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Gaucho Barbeque & Rio Grande do Sul vineyards

Where it's at

The southernmost state of Brazil, the Rio Grande do Sul, is characterised by its uncompromising landscape and inhabitants and is Brazil's original frontier country. Bordering Uruguay and Argentina, the state has a unique culture - a mixture of Portuguese and Spanish with Italian and German that's represented by the figure of the gaucho. These men are fearless cowboys who roam the southern pampas dressed in trademark flat hats, ponchos and 'bombachas' (pantaloons) tending to their cattle.

Gaucho grub

The prairies of the Sul are woven with vast estancias (cattle ranches) as well as plantations of rice, wheat and other cereals and provide the gauchos with their sustenance. The nomadic nature of a cowboy's life means that he needs food that's easily transportable; meat and salt are the mainstay of his diet and have given rise to the region's signature dish: the succulent churrasco barbecue. Restaurants all over the state and especially in its capital, the cosmopolitan metropolis of Porto Alegre, serve up myriad of cuts and varieties of tender beef from massive skewers brought round to your table.

Merrilees Parker enjoys a Brazilian spit roast

Gaucho booze

Italian heritage has made a big latter-day impact upon the region. Immigrants began arriving here in the 1880s, bringing grapes with them to initiate wine production. Nowadays, Rio Grande is the only place in Brazil where wine figures significantly at the dinner table and 90% of the country's production is done here. Since the 1970s, investment in wineries has leapt up considerably and the ensuing quality increase means that Brazil exports more and more wine to the United States and is on its way to challenging the hegemony of Chile and Argentina in the reputation stakes.

The beautiful Vale dos Vinhedos (Valley of the Vineyards) is just two hours drive from Porto Alegre. A good introduction to the area is to take the Maria Fumaca (Smoky Mary) steam train. Although there's wine available on the platform, it's just cheap plonk and in no way indicative of the general quality of Brazilian wines. For a better introduction visit one of the region's wineries. Vinicola Miolo produces some of the finest wines in Brazil and is open for tastings and tours.

By Kate Griffiths