As notas estão logo ao lado do nome do vinho. As notas de prova e informações sobre vinho e vinícolas, estão em Inglês.
Aurora, Demi-Sec NV Serra Gaúcha
16 Drink 2011
Blend of 20%, Moscato, 75% Riesling for structure and 5% Pinot Noir.
10 g/l. Charmat method. A prototype for a wine blended specifically for UK's Stevens Garnier.
Same grapey orange nose but gentle. Much more grapey on the palate 'because the terpenes are preserved by the sugar', says the winemaker (dry version lost the same grapey palate after a month). Doesn't taste as sweet as its RS 55 g/l might suggest. Fine textural grip balances sweetness. Still a fresh and grapey finish. Good length and more volume in the mouth than the dry version. 11.5% (JH)
Aurora, Brut Pinot Noir NV Serra Gaúcha 15.5 Drink 2011
Under the Brazilian Soul label for US market. Long Charmat - 6 months on the lees.
Lemony, very fresh. Dry, structured palate. Taut and fresh. A bit shorter than the Moscato/Riesling blend, more neutral but has a sense of shape. Fresh finish. RS 8 g/l, 12% (JH)
Retail c US$12-13
Aurora, Millésime Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Serra Gaúcha 16.5+ Drink 2011-18
Aged 12 months in French and US oak. Made in best vintages only. Single vineyard - less than 2 ha.
Very deeply coloured. Elegant cassis fruit on the nose. Touch of cassis leaf. Firm, fine tannins. Sophisticated - savoury but fresh fruit. No unnecessary sweetness and fresh acidity. pH 3.6 Oak is well integrated. 13% (JH)
Aurora, Pequenas Partilhas Cabernet Franc 2009 Serra Gaúcha 16 Drink 2011-13
Aged in French and US new oak for 6 months. Selected vineyards.
Deep damson colour. Highest alcohol of their wines. Fresh hint of blackcurrant leaf and restrained dark fruit. Fine-grained, juicy and fresh and nice pure fresh black fruit. Restrained and balanced. Lightly leafy freshness at the end. 13% (JH)
Aurora, Pequenas Partilhas Carmenère 2009 Serra Gaúcha 16 Drink 2011-14
Aged 2 months in French and US oak.
Deep damson colour. Delicately sweet and leafy dark fruit. Touch of spice and savoury Marmite (yeast extract). Nice sweet-sour balance on the palate and very fresh. Not as green or leafy as many Carmenères so maybe less distinctive but well balanced. Smooth, paper-fine tannins. Quite gentle, subtle and fresh. 13% (JH)
Aurora Moscatel NV Serra Gaúcha 16.5 Drink 2011
Sold under the Brazilian Soul label in the US. 80% Moscato Blanco (ie Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains) and 20% of the generally low-acid Moscato Giallo. RS 80 g/l.
Sweet lemony nose and slight floral (jasmine?) note. Fragrant, delicate and fine balance. Fills the mouth but the freshness goes to the end. Good length. 7.5% (JH)
LIDIO CARRARO
Founded in 1998 but built on 'five generations of viticulture in Brazil', this small family winery, right next door to Miolo, produced its first wines in vintage 2002. During the tasting and presentation, great emphasis was placed on the amount of geological and climatic analysis they have done to select and understand their different vineyard parcels and match the best variety to each one. Lidio Carraro is overall director and takes care of vineyards; his wife Isabel is in charge of admin and tourism, daughter Patrícia, marketing and exports; sons Juliano and Giovanni are both winemakers, although Monica Rossetti, who also makes wine in Italy (chez Frans Haas, for example), is in charge of winemaking. They use thermal pest control (see Geisse) rather than synthetic herbicides and pesticides.
In 2006 they created SulBrazil to market their Dávidas and Agnus labels and increase their market share beyond just the Lidio Carraro range. Carraro vineyards are in Vale dos Vinhedos (7 ha), where they have their roots and where it is much wetter, and 230 km away to the south west in Terras de Encruzilhada do Sul (33 ha), in the Serra do Sudeste, where it is drier and windier. Overall vine density is 4,500 plants per ha and average yields are relatively low at 6,000 kg/ha (very roughly 40 hl/ha).
The most significant feature of their winemaking is that they use no oak whatsoever in order to show the purity of the fruit. I think this is highly laudable - and was actually very revealing when it came to the tasting - but I am a little sceptical about having such a rigid philosophy. The Nebbiolo, in my opinion, would benefit from a period of maturation in oak casks, not to affect the flavour but to soften the tannins and improve the integration of fruit and structure. The winery operates on a gravity system so the must and wines are never pumped.
Agnus is their first-level label, the Dávidas, then Lidio Carraro.
Sulbrasil, Dádivas Chardonnay 2010 Serra do Sudeste 17 Drink 2010-13
Three parcels, picked at different times for acidity, riper aromas and for volume in the mouth. The parcels are treated differently throughout the year not just harvested at different times. No clarification or adjustment.
Bright and clear. Light citrus/melon nose. Tight and fresh and intense. Extreme concentration and focus. A little warm on the finish. Certainly some minerality here too and real power. Well structured and very long. Very pure. Marked minerality but still has plenty of fruit. Impressive. 13% (JH)
Sulbrasil, Dádivas , Rosé 2010 Serra do Sudeste 15.5 Drink 2011-12
Merlot, Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional and Pinot Noir. pH 3.6 and no malo.
Colour of Victoria plum skin. Red plums on the nose and palate. Soft and rounded in the mouth but RS is less than 2 g/l. Fresh but a little too soft for my taste. Moderate length. Very gentle. 12.5% (JH)
Sulbrasil, Dávidas Pinot Noir 2009 Serra do Sudeste 17 Drink 2011-13
Two different clones on granitic soils and parcels kept separate in the winery. Ambient yeast.
Lovely pure Pinot nose. Aromatic red fruit, fragrant and fine, not overly sweet, touch of spice. Pure and clean and dry. Fresh acidity but softly textured. Great finesse and naturalness. Lingers. 13.5% (JH)
Sulbrasil, Agnus Merlot 2009 Serra do Sudeste 17 Drink 2011-14
Colour of elderberry juice. Sweet cassis aroma but also mineral. Almost ribena on the nose. Rich and juicy and very pure dark fruit. Fresh and dry, fine and dense of tannins. Mouthwatering - at the moment a little bit like firmly textured fruit juice but has lovely potential for greater complexity. Finishes fresh and dry but decisive. Some carbonic maceration. Slight stemmy note but no stems, apparently. 13% (JH)
Sulbrasil, Agnus Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Serra do Sudeste 17 Drink 2012-15
Dark damson colour. Strong mineral overlay on cassis and a hint of black olives. Smooth tannins but a fine framework. Dry finish that is both juicy and firm. Long and mouthwatering finish. Great finesse and structure for an unoaked wine. Fresh and long. 13% (JH)
Sulbrasil, Dávidas Merlot/Cabernet 2008 Rio Grande do Sul 17+ Drink 2012-16
Fruit is from both the Vale dos Vinhedos (sandy clay soils over basalt) and Serra do Sudeste (granitic soils). 60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Black core. Rich, dark and powerful on the nose. Cassis and a slight olive savouriness too. Hint of cedar though no oak. Pure cassis on the palate too. Fragrant, fully ripe but fresh. Powder-fine but taut tannin structure filled out by the fruit. Very very young and I wonder if it would have benefited from some time in big or old oak. 13% (JH)
Lidia Carraro, Elos Touriga Nacional/Tannat 2008 Serra do Sudeste 17.5 Drink 2013-18
77% Touriga, 23% Tannat. Kept separate during vinification. Elos means 'link', referring to the synergy between the two varieties.
Black almost to the core. Intense and ripe but not overripe on the nose. Hint of spice and fruit cake from the ripeness but also something dark and a little floral. A bit like perfumed chocolate. Firm, dense, dry tannins on the palate. Lots of friction. Fresher on the palate than I expected from the ripeness of the nose. Marked intensity and concentration. Powerful but no fat. A baby. Savoury dry tannins. 13% (JH)
Lidia Carraro, Elos Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec 2008 Serra do Sudeste18 Drink 2012-17
80% Cabernet, 20% Malbec, parcels identified in the vineyard for their complementarity, vinified separately. Yields just 1.5 kg per vine.
Intense purity of fine dark fruit. Very slightly peppery. Utterly silky tannins but the structure is really fine. Seductive, long, fine, elegant even in youth. So pure and long. For the level of concentration, the alcohol is a model of moderation. 13% (JH)
Lidio Carraro, Grande Vindimia Merlot 2005 Serra do Sudeste 17.5 Drink 2011-20
This range more 'traditional' than the Elos range, 12 months in tank before bottling and longer in bottle before release, looking for complexity.
Very dark core with some development at the rim. A little bit of alcohol on the nose. Cedary cassis, with some olive and liquorice. Still has strong cassis nose. A slight note of meatiness. Very rich, sweet fruit, slightly baked. Firm chewy tannins. Powerful and noticeably more alcoholic than the other wines tasted so far. A little bit hot though clearly powerful. Seems to be trying a hit too hard when the great attraction of their wines is a more 'natural' intensity and freshness. 14.2% (JH)
Lidio Carraro, Grande Vindimia Quorum 2005 Vale des Vinhedos 18 Drink 2012-20
40% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cab Franc and 25% Tannat. Matured 12 months in tank before bottling and longer in bottle before release.
Elegant but powerful but the power is all in the fruit since none of these wines is oaked. Highly structured but fine tannins. Dry, savoury, fresh, warm on the finish. Definitely showing some complexity - merest hint of truffle and undergrowth. Very dense but also very fresh. More power than elegance on the finish. 14% (JH)
Lidio Carraro, Grande Vindimia Quorum 2006 Vale des Vinhedos 17.5 Drink 2013-20
Merlot, Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, Tannat.
More primary fruit than the 2005, sweeter, even a vanilla note. Very dark but so fresh and also somehow savoury. Mineral underneath all the concentrated fruit. Touch of olive. Dark chocolate and chocolate texture - flavours often associated with oak but here can derive only from the fruit. 14.4% (JH)
Lidio Carraro, Singular Teroldego 2007 Serra do Sudeste 17.5+ Drink 2013-19
Yields of just 1 kg/plant.
Black as the ace of spades. Savoury dark fruit. Hedgerow, a little earthy, aromas of small dark berries. Fabulous freshness on the palate. Firm but sweet tannins. Almost too concentrated but that freshness carries through to the end. Juicy finish. Still very young. 13.8% (JH)
Lidio Carraro, Singular Nebbiolo 2005 Serra do Sudeste17.5+ Drink 2014-20
Yields of just 1 kg/plant. 2 days' cold pre-ferment maceration. Matured 18 months in tank before bottling.
Slightly bricky Nebbiolo-style garnet. Sweet with a touch of undergrowth, tea leaf and olive, even orange and red fruit notes. Scented on the mid palate. Very fine but very evident tannins and high but balanced acidity. Good varietal character but still too young. Much more to come. I really think this would have benefited from a period of maturation in cask but it goes against their principles. 15% (JH)
Lidio Carraro, Singular Nebbiolo 2006 Serra do Sudeste17 Drink 2015-25
Very similar colour to the 2005. More orange again on the nose, a bit less developed than the 2005. Very dry tannins, quite austere at the moment. Not sure if it has the fruit on the mid palate to hold out against the tannins but Nebbiolo often fools you, hence my possibly optimistic drink dates. 15% (JH)
Lidio Carraro, Grande Vindimia Tannat 2006 Serra do Sudeste17 Drink 2014-18
1 kg per plant. 14 months in tank before bottling.
Black as black. Fragrant. Savoury cassis and elderberry. Thick pile, deep, firm tannins but fully ripe. Generous and rich and powerful. Dry savoury finish. Big beast but not overpowering, alcohol only just about in balance - though this wine handles 16% remarkably well. Intensity but still has some perfume in the middle. A bit big for my taste. Impressive rather than a great pleasure to drink, at least not at the moment. 16% (JH)
CAVE GEISSE
Founded in 1979 by Mario Geisse, a Chilean agronomist and oenologist who had been hired by Moët et Chandon in 1976 to find establish and run their sparkling-wine operation in Brazil, which he did, but he was so struck by the suitability of the Pinto Bandeira area for potentially top-quality traditional-method sparkling wines that he set up his own business too, still making exclusively traditional method fizz. He continues to work as a consultant in Chile and is the technical director for Viña Casa Silva. The current winemaker, Carlos E Abarzua, is, coincidentally, also Chilean.
Here there was more discussion about environment-friendly viticulture than at any producer I visited. They are the champions (though no longer the only practitioners of) thermal pest control or TPC, pioneered in Chile (and described here by Richard Hemming after his visit to Brazil last year). They now use no synthetic herbicides or pesticides, only copper sulphate. Under vine weeds are dealt with using a blow-torch fuelled by LPG, apparently with a 40% smaller carbon footprint compared with herbicides. Total annual production is 150,00 bottles and the average time on the lees is 20-24 months. They have a second brand, Amadeus, using bought-in grapes. All the Geisse wines are made using the traditional method and only Chardonnay and/or Pinot Noir.
Cave Geisse, Nature 2009 IP Pinto Bandeira 17 Drink 2011-13
70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir. 2 years on lees and zero dosage.
Very pale with a hint of green. Delicate citrus nose with a touch of green apple. Lovely clean lines, dry and has great purity and charm even in this taut and slightly austere style. Still has volume in the mouth without weight. Very fresh and long. Tension and energy. Fine and sustained mousse and a slight green-apple sourness on the finish. Approximate retail price is US$30. 12.5% (JH)
Cave Geisse, Brut 2009 IP Pinto Bandeira 17 Drink 2011-13
Same product as the Nature but with dosage.
That delicate citrus note again. The sweetness seems to lend intensity and a hint of grapiness. Mousse is very fine. Delicate and fresh and full of energy but subtle too. Soft in the mouth even though the acidity is high. RS 7.5 g/l, 12.5% (JH)
Approx retail US$30
Cave Geisse, Terroir Nature 2006 IP Pinto Bandeira 17.5 Drink 2011-14
From one part of the vineyard only. Zero dosage. 62% Chardonnay, 38% Pinot Noir. 4 years on lees.
Still very pale. Delicate yeasty/smoky/mineral note. Something a little savoury on the nose. More structure than the straight Nature but still very elegant. Taut. Dry but not at all lean, very refined. Smoky. 12.5% (JH)
Approx retail US$45
Cave Geisse, Rosé Brut 2006 IP Pinto Bandeira 17 Drink 2011-12
100% Pinot Noir, 30% fermented in 3-year-old oak. 4 years on the lees.
