Bella Gramado

Gaucho Wineries that Make Up the Wine List:

CRISTÓFOLI WINERY

Originally from the Veneto region in northern Italy, the Cristofoli family arrived in Bento Gonçalves in the 19th century. In 1896, Angelo Cristofoli paid 100 thousand reais for the family property in the Fernandes Lima region, in the current municipality of Monte Belo do Sul (at the time it was Bento Gonçalves). The generations followed one another until, in 1947, two years after his marriage to Maria Salton, Duílio Cristofoli bought the property where the family lives today in the Faria Lemos district of Bento Gonçalves. In 1986, his sons Loreno and Mário Luiz started a small wine business in the basement of their father's house, vinifying the table grapes they grew. With much perseverance, hard work and love, after years of challenging beginnings, the families of the two brothers remain united, creating a unique place that combines vineyards, wines and the best of wine tourism.

The wines are made in the winery itself, with grapes grown by the family and also with grapes purchased from producers in the Serra and Campanha Gaúcha regions. The company's winemaking style seeks to always conduct winemaking with minimal intervention in order to produce very fresh and distinct wines, respecting the oenological aptitude of each cultivar. The aging in French oak barrels is welcome, but not for all labels; we understand that the perfect harmony between the oak notes and the fruit must always be respected. Currently, all winemaking is carried out by the family itself, with the three successors, Bruna, Letícia and Lorenzo Cristofoli, being winemakers and each one occupying different areas of the business. Bruna leads the administrative and commercial side of the company, Lorenzo manages the operational side of winemaking and viticulture, including monitoring all of the company's grape suppliers, and Letícia, the youngest of the trio, is responsible for wine tourism and the wine shop. All strategic winemaking decisions are taken jointly by the three winemakers.

MONTE CHIARO WINERY

"Monte Chiaro Vinhos Finos" is a family winery founded with the purpose of combining quality, creativity, history and art. Inspired by our customs and fascinated by wine, we present in our name, architecture, each label and our wines a concept that connects our past to the present, valuing the cultural traits inherited from immigration in Serra Gaúcha, so present in our family structure to this day.

Our grapes come from three important terroirs in Rio Grande do Sul: Serra Gaúcha, Campanha Gaúcha and Serra do Sudeste. Monte Chiaro wines are produced in a partner winery, which houses our equipment, tanks and barrels.

Our wine shop is located on Via Trento, in Vale dos Vinhedos in Bento Gonçalves, RS. The property has always been in the Dal Magro family, as it was the plot of land granted to their Italian immigrant ancestors upon their arrival in Brazil. Located on top of a hill, amidst the araucaria trees, at Monte Chiaro you can enjoy a pleasant wine tourism experience, with a view of Vale dos Vinhedos, accompanied by a beautiful sunset. There, tourists can taste high-quality wines, enjoy the comfort of the wine garden and enjoy experiences that connect wine, art and gastronomy. With the purpose of combining wine and art, each Monte Chiaro label is a work of art, signed by the talented artist Antonio Giacomin, from Caxias do Sul. The artist, who is a reference in the watercolor technique, uses Monte Chiaro wine as paint. The works of art that gave rise to the labels are displayed in our store for our visitors to enjoy. In all of them, family customs, history and experiences are found.

JORGE BISCHOFF WINERY

In addition to its expertise in footwear and handbags, the Jorge Bischoff group also offers Bischoff Wines, a range of wines and sparkling wines. The selection features four wine styles – produced in its own vineyard in the Uco Valley, in Mendoza, Argentina – along with two sparkling wines – developed in the Serra Gaúcha.

Produced in Pinto Bandeira (RS), the Brut Rosé and Moscatel sparkling wines combine the local terroir with the experience of award-winning Chilean winemaker Mario Geisse and the Geisse family. The Brut Rosé sparkling wine is described as intense and delicate at the same time, with characteristics of red fruits with hints of spices. The Moscatel has a striking aroma, reminiscent of white flowers and citrus fruits. The result is a vibrant drink of excellence, with freshness and elegance. In addition to the line of wines and sparkling wines, the group opens to the public the Bischoff Wine Bar and its Wine and Sparkling Wine Boutique, both located on the mezzanine of the Jorge Bischoff concept store, located in the heart of Gramado.

