Sanjo

Founded in the 1993, Sanjo is a co-operative (‘Sanjo Cooperativa Agrícola’) located in the town of São Joaquim in the mountainous southeast of the the southerly Santa Catarina state, employing around 300 workers. Many of the company’s 34 founders are Japanese immigrants, or descendants of Japanese immigrant families.

Theirs is the region which regularly records Brazil’s lowest temperatures (around -18C!) and, at an altitude of at least 1000m, the vegetation is noticeably sparse and air fresh. Unusually for Brazil summer temperatures rarely exceed 25C, while hail, frosts and snow are often recorded in winter.

Sanjo’s main business is actually apples: they thrive in this cool upland area, the ‘Serra Catarinense’, and the company has consequently become a leading player in the country’s market for apple juice and related products.

Wine-making is the company’s secondary activity: a 30 hectare vineyard is unusual for being situated at an altitude of between 1100-1400m (approx. 3600-4600’), and experiencing very wide temperature variation. These factors result in a very long growing season and the resulting wines are renowned for their fine, delicate aromas, with only moderate levels of alcohol.

Very unfortunately however, and largely due to a series of difficult vintages, the winery is no longer producing any premium quality red wines (although we understand that a couple of whites remain in production). For this reason we regret we are no longer in a position to offer any Sanjo wines.