Golden orangy pink. Fresh aroma of orange (kumquat?) and red fruit and a hint of something floral. Delicate plum fruit, silky, fresh and very refined. There's plenty of fruit flavour but not the very obvious style of red fruit of so many rosés, Fine mousse, long finish. Slight grip. 12.5% (JH)
Approx retail US$45
Cave Geisse, Brut 1998 IP Pinto Bandeira 18 Drink 2006-13
Still very pale gold. Same build as the Brut but this has had 12 years on lees! An excess of stock that turned into a precious commodity after the extra time on lees.
Lovely pale gold. So fresh - lemon and a hint of orange. Fine toasty nose. Fresh but mouth-filling and long. Creamy texture but with citrus freshness and purity. Only the merest hint of honey.
RS 8 g/l, 12.5% (JH)
Approx retail US$300 per magnum
DON GIOVANNI
Based in Pinto Bandeiro, 12 km east of Bento Gonçalves and at 720 m above sea level, with high acidity being a characteristic of fruit grown here. The current owners are Ayrton and Beatriz Giovanni are the fourth generation of this family business, although ownership has not be always been in the Giovanni family. The first Cabernet Franc vines were planted here and within their 55 ha, 18ha are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Tannat, Ancelota, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay. They, like so many other wineries, also produce juice and other products from American hybrids. Pinto Bandeira is currently an IGP for sparkling wines but the local producers hope to see it elevated to DOP status.
Don Giovanni Merlot 2006 Serra Gaúcha 17 Drink 2010-16
Lyre-trained vines on rocky clay soils.
Very deeply coloured. Lots of sweet fruit but also a little meaty. Raspberry and cassis, plenty of (?oak) spice. Full but with marked and welcome acidity. Rich and smooth but also lifted with a touch of black pepper. Dense and still juicy on the finish. Fine grip, tight and long. Mineral finesse. pH 3.55, TA 6.21 g/l, 13% (JH)
Don Giovanni Stravaganzza Brut NV Serra Gaúcha 16.5 Drink 2011
75% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir, cannot have the Pinto Bandeira IGP appellation because it is made by the Charmat method. Base wines go through malo.
Very pale gold, lots of excited big bubbles. Smells surprisingly ripe - ripe lemon and some orange. Light honeyed nose. Winemaker suggests lavender. Creamy Chardonnay texture but not buttery. Dense fruit, honeyed citrus but very fresh. Could drink it instead of Chardonnay with food. Dry tasting. Broad flavours. Long too. pH 3.6, RS 6.9 g/l, 12.6% (JH)
Don Giovanni Brut 12 Meses NV Pinto Bandeira 16.5 Drink 2011-12
Their biggest selling wine: 120,000 bottles a year. 75% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir, traditional method. 12 months on lees. Malolactic for base wines (varieties kept separate).
Pale gold. Ripe citrus and a light leesy nose, slight note of honey and autolysis - not quite toasty but in that direction. Yeasty on the palate, some nuttiness. Very fresh but less marked than on the Stravanganzza. Full in the mouth, quite broad but very clean, very slight bitterness on the finish. Flavourful but not particularly elegant. More of a wine than a fizz. Would appeal to those who find some fizz too tart. RS 7 g/l, 12.6% (JH)
Don Giovanni, Ouro NV Serra Gaúcha 17 Drink 2011
75% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir from 2005 and 2006 (before the creation of the Pinto Bandeira IGP), traditional method. 36 months on lees. All base wines through malo. Their top wine.
Deep gold. Fine mousse. Honeyed citrus nose, clementine notes and a light fresh yeastiness. Honeyed and rich and biscuity on the palate, quite broad in fruit flavour but still very fresh. Touch of dried fruit. Powerful fruit depth, a slight grip. Broad and rich and complex. Toasty long finish but a slight bitterness at the end. RS 10 g/l, pH 3.5, 12.2% (JH)
Don Giovanni Brut Rosé NV Serra Gaúcha 16.5 Drink 2011
50% Merlot, 40% Pinot Noir, 10% Chardonnay, Charmat method. Merlot on skins 30 hours.
The colour of Victoria plum skins. Victoria plum and strawberry and red cherry fruit on the nose, and a touch grapey. Tastes drier than it is. Light grip for fine structure and very fruity. Fresh. Good fruit depth, has body and length. Good food wine. RS 14.2 g/l (just at the limit for brut), pH 3.54 13% (JH)
DON GUERINO
Don Guerino, another small family company, and a very hospitable family at that, is one of the few in Alto Feliz ('high happy'), south and west of Bento Gonçalves - in the Serra Gaúcho region but not in the Vale dos Vinhedos subregion. It's warmer here and the harvest is often up to two weeks earlier. The Motter family first arrived from Italy in 1880 but they did not start producing their own wines until 2000. They have a total of 60 ha of vineyards and current annual production is 200,000 litres (half still and half sparkling), though their capacious new winery, completed in 2007) can expand to 500,000 litres. They are also planning to expand to the Campanha region and their domestic sales are up 50% on last year. They are not yet exporting. The company is currently in the hands of Osvaldo and Salete Motter and sons Bruno and Maicon, with 15-year-old youngest son Lucas waiting in the wings. Bruno and Maicon perform a bit of a double act and it's easy to imagine a few practical jokes in the winery…
Don Guerino, Brut 2010 Serra Gaúcho 15.5 Drink 2011
100% Chardonnay. Charmat method. RS 13 g/l.
Pale and bright. Delicate but very fresh citrus. Fresh, zesty, lightly structured. Fresh and still has rich fruit on the palate. Lively finish. 12%
Don Guerino Prosecco Brut 2010 Serra Gaúcho 16 Drink 2011
100% Glera - they have 3 ha and it does well in this region. May be called Prosecco on the domestic market. Charmat method, RS 13 g/l.
Delicate, almost a touch floral on the palate. A little bit grapey and quite aromatic and flavourful for Prosecco - at least compared with its Italian namesake. Fine fresh lemon acidity. Ripe lemon, hint of melon but still has a fine lightness. Very attractive. 12% (JH)
Don Guerino, Brut Champenoise 2007 Serra Gaúcho 15 Drink 2011
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, traditional method, 6 months on lees, RS 7 g/l.
Very pale straw. Slight woody herbal note - not exactly toasty but clearly to do with autolysis. Slightly strange hay and straw aroma. I much preferred the Prosecco. 12.5% (JH)
Don Guerino Moscatel 2011 Serra Gaúcho 16 Drink 2011
50/50 Moscato Bianco (ie Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains) and Moscato Giallo. Giallo more intense aroma and Bianco has better acidity. RS 80 g/l.
Grapes brought to winery 15 Jan and wine already bottled. Delicate and grapey on the nose. Intense and grapey on the palate but nice citrus acidity too. Long, not at all simple. 7% (JH)
Weingut Weinzierle Riesling 2010 Serra Gaúcho 14.5 Drink 2011-12
Don Guerino make this wine for a German grower in Nova Petrópolis. 100% Riesling Rhenano or Rhine Riesling. Ferment stopped. RS 12 g/l.
Light lemony herbal nose. Fresh but rounded by the sweetness. Not bad for Brazilian Riesling, though I wouldn't rush out and plant it. 12% (JH)
Don Guerino Chardonnay 2010 Serra Gaúcho 15.5 Drink 2011-12
Unoaked. Pale gold. Again that slight hint of straw that was in the Brut Champenoise. Lemon and tangerine aroma. Slight woody flavour too. High acidity. Ripe fruit gives roundness and an impression of sweetness but then a clean sour citrus finish. Lots of fruit and flavour. 12% (JH)
Don Guerino, Reserva Merlot 2008 Serra Gaúcho 15.5 Drink 2012-13
6 months in 2nd-use French and US for part of the wine.
Deep dark damson colour. Sweet ripe plums and a touch of sweet spice and a light cedar note. Hint of oak. Firm but ripe tannins, a little bit harsh on the finish even though the fruit is sweet. 13.3% (JH)
Don Guerino, Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Serra Gaúcho 16 Drink 2011-14
6 months in French oak.
Colour of elderberry juice. Intense, sweet, ripe cassis nose and a touch of spice. Bright and fresh and rounded though the tannins are well-structured. Firm savour, spicy finish and fresh too. Full of fruit and savour. 13% (JH)
Don Guerino, Reserva Tannat 2009 Serra Gaúcho 16.5 Drink 2011-13
They don't produce much of this and it sells out very quickly.
Inky black core. Fragrant bramble fruit, blackberry and blackcurrant, pure and a little plummy. Taut and fresh and energetic. Fresher fruit than the Merlot. Fine-grained tannins. Flavourful but well balanced. 13% (JH)
Don Guerino, Gran Reserva Teroldego 2007 Rio Grande do Sul 17 Drink 2012-15
They have 1.5 ha Teroldego. 14 months in French oak.
Opaque black cherry. Wild dark cherry aroma but also a nice savoury overlay. Chewy, firm tannins and really moreish, big and rich and a little leathery but very well balanced. Juicy finish. Plenty of personality and length. 13% (JH)
Don Guerino, Gran Reserva Ancellotta 2007 Rio Grande do Sul 17 Drink 2012-15
14 months in French oak. This variety is well suited to the region and really shines here. Black as the ace of spades. Sweet black cherry and a slight tarry note and a hint of chocolate. Lovely savoury flavour, rich, smooth, dense. Big but not heavy. Lovely taut freshness and sour dark cherry lifts that fullness of fruit. Big but balanced and finishes fresh. 13% (JH)
DON LAURINDO
Owned and run by the Brandelli family, who came from northern Italy in 1887, and now run by Laurindo Brandelli and his sons, including winemaker Ademir. They converted their vineyards to vinifera varieties in the 1970s and starting bottling their own wines under the Don Laurindo label in 1991. They use only their own fruit - a total of 15 ha in production in the Vale dos Vinhedos. Mainly reds. Total production is 25,000 bottles.
Don Laurindo Brut NV Vale dos Vinhedos 16.5 Drink 2011
70% Chardonnay, 30% Riesling Italico planted on sandy clay over basalt. Traditional method.
Pale lemon colour. Fine bubbles. A year on the lees has given a very nice, light autolytic character. Toast, lemon, slight char note. Fine bead. Very pure intense citrus but complexity from the lees. Long and a very light toasty finish. Creamy texture, superior. pH 3.0, TA 7 g/l, 12% (JH)
Dom Laurindo, Comemorativo 2008 Vale dos Vinhedos 17+ Drink 2012-16
A blend of Tannat, Merlot, Malbec, Ancellotta and Cabernet Sauvignon. A special commemorative wine, launched 22 March 2011, to mark the 80th birthday of patriarch Laurindo Brandelli, and 20 years of the Don Laurindo brand. Only 2,600 bottles made. Malo and 12 months ageing in new French oak. Unfiltered.
Completely black. Lifted Italianate nose. Dark sour cherry nose sweetened by oak spice of new French oak and a touch of char. Also sweet dark plum and damson. Very fine but firm tannins, high acidity, rich fruit with a nice tangy, sour-cherry edge. Powerful, chewy but still mouthwatering. Pretty concentrated but not heavy. (JH)
Dom Laurindo Malvasia de Cândia 2010 Vale dos Vinhedos 16 Drink 2011-12
This was one of the varieties they had in the vineyard when they started the Don Laurindo label in 1991. (Often used for fizz so this is quite an unusual bottling.)
Pale bright gold. Very grapey and perfumed - tangerine pith, then has that characteristic sourness of Malvasia but lots of orange flavour on the palate. Dry and fresh. Shortish finish but lots of orange fruit. pH 3.15, TA 7.5 g/l, 11% even though grapes are picked very ripe. Very well done to have this much ripeness of fruit flavour with such low alcohol. (JH)
Dom Laurindo Merlot 2009 Vale dos Vinhedos 16.5 Drink 2011-14
12 months in French oak.
Very very dark black cherry colour and black core. First vintage with the new DO. Subtle nose. Hint of dark fruit. Very fresh and juicy on the palate but also ripe and a little jammy in flavour despite the freshness. A little peppery. Some sweet oak spice. Dark and dense and good length. Has freshness of acidity but somehow not freshness of fruit. Almost too concentrated. 12% (JH)
Dom Laurindo Tannat 2006 Vale dos Vinhedos 17 Drink 2010-16
Dom Laurindo's reputation based originally on Tannat - they were the first in Brazil to make a varietal Tannat. 9 months in French oak. Very low volumes so main market is domestic. 80% sold to consumers and via internet.
Very dark in colour. Black cherry rim but not much development. Dark and perfumed. Touch of violets and spice. Blackberry fruit not cassis, savoury but rich and well structured though the tannins are very rounded and smooth. Very fresh and yet dark and vibrant and so youthful. Dark and tarry on the finish but fresh to the long finish. pH 3.64, 13% (JH)
DUNAMIS
Probably the newest wine company in Brazil, owned by an agrobusinessman. First wines released Oct 2010. They use only their own grapes and currently have just two wines, but their first red wine, Dunamis Cor 2008, a Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend was already sold out so we could taste only the white. Most of their vineyards - Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Tannat, Merlot plus Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris - are in Campanha, 500 km south of Serra Gaúcha and much drier so it is possible to farm organically. However, they also have 10 ha of Serra Gaúcha for sparkling wine. They are aiming to work biodynamically in Campanha in future. Winemaker Javier González is Uruguayan.
Dunamis, Ser 2010 Fronteira 16 Drink 2011-12
50/50 Sauvignon Blanc/Chardonnay blend. Vines planted on sandy clay at 360 m above sea level. No destemming. 30% of the Sauvignon aged for a short time in US oak.
Oaky, herbal nose, very fresh, green apple and citrus. Light, zesty fresh, slight bitterness. Sauvignon oaked 'to give it structure and to soften their aroma'. Unusual wine. Second pour seems better: cleaner, slightly creamy note. Subtle herbal Sauvignon Blanc note, softness of Chardonnay. Very easy but there is some structure there. Better on acquaintance. Moderate to good length. pH 3.3, 11.5%
MIOLO
Miolo is a very large but family-owned company, or group of companies, with vineyards in all of Brazil's main wine regions. Wines made in the Vale dos Vinhedos come under the Miolo label, whereas those from Campanha, on the border with Uruguay, come under the Seival label. They have 2,842 acres (1,150 ha) of Vitis vinifera vines and produce 12 million litres of fine wine a year. At home they have 40% of the market in fine wines, 15% of the huge sparkling-wine market. They are also the biggest exporter of Brazilian wines.
