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Brazil's wine industry is dominated by about three dozen large companies, many of them cooperatives. Most wines are blended generics which, like varietals, are often given proprietary names on the label.
Vinicola Aurora
Located in Bento Goncalves, this immense cooperative (founded in 1931) controls more than 20,000ha (50,000 acres) of vines. It has over 1,000 members and bottles wines under numerous brands. Conde de Foucauld for Cabernet Sauvignon and Clos de Nobles for Cabernet Franc are the best. Annual production is 4.5 million cases.
Dreher
Founded by Heublein, Dreher established vinifera vineyards in the western mountains near Bage. Its leading export wines are Cabernet Sauvignon, Barbera and Castel Marjolet, a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend.
Marcus James
Produced at Vinicola Aurora (qv), this brand is owned by the Canandaigua Wine Company of the USA and offers a range of varietal wines that includes Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and white Zinfandel. Annual production is close to one million cases, about half of it for export.
Riograndense
This is Brazil's vinifera pioneer now with 50ha (125 acres) planted to Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Trebbiano. Based in Caxias do Sul, it sells most wines under the Granja Uniao label.
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