September 7th, is  Brazilian Independence Day. In Portuguese, they say Dia Da Independência.  Brazil declared it’s independence from Portugal on September 7th, 1822. While the biggest celebrations are of course held in Brazil, any city with a large Portuguese community hosts something, particularly New York City,  Los Angeles, Toronto, London and many others.

The first photo here is of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro. This famous statue on the peak of Mount Corcovado was finished in 1931. It stands 98 feet tall and its arms stretch 92 feet across. Many people when they think of Brazil think of Rio, beaches, Carnival and this statue.

This second photo is of course a soccer jersey, another key topic that everyone associates with Brazil – soccer.  Did you know though that Brazil produces lovely wines in a number of different parts of the country?

10 Key Facts About Brazilian Wines:

1. Brazil has six main wine regions: Serra Gaúcha, Serra do Sudeste, Campanha, Campos de Cima da Serra, Planalto Catarinense and the Vale do São Francisco to the far North.
2. The largest one is called Serra Gaûcha in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. Brazil, the world’s fifth largest country, has 27 states.
3. Brazil has about 150 wineries of a large dimension and more than 1,100 small farms, approximately two hectares per family. “The area of vineyards covered with table and vitis vinifera varieties in the country amounts to approximately 89,000 hectares located from north to south,” according to the Wines of Brasil website.
4. Brazil is the fifth largest producer in the Southern Hemisphere.
5. Brazil has been producing wines since the beginning of its colonization.
6. The first vines were brought to Brazil in 1532 by Martim Afonso de Souza, who came from Portugal with the aim of disseminating agriculture in the new colony.
7. However it was the arrival of Italian immigrants, a process initiated in 1875, which really spurred growth in the sector.
8. Many producers are making sparkling wines using a variety of grapes and production methods.
9. There is no signature Brazilian grape as of today.
10. The industry has undergone enormous changes in the past 15-20 years.

Brazil is making a name for itself as a wine tourism destination as well. Hard hit by the Corona Virus, perhaps you aren’t traveling there now but it should be on your bucket list. I went in 2019 and loved it.

Boa Noite!