Brazil Wineries & Vineyards, Rio Grande do Sul, Photos, Maps, Tours

vineyard in Bento Goncalves, Brazil
A vineyard in Bento Gonçalves,
Brazil's wine capital.

Despite stories to the contrary, Brazil is not ALL rain forest, beaches and bossa nova.

Its sheer size extends down to more temperate climates far from the equator, where the climate is cooler - and drier. Here is where Italian immigrants began modern-day wine growing in Brazil in the 1880's to grow the crop into a major industry.

Today, most vines continue to grow well below the tropical north, with the town of Bento Goncalves at the center of the Brazilian wine country located in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil's southernmost state.

The main wineries are Miolo, Casa Valduga and Cave do Amadeu, producing wine from European Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes.

More about Brazilian wines & wineries around the Web:

The Ten Best Brazil Wineries & Vineyards - Take the virtual tour from TripAdvisor featuring star-rated reviews, photos, contact info.

Brazilian wine - Wikipedia overview with information about Brazilian grape varieties and wine regions including a map and related references.