Miolo, Cuvée Tradition Brut NV Vale dos Vinhedos 16.5 Drink 2011-12
Traditional method. 12 months on lees.
Lees effect barely shows. Very fine bead. Dry and zesty and refreshing. Light apple and citrus fragrance and a very slight bready note. Chalky fine texture, fresh and elegant. pH 3.31, TA 5.85 g/l, 11.5% (JH)
Miolo, Millésime Brut 2008 Vale dos Vinhedos 17 Drink 2011-13
Traditional method. 12 months on lees. 50/50 Pinot/Chardonnay at 650 metres.
Very fine citrus zesty nose. Lightly yeasty and only a little more so on the palate. Fine grip. Dry and elegant and so fresh. pH 3.24, TA 6.15 g/l, 12.5% (JH)
Miolo, Cuvée Tradition Brut Rosé NV Vale dos Vinhedos 17 Drink 2011-13
Traditional method. 50/50 Chardonnay/Pinot Noir. 6 months on the lees. Manual remuage. Bottled 2008.
Bright Victoria plum colour. Deeply coloured. Lots of red fruit on the nose. Very attractive. Dry and bags of red fruit on the palate but dry tasting. Some skin grip adds freshness and food friendliness. Very fine bead. pH 3.42, TA 5.62 g/l. 13.5% (JH)
Miolo, Terranova Moscatel NV Bahia 16 Drink 2011
The grapes are grown in the tropical Vale do São Francisco in the north of the country, where there are two harvests a year.
Lovely grapey freshness. Like a fresh Italian Moscato. Light and easy and clean even though clearly off dry. Nice balance. pH 3.4, 7.5% (JH)
Seival, Alísios de Seival 2010 Fronteira 16 Drink 2011-12
Seival is a Miolo label. 50/50 Pinot Grigio/Riesling on mostly clay soils. 10% in new US oak. Developed for the UK market.
Very pale with a few bubbles. Lots of pear ferment aromas. Apple and apple blossom. Hint of almond and citrus. Very fresh and clean and dry. Good fruit depth. Very modern, hint of creamy oak. Very international. Fresh finish. pH 3.3, TA 4.4 g/l, 12% (JH)
Miolo, Reserva Pinot Grigio 2010 Fronteira 16.5 Drink 2011-12
Destemmed but not crushed. Fermented at 12-14 °C. No malo.
Very pale and a few bubbles. Light, fairly neutral aroma. Touch of pear and citrus. Again, good depth and weight of fruit. Just fresh. Creamy and a touch mineral on the nose. Clean and long. Modern but not light on the palate. pH 3.97, TA 5.17 g/l, 12.5% (JH)
Miolo, Reserva Viognier 2009 Fronteira 17 Drink 2010-11
Destemmed but not crushed. Fermented at 12-14 °C for 25 days. No malo.
Delicate peachy nose. Very clean and pure. Some apricot and a hint of apricot kernel but no unwanted bitterness. Correct varietal character and good depth without any heaviness. pH 3.49, TA 5.47, 13%. (JH)
Miolo, RAR Collezione Viognier 2010 Serra Gaúcha 16 Drink 2012-14
Barrel sample. Grapes are from Campos de Cima da Serra, in the north of Serra Gaúcha and on the border with the state of Santa Catarina but wine is made in their Vale dos Vinhedos winery.
Some bubbles. Sweet oaky nose. Creamy vanilla and coconut overwhelms Viognier at the moment. Oak is very very sweet. But finishes fresh and some of the apricot flavour comes out at the end. (JH)
Miolo, Cuvée Giuseppe Chardonnay 2008 Vale dos Vinhedos 17+ Drink 2011-14
Rocky clay soils. From 5 selected vineyards. Destemmed but not crushed. 5 hours' cryomaceration at 8 °C. Fermented in new French oak and aged 10 months on the lees.
Pale gold. Refined light oak spice. Tight and citrusy and well structured. Slight grip but lots of fruit. Oak in check. Elegant and still bold. Hazelnut on the palate, lovely fresh finish. pH 3.55, TA 6 g/l, 13%. (JH)
Miolo Merlot 2009 Fronteira 17 Drink 2010-14
Labelled Reserva on the domestic market. 15-20 days' post-fermentation maceration. Half the wine aged in 300-litre US barrels.
Deep damson colour. Oak spice and a fine leafy freshness. Juicy fresh fruit but also well structured. Fresh but also has the sweetness of damson fruit. Dry, savoury finish. Pure and lively but firm and dry too. Well balanced. Moreish, long fresh finish. pH 3.3, TA 5.32 g/l, 13% (JH)
Seival, Quinto do Seival Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Fronteira 17 Drink 2010-16
Seival is a Miolo label. Destemmed but not crushed. 4 days' cold maceration. Fermented 25-30 °C. 15-20 days' post-fermentation maceration. One year in US oak.
Deep opaque garnet. Intense cassis; very fluid. Youthfully fresh. Tannins so fine-grained you almost miss them. Merest hint of undergrowth development but pretty restrained on the nose. US oak influence has dissipated but left a trace of sweetness on the nose. Lovely depth. pH 3.83, TA 5.1 g/l, 14% (JH)
Seival, Quinta do Seival Castas Portugeuesas 2006 Fronteira 17.5 Drink 2009-15
Seival is a Miolo label. Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional. Destemmed but not crushed. Manual pigeage. Varieties aged separately in French oak for 12 months.
Very dark. Fragrant with a light Touriga Nacional perfume - and a hint of citrus. Slight sweetness of oak. Good firm structure but still succulent and fragrant on the palate. Firm but silky and still so youthful. Fresh and tight and long. This was probably my favourite Miolo wine. pH 3.97, TA 5.17 g/l, 14%. (JH)
Miolo Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Fronteira 17 Drink 2011-16
13.17%
Labelled Reserva on the domestic market. Cold pre-fermentation maceration at 8 °C for 4 days. Fermented at 25-30 °C and 8-12 days' post-fermentation maceration. Aged in French and US oak.
Very dark cherry colour and black core. Clean pure cassis and some cedary notes. Lovely freshness and clarity of fruit with just the right amount of oak. Fine grip and lovely balance between fruit and structure and moderate alcohol. Long elegant finish. pH 3.81, TA 5.32 g/l, 13.17%. (JH)
Miolo, Cuvée Giuseppe Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Serra Gaúcha 17+ Drink 2011-19
60% Merlot, 40% Cab planted at 6-7,000 m. A selection from the best Miolo vineyards. Regular manual pigeage. Post-fermentation maceration for 20 days. Varieties aged separately in French oak for one year before blending.
Deep colour. Restrained and a little cedary on the nose. Lush, rich blend of dark fresh fruit. Generous and fresh at the same time. Oak in check but evident in the rounded sweetness. Just a hint of leafiness to add freshness. Good depth but still a lightness of touch. Elegant finish. (The 2006 drunk in a restaurant in Rio a few days later was still remarkably youthful and just right with plain but full-flavoured barbecued beef and lamb.) pH 3.8, TA 5.55 g/l, 13.5%. (JH)
Miolo Pinot Noir 2009 Fronteira 16 Drink 2012-14
Labelled Reserva on the domestic market. Whole-berry fermentation. Cold pre-fermentation maceration at 8 °C for 4 days. Aged in French and US oak.
Deep greyish garnet. More oak than fruit on the nose but recognisably Pinot. Hint of mocha. Pretty sweet oak, red fruit on the palate but I would like to be able to taste more fruit. Very smooth. Aftertaste is oaky. pH 3.89, TA 4.95 g/l, 13.3%. (JH)
Miolo Tannat 2009 Fronteira 16.5+ Drink 2010-13
Labelled Reserva on the domestic market. Cold pre-fermentation maceration at 8 °C for 4 days. Fermented at 25-30 °C and 10-15 days' post-fermentation maceration. 30% aged in French and US oak.
Deep dense black cherry colour. Fine fragrance. Fresh leafiness but not green. Fine-grained but a definite Tannat grip. Lightly peppered dark fruit. Not too polished for Tannat but elegant and dense and just fresh. Oak well in the background. pH 3.9, TA 4.8 g/l, 14%. (JH)
Miolo, RAR Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2006 Serra Gaúcha 17 Drink 2010-16
Planted in Campos de Cima in the north of Rio Grande do Sul, at 950-1,050 metres. Deep and well-drained clay soils. Manual pigeage. 20 days' post-fermentation maceration. Varieties aged separately in new US oak 8-10 months. One year in bottle before release.
Intensely sweet but fresh dark fruit. Hint of cedary oak but well behind the fruit. Fine tannins, rich and generous fruit and oak in check though still evident in sweet spice. Firm but not astringent. Modern, international but has freshness and not too much sweetness. pH 3.77, TA 5.47 g/l, 14%. (JH)
Miolo, Terroir Merlot 2006 Vale dos Vinhedos 17 (+) Drink 2009-15
Rocky clay soils at 650 m. Selection from the best vineyards. Manual pigeage. 20 days' post-fermentation maceration in closed tanks. 12 months in new French oak and one year in bottle.
Deep deep garnet. Sweet plum, damson and cherry. Youthful and fragrant but also a sense of brooding power. Very fine expression of Merlot. Rich and voluptuous but not sweet or jammy. Fresh and just a touch cedary but definitely Merlot. This could increase my enthusiasm for varietal Merlot! Oak in balance. Quite oaky on the finish even now but still fresh. pH 3.83, TA 5.32 g/l, 14%. (JH)
Miolo, Lote 43 Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2005 Vale dos Vinhedos 17.5 + Drink 2010-18
50/50 blend. Rocky clay soils. Single vineyard right by the winery - old vineyard but replanted 5-12 years ago. Destemmed and lightly pressed. Fermentation at 28-30 °C over 15 days. 15-20 days' maceration post-fermentation. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon wines were aged separately, 50% in new US barrels oak and 50% in French oak barrels for a period of approximately 12 months. Unfiltered.
Fine leafy cedary Cabernet nose. Inky colour. Pure Cabernet rounded out by the Merlot. Rich but fresh, dense but not heavy. Firm yet smooth and refined tannins. Classy stuff and very polished. pH 3.86, TA 5.3 g/l, 14%. (JH)
Seival Sesmarias 2008 Fronteira 17 Drink 2012-18
14%
Seival is a Miolo label. A blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional and Tannat. First vintage. Intended as the Seival 'icon wine'. Made in tiny volumes and sold en primeur. Sells for 207 Reals in Brazil (£77 or US$125 at the time of writing).
Unnecessarily heavy bottle. Black core. Sweet ripe damson and a slight baked note. Very smooth and soft and rounded but too many ingredients for a distinct personality. Fresh on the palate, a fluid grip and has elegance but it is a top red with a bit of everything. I can see it is well made but not my favourite because the varieties seem to cancel each other out rather than creating a more exciting sum of their parts. The freshness is excellent and a good concentration without heaviness or overoaking.
Brazil tasting notes part 2
Blend of 20%, Moscato, 75% Riesling for structure and 5% Pinot Noir.
10 g/l. Charmat method. A prototype for a wine blended specifically for UK's Stevens Garnier.
Same grapey orange nose but gentle. Much more grapey on the palate 'because the terpenes are preserved by the sugar', says the winemaker (dry version lost the same grapey palate after a month). Doesn't taste as sweet as its RS 55 g/l might suggest. Fine textural grip balances sweetness. Still a fresh and grapey finish. Good length and more volume in the mouth than the dry version. 11.5% (JH)
Aurora, Brut Pinot Noir NV Serra Gaúcha 15.5 Drink 2011
Under the Brazilian Soul label for US market. Long Charmat - 6 months on the lees.
Lemony, very fresh. Dry, structured palate. Taut and fresh. A bit shorter than the Moscato/Riesling blend, more neutral but has a sense of shape. Fresh finish. RS 8 g/l, 12% (JH)
Retail c US$12-13
Aurora, Millésime Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Serra Gaúcha 16.5+ Drink 2011-18
Aged 12 months in French and US oak. Made in best vintages only. Single vineyard - less than 2 ha.
Very deeply coloured. Elegant cassis fruit on the nose. Touch of cassis leaf. Firm, fine tannins. Sophisticated - savoury but fresh fruit. No unnecessary sweetness and fresh acidity. pH 3.6 Oak is well integrated. 13% (JH)
Aurora, Pequenas Partilhas Cabernet Franc 2009 Serra Gaúcha 16 Drink 2011-13
Aged in French and US new oak for 6 months. Selected vineyards.
Deep damson colour. Highest alcohol of their wines. Fresh hint of blackcurrant leaf and restrained dark fruit. Fine-grained, juicy and fresh and nice pure fresh black fruit. Restrained and balanced. Lightly leafy freshness at the end. 13% (JH)
Aurora, Pequenas Partilhas Carmenère 2009 Serra Gaúcha 16 Drink 2011-14
Aged 2 months in French and US oak.
Deep damson colour. Delicately sweet and leafy dark fruit. Touch of spice and savoury Marmite (yeast extract). Nice sweet-sour balance on the palate and very fresh. Not as green or leafy as many Carmenères so maybe less distinctive but well balanced. Smooth, paper-fine tannins. Quite gentle, subtle and fresh. 13% (JH)
Aurora Moscatel NV Serra Gaúcha 16.5 Drink 2011
Sold under the Brazilian Soul label in the US. 80% Moscato Blanco (ie Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains) and 20% of the generally low-acid Moscato Giallo. RS 80 g/l.
Sweet lemony nose and slight floral (jasmine?) note. Fragrant, delicate and fine balance. Fills the mouth but the freshness goes to the end. Good length. 7.5% (JH)
LIDIO CARRARO
Founded in 1998 but built on 'five generations of viticulture in Brazil', this small family winery, right next door to Miolo, produced its first wines in vintage 2002. During the tasting and presentation, great emphasis was placed on the amount of geological and climatic analysis they have done to select and understand their different vineyard parcels and match the best variety to each one. Lidio Carraro is overall director and takes care of vineyards; his wife Isabel is in charge of admin and tourism, daughter Patrícia, marketing and exports; sons Juliano and Giovanni are both winemakers, although Monica Rossetti, who also makes wine in Italy (chez Frans Haas, for example), is in charge of winemaking. They use thermal pest control (see Geisse) rather than synthetic herbicides and pesticides.
In 2006 they created SulBrazil to market their Dávidas and Agnus labels and increase their market share beyond just the Lidio Carraro range. Carraro vineyards are in Vale dos Vinhedos (7 ha), where they have their roots and where it is much wetter, and 230 km away to the south west in Terras de Encruzilhada do Sul (33 ha), in the Serra do Sudeste, where it is drier and windier. Overall vine density is 4,500 plants per ha and average yields are relatively low at 6,000 kg/ha (very roughly 40 hl/ha).
