Minas Gerais gained fame over the years with its delicacies, such as cheese O coffee it’s the milk cream just to name a few, which are even considered cultural heritage.
Now, recognition begins to gain new horizons and encompasses the liquor industry .
The alembic cachaça kicked off: consolidated Minas as the largest producer in the country. Following the same path, the vitiviniculture from Minas Gerais is the new promise of the sector.
Wine production in the region is largely concentrated in the vicinity of the Serra da Mantiqueira , a mountain range that extends to the border with São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The name Mantiqueira has Tupi origin and is a combination of Amana (rain) and tikira (drop).
In fact, we are talking about land with high rainfall, especially in the summer, which is the time when the grapes are originally harvested.
The problem is that this favors the emergence of fungal diseases in the vineyards, in addition to diluting the concentration of sugar in the fruit.
winter harvest
In an attempt to “dribble” the natural cycle of the vine, the Brazilian agronomist Murillo Regina improved a technique known as “Inverted Pruning”, which transfers the harvest to the winter when the climatic conditions are ideal for higher quality grapes: hot days, cold nights and dry weather.
The method enabled the cultivation of grapes with a higher concentration of sugar and, consequently, wines with a higher alcohol content and structure, placing the Southeast on the map of national winemaking.
The first mining harvest was made just two decades ago and, since then, many wineries have emerged and new techniques have been developed in the region.
“It is a very promising story despite being recent, even more so compared to the viticultural scene in southern Brazil”, celebrates Matheus Cassimiro, agronomist and executive manager of Anprovin – National Association of Winter Wine Producers.
Regional Pride
THE first winery from Minas to work with winter management was Estrada Real , in Three Hearts. The name alludes to the ancient paths through which gold and diamonds flowed from Minas Gerais to the region of paraty and Rio de Janeiro.
Maria Maria was another project that emerged shortly after, whose name is a tribute to the iconic song by Minas Gerais singer Milton Nascimento, a friend and fellow countryman of the winery’s owner, who until then was dedicated to coffee growing.
And so the history of Minas Gerais viticulture is weaved, full of regionalisms and connections with the local culture.
The valorization of the regional product now gains a new engine: Minas has just stood out in one of the most important contests in the world in the sector, the Decanter World Wine Awards .
Among the 16 silver medals won by Brazilian wineries, four went to Minas Gerais producers. The best national classification went to Syrah from Sacramento Vinifer, from the south of Minas. It is worth mentioning that the variety is the one that has best adapted to the region and has been dubbed the “queen of winter wines”.
In the wake of the well-deserved recognition, I highlight below a selection of Minas Gerais wines of the Syrah grape, not to be missed – and taste:
Priscilla is a journalist, sommelière and creator of the profile @deondevinho on Instagram. She makes it clear that she doesn’t talk about wines there, but about moments. It’s just that wine is in everyone!
Source: CNN Brasil
