Abstract

GABARDO, Wagner Otavio  and  VALDUGA, Vander. Cultural Systems and the Brazilian Winescapes: Resources for Wine Tourism. Estud. perspect. tur. [online]. 2019, vol.28, n.3, pp.759-779. ISSN 1851-1732.

This essay aims to compare the different winescapes in Brazil  based on the "cultural systems" concept by Bonnemaison (2005) and the "ethnogeographic" approach by Elias (2008). It analyzes the ways wine tourism has been developed in four destinations: Vale dos Vinhedos, Campanha Gaucha, Vale do São Francisco and São Joaquim. The qualitative research has been made by content analysis of previous thesis and dissertations published by Brazilian universities focused on wine territories and tourism development. The historical, cultural and natural backgrounds of each valley have a strong impact on ways the landscape is shaped and the wine tourism is being developed. Whilst at Vale dos Vinhedos the wine tourism was consequence of the prosperity of the viticulture in a territory full of history and traditions of Italian immigrants, in other valleys the viticulture and the wine tourism began together, with the inversion of new external rural actors. The diversity of ‘terroirs' of the wide Brazilian territory translates into a variety of winescapes touristic appealing, besides being an alternative to an overexploited sun & beach tourism.   

Keywords : Winescapes; Cultural system; Wine tourism; Brazil.