Where to stay & eat in Serra Gaúcha

Hotel Spa do Vinho

A luxurious spa hotel and restaurant in the heart of Vale dos Vinhedos, offering spectacular vineyard views. www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/ bgvak-hotel-and-spa- do-vinhoautograph- collection

Castello Benvenutti, Garibaldi Spend the night in a modern castle. www.pousadacastellobenvenutti. com.br

Pizza Entre Vinhos

Italian food is always on the menu in Serra Gaúcha, and you’ll find the best pizza here. www.pizzaentrevinhos.com.br

Mamma Gema

A scrumptious pasta joint, set above Pizza Entre Vinhos. www.mammagema.com.br/trattoria

Osteria della Colombina

For home-style Italian cooking. www.osteriadellacolombina.com.br

Casa Valduga

For a winery lunch with great bubbles between bites. www.casavalduga.com.br

GETTING THERE

The closest international airport is Porto Alegre, a two-hour drive away.

The main wine region, and Brazil’s first modern appellation, DO Vale dos Vinhedos specialises in Merlot and Chardonnay. It could perhaps be seen as an Alto Adige of sorts, especially as the region is also known for its excellent traditional-method sparkling wine, most notably in neighbouring appellation Pinto Bandeira. There’s also a frothier side to Brazil’s fizz – in Farroupilha, which is best known for its Asti-style sweet sparkling made from Moscato Branco. Although still finding its feet with many other wine styles and sub-regions, the growing appellation system in Serra Gaúcha has gathered momentum over the past decade, and the region’s wine producers are poised to differentiate each terroir and distinguish their wines further over the coming years.

Wine lovers don’t come here only to taste, but also to experience the slick wine tourism in one of the most sought-after weekend getaways in the south. There are wine castles and palaces aplenty in Brazil’s luxurious wine capital, but there are three wineries that are