies of Chile and has all the resources to show the power that Chilean wines had gained, in a big variety of styles. The company grew quickly and in 1923 put its first shares in the Stock Market of Santiago and, in 1994 it became the first winery to negotiate its shares in the New York Stock Market. The company had its control changed over the years, so had its technology, which had improved considerably, in order to compete internationally and, in result it is the main exporter of Latin America nowadays. It was a very touristy experience that combined visit the vineyard, winery and to the famous "Casillero del Diablo" The company has a wide variety of products; it produces distinct wines of different prices and characteristics. We tasted two diferent wines, one Casillero del Diablo, Carmenere - grape emblem of the country - and a Don Melchoir - win award wine made with Cabernet Sauvignon, variety which shows its best in the region of Maipo. The region of the Valley of Maipo is the heart of the traditional Chilean vinicultura, place of the first generation of quality wines, when families had planted vines of Bordeux in middle of century XX. The Valley of Maipo is famous for its fine and elegant Cabernet Sauvignos, particularly in the area of Alto Puente, where the company Concha y Toro is located. Happy for having carried through my very first visit to Chilean wineries, I toke the advantage of having a sunny afternoon free to go towards to the Andes Mountains in the city of San Jose de Maipo. Not too bad, I had a picnic admiring the mountains, in a hot day that the River Maipo made it a little milder. With plans to go the Mendoza (Argentina), I decided that my next region when coming back of Chile would be the Central one, where is situated Curicó, therefore I believed I could visit a bigger amount of companies over there and, participate of some related activities to the subject. Well, this history is to be continued... It is all for now! Marcia Amaral Chile (03/2007)UM PAÍS DE DOIS MUNDOS O Chile é um país muito particular na América Latina. Tem a mesma face multirracial que se encontra em qualquer país Latino-americano, porém comporta-se como se estivesse a uma grande distância. Tem um clima quente que não nos faz esquecer em que região geográfica nos encontramos, porém com infra-estrutura que mais se assemelha a terras muito distantes. Fala a mesma língua que a grande maioria de seus vizinhos e adversários, porém com eles não tem boa comunicação. É um país que conseguiu um espaço importante em vários mercados e com os frutos de seu desenvolvimento ecónomico gerou um desenvolvimento social. Nele sente-se como em uma América Latina que deu certo. Porém, muitos espaços firmados, muitos inimigos feitos. É comum ouvir-se os dissabores de uma rivalidade de seus paises vizinhos. Durante minha primeira fase no país, me estabeleci em um albergue no bairro Providencia, que é uma boa base para quem quer explorar a cidade. A uma estrutura razoável, porém conta com somente um supermercado - que de "super" não tem nada. Foi neste que comprei o vinho mais barato nos últimos tempos. O vinho era razoável, mas considerando o preço (US$2.50)... Busquei várias formas de fazer minhas visitas às vinícolas (chamadas de viñas) e a possibilidade de participar de algum curso, porém não consegui conciliar nenhum evento ao período e, as Viñas pareciam ainda mais distantes que as argentinas em relação a Buenos Aires. CONCHA Y TORO A Concha y Toro é a maior e uma das mais antigas (fundada em 1883) empresas vinícolas do Chile e possui todos os recursos para mostrar a força dos vinhos chilenos, em uma vasta gama de estilos. Seus produtos atendem a consumidores com diferentes perfis, pois produz distintos vinhos de diferentes preços e características. A região do Vale de Maipo é o coração da tradicional vitivinicultura chilena, berço da primeira geração de vinhos de qualidade. Famílias abastadas plantaram vinhas de Bordeux em meados do século XX, e o vale ainda possui grandes propriedades como herança.