The most significant feature of their winemaking is that they use no oak whatsoever in order to show the purity of the fruit. I think this is highly laudable - and was actually very revealing when it came to the tasting - but I am a little sceptical about having such a rigid philosophy. The Nebbiolo, in my opinion, would benefit from a period of maturation in oak casks, not to affect the flavour but to soften the tannins and improve the integration of fruit and structure. The winery operates on a gravity system so the must and wines are never pumped.
Agnus is their first-level label, the Dávidas, then Lidio Carraro.
Sulbrasil, Dádivas Chardonnay 2010 Serra do Sudeste 17 Drink 2010-13
Three parcels, picked at different times for acidity, riper aromas and for volume in the mouth. The parcels are treated differently throughout the year not just harvested at different times. No clarification or adjustment.
Bright and clear. Light citrus/melon nose. Tight and fresh and intense. Extreme concentration and focus. A little warm on the finish. Certainly some minerality here too and real power. Well structured and very long. Very pure. Marked minerality but still has plenty of fruit. Impressive. 13% (JH)
Sulbrasil, Dádivas , Rosé 2010 Serra do Sudeste 15.5 Drink 2011-12
Merlot, Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional and Pinot Noir. pH 3.6 and no malo.
Colour of Victoria plum skin. Red plums on the nose and palate. Soft and rounded in the mouth but RS is less than 2 g/l. Fresh but a little too soft for my taste. Moderate length. Very gentle. 12.5% (JH)
Sulbrasil, Dávidas Pinot Noir 2009 Serra do Sudeste 17 Drink 2011-13
Two different clones on granitic soils and parcels kept separate in the winery. Ambient yeast.
Lovely pure Pinot nose. Aromatic red fruit, fragrant and fine, not overly sweet, touch of spice. Pure and clean and dry. Fresh acidity but softly textured. Great finesse and naturalness. Lingers. 13.5% (JH)
Sulbrasil, Agnus Merlot 2009 Serra do Sudeste 17 Drink 2011-14
Colour of elderberry juice. Sweet cassis aroma but also mineral. Almost ribena on the nose. Rich and juicy and very pure dark fruit. Fresh and dry, fine and dense of tannins. Mouthwatering - at the moment a little bit like firmly textured fruit juice but has lovely potential for greater complexity. Finishes fresh and dry but decisive. Some carbonic maceration. Slight stemmy note but no stems, apparently. 13% (JH)
Sulbrasil, Agnus Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Serra do Sudeste 17 Drink 2012-15
Dark damson colour. Strong mineral overlay on cassis and a hint of black olives. Smooth tannins but a fine framework. Dry finish that is both juicy and firm. Long and mouthwatering finish. Great finesse and structure for an unoaked wine. Fresh and long. 13% (JH)
Sulbrasil, Dávidas Merlot/Cabernet 2008 Rio Grande do Sul 17+ Drink 2012-16
Fruit is from both the Vale dos Vinhedos (sandy clay soils over basalt) and Serra do Sudeste (granitic soils). 60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Black core. Rich, dark and powerful on the nose. Cassis and a slight olive savouriness too. Hint of cedar though no oak. Pure cassis on the palate too. Fragrant, fully ripe but fresh. Powder-fine but taut tannin structure filled out by the fruit. Very very young and I wonder if it would have benefited from some time in big or old oak. 13% (JH)
Lidia Carraro, Elos Touriga Nacional/Tannat 2008 Serra do Sudeste 17.5 Drink 2013-18
77% Touriga, 23% Tannat. Kept separate during vinification. Elos means 'link', referring to the synergy between the two varieties.
Black almost to the core. Intense and ripe but not overripe on the nose. Hint of spice and fruit cake from the ripeness but also something dark and a little floral. A bit like perfumed chocolate. Firm, dense, dry tannins on the palate. Lots of friction. Fresher on the palate than I expected from the ripeness of the nose. Marked intensity and concentration. Powerful but no fat. A baby. Savoury dry tannins. 13% (JH)
Lidia Carraro, Elos Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec 2008 Serra do Sudeste18 Drink 2012-17
80% Cabernet, 20% Malbec, parcels identified in the vineyard for their complementarity, vinified separately. Yields just 1.5 kg per vine.
Intense purity of fine dark fruit. Very slightly peppery. Utterly silky tannins but the structure is really fine. Seductive, long, fine, elegant even in youth. So pure and long. For the level of concentration, the alcohol is a model of moderation. 13% (JH)
Lidio Carraro, Grande Vindimia Merlot 2005 Serra do Sudeste 17.5 Drink 2011-20
This range more 'traditional' than the Elos range, 12 months in tank before bottling and longer in bottle before release, looking for complexity.
Very dark core with some development at the rim. A little bit of alcohol on the nose. Cedary cassis, with some olive and liquorice. Still has strong cassis nose. A slight note of meatiness. Very rich, sweet fruit, slightly baked. Firm chewy tannins. Powerful and noticeably more alcoholic than the other wines tasted so far. A little bit hot though clearly powerful. Seems to be trying a hit too hard when the great attraction of their wines is a more 'natural' intensity and freshness. 14.2% (JH)
Lidio Carraro, Grande Vindimia Quorum 2005 Vale des Vinhedos 18 Drink 2012-20
40% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cab Franc and 25% Tannat. Matured 12 months in tank before bottling and longer in bottle before release.
Elegant but powerful but the power is all in the fruit since none of these wines is oaked. Highly structured but fine tannins. Dry, savoury, fresh, warm on the finish. Definitely showing some complexity - merest hint of truffle and undergrowth. Very dense but also very fresh. More power than elegance on the finish. 14% (JH)
Lidio Carraro, Grande Vindimia Quorum 2006 Vale des Vinhedos 17.5 Drink 2013-20
Merlot, Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, Tannat.
More primary fruit than the 2005, sweeter, even a vanilla note. Very dark but so fresh and also somehow savoury. Mineral underneath all the concentrated fruit. Touch of olive. Dark chocolate and chocolate texture - flavours often associated with oak but here can derive only from the fruit. 14.4% (JH)
Lidio Carraro, Singular Teroldego 2007 Serra do Sudeste 17.5+ Drink 2013-19
Yields of just 1 kg/plant.
Black as the ace of spades. Savoury dark fruit. Hedgerow, a little earthy, aromas of small dark berries. Fabulous freshness on the palate. Firm but sweet tannins. Almost too concentrated but that freshness carries through to the end. Juicy finish. Still very young. 13.8% (JH)
Lidio Carraro, Singular Nebbiolo 2005 Serra do Sudeste17.5+ Drink 2014-20
Yields of just 1 kg/plant. 2 days' cold pre-ferment maceration. Matured 18 months in tank before bottling.
Slightly bricky Nebbiolo-style garnet. Sweet with a touch of undergrowth, tea leaf and olive, even orange and red fruit notes. Scented on the mid palate. Very fine but very evident tannins and high but balanced acidity. Good varietal character but still too young. Much more to come. I really think this would have benefited from a period of maturation in cask but it goes against their principles. 15% (JH)
Lidio Carraro, Singular Nebbiolo 2006 Serra do Sudeste17 Drink 2015-25
Very similar colour to the 2005. More orange again on the nose, a bit less developed than the 2005. Very dry tannins, quite austere at the moment. Not sure if it has the fruit on the mid palate to hold out against the tannins but Nebbiolo often fools you, hence my possibly optimistic drink dates. 15% (JH)
Lidio Carraro, Grande Vindimia Tannat 2006 Serra do Sudeste17 Drink 2014-18
1 kg per plant. 14 months in tank before bottling.
Black as black. Fragrant. Savoury cassis and elderberry. Thick pile, deep, firm tannins but fully ripe. Generous and rich and powerful. Dry savoury finish. Big beast but not overpowering, alcohol only just about in balance - though this wine handles 16% remarkably well. Intensity but still has some perfume in the middle. A bit big for my taste. Impressive rather than a great pleasure to drink, at least not at the moment. 16% (JH)
CAVE GEISSE
Founded in 1979 by Mario Geisse, a Chilean agronomist and oenologist who had been hired by Moët et Chandon in 1976 to find establish and run their sparkling-wine operation in Brazil, which he did, but he was so struck by the suitability of the Pinto Bandeira area for potentially top-quality traditional-method sparkling wines that he set up his own business too, still making exclusively traditional method fizz. He continues to work as a consultant in Chile and is the technical director for Viña Casa Silva. The current winemaker, Carlos E Abarzua, is, coincidentally, also Chilean.
Here there was more discussion about environment-friendly viticulture than at any producer I visited. They are the champions (though no longer the only practitioners of) thermal pest control or TPC, pioneered in Chile (and described here by Richard Hemming after his visit to Brazil last year). They now use no synthetic herbicides or pesticides, only copper sulphate. Under vine weeds are dealt with using a blow-torch fuelled by LPG, apparently with a 40% smaller carbon footprint compared with herbicides. Total annual production is 150,00 bottles and the average time on the lees is 20-24 months. They have a second brand, Amadeus, using bought-in grapes. All the Geisse wines are made using the traditional method and only Chardonnay and/or Pinot Noir.
Cave Geisse, Nature 2009 IP Pinto Bandeira 17 Drink 2011-13
70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir. 2 years on lees and zero dosage.
Very pale with a hint of green. Delicate citrus nose with a touch of green apple. Lovely clean lines, dry and has great purity and charm even in this taut and slightly austere style. Still has volume in the mouth without weight. Very fresh and long. Tension and energy. Fine and sustained mousse and a slight green-apple sourness on the finish. Approximate retail price is US$30. 12.5% (JH)
Cave Geisse, Brut 2009 IP Pinto Bandeira 17 Drink 2011-13
Same product as the Nature but with dosage.
That delicate citrus note again. The sweetness seems to lend intensity and a hint of grapiness. Mousse is very fine. Delicate and fresh and full of energy but subtle too. Soft in the mouth even though the acidity is high. RS 7.5 g/l, 12.5% (JH)
Approx retail US$30
Cave Geisse, Terroir Nature 2006 IP Pinto Bandeira 17.5 Drink 2011-14
From one part of the vineyard only. Zero dosage. 62% Chardonnay, 38% Pinot Noir. 4 years on lees.
Still very pale. Delicate yeasty/smoky/mineral note. Something a little savoury on the nose. More structure than the straight Nature but still very elegant. Taut. Dry but not at all lean, very refined. Smoky. 12.5% (JH)
Approx retail US$45
Cave Geisse, Rosé Brut 2006 IP Pinto Bandeira 17 Drink 2011-12
100% Pinot Noir, 30% fermented in 3-year-old oak. 4 years on the lees.
Golden orangy pink. Fresh aroma of orange (kumquat?) and red fruit and a hint of something floral. Delicate plum fruit, silky, fresh and very refined. There's plenty of fruit flavour but not the very obvious style of red fruit of so many rosés, Fine mousse, long finish. Slight grip. 12.5% (JH)
Approx retail US$45
Cave Geisse, Brut 1998 IP Pinto Bandeira 18 Drink 2006-13
Still very pale gold. Same build as the Brut but this has had 12 years on lees! An excess of stock that turned into a precious commodity after the extra time on lees.
Lovely pale gold. So fresh - lemon and a hint of orange. Fine toasty nose. Fresh but mouth-filling and long. Creamy texture but with citrus freshness and purity. Only the merest hint of honey.
RS 8 g/l, 12.5% (JH)
Approx retail US$300 per magnum
DON GIOVANNI
Based in Pinto Bandeiro, 12 km east of Bento Gonçalves and at 720 m above sea level, with high acidity being a characteristic of fruit grown here. The current owners are Ayrton and Beatriz Giovanni are the fourth generation of this family business, although ownership has not be always been in the Giovanni family. The first Cabernet Franc vines were planted here and within their 55 ha, 18ha are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Tannat, Ancelota, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay. They, like so many other wineries, also produce juice and other products from American hybrids. Pinto Bandeira is currently an IGP for sparkling wines but the local producers hope to see it elevated to DOP status.
Don Giovanni Merlot 2006 Serra Gaúcha 17 Drink 2010-16
Lyre-trained vines on rocky clay soils.
Very deeply coloured. Lots of sweet fruit but also a little meaty. Raspberry and cassis, plenty of (?oak) spice. Full but with marked and welcome acidity. Rich and smooth but also lifted with a touch of black pepper. Dense and still juicy on the finish. Fine grip, tight and long. Mineral finesse. pH 3.55, TA 6.21 g/l, 13% (JH)
Don Giovanni Stravaganzza Brut NV Serra Gaúcha 16.5 Drink 2011
75% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir, cannot have the Pinto Bandeira IGP appellation because it is made by the Charmat method. Base wines go through malo.
Very pale gold, lots of excited big bubbles. Smells surprisingly ripe - ripe lemon and some orange. Light honeyed nose. Winemaker suggests lavender. Creamy Chardonnay texture but not buttery. Dense fruit, honeyed citrus but very fresh. Could drink it instead of Chardonnay with food. Dry tasting. Broad flavours. Long too. pH 3.6, RS 6.9 g/l, 12.6% (JH)
Don Giovanni Brut 12 Meses NV Pinto Bandeira 16.5 Drink 2011-12
Their biggest selling wine: 120,000 bottles a year. 75% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir, traditional method. 12 months on lees. Malolactic for base wines (varieties kept separate).
Pale gold. Ripe citrus and a light leesy nose, slight note of honey and autolysis - not quite toasty but in that direction. Yeasty on the palate, some nuttiness. Very fresh but less marked than on the Stravanganzza. Full in the mouth, quite broad but very clean, very slight bitterness on the finish. Flavourful but not particularly elegant. More of a wine than a fizz. Would appeal to those who find some fizz too tart. RS 7 g/l, 12.6% (JH)
Don Giovanni, Ouro NV Serra Gaúcha 17 Drink 2011
75% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir from 2005 and 2006 (before the creation of the Pinto Bandeira IGP), traditional method. 36 months on lees. All base wines through malo. Their top wine.
Deep gold. Fine mousse. Honeyed citrus nose, clementine notes and a light fresh yeastiness. Honeyed and rich and biscuity on the palate, quite broad in fruit flavour but still very fresh. Touch of dried fruit. Powerful fruit depth, a slight grip. Broad and rich and complex. Toasty long finish but a slight bitterness at the end. RS 10 g/l, pH 3.5, 12.2% (JH)
Don Giovanni Brut Rosé NV Serra Gaúcha 16.5 Drink 2011
50% Merlot, 40% Pinot Noir, 10% Chardonnay, Charmat method. Merlot on skins 30 hours.
