Two of my ultimate vices, wine and coffee, are rarely produced in the same area but in Brazil’s Serra de Mantiqueira region, coffee plantations and vineyards can be within metres of one another. As can banana trees and grapevines for that matter. This is the new frontier for Brazilian wine — the high-altitude wine regions of Serra da Mantiqueira which spans across Minas Gerais, São Paolo and Rio de Janeiro.
The ultimate guide to the Serra da Mantiqueira wine region
The Mantiqueira mountains, which span 320 km and reach a peak at 2,798 m.a.s.l., have a special mesoclimate that makes a wide range of cultivations possible. This mountainous wine region is not only a haven for wildlife and a mecca for outdoor adventure sports but it is also fast becoming a hub for some of the more interesting wines being produced in Brazil. This is not because of its tropical climate but, in fact, because of its dry, sunny and mild winters.
Winters… Have I lost you? Why mention winters, when surely for wine production it is the hot, wet summer that matters? Up until just a decade ago, that was exactly the problem with these wine regions — the summer and ergo the time for harvesting the grapes was hot and humid, meaning that only early-ripening varieties like Riesling Itálico or those harvested early for sparkling wine could be picked in time before the summer rain set in.
But Serra da Mantiqueira has become renowned today for some of the most exciting red wines in Brazil. This is thanks to the development of the innovative winter harvest technique has been a game-changer for the region. By switching the harvest period from summer to winter, growers are able to take advantage of the spotless blue skies, sunny days and cool nights of the winter months to make wines of character and concentration — creating a boom in quality wines and a real buzz about the potential of this region. It has rapidly changed the shape and reputation of Brazilian wine.
Syrah is undoubtedly the champion of this new wine region for now, although I’ve tasted promising winter harvest Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier too. That said, Syrah is the ideal pairing for the rich pork dishes so typical of the Mantiqueira mountains.