Buenos Aires, Argentina (03/2007)
The wine is one of the national prides of Argentina. The natives defend it with the same enthusiasm as any other subject of passion. They appreciate wine and they do consume it. Although the consume has declined in the last decades (from 90 litres in the decade of 70 to 30 litres in the current days) when the Argentineans left the tradition beside in exchange for other products with great appeal the young public, such as beer and Coca-Cola - it was a substitute for the wine that was consumed with the carbonate water combination, to smooth the heavy style the wine had. With the reduction of internal consume combined with the economic crisis, Argentine grape growing weakened and the solution was to find a gap in the international market. At that moment, beginning of years 90, Argentinean wine did not suit the foreign taste and the solution was to shape the national industry to international standards. 1992 is a year known as when the wine industry had a big turn, when concepts deeply changed and started a revolution in the national industry, combined with a period of economic stabilization and external investments. Following this new concept, in 1995, the producers had pulled out 15000 hectares of hybrid grapes, replacing in its place 7700 hectares of chaste nobler, of the family Vitis Vinifera. Afterwards the market received good Argentinean whites from casts as Chardonnay and Torrentés and, also ones from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and, especially Malbec, this last one had a spectacular development, becoming a "star" of the Argentine production and its mark.
PORTEÑA'S EXPERIENCE Travel independently has been a good experience. As I do not have a script completely established, I have flexibility to adapt my plans and go with the flow. In result, as I do not make much expectation - I always have good surprises. I was not sure Buenos Aires could add anything in my studies. I started searching information on the Internet about courses or anything related to, I found out of one "charla" about perspectives of sommelier career at the "Centro de Enologos de Buenos Aires" (C.E.B.A.), which I thought could be interesting and it could be a good chance to hear a little from the experts. The C.E.B.A. initiated its activity in 1945 and since then it has been compromised on spreading professional knowledge about wine and, since 2003 helping to develop the career of sommelier. It was an informal talk, on which the instructors of the center (experienced professionals) and pupils in potential had participated. It was also an excellent chance to learn how Argentineans are related to wine, its production and commercialization. I was the only foreigner in the group what made me a focus of curiosity. I was invited to join in a course in the following day that would approach the production of "artisan" wine. I adored the idea to have my "hands on". To finish the event in a proper way, we tasted some wine made from the very own C.E.BA. and arranged the details for the next day.
WINE MAKING The C.E.B.A. keeps a small winery in the city of Guillón Luis, close to Buenos Aires, where they produce wines 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and blend of Sauvignon Blanc - Chenin with grapes grown in General Alvear in the Provínicia de Mendoza. This was the place of my first course related to wine in the South America and where we were received by a kind 97-years-old gentleman who is landlord of the place and he grants part of this to C.E.B.A. in order to precede the alchemy of wine making. Don Luis, as he is called, was an adorable host and made us feel at home. The group was small, just 3 of us having the lesson, leaded by our instructor, Juan, who shared his experience and passion for the subject. As the group was small, the environment relaxed and welcoming, we had the chance to participate and clear all doubts related. The course gave to me a more scientific vision of the wine production, including relating the components that involve the elaboration process all its controls and measures, necessaries to give balance and one "hand" to the natural process. We all follow in theory the process related with the production since the preparation of the winery to receive the grapes until the result of the process is bottled as wine. Before to head for a more practical experience, it was time for lunch and we were invited to share the meal and wine with other members of this community. Our lunch and wine, from the propriety
This was my first experience sharing a table where everyone also share the passion for the wine and I felt myself very well among them. After the lunch, we initiate the practical part of the course: 1) Crushing the bunch of grapes and separating theirs stalks from them – the grapes are inserted in a machine, where the grapes are jammed by coils and then these are removed, and the juice (must) is stored in a stainless steel cylinder; 2) Addition of yeast to the must – the grape has natural yeast to start fermentation in its skin. In order to help this process some cultivated yeast can be added. The process that follows is the Fermentation, which is usually completed in 4 the 7 days, saying that, we were not able to follow the process in full. I left my "eno-immersion" sure that in order to produce a good wine, many factors are involved, but if you are committed and involved with the business, you are half way – to be an enthusiast about wine is a must not a plus.
