A tour of wine bars on the way to Carnival – 02/03/2024 – Red or White

Finally, it is possible to drink wine while skipping the street carnival! Canned wine and the proliferation of wine bars have opened up a million new possibilities for those who, like me, have never been one to drink beer, especially cheap beer. I always had the impression that, before we were born, God made us choose whether we wanted to drink wine or whether we wanted to skip the street carnival. I couldn’t do both.

I can count on one hand the times I actually fell into street revelry: in Salvador and Ouro Preto, in the last millennium; in Recife, for two consecutive carnivals at the turn of the millennium, and in Rio de Janeiro, about ten years ago or so. In these five situations, I went completely crazy and drank caipirinhas and smoothies sold by street vendors, whose ice is not the most reliable in the world and cachaça, we know, runs the risk of being dubious (the one with methanol). Nothing ever went wrong, not even a stomach ache, but in all these situations I dreamed of a glass of white wine or a street vendor selling mini Chandon. Now there are wine cans! Good wine. Hallelujah!

Everything became easier. We can carry two or three cold cans in our bags. Suggestion: if you’re going to drink more than one can, it’s best to have it all with ice cream. The second and third cans should be red wine, as they will definitely heat up. Buy water from the street vendor along the way to drink between cans. Wine is not drunk at the same rate as beer. Three cans are the equivalent of a bottle of wine, but, of course, if you want to drink more than that, feel free. It’s carnival! But it’s at your own risk.

There are at least two events (that I know of) where cans of wine will be sold this Carnival. One is a partnership between the Bocca Nera bar and Somm wine, which I will talk about next week. The other is Bloco Largadinho, by singer Claudia Leitte, who is a partner at Artse, a startup that selects wines from small producers in southern Brazil to make its wines in cans. For Carnival 2024, they launched a run of a thousand cans of Artse Claudia Leitte by Vinícola Jolimont, a Rosé Muscat. The cans are already on the brand’s website for R$19.00 and will be sold at the same price in the block’s snack bar, which opens on the 11th and 13th in Salvador.

It is likely that one or two street vendors will also start selling cans of wine, but this is difficult to predict. It will depend on demand. However, you don’t have to drink on the street to skip the street carnival. The big cities in Brazil are full of wine bars everywhere. You can take a warm-up, take a break, end the night or even make a quick entrance to one of them just to buy a glass or a bottle, if you’re in a group, and continue jumping (for this, of course, it’s a good idea to take your glass of plastic in the bag).

I’ll leave here suggestions for itineraries that bring together São Paulo’s wine bars and wine bars for this pre-carnival weekend. I’ll give you the carnival ones next week. These are just a few possibilities. There are several others in the city of São Paulo and in other cities in Brazil. Block schedules and routes can, and probably will, change. They adjust these things all the time. The safest thing is to check everything on Instagram @blocosderuasp and on the blocks’ profiles before leaving home. Always remember that it is good to reserve. Today everything works with reservation. I think it’s boring, but what can I do?

Unfortunately, I’m not going to jump anywhere because I’m injured. Off the field. I tore the meniscus. Enjoy it for me. Next time, I will.

Saturday, day 3

São Paulo’s street carnival is officially open. A delicious way to get into it is by following the block of Ritaleena. The songs, of course, are by singer Rita Lee. For 9 years, even though Rita was alive and full of grace, the block paraded in honor of her. This year, the first in which she “became a perfume”, as they say, the tribute will be special. The Theme is “To paint you in the sky”. The meeting takes place at noon at Márcia Aliberti Mammana square, on Avenida Paulo VI, near the Sumaré Metro station. The dispersion, at 6pm, a little forward, on Avenida Sumaré 1529.

The region is not very rich in wine bars, but in Doutor Arnaldo, close to the metro station, there is Brotherhood of Cheese and Wine, a very traditional emporium that also has a bar. My suggestion is to warm up there and arrive at the block a little late. This block descends in a straight line. There’s no way to lose it. The emporium has a wide variety of wines. The price for the table is the same as in the store. A bottle of Spanish sparkling wine Freixenet Cordón Negro, for example, costs R$89.50. The empanada costs R$13.00.

On the other side of the city, in Vila Olímpia, one of Rio’s most traditional bands, the Bangalafumenga (João Nobody), who has also participated in the São Paulo carnival since 2012, parades along Avenida Faria Lima from 1pm, leaving from number 4150 and dispersing to 4500. This name was given to the old samba houses in old Rio. My suggestion for those who want to follow this block (and are able to spend) is to start the day with a brunch at Enoteca Saint VinSaint, which is on Rua Professor Atílio Innocenti, very close by, and is open from 11am on Saturdays. Another block that goes in a straight line. If it’s a little late, it’s easy to find. . The enoteca is the temple of natural wine in São Paulo. There, you will find the largest variety of natural wines on the market. Since it’s carnival, be bold. Have an orange pet-nat or even a sparkling wine made from fruits other than grapes!