The colour of Victoria plum skins. Victoria plum and strawberry and red cherry fruit on the nose, and a touch grapey. Tastes drier than it is. Light grip for fine structure and very fruity. Fresh. Good fruit depth, has body and length. Good food wine. RS 14.2 g/l (just at the limit for brut), pH 3.54 13% (JH)
DON GUERINO
Don Guerino, another small family company, and a very hospitable family at that, is one of the few in Alto Feliz ('high happy'), south and west of Bento Gonçalves - in the Serra Gaúcho region but not in the Vale dos Vinhedos subregion. It's warmer here and the harvest is often up to two weeks earlier. The Motter family first arrived from Italy in 1880 but they did not start producing their own wines until 2000. They have a total of 60 ha of vineyards and current annual production is 200,000 litres (half still and half sparkling), though their capacious new winery, completed in 2007) can expand to 500,000 litres. They are also planning to expand to the Campanha region and their domestic sales are up 50% on last year. They are not yet exporting. The company is currently in the hands of Osvaldo and Salete Motter and sons Bruno and Maicon, with 15-year-old youngest son Lucas waiting in the wings. Bruno and Maicon perform a bit of a double act and it's easy to imagine a few practical jokes in the winery…
Don Guerino, Brut 2010 Serra Gaúcho 15.5 Drink 2011
100% Chardonnay. Charmat method. RS 13 g/l.
Pale and bright. Delicate but very fresh citrus. Fresh, zesty, lightly structured. Fresh and still has rich fruit on the palate. Lively finish. 12%
Don Guerino Prosecco Brut 2010 Serra Gaúcho 16 Drink 2011
100% Glera - they have 3 ha and it does well in this region. May be called Prosecco on the domestic market. Charmat method, RS 13 g/l.
Delicate, almost a touch floral on the palate. A little bit grapey and quite aromatic and flavourful for Prosecco - at least compared with its Italian namesake. Fine fresh lemon acidity. Ripe lemon, hint of melon but still has a fine lightness. Very attractive. 12% (JH)
Don Guerino, Brut Champenoise 2007 Serra Gaúcho 15 Drink 2011
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, traditional method, 6 months on lees, RS 7 g/l.
Very pale straw. Slight woody herbal note - not exactly toasty but clearly to do with autolysis. Slightly strange hay and straw aroma. I much preferred the Prosecco. 12.5% (JH)
Don Guerino Moscatel 2011 Serra Gaúcho 16 Drink 2011
50/50 Moscato Bianco (ie Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains) and Moscato Giallo. Giallo more intense aroma and Bianco has better acidity. RS 80 g/l.
Grapes brought to winery 15 Jan and wine already bottled. Delicate and grapey on the nose. Intense and grapey on the palate but nice citrus acidity too. Long, not at all simple. 7% (JH)
Weingut Weinzierle Riesling 2010 Serra Gaúcho 14.5 Drink 2011-12
Don Guerino make this wine for a German grower in Nova Petrópolis. 100% Riesling Rhenano or Rhine Riesling. Ferment stopped. RS 12 g/l.
Light lemony herbal nose. Fresh but rounded by the sweetness. Not bad for Brazilian Riesling, though I wouldn't rush out and plant it. 12% (JH)
Don Guerino Chardonnay 2010 Serra Gaúcho 15.5 Drink 2011-12
Unoaked. Pale gold. Again that slight hint of straw that was in the Brut Champenoise. Lemon and tangerine aroma. Slight woody flavour too. High acidity. Ripe fruit gives roundness and an impression of sweetness but then a clean sour citrus finish. Lots of fruit and flavour. 12% (JH)
Don Guerino, Reserva Merlot 2008 Serra Gaúcho 15.5 Drink 2012-13
6 months in 2nd-use French and US for part of the wine.
Deep dark damson colour. Sweet ripe plums and a touch of sweet spice and a light cedar note. Hint of oak. Firm but ripe tannins, a little bit harsh on the finish even though the fruit is sweet. 13.3% (JH)
Don Guerino, Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Serra Gaúcho 16 Drink 2011-14
6 months in French oak.
Colour of elderberry juice. Intense, sweet, ripe cassis nose and a touch of spice. Bright and fresh and rounded though the tannins are well-structured. Firm savour, spicy finish and fresh too. Full of fruit and savour. 13% (JH)
Don Guerino, Reserva Tannat 2009 Serra Gaúcho 16.5 Drink 2011-13
They don't produce much of this and it sells out very quickly.
Inky black core. Fragrant bramble fruit, blackberry and blackcurrant, pure and a little plummy. Taut and fresh and energetic. Fresher fruit than the Merlot. Fine-grained tannins. Flavourful but well balanced. 13% (JH)
Don Guerino, Gran Reserva Teroldego 2007 Rio Grande do Sul 17 Drink 2012-15
They have 1.5 ha Teroldego. 14 months in French oak.
Opaque black cherry. Wild dark cherry aroma but also a nice savoury overlay. Chewy, firm tannins and really moreish, big and rich and a little leathery but very well balanced. Juicy finish. Plenty of personality and length. 13% (JH)
Don Guerino, Gran Reserva Ancellotta 2007 Rio Grande do Sul 17 Drink 2012-15
14 months in French oak. This variety is well suited to the region and really shines here. Black as the ace of spades. Sweet black cherry and a slight tarry note and a hint of chocolate. Lovely savoury flavour, rich, smooth, dense. Big but not heavy. Lovely taut freshness and sour dark cherry lifts that fullness of fruit. Big but balanced and finishes fresh. 13% (JH)
DON LAURINDO
Owned and run by the Brandelli family, who came from northern Italy in 1887, and now run by Laurindo Brandelli and his sons, including winemaker Ademir. They converted their vineyards to vinifera varieties in the 1970s and starting bottling their own wines under the Don Laurindo label in 1991. They use only their own fruit - a total of 15 ha in production in the Vale dos Vinhedos. Mainly reds. Total production is 25,000 bottles.
Don Laurindo Brut NV Vale dos Vinhedos 16.5 Drink 2011
70% Chardonnay, 30% Riesling Italico planted on sandy clay over basalt. Traditional method.
Pale lemon colour. Fine bubbles. A year on the lees has given a very nice, light autolytic character. Toast, lemon, slight char note. Fine bead. Very pure intense citrus but complexity from the lees. Long and a very light toasty finish. Creamy texture, superior. pH 3.0, TA 7 g/l, 12% (JH)
Dom Laurindo, Comemorativo 2008 Vale dos Vinhedos 17+ Drink 2012-16
A blend of Tannat, Merlot, Malbec, Ancellotta and Cabernet Sauvignon. A special commemorative wine, launched 22 March 2011, to mark the 80th birthday of patriarch Laurindo Brandelli, and 20 years of the Don Laurindo brand. Only 2,600 bottles made. Malo and 12 months ageing in new French oak. Unfiltered.
Completely black. Lifted Italianate nose. Dark sour cherry nose sweetened by oak spice of new French oak and a touch of char. Also sweet dark plum and damson. Very fine but firm tannins, high acidity, rich fruit with a nice tangy, sour-cherry edge. Powerful, chewy but still mouthwatering. Pretty concentrated but not heavy. (JH)
Dom Laurindo Malvasia de Cândia 2010 Vale dos Vinhedos 16 Drink 2011-12
This was one of the varieties they had in the vineyard when they started the Don Laurindo label in 1991. (Often used for fizz so this is quite an unusual bottling.)
Pale bright gold. Very grapey and perfumed - tangerine pith, then has that characteristic sourness of Malvasia but lots of orange flavour on the palate. Dry and fresh. Shortish finish but lots of orange fruit. pH 3.15, TA 7.5 g/l, 11% even though grapes are picked very ripe. Very well done to have this much ripeness of fruit flavour with such low alcohol. (JH)
Dom Laurindo Merlot 2009 Vale dos Vinhedos 16.5 Drink 2011-14
12 months in French oak.
Very very dark black cherry colour and black core. First vintage with the new DO. Subtle nose. Hint of dark fruit. Very fresh and juicy on the palate but also ripe and a little jammy in flavour despite the freshness. A little peppery. Some sweet oak spice. Dark and dense and good length. Has freshness of acidity but somehow not freshness of fruit. Almost too concentrated. 12% (JH)
Dom Laurindo Tannat 2006 Vale dos Vinhedos 17 Drink 2010-16
Dom Laurindo's reputation based originally on Tannat - they were the first in Brazil to make a varietal Tannat. 9 months in French oak. Very low volumes so main market is domestic. 80% sold to consumers and via internet.
Very dark in colour. Black cherry rim but not much development. Dark and perfumed. Touch of violets and spice. Blackberry fruit not cassis, savoury but rich and well structured though the tannins are very rounded and smooth. Very fresh and yet dark and vibrant and so youthful. Dark and tarry on the finish but fresh to the long finish. pH 3.64, 13% (JH)
DUNAMIS
Probably the newest wine company in Brazil, owned by an agrobusinessman. First wines released Oct 2010. They use only their own grapes and currently have just two wines, but their first red wine, Dunamis Cor 2008, a Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend was already sold out so we could taste only the white. Most of their vineyards - Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Tannat, Merlot plus Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris - are in Campanha, 500 km south of Serra Gaúcha and much drier so it is possible to farm organically. However, they also have 10 ha of Serra Gaúcha for sparkling wine. They are aiming to work biodynamically in Campanha in future. Winemaker Javier González is Uruguayan.
Dunamis, Ser 2010 Fronteira 16 Drink 2011-12
50/50 Sauvignon Blanc/Chardonnay blend. Vines planted on sandy clay at 360 m above sea level. No destemming. 30% of the Sauvignon aged for a short time in US oak.
Oaky, herbal nose, very fresh, green apple and citrus. Light, zesty fresh, slight bitterness. Sauvignon oaked 'to give it structure and to soften their aroma'. Unusual wine. Second pour seems better: cleaner, slightly creamy note. Subtle herbal Sauvignon Blanc note, softness of Chardonnay. Very easy but there is some structure there. Better on acquaintance. Moderate to good length. pH 3.3, 11.5%
MIOLO
Miolo is a very large but family-owned company, or group of companies, with vineyards in all of Brazil's main wine regions. Wines made in the Vale dos Vinhedos come under the Miolo label, whereas those from Campanha, on the border with Uruguay, come under the Seival label. They have 2,842 acres (1,150 ha) of Vitis vinifera vines and produce 12 million litres of fine wine a year. At home they have 40% of the market in fine wines, 15% of the huge sparkling-wine market. They are also the biggest exporter of Brazilian wines.
Miolo, Cuvée Tradition Brut NV Vale dos Vinhedos 16.5 Drink 2011-12
Traditional method. 12 months on lees.
Lees effect barely shows. Very fine bead. Dry and zesty and refreshing. Light apple and citrus fragrance and a very slight bready note. Chalky fine texture, fresh and elegant. pH 3.31, TA 5.85 g/l, 11.5% (JH)
Miolo, Millésime Brut 2008 Vale dos Vinhedos 17 Drink 2011-13
Traditional method. 12 months on lees. 50/50 Pinot/Chardonnay at 650 metres.
Very fine citrus zesty nose. Lightly yeasty and only a little more so on the palate. Fine grip. Dry and elegant and so fresh. pH 3.24, TA 6.15 g/l, 12.5% (JH)
Miolo, Cuvée Tradition Brut Rosé NV Vale dos Vinhedos 17 Drink 2011-13
Traditional method. 50/50 Chardonnay/Pinot Noir. 6 months on the lees. Manual remuage. Bottled 2008.
Bright Victoria plum colour. Deeply coloured. Lots of red fruit on the nose. Very attractive. Dry and bags of red fruit on the palate but dry tasting. Some skin grip adds freshness and food friendliness. Very fine bead. pH 3.42, TA 5.62 g/l. 13.5% (JH)
Miolo, Terranova Moscatel NV Bahia 16 Drink 2011
The grapes are grown in the tropical Vale do São Francisco in the north of the country, where there are two harvests a year.
Lovely grapey freshness. Like a fresh Italian Moscato. Light and easy and clean even though clearly off dry. Nice balance. pH 3.4, 7.5% (JH)
Seival, Alísios de Seival 2010 Fronteira 16 Drink 2011-12
Seival is a Miolo label. 50/50 Pinot Grigio/Riesling on mostly clay soils. 10% in new US oak. Developed for the UK market.
Very pale with a few bubbles. Lots of pear ferment aromas. Apple and apple blossom. Hint of almond and citrus. Very fresh and clean and dry. Good fruit depth. Very modern, hint of creamy oak. Very international. Fresh finish. pH 3.3, TA 4.4 g/l, 12% (JH)
Miolo, Reserva Pinot Grigio 2010 Fronteira 16.5 Drink 2011-12
Destemmed but not crushed. Fermented at 12-14 °C. No malo.
Very pale and a few bubbles. Light, fairly neutral aroma. Touch of pear and citrus. Again, good depth and weight of fruit. Just fresh. Creamy and a touch mineral on the nose. Clean and long. Modern but not light on the palate. pH 3.97, TA 5.17 g/l, 12.5% (JH)
Miolo, Reserva Viognier 2009 Fronteira 17 Drink 2010-11
Destemmed but not crushed. Fermented at 12-14 °C for 25 days. No malo.
Delicate peachy nose. Very clean and pure. Some apricot and a hint of apricot kernel but no unwanted bitterness. Correct varietal character and good depth without any heaviness. pH 3.49, TA 5.47, 13%. (JH)
Miolo, RAR Collezione Viognier 2010 Serra Gaúcha 16 Drink 2012-14
Barrel sample. Grapes are from Campos de Cima da Serra, in the north of Serra Gaúcha and on the border with the state of Santa Catarina but wine is made in their Vale dos Vinhedos winery.
Some bubbles. Sweet oaky nose. Creamy vanilla and coconut overwhelms Viognier at the moment. Oak is very very sweet. But finishes fresh and some of the apricot flavour comes out at the end. (JH)
Miolo, Cuvée Giuseppe Chardonnay 2008 Vale dos Vinhedos 17+ Drink 2011-14
Rocky clay soils. From 5 selected vineyards. Destemmed but not crushed. 5 hours' cryomaceration at 8 °C. Fermented in new French oak and aged 10 months on the lees.