FAREWELL TO HERMANAS LAND Beyond the production experience, I also tasted some samples of national wines, easily find at any corner. Between them, I have tried the national emblem Malbec - a grape that is found in almost everywhere in Argentina territory and is softer in tannin than I had imagined; Sauvignon Blanc – which has more aromas of grass and asparagus and less of tropical fruits - so associated to New World wines; Pinot Noir - from Patagonia, a place that is turning to be a good producer for the variety. It has a great variety of available wines in the market, the great majority of Mendoza, and the prices are varied, however it is easy to find wine of good quality for excellent prices. Argentina presents some favorable conditions for a cheap production of wine and presents an excellent relation cost-benefit for the purchaser, what is a good selling point. It is the currently the fourth biggest producer in the world, with 1.5 billion liters per year – this is one of the reasons why it is a good example to be observed. Cheers,
Marcia Amaral
Buenos Aires, Argentina (03/2007)ORGULHO NACIONAL
Eu era a única estrangeira no grupo o que me fez um foco de curiosidade. Fui convidada a participar de um curso no dia seguinte que abordaria a produção de vinho artesanal. Adorei a idéia de colocar a "mão na massa" ou mosto melhor dizendo e após uma bem-vinda degustação de vinhos que o próprio C.E.BA. produz, combinamos os detalhes para o dia seguinte. Ao encerrar nossa "eno-imerssão" ficou a confirmação de que para se produzir um produto com potencial de venda no competitivo mercado de vinho, tem-se que empregar as técnicas corretas, usar os equipamentos adequados, conhecer o mercado e envolver-se com dedicação e comprometimento e, se a paixão pelo vinho esta associada, com certeza resultará um bom produto. Até a próxima!
Marcia Amaral BrazilNATIVE SURPRISES After coming back home from the gray cold old Great-Britain, where I found out that wine was "my way", I was surprised for not finding back in Brazil the very same sort of things I used to – included wine. There was something new, or that would be my perception? Perhaps, but the increase in wine offer is a fact that you can confirm on trip to the supermarket. A large contribution is from foreign wines and another great parcel came from the national wines, either continue being an expensive option for the economic standard of the majority of Brazilian population and, it loses to national preference: beer, which suits very much in hot days! However, they have being more popular, mainly between food lovers, as an important match. Many had been my surprises in this 'rediscovery' of the Brazilian wine, which showed me I never really discovered it before. HOW EVERYTHING STARTED The first Brazilian wine was produced in São Paulo, in Tatuapé in 1551. There were planted the grapevines that Brás Cubas tried to grow, without success, in the South-East coast. In the half of century XVI, Portugueses had planted grapevines in places as Bahia and Pernambuco and Jesuit missionaries in Rio Grande Do Sul. The renaissance of the vineyards in the South was when Azoreans immigrants arrived from 1732 and, another important reference is the Englishman Thomas Messier, who in 1814 planted, in Brazil, grapevines of the famous grape Isabel (Vitis Labrusca) HOW EVERYTHING CONTINUED Until years 60, it did not have big changes nor stimulations in quality terms. The market was little accustomed to consume wine and did not demand many attentions. This motivated the Secretariat of Agriculture of the Rio Grande Do Sul to initiate a campaign called "Plants Viniferas", with the objective to substitute the American grapes for the European ones and, obviously, to improve the general level of the Brazilian products. After the success of the initiative, in the 80´s, other campaigns had appeared to increase the consumption of the national wines with an interesting result. In addition, many vinicolas had developed the technology and the attentions in the culture; with the use of techniques and equipment equalized to those used in the Europe and U.S.A.; combined with improvement of knowledge of those involved in the process. In November of 2002, the first Indication of Origin was given - previous Process to the Denomination of Origin - to the region of Vale dos Vinhedos (Valley of the Vineyards); to Bento Gonçalves - Rio Grande Do Sul; first and for the time being only demarcated region of wines in Brazil. THIS HISTORY STILL HAS NOT FINISHED YET There are Vineyards in many regions in Brazilian, included the warm northeast, however the Rio Grande Do Sul still has the majority of the vinicolas and withholds the biggest level of production in the country. I relate here a little about the chance I had to try from the three important regions of production: Vale dos Vinhedos, Campanha Gaucha and Vale do San Francisco. The growth of the industry of the Brazilian wine is visibly noticed and there are good expectations with it. Vale de San Francisco Situation in the northeast geographic macro-region of Brazil, between the States of the Bahia and Pernambuco, have vineyards located between 9° and 10° of South latitude - the lowest latitudes in grape growing of wine in the world. It is located in plain areas on the typical landscape of the