Bento Goncalves, Brazil Hotels, Vacations, Tourism

Approach BENTO GONÇALVES , 40km west of Caxias, from any direction and there’s no doubting that this is the heartland of Brazil’s wine-producing region. On virtually every patch of land, no matter the gradient, vines are planted. Wine production entered a new era in the late 1970s as huge co-operatives developed, local cantinas expanded and foreign companies set up local operations. The results have been somewhat mixed. In the past, the locals relied almost exclusively on North American grape varieties and produced their own distinctive wines. Gradually, though, they were encouraged to … more »