Vitivinicultura no oeste catarinense: o desenvolvimento da produção de uva para vinhos a partir dos anos 2000

Abstract

Wine is a global product, produced, consumed, and studied worldwide in various fields, such as Agronomy and Geography. Regarding historical studies about wine, one can observe numerous titles covering the History of Wine throughout the centuries. However, the scenario changes when we look at historiography through the perspective proposed by Environmental History, as studies concerning viticulture and wine are limited, especially on a national and regional level. With the advancement of fruit growing in Santa Catarina, viticultural activity becomes increasingly common, mainly found in the Planalto Catarinense and Vale do Rio do Peixe regions, which are conducive to vineyard development. However, this hasn't prevented viticulture from spreading throughout the state, as other regions, such as the West of Santa Catarina, are also part of the Santa Catarina wine industry chain. Therefore, this present study aims to investigate the historical process of viticultural development, starting from the growth of wine grape producers in the West of Santa Catarina since the 2000s. For this purpose, an analysis of the viticulture scenario in the region was carried out, following the approach proposed by Environmental History, which seeks to understand which resources are socially useful or useless, given that the existence of natural resources is intrinsic to the cultural identification attributed to them. The analyses were based on articles from regional periodicals available online, as well as data collected from the producers. Furthermore, the research will be supported by a theoretical framework, including the bibliography of authors such as Eunice Sueli Nodari, Gil Karlos Ferri, and Carla Rocha. The advancement of this agricultural frontier promotes the development of institutions in the wine production of the West of Santa Catarina, impacting various aspects in the region, including economic aspects, such as the opening of new wineries and the regularization of small producers, cultural aspects through the increase in the consumption of grapes and wines, as well as environmental aspects that can be perceived through the transformations in the landscape of the locations where these wineries are found.