Pale gold. Refined light oak spice. Tight and citrusy and well structured. Slight grip but lots of fruit. Oak in check. Elegant and still bold. Hazelnut on the palate, lovely fresh finish. pH 3.55, TA 6 g/l, 13%. (JH)
Miolo Merlot 2009 Fronteira 17 Drink 2010-14
Labelled Reserva on the domestic market. 15-20 days' post-fermentation maceration. Half the wine aged in 300-litre US barrels.
Deep damson colour. Oak spice and a fine leafy freshness. Juicy fresh fruit but also well structured. Fresh but also has the sweetness of damson fruit. Dry, savoury finish. Pure and lively but firm and dry too. Well balanced. Moreish, long fresh finish. pH 3.3, TA 5.32 g/l, 13% (JH)
Seival, Quinto do Seival Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Fronteira 17 Drink 2010-16
Seival is a Miolo label. Destemmed but not crushed. 4 days' cold maceration. Fermented 25-30 °C. 15-20 days' post-fermentation maceration. One year in US oak.
Deep opaque garnet. Intense cassis; very fluid. Youthfully fresh. Tannins so fine-grained you almost miss them. Merest hint of undergrowth development but pretty restrained on the nose. US oak influence has dissipated but left a trace of sweetness on the nose. Lovely depth. pH 3.83, TA 5.1 g/l, 14% (JH)
Seival, Quinta do Seival Castas Portugeuesas 2006 Fronteira 17.5 Drink 2009-15
Seival is a Miolo label. Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional. Destemmed but not crushed. Manual pigeage. Varieties aged separately in French oak for 12 months.
Very dark. Fragrant with a light Touriga Nacional perfume - and a hint of citrus. Slight sweetness of oak. Good firm structure but still succulent and fragrant on the palate. Firm but silky and still so youthful. Fresh and tight and long. This was probably my favourite Miolo wine. pH 3.97, TA 5.17 g/l, 14%. (JH)
Miolo Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Fronteira 17 Drink 2011-16
13.17%
Labelled Reserva on the domestic market. Cold pre-fermentation maceration at 8 °C for 4 days. Fermented at 25-30 °C and 8-12 days' post-fermentation maceration. Aged in French and US oak.
Very dark cherry colour and black core. Clean pure cassis and some cedary notes. Lovely freshness and clarity of fruit with just the right amount of oak. Fine grip and lovely balance between fruit and structure and moderate alcohol. Long elegant finish. pH 3.81, TA 5.32 g/l, 13.17%. (JH)
Miolo, Cuvée Giuseppe Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Serra Gaúcha 17+ Drink 2011-19
60% Merlot, 40% Cab planted at 6-7,000 m. A selection from the best Miolo vineyards. Regular manual pigeage. Post-fermentation maceration for 20 days. Varieties aged separately in French oak for one year before blending.
Deep colour. Restrained and a little cedary on the nose. Lush, rich blend of dark fresh fruit. Generous and fresh at the same time. Oak in check but evident in the rounded sweetness. Just a hint of leafiness to add freshness. Good depth but still a lightness of touch. Elegant finish. (The 2006 drunk in a restaurant in Rio a few days later was still remarkably youthful and just right with plain but full-flavoured barbecued beef and lamb.) pH 3.8, TA 5.55 g/l, 13.5%. (JH)
Miolo Pinot Noir 2009 Fronteira 16 Drink 2012-14
Labelled Reserva on the domestic market. Whole-berry fermentation. Cold pre-fermentation maceration at 8 °C for 4 days. Aged in French and US oak.
Deep greyish garnet. More oak than fruit on the nose but recognisably Pinot. Hint of mocha. Pretty sweet oak, red fruit on the palate but I would like to be able to taste more fruit. Very smooth. Aftertaste is oaky. pH 3.89, TA 4.95 g/l, 13.3%. (JH)
Miolo Tannat 2009 Fronteira 16.5+ Drink 2010-13
Labelled Reserva on the domestic market. Cold pre-fermentation maceration at 8 °C for 4 days. Fermented at 25-30 °C and 10-15 days' post-fermentation maceration. 30% aged in French and US oak.
Deep dense black cherry colour. Fine fragrance. Fresh leafiness but not green. Fine-grained but a definite Tannat grip. Lightly peppered dark fruit. Not too polished for Tannat but elegant and dense and just fresh. Oak well in the background. pH 3.9, TA 4.8 g/l, 14%. (JH)
Miolo, RAR Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2006 Serra Gaúcha 17 Drink 2010-16
Planted in Campos de Cima in the north of Rio Grande do Sul, at 950-1,050 metres. Deep and well-drained clay soils. Manual pigeage. 20 days' post-fermentation maceration. Varieties aged separately in new US oak 8-10 months. One year in bottle before release.
Intensely sweet but fresh dark fruit. Hint of cedary oak but well behind the fruit. Fine tannins, rich and generous fruit and oak in check though still evident in sweet spice. Firm but not astringent. Modern, international but has freshness and not too much sweetness. pH 3.77, TA 5.47 g/l, 14%. (JH)
Miolo, Terroir Merlot 2006 Vale dos Vinhedos 17 (+) Drink 2009-15
Rocky clay soils at 650 m. Selection from the best vineyards. Manual pigeage. 20 days' post-fermentation maceration in closed tanks. 12 months in new French oak and one year in bottle.
Deep deep garnet. Sweet plum, damson and cherry. Youthful and fragrant but also a sense of brooding power. Very fine expression of Merlot. Rich and voluptuous but not sweet or jammy. Fresh and just a touch cedary but definitely Merlot. This could increase my enthusiasm for varietal Merlot! Oak in balance. Quite oaky on the finish even now but still fresh. pH 3.83, TA 5.32 g/l, 14%. (JH)
Miolo, Lote 43 Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2005 Vale dos Vinhedos 17.5 + Drink 2010-18
50/50 blend. Rocky clay soils. Single vineyard right by the winery - old vineyard but replanted 5-12 years ago. Destemmed and lightly pressed. Fermentation at 28-30 °C over 15 days. 15-20 days' maceration post-fermentation. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon wines were aged separately, 50% in new US barrels oak and 50% in French oak barrels for a period of approximately 12 months. Unfiltered.
Fine leafy cedary Cabernet nose. Inky colour. Pure Cabernet rounded out by the Merlot. Rich but fresh, dense but not heavy. Firm yet smooth and refined tannins. Classy stuff and very polished. pH 3.86, TA 5.3 g/l, 14%. (JH)
Seival Sesmarias 2008 Fronteira 17 Drink 2012-18
14%
Seival is a Miolo label. A blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional and Tannat. First vintage. Intended as the Seival 'icon wine'. Made in tiny volumes and sold en primeur. Sells for 207 Reals in Brazil (£77 or US$125 at the time of writing).
Unnecessarily heavy bottle. Black core. Sweet ripe damson and a slight baked note. Very smooth and soft and rounded but too many ingredients for a distinct personality. Fresh on the palate, a fluid grip and has elegance but it is a top red with a bit of everything. I can see it is well made but not my favourite because the varieties seem to cancel each other out rather than creating a more exciting sum of their parts. The freshness is excellent and a good concentration without heaviness or overoaking.
Brazil tasting notes part 2
30 Nov -0001 by Julia Harding MW
See also my impressions of Brazil and its wine and some facts about the country and its wine regions. Producers are listed in alphabetical order here (producers P to V) and in part 1 (producers A to M) of the tasting notes. Some of the wines were tasted at the individual wineries, others at Wines from Brazil's offices in Bento Gonçalves, mainly because the distances between the wine regions were just too great to allow more visits. This generally explains why I tasted far more wines from some producers than from others. The photo shows a mural in Salton's entrance hall.
Although only Vale dos Vinhedos and Pinto Bandeira are officially regulated regions of origin, I also refer in the wine name to other non-regulated regions such as Fronteira, just for clarity, though non-regulated regions do not appear in the database.
Click on a producer name below to save scrolling through.
Casa Perini
Peterlongo
Piagentini
Pizzato
Salton
Sanjo
Santo Emílio
Casa Valduga
CASA PERINI
Antonio and Giuseppe Perini arrived from Italy in 1870 and this large company - in the top seven in terms of volume produced - is still family owned. Just to get an idea of the sheer volume, in 2010 they processed 11 million kilos of grapes, of which 9% was from their own fruit. In 1928, João Perini started making wine, hence the name of the brand started by the current director, Benildo Perini: Jota Pe (or JP) - mainly table wines but also some 'fine wines'. The Casa Perini brand for still and sparkling wines made exclusively from Vitis vinifera varieties was launched in 1996. They have continued to grow and in 2005 bought the Bacardi Martini winery in Garibaldi to allow them to vinify their own sparling wines (previously subcontracted). They own 92 ha of vines, 12 in Garibaldi and 80 ha in Farroupilha between Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul in the Serra Gaúcha region.
In 2010, they produced just over 1.4 million litres of fine wine, 4.4 million litres of non-vinifera wines and 3.2 million litres of juice. 80% of their wines are sold in supermarkets and they export (less than 5%) to the US (Florida).
Their cornerstone for style is fresh fruit - which, they say, suits their grapes and the Brazilian palate. Some of their fruit comes from the Vale Trentino - named after the homeland of many of the first Italian immigrants. The quality/price ratio was impressive.
Casa Perini Chardonnay 2009 Serra Gaúcha 15.5 Drink 2011-12
Part fermented in French oak, no malo. 12,000 bottles produced.
Very pale. Delicate melon nose. Clean and very fresh, light and citrusy, correct, direct. 12% (JH)
FOB US$5
Perini, Jota Pe Moscato 2010 Serra Gaúcha 16 Drink 2011-12
10 hours' skin contact at low temperatures. Fermented at 16-17 °C. 60% Moscato R2 clone, 40% Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains (known in Brazil as White Muscat - probably to distinguish it from the dark-skinned and unrelated Muscat of Hamburg).
Very fresh and grapey on the nose, slightly floral. Very pale. Fresh and lightly aromatic on the mid palate. Low pH of 3.2 makes it lovely and fresh. Very well made and GV. 10.6%
FOB US$3,80
Casa Perini, Prosecco Brut 2010 Serra Gaúcha 15.5 Drink 2011
100% Glera - Prosecco is allowed on labels for the domestic market.
Fresh, tight, dry tasting, very clean and bright. Relatively neutral just a hint of citrus, touch of aspirin in the texture - pear grain. RS 11 g/l, pH 3.3, 11.6% (JH)
FOB US$6,50
Casa Perini Merlot 2008 Serra Gaúcha 16 Drink 2010-11
5% of the wine spends 8 months in used oak.
Black cherry colour. A little leafy, fresh and peppery. Dry and fresh and lovely balance. Fine, smooth tannins. Relatively light but not short. Youthful and lively. RS 3.5 g/l, 12% (JH)
FOB US$5
Casa Perini Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Serra Gaúcha 15.5 Drink 2010-12
Biggest seller among their still fine wines. 10% of the wine spends in 8 months in used oak.
Dark damson colour. Peppery cassis leaf and a hint of cassis fruit. Fresh, bright dark fruit. Just a slight grip but fine tannins. Fresh length. RS 3-4 g/l, 12% (JH)
FOB US$5
Casa Perini Marselan 2007 Serra Gaúcha 16.5 Drink 2010-13
Dark core of damson colour, darker than the Cabernet. Not very aromatic. A little bit brooding on the nose. Some sweet bramble notes. Firm grip but rich and dense. Blackberry and blueberry sweetness and plush rounded finish. More powerful than any Marselan I have tasted from the south of France. Fresh and yet dense and gently chewy. RS 3 g/l, 12% (JH)
FOB US$5,50
PETERLONGO
The Peterlongo family came to Rio Grande do Sul over a hundred years ago. They claim to be the first producers of sparkling wine not only in Brazil but also in S America, starting in 1915. They specialised in sparkling wines until 1965, when they added some still wines to their portfolio. Wines are not currently exported beyond South America.
Peterlongo, Prosecco Brut NV Serra Gaúcha 16 Drink 2011
Charmat method. 100% Glera but they can call it Prosecco on the Brazilian market.
Frothy. Unusual nose. Floral orange blossom, quite herbal on the palate. Very fresh and no Glera bitterness or aspirin flavours. Clean, zesty citrus on the palate. It almost has a mealy oaky flavour even though there is no oak. Green apple tartness on the finished well balanced with the 10-11 g/l residual sugar. 11.6% (JH)
Peterlongo, Presence Brut NV Serra Gaúcha 16.5 Drink 2011
70% Chardonnay, 30% Riesling Italico. Charmat method but long time on lees.
More deeply coloured than above - greeny pale gold. Orange and lemon nose. Flavourful and fruity. Big bubbles. Creamy and a slight toasty autolytic note but mainly fresh fruit. Long citrus finish. Would stand up to food. RS 10 g/l, 12% (JH)
Peterlongo, Presence Moscatel Rosé Brut NV Serra Gaúcha 16.5 Drink 2011
Muscat of Hamburg. Dessert wine. Charmat. Lots of zesty red fruit. Initial aroma made me jump! Deep salmon pink. Strawberry and Victoria plum aromas. 8,000 bottles a year. Sweet and delicate and creamy texture. 3-5 hours skin contact. Sweet cherry flavours on the palate. Good depth of fruit. RS 60 g/l, 7.5% (JH)
PIAGENTINI
This winery was founded 80 years ago when the Piagentini family arrived from Italy. They currently produce 3 million bottles of wine, including 400,000 bottles of fizz, in addition to ciders and spirits. Their two main labels for fine wine are Decima and Boutiq Brasil and their winemaker, Alejandro Cardoso, is from Uruguay. Having heard some years ago about experiments in champagne with yeast encapsulated in beads (obviating the need for remuage), I was intrigued to find that their Decima rosé was made using this method. They were the first company to do so, in 2005. (They work in association with a French lab but the capsules are made in Portugal.)
Boutiq Brasil, Prosecco Brut NV Serra Gaúcha 15.5 Drink 2011
From the 2010 vintage, one fermentation only, in autoclave tanks. 15-year-old vines at 750 m on rocky clay soils.
Lots of big bubbles. Intense green apple aroma and flavour, very slightly floral, with the apple-skin bitterness on the finish adding freshness. Brief but bright. Citrus freshness. pH 3.1, RS 8 g/l, 11.5% (JH)
Boutiq Brazil Rosé Brut NV Serra Gaúcha 15.5 Drink 2011
70% Riesling/30% Pinot Noir from the 2010 vintage, planted at 900 m. Charmat method.
