Trips · Itinerary Nº 8
Chapada Diamantina: high-altitude wine in the middle of the sertão
People go to the Chapada for the trails, the waterfalls and Pai Inácio. Now you can come back with a clinking suitcase: at more than 1,000 m, Bahia has learned to make fine wine.
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Why wine grows here
A latitude of 12°, which in theory would be too hot for vines. What saves it is altitude: the vineyards of Mucugê (UVVA) sit at about 1,150 m and those of Morro do Chapéu go above 1,000 m (Reconvexo says 1,200), with hot days and cold nights, the temperature swing that lets grapes ripen without losing freshness. With double pruning (the same technique behind the winter wines of Minas Gerais), the harvest that counts falls in the dry winter, between June and September depending on the house (at UVVA, June and July). It’s the calendar turned upside down: you watch the harvest in a coat, in winter.
In the glass, the signature is Syrah, with Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Marselan and whites from Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. It’s all very new: the first commercial vineyards date from the 2010s, and the region is still figuring out what it does best. That’s part of the fun.
The treasure map: two hubs
The Chapada has two wine addresses, and they’re not close together: they’re about 230 km apart. Pick one per trip, or set aside a full day on the road.
- Mucugê (southern Chapada): home of UVVA, the best-known and most awarded winery in the region. Planting began in 2012; today it covers about 52 hectares, with a restaurant and guided visits. It’s the one that fits the classic Lençóis, Vale do Pati and Mucugê itinerary.
- Morro do Chapéu (northern Chapada): it has become the hub with the most houses. Santa Maria, 1 km from the town center, with a chapel and a restaurant; Vaz, a project of Jairo Vaz’s family, who began studying the soil and climate in 2008; Reconvexo, with a restaurant and glamping chalets for sleeping in the vineyard; and the baby of the bunch, Sertania, opened in 2024, with younger, more irreverent labels.
When to go
- July and August: winter harvest, properly cold nights (bring a coat) and dry skies for the trails. High season: book ahead.
- September: Reconvexo holds the Vindas da Primavera festival; check this year’s date.
- Summer (Dec–Mar): full waterfalls, but afternoon rain and dirt roads that are more of a pain. The wineries welcome visitors all year.
What it costs
Tastings here are still easy on the wallet. At Santa Maria, for example, the guided tour with a tasting of two labels costs R$ 130 per person (2026 price; booking required). The UVVA and Reconvexo experiences, with a guided visit and lunch, cost more and work as the day’s main event. The biggest cost, as with the São Francisco, is getting there.
Advice from the Chapada locals
- A car is a must. From Salvador it’s hours on the road to Lençóis (the gateway); Lençóis airport only has flights in some seasons. Around the region, long distances and dirt stretches.
- Book everything. UVVA is open Tuesday to Sunday (closed Monday); in Morro do Chapéu, each house has its own days: Santa Maria is open Wednesday to Sunday; Vaz and Reconvexo, Tuesday to Sunday. Book through the website or WhatsApp.
- Wine after the trail, not before. Fit the winery in at the end of the afternoon, after the waterfall. And whoever’s driving doesn’t taste: agree on a designated driver or hire a transfer.
- Sleep in the vineyard if you can: the inn near UVVA and Reconvexo’s chalets turn the visit into a night under a starry sky.
Wineries to visit
Stated criteria: houses open to visitors with an official channel to book directly, in alphabetical order, because a list here isn’t a ranking. None of them paid to be here; prices and hours change, so confirm when you book.