Brazil may be where all the footy action's at, but as you raise your glass to toast the winning team on Monday, did you know the host nation is also the fifth largest wine producer in the Southern Hemisphere? Here's the lowdown on the lesser known vinhos Brasileiros.
With its tropical climate, Brazil is not the most obvious place to plant vines, which prefer drier more temperate climes. However, wine has been made there since the country was colonised by the Portuguese in the 16th century. Earliest attempts, which included Spanish vines brought to the country by Jesuit missions and cuttings brought from Madeira by settlers from the Azores in the 18th century, were not a great success. These initial plantings of the classic vitis vinifera vines, which dominate the world's quality wine production, just couldn't hack Brazil's heat and humidity.
This led to the introduction of hardier American vines, which though able to bear fruit in more extreme conditions don't make for that exciting drinking. Even today, quality vitis vinifera varieties account for only a small proportion of the county's expansive land under vine, which is about two-and-a-half times the size of New Zealand's vineyard area.
Since the 70s Brazil has started to produce wines with more global appeal. This followed investments in technology and vineyard management by international companies like Moet & Chandon, bringing in popular varieties such as chardonnay and merlot.
