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Brazil
Planalto Catarinense
Planalto Catarinense
Planalto Catarinense
Brazil's Frosty Peaks
Grab a coat because we are climbing. This area shatters the tropical stereotype by sitting so high up that snow occasionally dusts the rows. It is all about freshness, biting acidity, and defying expectations of heat.
Grab a coat because we are climbing. This area shatters the tropical stereotype by sitting so high up that snow occasionally dusts the rows. It is all about freshness, biting acidity, and defying expectations of heat.
Grab a coat because we are climbing. This area shatters the tropical stereotype by sitting so high up that snow occasionally dusts the rows. It is all about freshness, biting acidity, and defying expectations of heat.
Why it's unique
Extreme cold
High altitude
Natural freshness
Startlingly cold for Brazil, this zone claims the title of the coldest wine region in the country. Producers here battle frost with the tenacity of Arctic explorers. That struggle creates wines with lower alcohol and piercing natural freshness that you simply cannot find in the hotter valleys to the north. It is extreme viticulture at its finest, proving that latitude is just a number when you have enough altitude.
Startlingly cold for Brazil, this zone claims the title of the coldest wine region in the country. Producers here battle frost with the tenacity of Arctic explorers. That struggle creates wines with lower alcohol and piercing natural freshness that you simply cannot find in the hotter valleys to the north. It is extreme viticulture at its finest, proving that latitude is just a number when you have enough altitude.
Startlingly cold for Brazil, this zone claims the title of the coldest wine region in the country. Producers here battle frost with the tenacity of Arctic explorers. That struggle creates wines with lower alcohol and piercing natural freshness that you simply cannot find in the hotter valleys to the north. It is extreme viticulture at its finest, proving that latitude is just a number when you have enough altitude.
Terroir
Basalt soils
Intense UV
Cold nights
Basalt rocks form the foundation, but altitude dictates the rules. Sitting over 1000 meters up, the thin air allows UV rays to thicken grape skins while chilly nights halt sugar accumulation. This natural refrigeration preserves delicate aromatics that would otherwise boil away, resulting in wines that taste like cool mountain air bottled for your pleasure. Maturation is slow, steady, and stressful in the best possible way.
Basalt rocks form the foundation, but altitude dictates the rules. Sitting over 1000 meters up, the thin air allows UV rays to thicken grape skins while chilly nights halt sugar accumulation. This natural refrigeration preserves delicate aromatics that would otherwise boil away, resulting in wines that taste like cool mountain air bottled for your pleasure. Maturation is slow, steady, and stressful in the best possible way.
Basalt rocks form the foundation, but altitude dictates the rules. Sitting over 1000 meters up, the thin air allows UV rays to thicken grape skins while chilly nights halt sugar accumulation. This natural refrigeration preserves delicate aromatics that would otherwise boil away, resulting in wines that taste like cool mountain air bottled for your pleasure. Maturation is slow, steady, and stressful in the best possible way.
You gotta try
Crisp Sparkling
Zesty Sauvignon
Spicy Cabernet
Sparkling wine fans, gather round. The bubbly made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay here is world-class, offering a snap and crackle of acidity that is downright refreshing. If you prefer still wines, Sauvignon Blanc develops intense tropical notes without becoming flabby. Also, keep an eye out for Cabernet Sauvignon, which turns spicy, herbal, and elegant rather than heavy or jammy.
Sparkling wine fans, gather round. The bubbly made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay here is world-class, offering a snap and crackle of acidity that is downright refreshing. If you prefer still wines, Sauvignon Blanc develops intense tropical notes without becoming flabby. Also, keep an eye out for Cabernet Sauvignon, which turns spicy, herbal, and elegant rather than heavy or jammy.
Sparkling wine fans, gather round. The bubbly made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay here is world-class, offering a snap and crackle of acidity that is downright refreshing. If you prefer still wines, Sauvignon Blanc develops intense tropical notes without becoming flabby. Also, keep an eye out for Cabernet Sauvignon, which turns spicy, herbal, and elegant rather than heavy or jammy.
LOCAL TALES
The Frozen Gamble
The Frozen Gamble
The Frozen Gamble
Everyone knows you make Ice Wine in Canada or Germany, not in a country famous for beaches. But in June 2009, the team at Pericó Valley executed a daring plan, leaving Cabernet Sauvignon on the vines until temperatures in São Joaquim plummeted to minus 7 degrees Celsius. Instead of harvesting early, they waited to press the frozen marbles immediately. The result was Brazil's first-ever Ice Wine. It was a sweet, concentrated nectar that shocked the local industry and proved that the Planalto Catarinense wasn't just 'cool' for Brazil—it was genuinely frigid. They played chicken with winter, and they made liquid gold.
Everyone knows you make Ice Wine in Canada or Germany, not in a country famous for beaches. But in June 2009, the team at Pericó Valley executed a daring plan, leaving Cabernet Sauvignon on the vines until temperatures in São Joaquim plummeted to minus 7 degrees Celsius. Instead of harvesting early, they waited to press the frozen marbles immediately. The result was Brazil's first-ever Ice Wine. It was a sweet, concentrated nectar that shocked the local industry and proved that the Planalto Catarinense wasn't just 'cool' for Brazil—it was genuinely frigid. They played chicken with winter, and they made liquid gold.
