Have you ever thought about having a picnic in the middle of a vineyard? And a wine tasting inside a Maria Fumaça? Or even participate in a night harvest?
These are some of the most diverse wine tourism experiences that Serra Gaúcha offers to visitors.
I confess that it still amazes me when a person who is passionate about wine and lives in Brazil tells me that he does not know the region, considered by many to be the “Brazilian Tuscany”.
That’s where you focus 90% of national production and attracts about 1.5 million people every year in Bento Gonçalves alone according to data from the Brazilian Viticulture Union (UVIBRA).
The number of tourists may seem insignificant when compared to the context of the country, but it reveals its potential with growth of 10% to 15% per year.
History of wine in the region
The first vines in Brazil were planted on the coast of São Paulo, but only after the Italian immigration to the Rio Grande do Sul around 1870, viticulture prospered.
The Italians reproduced the techniques already known in their lands with the American grape Isabel, which, at the time, was the one that best adapted to the region. They were also the first responsible for transforming local family production into a business.
It is interesting to note that, despite the acceleration that took place in the southern wine market from the 1970s onwards, mainly with the arrival of large multinationals, it is still common to find family and artisanal wineries there.
It is the generations that followed the arrival of the Italians that perpetuate the wine culture in the region to this day.
Italian heritage
Italian immigration represented much more than the arrival of grapes and European techniques for local winemaking . Lots of gastronomy and tradition were also brought in the luggage, which today make up the most diverse wine tourism itineraries in Serra Gaúcha.
There are six routes: Bento Gonçalves the most important city in the region and where Vale dos Vinhedos is located; Garibaldi , Monte Belo do Sul , chick Flag , farroupilha and Flores da Cunha .
Differentiated experiences
In all of them there are wineries that offer tours that range from traditional tastings to more unusual experiences.
Check below some experiences to include in your travel itinerary to Serra Gaúcha. But attention: it is important to schedule in advance.
Cave Geisse (Pinto Bandeira)
A reference in the national sparkling wine market, the winery has a beautiful open lounge with a trailer structure that offers sparkling wines, drinks and artisanal Chilean empanadas.
Among the experiences is Geisse Terroir Experience . Aboard a 4×4, visitors are taken on a tour of the vineyards and their surroundings, accompanied by a guide.
There is also a toast at Espaço Zen, in the midst of nature. The experience costs R$ 300 and takes place on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays at 10 am, 12 pm, 2 pm and 3:40 pm.
already the Geisse Wine Trekking It’s a 4 km walk with stops for tastings, visits to the vineyards with an exclusive cap. The tour takes place only by reservation and costs R$ 90 per person. It takes place on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays at 9 am.
www.cavegeisse.com.br
Phone: (54) 3455-7461 or 3455-7462
Larentis (Bento Goncalves)
Larentis is a family winery that combines great quality wines and outdoor experiences.
Among them I highlight the night harvest , which takes place during the harvest and includes welcome drinks, visit to the vineyard, guided tasting, night harvest and dinner paired with parrilla in the vineyards. The value, days and times depend on the next harvest, in 2023.
already the picnic in the vineyards takes place outdoors with tasting of three labels and a basket of selected colonial products. Adults pay R$135 for the experience, while children between 6 and 14 years old pay R$65.
The picnic is offered on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 10:30 am, 11 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, 2 pm and 2:30 pm. On Saturdays, Sundays and holidays it takes place from 10 am to 3 pm, with one-hour breaks.
https://www.larentis.com.br/
Phone: (54) 98424-0213
Miolo (Bento Goncalves)
The winery belongs to the Miolo Wine Group, the largest wine exporter in Brazil and the most recognized in the international market.
Among the experiences is wine garden , open-air wine bar with food service and sale of wines and sparkling wines by the bottle and glass. The minimum consumption is R$ 45 per person and the place is open from Wednesday to Friday from 12:00 to 18:30 and on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 11:00 to 19:30.
There is also the call Seven Legendary Tasting , a tour with visits to the vineyards and the underground cellar, ending with the tasting of seven wines that are icons of the winery. The value is R$ 280 per person, with a minimum of eight and a maximum of ten people. The visit takes place on Fridays and Saturdays from 10:30 am.
https://www.miolo.com.br/
Phone: (54) 2102-1540
Cristofoli – Family Wines (Bento Gonçalves)
Cristofoli is a family winery that combines good wines with a wide range of experiences linked to wine tourism in Bento Gonçalves.
