Regions
About Brazil
The South American country of Brazil is well known for its recent hosting of the 2016 Olympics, the massive ‘Christ the Redeemer’ statue of Jesus Christ, being the ‘Champagne capital of South America’, and having some wild football (or ‘soccer’ depending where you live) fans. Brazil is known for its consistent temperatures which average over 20℃, nicely complimenting the sandy beaches and Amazon Rainforest, but not so much their viniculture. Brazil’s national cocktail is the caipirinha (a tangy shaken drink similar to that of a daiquiri or mojito), but people can also be found sipping on sparkling wine (Moët & Chandon even founded ‘Chandon Brazil’ in 1973 in the Serra Gaúcha region because they saw a promising future). Even though Brazil has been producing wine since it was first colonized in the early 1500’s, its history was only enriched in the late 1800’s with a large immigration of Italians who valued wine and its viniculture. The Italian immigrants began growing grapes in the southern region of Brazil which was more successful than any other attempts throughout the country. Today, roughly 85% of the fine wine in Brazil is produced in the Serra Gaúcha region in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. Unlike most countries, almost half of Brazil’s grapes aren’t used for wine production at all - they’re actually used for making grape juice! The other half is used in wine production which often produces fruity and easy drinking with a light alcohol content. Although some tasty native wines can be found in Brazil (merlot), the true star is their newly emerging industry of quality sparkling wine. Often dry, sparkling wine in Brazil makes for a refreshing drink while sitting on a patio next to the beach.
FACTS
Population
209.5 million (2018)
Area
8.511 million sq km (3.286 million sq mi)