Bento Gonçalves, about 120 kilometres north of Porto Alegre in the Serra Gaúcha, is the capital of Brazilian wine — a declaration that would have been laughable thirty years ago and is now defensible with a straight face. The town was settled by Italian immigrants in the late 19th century, and the legacy is everywhere: in the vineyards covering the surrounding hills, in the cantinas serving pasta and cured meats, and in the local bread called pão colonial that you will find at every farm.
The Vale dos Vinhedos wine region in the hills around town holds Brazil's first and only DOC appellation, awarded in 2012 for wines made from Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Chardonnay grapes. The wines are not yet internationally famous, but they have improved enormously, and several estates — Miolo, Cave de Amadeu, Pizzato — now produce genuinely good bottles. Most wineries offer tastings and cellar tours; some require reservations and some do not. A tourist steam train called the Maria Fumaça runs through the vineyards between Bento Gonçalves and Carlos Barbosa on certain days and is a charming, if slow, way to see the landscape.
Bento Gonçalves itself is a pleasant if unremarkable working town; the reason to come is the countryside around it. Getting there from Porto Alegre is straightforward by bus (about two hours) or much more pleasant by car, which lets you stop at viewpoints and smaller estates along the way. Stay a night if you want to visit multiple wineries without rushing, and pair the wine with the hearty Italian-immigrant cooking — galeto, polenta, and homemade pasta — that defines the table here.