Among them there is the Duvet in the vineyards , a wine tasting in the vineyard, on the duvet, with cold cuts and regional products. The cost is R$ 195 per person and takes place on Saturdays from 1 pm to 3:30 pm.
At dusk during the grape harvest periods, there is the Dusk in the Vintage , a harvest experience with tasting, brunch and tractor ride. The package costs R$360 per person and takes place on Saturdays during the harvest, from January to March, from 5:30 pm to 8:45 pm.
https://www.vinhoscristofoli.com.br/
Phone: (54) 3439-1190 or (54) 98403-9247
Dal Pizzol (Bento Goncalves)
Located in Bento Gonçalves, the winery is in the midst of a very well preserved nature, full of native species and wild animals that roam free through space.
The property offers visitors a set of cultural attractions that includes an ecomuseum of relics linked to the wine culture, a wine cellar with a collection of old bottles and the Vinhedo do Mundo, with around 400 varieties of grapes from 35 countries.
THE theme park visit It costs R$ 50, free for children up to 14 years old; young people between 14 and 18 years old pay 50% of the ticket price. This pass runs from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm and on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 10 am to 5 pm.
Dal Pizzol also has a blind tasting , in which there is a blindfolded wine tasting. The experience includes a personalized glass, a bandana, visit to the Theme Park and tasting of four wines for R$ 140. It takes place daily with prior appointment of up to 48 hours.
https://www.dalpizzol.com.br/
Phone: (54) 99981-5927
Casa Valduga (Bento Goncalves)
In addition to award-winning wines, the winery is known for offering unique experiences and accommodation surrounded by vineyards.
Casa Valduga also offers a program in which the connoisseur can become a winemaker for a day, making his own wine.
The experience, called single and which takes place on Fridays at 2 pm, costs R$ 250 per person and includes a personalized crystal glass and the bottle of wine created by the participant.
One guided tour with tasting it can also be done on the property next to the winemaker Pedro Valduga, one of the heirs of the legacy left by Italian immigrants in 1875, who tells his story and that of his ancestors. The visit costs R$ 400 per person and takes place on Saturdays from 10:00 am.
https://www.casavalduga.com.br/inicial/
Phone: (54) 2105-3154
Luiz Argenta (Flores da Cunha)
Highlight for the architecture, the winery is considered one of the most beautiful in Brazil and has a gastronomic experience in the elegant restaurant Clô.
In the restaurant’s wine bar, there is even a guided tasting of four selected labels paired with charcuterie for R$70 per person. THE harmonized tasting is held on Thursdays and Saturdays at 11 am.
The property still promotes Cave Experience , guided technical tour and sensory experience with four iconic wine labels from the winery. The tasting takes place inside the famous Luiz Argenta cellar for R$170 on Fridays and Saturdays at 3:30 pm.
http://www.luizargenta.com.br/site/
Phone: (54) 3292-1324
Courmayeur (Garibaldi)
The focus of the winery in the city of Garibaldi is sparkling wines. On the property, ten wine tourism experiences are offered, from visits, tastings, picnics and a harmonized lunch.
Among them I highlight the cell of the basement , an itinerary with tasting of five labels from different lines in the old barred cellar, where the brand’s historic wines are “imprisoned”. There is a charge of R$ 85 per person, and the event takes place on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 11 am and 3 pm.
In the middle of the garden, the Picnic La Fermata Courmayeur in which focaccia, bread, pâté, jam, mini pizzas, salami, cheeses, mini brownies and homemade butter cookies are arranged alongside a bottle of Courmayeur sparkling wine.
The picnic costs R$ 270 for two people and takes place on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 11 am to 3 pm
https://courmayeur.com.br/
Phone: (54) 3463.8517
Bonus: Train ride with tasting
O Maria Fumaça tour with tasting of wines mentioned at the beginning of the article is promoted by Giordani Turismo and can be booked through the website https://www.giordaniturismo.com.br/.
About Pri Matta
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