DOM GUERINO WINERY

Originally from Trento, in northern Italy, the Motter family is in its 4th and 5th generations, having inhabited the Serra Gaúcha region since 1880 and dedicated themselves to the art of winemaking. Osvaldo and his wife Salete, along with their children Bruno, Maicon and Lucas, are the founders and administrators of the winery, committed to excellence. The first vines were cultivated by Guerino Motter, Osvaldo's father and the great honoree in the winery's name, who sold the beverage in bulk in the 1970s. But it was in the 2000s, amid the national wine revolution, that the family decided to invest in the production of fine wines, acquiring land in Alto Feliz and building one of the most beautiful and modern wineries in the country, with architecture geared towards wine tourism. With a visionary outlook, our patriarch Osvaldo Motter followed in his great-grandfather's footsteps, making the land in Alto Feliz an essential destination for wine and wine tourism lovers.

Salete Motter is the matriarch and feminine force of the family. With a keen and attentive eye on wine tourism, she is responsible for the family atmosphere and welcoming atmosphere for visitors. Among the characteristics that make the winery so special in the hearts of customers and employees is the fact that the Motter Family works together and is dedicated to the winemaking process.

“Our entire family embarked on this dream project, in which we sought to express our identity as a family unit and our love for the world of wine.”

BEBBER FAMILY WINERY

The Bebber winery is located in the countryside of Flores da Cunha. Its history began in the grandparent's mansion and is the result of the union between the family tradition in the wine sector and the innovative spirit that emerges with a new generation in a project by the young winemaker Felipe Bebber together with his family. With creative labels and excellent wines, the winery has been gaining prominence over the last few years. Next to the charming mansion, you will find a wine bar with outdoor seating, delicious snacks and a new space with modern architecture where you can participate in wine tastings and experiences among the barrels. Bebber is one of those places that you need to include in your itinerary for Serra Gaúcha.

Seeking the best of each terroir in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, the winery, still new, has already shown that its wines have a unique identity. Winner of many awards in recent years, it was elected the Revelation Winery in 2016 by the Grande Prova de Vinhos do Brasil. The Bebber Family's proposal is to make wines that appeal to Brazilian consumers: young, light and elegant. According to the winemaker, even the most structured ones should follow this vocation, with balanced acidity and body.

AMITIÉ WINERY

Coming from families of winegrowers from Bento Gonçalves (RS), friends Juciane Casagrande Doro and Andreia Gentilini Milan combined their experience and market knowledge to create Amitié, a wine and sparkling wine brand, in 2018. Today, there are 15 products (seven sparkling wines and eight still wines). The expertise of partners Andreia (sommelier) and winemaker Juciane resulted in the Vitis project, a line of versatile, fresh and fruity sparkling wines. Then, in 2020, the Amitié wine line was launched, with varied and modern labels that express freshness and youthfulness. Amitié is an exclusive line of sparkling wines and premium wines produced in Serra Gaúcha.

Juciane, who is a winemaker, also grew up surrounded by grape production. "I would help harvest grapes during my vacations at my uncle's house," she said, having also studied international trade. They have been working in the wine market for over 20 years. Despite being from the same city, the two only met in 2006, through the Wines of Brasil consortium, where they worked together to promote Brazilian wine on the international market. At the time, Juciane was the commercial director of a Brazilian winery and Andreia led a group of wineries seeking to position themselves on the international market. The partnership for Amitié (friendship, in French) was born there, when they realized how much room there was for Serra Gaúcha wines to grow and that they could participate in this growth in quality in wine production.

