Daniel (Jiuwine.com)
Wines from Brazil
Even to Asian wine consumers and drinkers, I myself was surprised to learn that Brazil has a wine industry. After all, what comes to mind when you think of Brazil. Since young, we had been bred to remember Brazil (besides our history lessons), to be a land rich and proud in agriculture and tradition, from cane sugar to coffee, from the Amazons to Rio Carnivals.
Overall from our research and a wine dvd courtesy from IBRAVIN, it's got a climate you wouldn't expect to be very favourable to grapes. In fact this whole under-discover wine country has regions with microclimates that make viticulture possible, and most vines are grown in the south where the climate is much more temperate than the tropical north (although some wine is made there, too).
In a way, Brazil has a wine-image problem where people think Brazil is too hot. This wine region grows several grape varieties, notably Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Tannat. The flavours develop quite well and are accessible when young. Their best make, the Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot-Tannat blend should make a good signature wine for the region. They have a little bit of complexity, have good fruit, are nicely tannic and have some aging potential.
A major obstacle the industry faces is that wine consumption in Brazil is very low -- under two litres a person annually. On the positive side, of course, there's plenty of potential for growth. So does Brazil make decent wine? Only more efforts and visibility will allow us to discover more.
Wines from Brazil
Even to Asian wine consumers and drinkers, I myself was surprised to learn that Brazil has a wine industry. After all, what comes to mind when you think of Brazil. Since young, we had been bred to remember Brazil (besides our history lessons), to be a land rich and proud in agriculture and tradition, from cane sugar to coffee, from the Amazons to Rio Carnivals.
Overall from our research and a wine dvd courtesy from IBRAVIN, it's got a climate you wouldn't expect to be very favourable to grapes. In fact this whole under-discover wine country has regions with microclimates that make viticulture possible, and most vines are grown in the south where the climate is much more temperate than the tropical north (although some wine is made there, too).
In a way, Brazil has a wine-image problem where people think Brazil is too hot. This wine region grows several grape varieties, notably Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Tannat. The flavours develop quite well and are accessible when young. Their best make, the Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot-Tannat blend should make a good signature wine for the region. They have a little bit of complexity, have good fruit, are nicely tannic and have some aging potential.
A major obstacle the industry faces is that wine consumption in Brazil is very low -- under two litres a person annually. On the positive side, of course, there's plenty of potential for growth. So does Brazil make decent wine? Only more efforts and visibility will allow us to discover more.