Everyone knows you make Ice Wine in Canada or Germany, not in a country famous for beaches. But in June 2009, the team at Pericó Valley executed a daring plan, leaving Cabernet Sauvignon on the vines until temperatures in São Joaquim plummeted to minus 7 degrees Celsius. Instead of harvesting early, they waited to press the frozen marbles immediately. The result was Brazil's first-ever Ice Wine. It was a sweet, concentrated nectar that shocked the local industry and proved that the Planalto Catarinense wasn't just 'cool' for Brazil—it was genuinely frigid. They played chicken with winter, and they made liquid gold.
From Pies to Pinot
From Pies to Pinot
From Pies to Pinot
Before the trellises rose up, this region was the undisputed kingdom of the apple. The climate is perfect for crunchy red Fujis and Galas, and for decades, that is all anyone cared about. But in the late 1990s and early 2000s, some visionary farmers looked at their soil data and realized they were sitting on a goldmine for viticulture. They ripped out lucrative apple orchards to plant vines, a move their neighbors thought was financial suicide. It turns out that the struggle required to grow a good apple is somewhat similar to grapes, just with more alcohol potential. Today, the wineries act as neighbors to the orchards, and the tourism route is a delicious mix of cider and Sauvignon.
Before the trellises rose up, this region was the undisputed kingdom of the apple. The climate is perfect for crunchy red Fujis and Galas, and for decades, that is all anyone cared about. But in the late 1990s and early 2000s, some visionary farmers looked at their soil data and realized they were sitting on a goldmine for viticulture. They ripped out lucrative apple orchards to plant vines, a move their neighbors thought was financial suicide. It turns out that the struggle required to grow a good apple is somewhat similar to grapes, just with more alcohol potential. Today, the wineries act as neighbors to the orchards, and the tourism route is a delicious mix of cider and Sauvignon.
Before the trellises rose up, this region was the undisputed kingdom of the apple. The climate is perfect for crunchy red Fujis and Galas, and for decades, that is all anyone cared about. But in the late 1990s and early 2000s, some visionary farmers looked at their soil data and realized they were sitting on a goldmine for viticulture. They ripped out lucrative apple orchards to plant vines, a move their neighbors thought was financial suicide. It turns out that the struggle required to grow a good apple is somewhat similar to grapes, just with more alcohol potential. Today, the wineries act as neighbors to the orchards, and the tourism route is a delicious mix of cider and Sauvignon.
The Night Watchmen
The Night Watchmen
The Night Watchmen
Spring frost is the serial killer of the Planalto Catarinense. It strikes silently at dawn and murders the young buds before they have a chance to become wine. To fight this, viticulturists have turned into pyromaniacs. On critical nights in September and October, you will see the hillsides glowing with hundreds of small fires. Crews stay up all night lighting controlled blazes or using giant wind machines to mix the air layers and keep the temperature just above freezing. It looks like a mystical ritual or a battlefield from a distance. If you drink a bottle from here, pour a libation for the sleep-deprived folks who stayed up all night fighting the ice to make it happen.
Spring frost is the serial killer of the Planalto Catarinense. It strikes silently at dawn and murders the young buds before they have a chance to become wine. To fight this, viticulturists have turned into pyromaniacs. On critical nights in September and October, you will see the hillsides glowing with hundreds of small fires. Crews stay up all night lighting controlled blazes or using giant wind machines to mix the air layers and keep the temperature just above freezing. It looks like a mystical ritual or a battlefield from a distance. If you drink a bottle from here, pour a libation for the sleep-deprived folks who stayed up all night fighting the ice to make it happen.
Spring frost is the serial killer of the Planalto Catarinense. It strikes silently at dawn and murders the young buds before they have a chance to become wine. To fight this, viticulturists have turned into pyromaniacs. On critical nights in September and October, you will see the hillsides glowing with hundreds of small fires. Crews stay up all night lighting controlled blazes or using giant wind machines to mix the air layers and keep the temperature just above freezing. It looks like a mystical ritual or a battlefield from a distance. If you drink a bottle from here, pour a libation for the sleep-deprived folks who stayed up all night fighting the ice to make it happen.
LOCAL WINE STYLES
Santa Catarina White
Imagine sipping liquid frost right off the mountain peaks. These bottles come from Brazil's freezer section, delivering electrifying acidity and intense freshness that proves tropical countries can actually make wines that shiver with delight in your glass.
Imagine sipping liquid frost right off the mountain peaks. These bottles come from Brazil's freezer section, delivering electrifying acidity and intense freshness that proves tropical countries can actually make wines that shiver with delight in your glass.
Imagine sipping liquid frost right off the mountain peaks. These bottles come from Brazil's freezer section, delivering electrifying acidity and intense freshness that proves tropical countries can actually make wines that shiver with delight in your glass.
Brazilian Sparkling Wine
Get ready to dance because this bubbly is Brazil's best-kept secret that rivals the fancy French stuff. It is fresh, yeasty, and bursting with vibrant energy that screams summer vacation regardless of the actual season outside.
Get ready to dance because this bubbly is Brazil's best-kept secret that rivals the fancy French stuff. It is fresh, yeasty, and bursting with vibrant energy that screams summer vacation regardless of the actual season outside.
Get ready to dance because this bubbly is Brazil's best-kept secret that rivals the fancy French stuff. It is fresh, yeasty, and bursting with vibrant energy that screams summer vacation regardless of the actual season outside.
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