CAVE GEISSE WINERY

When Chilean agronomist and winemaker Mario Geisse came to Brazil in 1976, he was hired to manage Moët & Chandon do Brasil. In his early years, he realized that the southern region had great potential for growing high-quality grapes, especially for producing sparkling wines. With this in mind, he began his search for the ideal location to make the most of the region's potential. Three years later, in 1979, he founded Vinícola Geisse in the then little-explored terroir of Pinto Bandeira. A pioneer in opting for high espaliers, he now divides his time between Brazil, Chile and other countries. In his home country, he continues to grow grapes for producing high-quality wines, such as Carmenere and Cabernet Sauvignon, whose terroir is in the Marchigue region of the Colchagua Valley. In 1981, he began testing the production of the first sparkling wines using the traditional method, and was immediately enchanted by the quality results that the terroir he chose was capable of producing. At this point, he realized that recognition of this quality would only be a matter of time. In 1998, the Cave Geisse Brut 1998 harvest took place, a sparkling wine that was kept in storage for 12 years and proved the enormous potential of the Pinto Bandeira terroir for producing high-quality sparkling wines, capable of evolving brilliantly over time, and was responsible for arousing the interest and praise of the world's leading wine critics. Since then, the winery has won several awards, such as the 2011 Master of Wine Jancis Robinson included the winery in her list of 15 wineries that she believes can mark the future of wine, with Família Geisse being the only sparkling wine producer in the selection presented by the critics. At the important Wine Future event, held in Hong Kong, Cave Geisse Brut was the only sparkling wine in the world to be included in the list of 15 recommended wines. The same thing happened in 2014, when the winery was nominated for the title of "New World Winery of the Year" by the important American magazine Wine Enthusiast. This was an unprecedented achievement for the Brazilian wine industry. Also in the same year, Cave Geisse Brut received an incredible score of 95 points from the important English magazine Decanter. Among these examples of awards in 2018 was the submission of the Altos de Pinto Bandeira DO to research and definition entities. This was the beginning of the first New World Denomination of Origin specifically for sparkling wines, just like that of Champagne in France. This DO represents the quality differentials of this Terroir, identified by Mario Geisse in the 1970s.

OTTO WINERY

Otto – authenticity in every bottle. Experience authenticity. The alchemy of carefully selected elements creates an experience that engages wine lovers around one of their most enchanting goals: sharing. It was from this dream that the three partners and children of winemakers, André Valduga, Fabiano Valduga and Gisele A. Valduga, decided to combine talent, love and knowledge and found Adega Refinaria. The venture soon proved to be a purpose in the careers of these professionals, who have their own life stories written among the vineyards and creations of their ancestors. For example, they take their grandfather, Albino, who produced wine in his basement, as a great inspiration. The experience acquired and the successful years in the market drove the creation of a brand that carries the essence and soul of the work developed. In 2016, they began the process of creating a sparkling wine to celebrate Adega's 10th anniversary. Once again surprised by the authenticity that certain combinations can provide, the bottles opened in 2019 – still in the maturation phase –, on the eighth anniversary of the company, were a source of delight for those present. This is how Otto was born. From the Italian, eight, referring to the roots so valued by the family and recalling the celebratory milestone that gave impetus to a dream that comes to life every day. Represented by the mandala, the brand captures the different nuances provided by original, young and fresh products, which allow people to travel between aromas and flavors, rescue memories and bring to light the awakening to the nature of the encounter. Easy to drink, the labels of the Otto Line please different palates. The bottles concentrate the delicacy and exclusivity that involve irreplaceable moments. The intertwining of the contemporary - which gives Otto the vivacity expected of its youth - with the fullness of essential foundations of high-end wines deliver naturalness and a complex combination of notes, resulting in sophisticated products. We are an authentic brand, fascinated by bottling true works of art. Uniqueness can be seen in the details, from the wine concept to the bottle design. With each proposal, uniqueness. With each wait, magnetism. With each toast, exuberance. Feel Otto.

LUIS ARGENTA WINERY

Paying homage to the family patriarch, Luiz Argenta Vinhos Finos was founded, a venture that combines the tradition of one of the best terroirs in Brazil with the most modern techniques for producing fine wines.

Inspired by the past and with an eye on the future, combining determination and boldness, Luiz Argenta transforms grapes into a unique experience, creating one of the most modern and beautiful wineries in Brazil. Founded in 1999, when brothers Deunir and Neco, sons of Luiz Argenta, had the opportunity to acquire the lands of the former Granja União. At that time, the Argenta family, whose largest business is in the gas station business, had no tradition in the wine industry, but the place that would later become the headquarters of Luiz Argenta was already historic and known for having received the first vitis vinifera grapes in Brazil. Currently, the winery has approximately 140 hectares of total area, with 55 hectares of its own vineyards where 17 varieties of grapes are produced. Located in the city of Flores da Cunha, RS, it has a unique architecture and stunning landscapes that offer visitors a unique experience. It is possible to carry out visits, guided tastings, tours, grape harvesting, vine pruning and private events, in harmony with our wines and a view to behold.