Caatinga and has irrigation using water of the river San Francisco. The region has a Sub-Tropical climate and has a dry period and a sub-humid period over the year around. This characteristic is unique in the world-wide grape growing. Where the possibility exists that the grapevine produces during the 12 months of the year, the climate, known in the scientific way as climate with intra-annual variability, presents three different periods to the long one of the year: 1) June to September, that is called winter, is the dry period, without rains, with low temperatures at night and mild during the day; 2) October to April and May to December, which are a dry period, without rains, with high temperatures during the day and mild at the night; 3) January to March, is the sub-humid period, with rains and high temperatures, day and night time. Campanha Gaucha is situated next in the border of Uruguay, 31° of South latitude. With typical landscape of Pampas Gaucho - formed for Coxilhas landscape, it is a region that traditionally was used for ranching, predominantly cattle and sheep. It has around of 300 meters of altitude and grape growing located in Coxilhas of low declivity, facilitating the mechanization of the vineyards. The sandstone ground has excellent draining and average fertility. Region of sub-humid tempering climate, possessing relatively hot and dry summers in relation to the climatic standard of the Rio Grande Do Sul, the vineyards are not irrigated. Vale dos Vinhedos is located in the South geographic macro-region of Brazil, in northeast Superior Encosta of the State of the Rio Grande Do Sul, known as Gaucho Mountains. Situated 29° of South latitude, between 450 and 650 meters of altitude, with grape growing located normally in the half hillside of the valleys of the mountain range, to the left edge of the River das Antas, in a typical landscape of the region. The vineyards are established in areas of average declivities, however, in certain cases, remembering conditions of mountain grape growing. Region in tempered climate with mild humid summers. The vineyards are not irrigated and the soil has geologic formation of basalt. The majority of the old vines are planted in the Latada system. In this way, the plant grows parallel with the ground I took advantage that I was in Brazil to taste wine from the regions above, from where you can easily find a bottle from US$5. The price is low if compared to the imported ones, however it still is very high for the Brazilian consumer, which pay a high tax to consume alcoholic beverages. Another form that I used to learn a little more about the national production was a recent visit to the Vale dos Vinhedos, where the FENAVINHO fair was taking place at that time. FENAVINHO is a popular annual event in Bento Gonçalves. It has commercial, educative programming and also it is a space of entertainment with presentations and shows. The fair represents what the region has became in the last years, a national grape growing site with a strong tourist approach. In the following day my I visited two vinicolas in the Valley. Although the properties are very different from each other, they are both good examples as the wine business is managed in Brazil. CASA VALDUGA The Valduga family manages the business very close. It is easy to find a member of family in almost anywhere there (restaurant, inn, winery) - that is synonymous of success and quality, as well as its wines. The guided visit happens every our on the weekends and it does not demand anticipated booking. We started the visit for the 'historical vineyard' that has as objective to be an educative experience presenting some cast of grape present in the vineyards of the Valduga, with the advantage of being able to taste the fruit straight from the vine. Our guide was kind and patiently answered to all our doubts - from how the crafting is made VINÍCOLA MIOLO The only similarities that the visit to the Miolo had in comparison to the previous one were that both are familiar companies and, that they had searched the modernization aiming at the improvement in the quality of its products. Miolo has a high level of skilled labour on its business, as well as an ambitious way to manage it. The Vineyard has productive units in Vale dos Vinhedos and Vale de Sao Francisco, and also in another locality of the Gaucho Mountains as well in Campos de Cima da Serra. Also they keep partnerships with companies of Chile and Spain for distribution of products. The localities have good products in all where it produces and, its production northeastern has been focus of attention. In the Vale do Sao Francisco the varieties Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Muscatel are planted. In the region of the Vale dos Vinhedos de varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. In the Campanha Gaucha unit can be found Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Tempranillo, Tannat and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines are good in general and I bought I bottle myself using a voucher given with the visit ticket, which we had the full amount paid as discount in the store, which is convenient when the it costs more than you are willing to pay for it. Cheers, Marcia Amaral |
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