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 Despite the fact Brazil is a relative newcomer to the production of luxury-branded wines; it has proved very successful in strengthening its position in the market. A few years ago the wine world didn't know about Brazilian wines. It has been proven historically that grape cultivation and wine production did not exist in America until 1492. With the arrival of the Spanish and later the Portuguese the cultivation of vines started, being people that traditionally incorporated wine in their diet. Although émigrés from Italy and France have created viticulture over a century old, local wines have been of rather poor quality. The cultivation of native vines was predominant, although farmers showed enthusiasm for the cultivation of imported varieties. The French varieties that enjoyed the greatest preference were Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir.
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 | | Wine cellar |
Most Brazilian vineyards (about 172,974 acres) are planted with high-yield American hybrids that provide rich crops of table grapes and outstanding amounts of juices and extracts. But wines made from them are practically undrinkable. In the late 1990s Brazilians began planting tried-and-true varietals suitable for the preparation of first-rate wines. At the same time they made great investments in the processing industry. Today twenty Brazilian wineries each produce over two million liters of wine annually. The largest is the Aurora cooperative, which turns out 22.5 million liters per year. But this far from satiates ever-growing domestic demand, so over 70% of all still and sparkling wines are imported. Last year the first Brazilian appellation, one of the conditions for successful exports, was granted in Vale do Vinhedos, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. | | Bottles of wine |
 | | Grape wintage wine |
The greatest concentration of vineyards is in Rio Grande do Sul, the nation's smallest state in southernmost Brazil, bordering Uruguay. Over half of Brazil's vineyards are there, and thanks to the favorable climate and processing industry investments, so are the finest wines. In second place, to the north, is Sao Paulo, with vineyards to a lesser degree in the states of Santa Catarina, Paraná, Minas Gerais, Bahia, and Pernambuco. They're all in the southern hemisphere, so the further north, the warmer.  Many viniculture and viticulture experts with international experience are already working in the Brazilian wine industry. Some of the top oenologists, sommeliers and experts from France and Italy work in Brazil contributing greatly to the development of Brazilian winemaking industry.
 | | Famous Talento wine |
High-quality; expensive wines of wineries in Vale do Vinhedos you'll find in the best Brazilian restaurants and duty-free airport shops. You can try red, white, rose, still or sparkling types of Brazilian wine. Fine imported wine sales on the Brazilian market reach 30 million bottles per year.The most known wineries and their best wine products The vineyards of Aurora winery were planted more than a century ago (in 1875) by Italian immigrants. The lush Aurora Valley, located in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, still has the ingredients that lured those early grape planters: it's 600 to 900 feet above sea level, the days are sunny and the nights are cool.
Reserve Aurora Chardonnay – dry wine with straw-yellow shade, with greenish touch, slight aroma of vanilla
 | | Mr. Luis Valduga |
The Casa Valduga winery is one of the most attractive in Vale dos Vinhedos, located in the Bento Goncalves district, 75 mi far from Porto Alegre. Its location at an altitude of 2,200 feet surrounded by rolling hills highlights the beauty of the local winegrowing culture. Thanks to favorable climatic conditions, the grapes from this region are of a high quality, essential for the production of quality wines. The Casa Valduga winery pays special attention to the development of sparkling wines. It is one of the first Brazilian wineries to use and further develop the Champagne wine production method.
Espumante Blush Estacoes Rose 2004 Casa Valduga – a pleasant rose champagne made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir varieties using a traditional method called Champenoise, long-lasting, fine bubbles and fruity aroma evoking raspberries and wild strawberries
Malvasia Persona Maria 2004 Casa Valduga - yellow to greenish wine, beautifully aromatic with elegant and fresh acidity, with light and pleasant palate.
 | | Mr. Adriano Miolo |
 | | Miolo wine |
The Miolo winery is one of the most fascinating businesses in Vale dos Vinhedos.
In 1897 an immigrant from Venice, Giuseppe Miolo, settled on a thirty-hectare wooded piece of land named "Lot 43". Their first wine production, 1990 Merlot, amounted to only 8000 bottles. In 2003, the production of their best wines, Lote 43 and 1999 Cabernet-Merlot, was more than ten times greater. They also produce ten other brands of wine, sparkling wine and grappa (an alcoholic beverage made from the squished skins, seeds and stems left over after grapes have been pressed to make wine). 2 485 miles to the north, in Vale do Sao Francisco, they planted Moscatel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, which are bottled under the Terranova brand. They have more than 150 employees, 100 vine growers in Vale dos Vinhedos, and are one of the biggest Brazilian wine producers.
Lote 43 2002 – a successfulblend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varieties, it has a ruby color with intensive aroma of prunes, leather, tobacco, truffle and nuts. Perfect and solid body with pleasant tannins suggests great wine from family Miolo wine industry. It is served at presidential receptions or offered as a gift to state visits of Brazil  | | Mr. Antonio Salton |
 | | Salton wine |
The Salton winery planted on own vineyards of total area 173 acres (of which 50 acres in Tuiuty and 123 acres in Vale dos Vinhedos) Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, Moscato, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc. At the present time, the company is run by the third generation of the Salton family.
Chardonnay Volpi 2003 – a full-bodied yet fresh wine with an aroma of citrus, a breath of vanilla, and smoky tones, that indicate that at least part of the wine aged in new oaks casks
 | | Chardonnay Volpi |
 | | Lote 43 wine |
Tannat - Classic 2003 - wine of purple even violet color with very pleasant taste of dried fruit, chocolate and vanilla
Talento 2002 - a limited series of exclusive vintage red wine for special occasions, which has been ranked among the best two hundred red wines of South America. It is blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Tanat. Talento has dark red color, an aroma of ripe fruit, with a nice spicy flavor with sweetish, velvety, fine tannins
More information about Brazil:
Brazil webcams: http://accutravel.net/rio-de-janeiro/webcams
Brazil weather forecast: http://accutravel.net/rio-de-janeiro/weather
Brazil hotels: http://accutravel.net/rio-de-janeiro/hotels
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