Pale salmon colour. Lots of fizz. Same green apple nose as the Prosecco but also a touch of plum on the nose and a slight sweetness. New wine this year. Big bubbles. Clean and zesty, not very long. Slightly bitter finish. Tastes pretty dry. 18 Real retail in Brazil, approx US$15. pH 3.1, RS 10 g/l, 12.5% (JH)
Boutiq Brasil, Decima Rosé 2008 Serra Gaúcha 16 Drink 2011
100% Pinot Noir, traditional method but using encapsulated yeast (so no remuage needed). No malo. Only 6,000 bottles made. According to the winemaker, the use of this type of yeast results in a more delicate wine, slower ferment and finer mousse and a lower level of autolysis. Two years on lees.
Pale salmon colour. Light fresh red fruit nose. Light yeasty note but much less than I would have expected (the result of the yeast beads?). Light red fruit. Fine bead and good length. RS 6.5 g/l, 12.5% (JH)
Boutiq Brasil, Decima Gran Reserva Tannat 2005 Serra Gaúcha 16.5 Drink 2008-12
2 years in barrel - all US. 4 coopers, different toasts, 50% new. 4000 bottles. They often have to deacidify but not in this hot year.
Black inky core with dark garnet rim. Sweet cherry jam on the nose. Also savoury black olive notes and a hint of molasses. Rich, dark, fresh, slightly earthy. Tannins are tight and fresh but sweet and rounded. Dense, a touch rustic but full of flavour and well balanced in a generous style. pH 3.54, RS 3.5 g/l, 13.9% (JH)
Boutiq Brasil Moscatel NV Serra Gaúcha 16 Drink 2011
40% Moscato Giallo, 30% Moscato Bianco, 30% Malvasia Bianca. Charmat method.
Big bubbles. Single fermentation. Intensely grapey. Sweet, grapey and fresh but also a light floral note - orange blossom. Pretty sweet but still - just - fresh thanks to the bubbles. Aimed at party market. pH 3.1, RS 75 g/l, 7.5%
PIZZATO
It's hard to stop Flavio Pizzato talking about his wines and he's clearly very proud of their meteoric rise to recognition with their first vintage Merlot in 1999. This is another family-owned and run business, again with roots in Italy's Veneto: the family came to Bento Gonçalves in 1875 and thus have a long history of grape growing. Plínio Pizzato is in charge of the vineyards and son Flavio is the main winemaker. They have two main brands, Pizzato based on their 26 ha vineyards in the Vale dos Vinhedos (planted 1968) and Fausto, their entry-level range, using fruit from their 16 ha (planted 1982) in Dois Lajeados. They export quite widely (US, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, Poland, Germany, England.) Flavio's wife Giovanna is an exceptional chef and cooked a brilliant 8-course tasting dinner showcasing their Italian heritage and Brazilian specialities in a modern, light style.
Pizzato Brut NV Vale dos Vinhedos 16 Drink 2011
70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir. Traditional method, 17 months on lees.
Deep greeny gold. Very ripe citrus fruit on the nose, then leaner on the palate. Dry and fresh and more subtle than I expected from the nose. But more fruit than lees. Broad and New World in style. RS 8 g/l, 12.7% (JH)
Pizzato Brut Rosé NV Serra Gaúcha 15.5 Drink 2011
80% PN and 20 %Merlot, traditional method but short time on lees. Doesn't qualify for the Vale dos Vinhedos PDO because of the Merlot. 2010 vintage.
Deep Victoria plum colour and aroma. Fresh but a bit light on the mid palate. A bit short and not as fragrant on the palate as on the nose. RS 10 g/l, 12% (JH)
Pizzato, Fausto Brut NV Serra Gaúcha 15.5 Drink 2011
Charmat method, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Blend of 2009 and 2010.
Pale gold. Quite ripe, almost a tropical note and white peach and apricot. Fresher on the palate, bright citrus. Easy. moderate length. Too much fruit for a fizz? RS 13 g/l, 12% (JH)
Pizzato, Fausto Demi-Sec NV Serra Gaúcha 15.5 Drink 2011
Pinot and Chardonnay. Charmat method.
Floral nose, sweet and grapey but still nicely fresh. On the palate, a little too sweet for balance - sweetness and acid slightly out of kilter. RS 33 g/l, 12% (JH)
Pizzato, Fausto Merlot 2007 Serra Gaúcha 16 Drink 2009-12
30% aged 6 months in US oak.
Deep garnet. Spicy and zesty black fruit. A little bit leafy but also pretty ripe on the palate. Very fresh and moreish and structured more by the acid than the tannins, which are not very evident now. Still pretty youthful. Silky texture. 13.7% (JH)
Pizzato, Fausto Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Serra Gaúcha 16.5 Drink 2010-13
50% aged 7 months in US oak.
Deep garnet. Spicy and lightly perfumed black fruit - quite delicate on the nose and just a hint of cedar. Firm but fine tannins. Dry and fresh and clean. Zesty, energetic and pure and well sustained. 13.5% (JH)
Pizzato, Fausto Tannat 2007 IGT Vale dos Vinhedos 16 Drink 2010-13
7 months in 2nd-use US oak. Sold only in Germany.
Fragrant mix of red and dark fruit. Slight cedar note. Firm and chewy but not tough tannins. Very good fresh acid structure plus rounded depth of fruit. Rich but fresh. 13.5% (JH)
Pizzato, Reserva Merlot 2005 IGT Vale dos Vinhedos 16 Drink 2009-12
Planted on rocky clay. Five months in new French oak. Dry and hot vintage.
Ripe dark hedgerow fruit. Some elderberry. Firm but smooth tannins. Quite a bit of oak spice on the palate. A slightly abrupt finish and tannins a little dry at the end but still remarkably youthful. 13% (JH)
Pizzato, Reserva Merlot 2006 IGT Vale dos Vinhedos 17 Drink 2010-15
7 months in French oak.
Dark core and deep garnet rim. Attractive sweet spicy nose and pure primary fruit still strong on the nose. More cassis. Better balance than the 2005. Fine dry tannins, fresh and fluid but well structured. Long and fragrant though the oak comes thro again on the finish. (JH)
Pizzato Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 IGT Vale dos Vinhedos 16.5 Drink 2008-13
5 months in used US oak.
Deep youthful black cherry colour. Very ripe, touch of black cherry jam and elderberry on the nose but fresher on the palate. Smooth and fresh with some black pepper and a little leafy freshness on the finish. 13.3% (JH)
Pizzato Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 IGT Vale dos Vinhedos 17 Drink 2009-14
5 months in 2nd and 3rd use US oak.
Colour of elderberry juice. Rich and spicy and a touch of something floral. Fine-grained but taut tannins with a juicy fresh dark-fruited mid palate. Lovely and fine and dry and so fresh on the finish. 13.3% (JH)
Pizzato Chardonnay 2010 Vale dos Vinhedos 16 Drink 2010-11
First white-wine vintage was 2005. No malo and no oak.
Pale lemon. Pure melon fruit and bright citrus freshness. Light mineral note on the nose. Very very slight grain. Fresh and pure but not simple. Very bad vintage for reds and OK for whites along with 2001. 12.5% (JH)
Pizzato Chardonnay 2009 IGT Vale dos Vinhedos 17 Drink 2011-13
Planted on rocky clay. No malo, no oak.
Palest gold. Rich ripe lemon and a touch of orange and apricot but has real finesse and just one hour in the press for the skin contact. Great depth of fruit but still good freshness. 12.5% (JH)
Pizzato, DNA 99 Single-Vineyard Merlot 2005 IGT Vale dos Vinhedos 17.5 Drink 2010-15
20-year-old vines on rocky clay. Nine months in new French oak. So-called because it is the same vineyard as the acclaimed 1999 (first) vintage.
Colour of elderberry juice. A touch minty/eucalyptus and spicy dark plums but a fine savoury olive edge with the oak spice adding to the savour. Pure and lively, velvety luxury but with fine tannins too. Oak still quite apparent but there's the fruit to fill it. Like a coolish California Merlot. RS 2.2 g/l, 13.5% (JH)
Pizzato Egiodola 2006 IGT Vale dos Vinhedos 16 Drink 2010-14
Egiodola is a French Fer × Abouriou cross created in 1954 which seems to be more popular in Brazil than in France. Came to Brazil via Uruguay, thanks to the Aurora co-operative, who ran some trials in the Pizzato vineyards. 6 months in used US oak.
Deep ruby. Sweet and spicy and a touch floral. Then a real dry tannin structure though it is very fresh. Slightly chalky tannins. Dry finish needs food. 13% (JH)
Pizzato, Reserva Tannat 2006 IGT Vale dos Vinhedos 16.5 Drink 2010-14
US oak for 8 months.
Very sweet US oak aromas and flavour - coconut. Too sweet in combination with the sweetness of fruit, though there's pure fruit under the oak. Luxurious tannins but well structured with the tannins and acidity. But there's a clash of sweetness and acidity on the finish. 13.5% (JH)
Pizzato Alicante Bouschet 2004 IGT Vale dos Vinhedos 17 Drink 2008-14
70% of wine aged 4 months in US oak.
Just a touch of oak. Sweet and spicy, very open, expressive, youthful and fragrant. Black, very high level of polyphenols. Very very youthful, juicy blackberry fruit, rounded but fresh. Then those tannins come through again at the end. Rich and fresh and still so primary. 13% (JH)
Pizzato, Concentus 2005 IGT Vale dos Vinhedos 17 Drink 2010-15
45% Merlot, 35% Tannat, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. 50% of blend aged in French oak, the rest in 2nd use US oak, all for 7 months.
Sweet US oak nose but also some spice. Rich dark spicy black fruit. Still pretty oaky on the palate but better balanced by the lightly peppery dark pure fruit and a hint of dried tomato and black olive. The fruit is still so youthful - does it ever age? Firm but very fine-grained tannins. Long and fresh on the finish. 13% (JH)
SALTON
The oldest winery in Brazil, started by Italian immigrants, began making wine in 1910 and, despite its size, is still family owned and run: Daniel Salton the current President/Director, is a third-generation Salton, but the fourth is already in place. The main winery, in the district of Tuiuty near Bento Gonçalves, has a capacity of 20 million litres per year and last year commercialised almost 14 million litres (4.2 million litres of 'fine wine', 4.5 million litres of sparkling wine and 4.9 million litres of table wine (ie made from non-vinifera varieties. On the day we visited, the lorries were lined up outside the winery but they were quick to point out that the trucks waiting in the morning sun, were carrying hybrid grapes for table wine not vinifera for fine wine, which gets more careful handling to protect the fruit. They are the number one sales of sparkling wine and have been for the last four years.
Two hundred families (again that rather nice way of describing the growers, as at Salton), provide 60% of Salton's fruit, the other 40% comes from their own vineyards. They do already export their wine but less than 1% and they have around 70,000 visitors a year (90% Brazilian).
Salton, Desejo Merlot 2006 Serra Gaúcha 16.5 + Drink 2012-16
100% Merlot, 1 year in new oak barrels (50% American, 50% French), pH 3.65.
Deep damson colour. Plenty of sweet oak spice and mocha. Sweet plum and damson fruit on the palate, which is still very oaky. Fine dark fresh fruit. Firm but smooth. Just needs the oak to subside a little more but will it - 2004 suggests so? Moreish. 13% (JH)
Sells for Real 40-45 in Brazil (c £17)
Salton, Desejo Merlot 2004 Serra Gaúcha 17 Drink 2010-14
100% Merlot, 1 year in new oak barrels (50% American, 50% French).
Sweet plum and a touch of undergrowth and the merest hint of liquorice. Really nice development - retained the fruit but the oak has diminished. Rich but fresh. 13% (JH)
Salton, Desejo Merlot 2005 Serra Gaúcha 16.5+ Drink 2012-16
100% Merlot, 1 year in new oak barrels (50% American, 50% French).
A little spirity on the nose. Bags of spicy plum and oak sweet spice. Dense but rounded tannins. Good freshness on the finish. A hint of meat on the nose too. (JH)
Salton, Talento 2006 Brazil 17 Drink 2012-15
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Tannat. 1 year new oak barrel (100% French), 1 year in bottle. pH 3.78. Region of origin is Brazil because the fruit comes from both Serra Gaúcha and Campanha.
Dark damson colour. Clean dark fruit. Lots of sweet Cabernet cassis and ripe plum. Firm but smooth. Fine-grained, fresh, finishes sweet but not too much so. Well balanced and lightly dry on the finish. Good acidity and concentrated pure fruit.
2nd taste: a little more meaty with time. 13%
Sells for Real 40-45 in Brazil (c £17)
Salton, Talento 2005 Brazil 17 Drink 2011-14
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Tannat. 1 year new oak barrel (100% French), 1 year in bottle. pH 3.78. Region of origin is Brazil because the fruit comes from both Serra Gaúcha and Campanha.
Cab a little more lifted than on the 06. Slightly more leafy and a touch of Marmite (yeast extract). More elegant. Still rich and smooth but a little more mellow. Rich but well balanced. Long. Fragrant and very fresh. (JH)
Salton, Talento 2004 Brazil 16.5 Drink 2010-12
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Tannat. 1 year new oak barrel (100% French), 1 year in bottle. pH 3.78. Region of origin is Brazil because the fruit comes from both Serra Gaúcha and Campanha.
Dark and leafy, intense, juicy and dense without heaviness. Just slightly more simple than the other vintages tasted. (JH)
Salton, Talento 2002 Brazil 17 Drink 2009-12
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Tannat. 1 year new oak barrel (100% French), 1 year in bottle. pH 3.78. Region of origin is Brazil because the fruit comes from both Serra Gaúcha and Campanha.
Attractive light development - some undergrowth but still lots of dark cassis and plum. Fine tannins, increasing elegance with age, more fluid. Not much longer to go but still good. (JH)
Salton, Virtude Chardonnay 2009 Campanha 16 Drink 2010-12
100% Chardonnay, 6 months (fermentation and ageing) in French and American oak barrels.
Pale gold. Oak more delicate and better integrated than the Volpi Chardonnay because the fruit is richer and the wine is fuller in the mouth. Touch of coconut and spice but better integrated. Better length. But still slightly harsh. 13% (JH)
Salton, Virtude Chardonnay 2008 Campanha 16.5 Drink 2010-12
Deepish gold. Nice creamy oatmeal and spice on the nose, powerful but integrated. Savoury mealy palate but more toast and honey and butter. 13% (JH)
Salton Series Cabernet Franc 2007 Serra Gaúcha 16 Drink 2011-12
No oak. Classic cassis leaf nose. Fragrant. Light, fine dry tannins. Delicate varietal character. Mouthwatering finish. 13.2% (JH)
Salton Series Teroldego 2007 Serra Gaúcha 16 Drink 2011-12
No oak. A little dusty, touch of cassis leaf. Ripe plum and damson, generous but fresh too. Nice fruit concentration but finishes dry. 13.5% (JH)
Salton Series Malbec 2007 Campanha 16 Drink 2011-12
No oak. Didn't sell well on domestic market but better on export.