RADISH WINERY

The founder and owner of the winery, Normélio Ravanello, has been involved in his family's winemaking activities in Antônio Prado, in the Serra Gaúcha, since he was young. Having built a professional career in engineering and as an executive, he has maintained an uninterrupted relationship with wine. Together with his wife Rosa Maria, who has family roots in Gramado, in 2005 they started the winemaking enterprise on the property acquired in 1987. The first winemakings, in 2008 and 2009, took place at Embrapa's experimental winery in Bento Gonçalves, RS. Winemaking at the Ravanello Winery began in February 2010.

All wines from Vinícola Ravanello (reds, whites and sparkling wine bases) are made in vertical stainless steel tanks, under automated temperature control. Some specific reds and whites are made in 'super premium' French oak barrels, with a capacity of 400L or 500L each, using the integral winemaking system. After fermentation, the wines can be stabilized in the stainless steel tanks themselves or in 300L barrels, of the same quality and origin as those used in the integral winemaking process. The Winery also has a laboratory structure for quality control of the products throughout the winemaking process. All variables and processes are controlled by a specific management system for winemaking, ensuring complete control of production.

In the vineyards produced by the winery, technicians rigorously monitor the grapes throughout the entire production cycle. During ripening, the sanitary and biochemical quality is monitored daily, using precise methods. In the vineyards of partner suppliers, monitoring is carried out by local technicians, with the same rigor and focus on the total quality of the grapes. When harvested, the grapes are immediately transported to the winery in special boxes and cooled in a cold chamber. Grapes from partner producers are transported in trucks with a refrigeration system, at 10°C. Afterwards, they are destemmed and selected manually. The red grapes can be taken whole to the fermentation tanks, in order to obtain, during the maceration phase, a selective extraction of tannins and coloring matter. The white grapes are pressed whole in a press equipped with an Inertys system, which allows to eliminate the harmful effects of oxidation during the entire processing time of the grape. All of this is aimed at the maximum quality of the wines.

LIQUID ART WINERY

Arte Líquida is a family project located in Gramado, RS. We produce wines in an artisanal way, our goal is to identify the best regions in Brazil with the aim of producing authentic, artisanal wines that have the least possible chemical intervention and maximum human intervention. Wines that reflect the identity of our land. We do not seek to emulate countries that do not represent us in any way, we seek our own style.

“Grape by the glass”. The grape by the glass concept defended by Arte Líquida is the defense of more authentic wines, wines with less chemical interventions and more human interventions. We do not use selected yeasts, we believe that the native yeasts present in the grape, vineyard and environment should express themselves naturally. “Wine wants to ferment, that is its nature!”

Can we use barrels? Yes. Yes. Of course. We can also not use any of these, the final word is Mother Nature and what she gives us each year.

UNIQUE ALMA WINERY

Founded in 2008, Almaúnica Winery has a centuries-old passion for wine in its DNA. It was created by twin brothers Magda and Márcio Brandelli in the city of Bento Gonçalves. Children of Laurindo Brandelli and Doracy Brandelli, the brothers set up a company that combines family tradition in wine culture with innovative proposals, based on the desire to produce products that express love and affection for grapevines and the art of making wines with joy and pleasure. Magda and Márcio belong to the fourth generation of a family that was born to produce wines. A story that began in 1887, when Italian immigrant Marcelino Brandelli arrived in the Bento Gonçalves region, in Serra Gaúcha, bringing with him a passion for grapevines. After spending some time working at the family winery, which bears their father's name, the brothers decided to follow their own path. Almaúnica Winery produces wines and sparkling wines with the utmost care and dedication, from the vine to the bottle. Combining tradition with the most modern production techniques for increasingly informed and demanding consumers. Alma Única was designed to produce limited bottles of each wine and thus become a concept in the production of fine wines and sparkling wines. In wine tourism, it presents visitors with: modern processes and centuries-old knowledge of production, from people who were born for this.