Light on the nose. A little peppery. Really juicy and fresh. Very light grip but fruit is quite dense. Fresh finish. Some scent in the middle. 12.6% (JH)
Salton, Volpi Pinot Noir 2009 Campanha 15.5 Drink 2011-12
1 year in French oak barrels. Volpi = name of painter who does the labels. Pinot from Serra Gaúcha is very acidic so Campanha is better for still wines.
Pale crimson-garnet. Finished ferment in oak. Recognisably Pinot but sweet oak overlay. Juicy, sweet plum and spice. French oak spice and a touch of vanilla. Juicy and fresh and light but not thin. Maybe a touch too much oak. 13.7% (JH)
Salton, Volpi Chardonnay 2009 Fronteira 15 Drink 2010-11
20% of the wine remains 6 months in American oak barrels.
Deep yellow colour. Oaky nose. Ripe citrus, a touch herbal. Then grapefruit-sour freshness on the palate. Light phenolic grip. A little woody on the finish. Oak not fully integrated because the texture is quite lean - needs creamy texture to take that much oak flavour. A bit hard. 12.5% (JH)
Salton, Volpi Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Brazil 15.5 Drink 2011-13
6 months American oak barrels, fruit from two regions. pH 3.83
Ripe cassis, slightly spirity nose. Clear varietal character. Not as lively as the unoaked wines but maybe more depth. Light. smooth grip. Rounded but a bit boring and not as fresh. Would like a little more freshness. 13% (JH)
Salton, Classic Tannat 2010 Fronteira 16 Drink 2011-12
3-6 months in American oak barrels. pH 3.76. Thermovinification. Tannat has become more fashionable since May 2010 when there was a TV programme about resveratrol in various products. They made this softer version because Brazilian consumers didn't like the tannins.
Mid to deep damson colour. Fresh leafy dark fruit, some white pepper. Very fresh and the tannins are there but smooth. Bright and zesty. Easy drinking but not simple. 13% (JH)
Salton, Flowers 2010 Serra Gaúcha 15 Drink 2011
Muscat, Malvasia de Cândia, Gewürztraminer in a demi-sec style. pH 3.32. Gewurz is very sensitive to climate and rain - gets mildew because it rains 15 km away.
Floral, not particularly grapey, and light and fresh. Short finish. Off dry. RS 16 g/l but tastes drier. 11.5% (JH)
Salton, Evidence Brut NV Serra Gaúcha 16.5 Drink 2011
70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, traditional method. 20% of the base wine remains 6 months in oak barrels. 18 months sur lie. RS 8 g/l.
Pale straw. Delicate orange and lemon aroma, not much evidence of autolysis except in a slight creaminess but that's also from the oak. Dense but lively. Still has more primary fruit than I would expect. Very fresh, dry tasting. 12% (JH)
Salton, Reserva Ouro Brut NV Serra Gaúcha 16.5 Drink 2011
60% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir, 20% Riesling Itálico. 20% of the must remains 6 months in oak barrels. 6 to 8 months on lees. Charmat method. RS 10 g/l. Blended vintages.
Fine creamy lemon nose. Delicately fragrant. Dry and taut and fresh. Less aromatic on the palate than on the nose but lingers thanks to the increased depth of texture and structure. 12% (JH)
Salton, Poética Rosé Brut NV Serra Gaúcha 16 Drink 2011
100% Pinot Noir, Charmat method, 45 days' of secondary fermentation. Popular in Brazil, especially in Japanese restaurants. RS 12 g/l.
Colour of Victoria plum skins and Victoria plum fruit on the nose. Delicately sweet red fruit aroma. Lots of red fruit on the palate, some plum sweetness. Fresh, bright and persistent. 12% (JH)
Salton 100 Years Nature NV Serra Gaúcha 17 Drink 2011-13
70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, 3 years sur lie.
Creamy, touch of toast, surprisingly rounded for zero-dosage wine thank to the lees. Merest hint of honey, citrus freshness, very fine mousse and long finish. Elegant, taut but finely balanced. (JH)
SANJO, SERRA CATARINENSE
Marcos Vian, winemaker, spent a good deal of time talking not about his own winery in isolation but about a state-supported association called Acavitis that brings together a score of producers who make 'wines of altitude' in Santa Catarina, between 900 and 1,400 metres above sea level, wines that are marked by the cool climate and high sunlight intensity. (There's plenty of information on their website http://www.acavitis.com.br but unfortunately all in Portuguese only.) They are working towards official recognition of an appellation for the region but they also agree on certain constraints such as no chaptalisation.
Current total production at Sanjo is 50,000 bottles but it will soon increase to 100,000.
Sanjo, Maestrale Integrus 2008 Serra Catarinense 17- Drink 2010-14
85% Chardonnay, 15% Sauvignon Blanc. Barrel fermented and 18 months in oak. 700 bottles made.
Gently mealy creamy nose. Fine oak with hints of orange and rich fruit but elegant too and well integrated oak. Savoury oak spice and fresh acidity. Powerful but not heavy. Just a little bit aggressive at the moment. 13% (JH)
Sanjo, Nubio Cab Sauvignon 2006 Serra Catarinense 16.5 Drink 2011-15
Vines at 1,200 metres. 50% aged in 2nd use oak. Bottled 2.5 years ago.
Very black with a hint of development at rim. Slight floral and citrus first impression. Touch of tea leaf but very reticent. Tight, fresh, and highly structured. Fine dark fruit but restrained. Elegant, long. 12.7% (JH)
Sanjo, Maestrale Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Serra Catarinense 17 Drink 2012-18
Planted at 1,300 m. 3 weeks' maceration. Aged in new oak.
A little more dark fruit on the nose than in the Nubio but still very restrained. Darker and coal-like - reminded me a bit of that dark Douro quality. Elegant and savoury and refined. Really savoury and dry - such fine tannins and so fluid. 13.2% (JH)
SANTO EMÍLIO, SERRA CATARINENSE
A new company, owned by the Binotto Group (2nd largest transport company in Brazil and also owner of Indusflora, a major wood company) in Brazil's newest wine region: the Planalto [plateau] Catarinense in the state of Santa Catarina, immediately north of Rio Grande do Sul and about 300 km from Bento Gonçalves. The winery is run entirely by women, including winemaker Patrícia Poggere and consultant Susana Balbo, well known for her own estate, Dominio del Plata, in Argentina. Packaging is distinctively modern and aimed at the younger market.
They are based at Urupema, one of the highest and coldest cities in southern Brazil. Vineyards are at 1,400 m above sea level and the region is cool and dry, giving long growing seasons. They are experimenting with about 20 different varieties and planning to plant some Portuguese ones such as Touriga Nacional. They produced their first wines in 2006 and in 2010 they produced 30,000 bottles of sparkling wine, 15,000 bottles of red, 500 bottles of Sauvignon Blanc.
Santo Emílio, Leopoldo 2007 Serra Catarinense 17 Drink 2012-15
60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Very dark black cherry colour. Sweet cassis and a touch of ripe plum. Lots of oak spice - new oak. Touch of mineral even though the fruit is concentrated. Taut, finely structured and tannins have finesse. Elegant in its power. Lovely fruit purity. Long, spicy, upright. 13% (JH)
Santo Emílio Sauvignon Blanc 2010 Serra Catarinense 16.5 Drink 2011
First vintage.
Lightly herbal and grassy. Tight and fresh. Clean citrus lines, energetic. Mineral and tight. Well balanced. 13% (JH)
Santo Emílio, Rosé 2010 Serra Catarinense 16 Drink 2011
Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Slightly tawny orange. Aromatic red fruit and a touch leafy. Dry and a little leafy on the palate. Fresh and exciting. Juicy, fresh and dry. Nice length. Crunchy and refreshing. 13% (JH)
Santo Emílio, Stellato Rosé Brut 2009 Serra Catarinense 16.5 Drink 2011-13
Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Wine aged 9 months before second fermentation (Charmat). Bâtonnage in tank. 5-6 months on lees in 5,000-litre tank.
Amber more than pink. Marked toasty yeasty nose. Plum and a hint of prune. Dry and full of flavour, much more autolytic . Dry but with the red fruit through to the end. Some tannin structure. A fizz for red wine drinkers - a daring style that seems to have worked. 13 g/l RS but tastes drier. 13% (JH)
Santo Emílio, Cellebrato Moscatel Espumante 2009 Serra Catarinense 16 Drink 2011
RS 83 g/l, TA 6.7 g/l, pH 3.2. Moscato Giallo.
Very pale, grapey and also floral (rose petals). Intensely fresh even though there's a fine sweetness. Grapey and fragrant. Sweet but not cloying on the finish. 8% (JH)
CASA VALDUGA
A very big company - in the top seven by volume of 'fine wine' produced - but still family owned and run by the three Valduga brothers, Juarez, Erielsoe and João. Founded in 1875 when the Valduga family came from Rovareto in Italy to Brazil. They also own Casa de Madeira, a separate and very large business making juice, jelly, etc. In total they market 50 different products. They have vineyards in the Vale dos Vinhedos (70 ha) and further south in the drier and flatter Encruzilhado do Sul in the Serra do Sudeste wine region (120 ha). At the moment the grapes are trucked north to the winery in the Vale dos Vinhedos but a new winery is planned for Encruzilhado. Up to 5 years ago they still had quite a lot of vines trained on pergolas but now the conversion is complete - a massive investment given the size of their vineyards.
They have recently expanded the cellar for ageing their sparkling wine to a capacity of 6 million bottles and it is enormous - and seemed especially so because so much of it is yet to be filled, according to their ambitious expansion plans for traditional-method sparkling wines, the main area of growth in Brazil. Their current production is 50% still and 50% sparkling. Total annual production is a whopping 1,200,000 litres. They have a very well-developed tourism arm and put a lot of effort and money into education and consumer tastings in Brazil, with representatives throughout the country and sales only in independent wine shops and restaurants and a high proportion of direct sales to their very loyal customers. An extremely impressive set up that manages to maintain quality and personal service despite the large volumes of wine produced. Pretty sophisticated marketing too and plans to open their own shops.
In addition to selling their own wines, they also import wine from other countries as part of their Mundus project, eg Malbec from Argentina, Cabernet from Chile, Sangiovese from Italy - in conjunction with producers in other countries. A smart way to offer sought-after imported wine but using their own brand.
Casa Valduga, Premium Chardonnay 2010 Vale dos Vinhedos 16.5 Drink 2010-11
Burgundy bottle. No oak.
Fresh, lightly honeyed melon fruit. Fine white fruits too. Very clean, lightish on the mid palate and a light grip. Elegant, dry, fresh. Subtle, very well made. Lingering finish. RS 4.38 g/l but dry tasting. TA 7.29, pH 3.42, 13% (JH)
Casa Valduga, Amante Malbec Rosé 2010 Serra do Sudeste 16 Drink 2011
Amante = lover and love affair. Unusual shouldered, clear bottle. Brazilian wine drinkers expect rosé to be sweet, hence the gimmicky bottle to try to market a new idea of rosé.
Bright deep and shiny light red. Sweet and intense strawberry aroma. Dry, slightly grippy. Quite light on the mid palate. Dry finish. Would be good with food. Certainly has potential. Very very fresh. RS 2.4 g/l, pH 3.29, 12.5% (JH)
Casa Valduga, Brut 130 NV Vale dos Vinhedos 17 Drink 2010-11
70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir, traditional method. Created to celebrate the 130 anniversary (in 2005) of the Valduga family arriving in Brazil. Now kept as a brand. 3 years on lees. Brandy in dosage. 20% in used oak for 6 months. Late disgorged - ie disgorged only when needed.
Rich lemony nose and a hint of honey. Surprisingly light on autolytic character on the nose. Fine dry texture, elegant citrus freshness and real restraint on the palate. Very pale and elegant. Great finesse. pH 3.23, RS 7.2 g/l, 13%.
Casa Valduga, Gran Reserva Extra Brut 2004 Vale dos Vinhedos 17- Drink 2010-14
5 years on lees. Brandy in dosage - more used than in the Brut 130. No oak.
Very very slightly darker than the 130 but surprisingly pale. A little more yeasty but still has clear citrus fruit. Fresh and elegant. Fine bead. Very slight char on the finish - almost bitter - detracts a little from the elegance - is that the brandy in the dosage? pH 3.13, RS 5.22 g/l, 13% (JH)
Casa Valduga, Gran Reserva Natura 2004 Vale dos Vinhedos 17.5 Drink 2010-13
The only example of zero dosage style that I came across during this trip.
Light yeasty nose. Austere but fresh and elegant and doesn't have that bitterness of the Gran Reserva. More finesse. Long. Fine mousse. Very impressive. 13% (JH)
Casa Valduga, Premium Cabernet Franc 2007 IGT Vale dos Vinhedos 17 Drink 2011-14
This was the first vinifera variety they planted. 40,000 bottles. Retail price would be US$12. Aged 8 months in French oak. Exported. Premium lines are all varietal and are the flagship of the winery.
Mid garnet, peppery, lightly leafy dark fruit. Touch of oak spice. Small dark berries on the palate. Intense fruit but not overly sweet and fresh acidity. Fresh peppery aftertaste. Rich but correct varietal. Juicy finish. Classy wine. pH 3.68, RS 4.1 g/l (but doesn't show thanks to the TA of 7.2 g/l), 13.5% (JH)
Casa Valduga, Identidade Marselan 2007 Serra do Sudeste 16.5 Drink 11-14
12.5%
Vineyards in Encruzilhado do Sul. Another gimmick here - a blank space on label for buyer to fingerprint and sign. Aged 8 months in French oak (half new). Just 5,000 bottles.
Damson colour. Fragrant with spice and bramble fruit and a touch of cedar and cassis and oak spice. Fine firm dry tannins. Fresh acidity and quite a grip. A little austere on the finish but would do well with food. Dry and fresh and elegant. 12.5% (JH)
Casa Valduga, Storia Gran Reserva Merlot 2006 IGT Vale dos Vinhedos 17 Drink 2011-16
10,000 numbered bottles. Sold en primeur. Sold out in 15 days. I year in new French oak.
Deepish dark cherry colour. Sweet oak spice. Firm but very fine-grained tannins. Plenty of flesh but dry and fresh on the mid palate. A little too oaky for my taste but clearly high-quality fruit - and ripe to get that level of alcohol but not overripe. Long and moreish. 14.5% (JH)