After the block passes at 7pm, there are two very good options nearby, the Iaiá Cave a Mangereo Bardega, both are a little far away, the best thing is to take a taxi or an Uber. Iaiá, like the enoteca, has several natural wine options, but it also has conventional wines. One of the partners is the French chef Benoit Mathurin, who I mentioned in the last post. If at the Esther Rooftop restaurant he has a list of only Brazilian wines, at Iaiá he tours the whole world, but maintains a very strong emphasis on Brazil. Out of 12 reds, for example, there are 5 Brazilians. Cups start at R$40.00.

Bardega is one of the first wine bars in the city and, certainly, the first to invest heavily in Enomatics machines, those machines that keep wine open without spoiling. Opened in 2012, to this day it is the house that has the largest number of labels on these machines in Brazil. There are 96 wines from different countries, styles and prices. The machine offers doses of 30 ml, 60 ml or 120 ml. The cheapest one costs R$5.00 (30 ml) and the most expensive glass costs R$400.00 (120 ml). To go with it, the oxtail croqueta costs R$51.

In Vila Mariana, the block Sapucaí Patients simulates the parade of a samba school with drums, master room, flag bearer and everything else. All of this through the neighborhood’s little streets. The parade starts at 2pm and goes until 7pm. Leave Marrselhesa Street and return to it. My suggestion is that you take a walk (or take a taxi/uber) to the GattoFiga Pizza Bar, which is about ten blocks away. There you will find a small Enomatic, but with well-selected labels starting at R$32 per glass. And let it be noted, during the Carnival holiday, they will be promoting CarnaJazz, with live music.

If you prefer to stay in the center, there is no shortage of blocks or wine bars to choose from. The region’s tendency is to bring together a more alternative population, with some inclination to the left. This also ends up being true for the blocks that pass through there. On Saturday morning, leaving Fortunato Street, 64, at 11am, and returning to the same point at 4pm, the block Academics from Ursal It’s a big mockery of the extreme right that believes in a socialist plot of continental dimensions. The term is an acronym for the Union of Socialist Republics of Latin America, a fictitious entity that Olavo de Carvalho treated as being real. Here, my recommendation is the Elevated Bar which is about two blocks away. I really like this bar. It has a cool atmosphere, a good selection of wines and delicious food. I always order the grilled mushroom tostada and the pantumaca + anchovies.

Let’s go to Pinheiros! With a nucleus made up of neighborhood residents, the block of Binguelo It’s a good choice for those who want to join in at the Pinheiros Carnival, which is one of the best in the city. ´Very family-friendly, it brings together people of all ages and is known for providing space for marchinhas. This year, he only parades on Mateus Grou Street, a slightly calmer street in the hustle and bustle of Pinheiros. The concentration is at 1pm at number 600 and dispersion at 7pm at 159.

How about warming up at the wine bar? Campestre Winery on Avenida Pedroso de Morais? Campestre is the largest wine producer in Brazil. Much of its production is popular wines, made from non-viniferous grape varieties, wines such as Pérgola, which sells millions of bottles. Now, however, they are also investing in fine wines under the name Zanotto Winery. They are doing good things. There is no shortage of capital for this. In front of the bar, there is a store where you can find all the lines at very attractive prices. At the bar, you can also have a snack.

After the block, I would stop by the Headquarters 261 and would end in Gold Huevos. Or I would choose one of the two to go and stay. The two houses are owned by sommelières duo Daniela Bravin and Cássia Campos, two great wine glasses. Sede 261 is a small door, inside there is just a small central counter and some air-conditioned wine cellars. Most customers are spread out on the sidewalk in beach chairs. If you’re squeamish, no one will notice. The chair may be beach chair, but the glasses are made of high-quality crystal. They don’t serve food and the wines change almost every day. Cups start at R$28.00.

Huevos de Oro is a tapas bar in the purest Spanish style. There are patatas bravas, croquetas, patata tortillas, huevos rotos, etc. It also has the best sherry menu in the city. There is sherry of all types, if you, like me, are a fan, enjoy it. If you don’t know, try a thin one to start. There is also a good list of Spanish wines and some Brazilian wines, which are called house wines and are much more affordable. Glasses of sherry start at R$30.00.

Sunday, day 4

Carnival Sunday, I can’t even think about waking up early to go jumping. So, I suggest the first block be in the afternoon. He arrives already fed, carrying some cans to go down Rua da Consolação (which only has a street name, it’s an avenue) with the block Lower Augusta Academics, which leaves at 2pm. This is the group of celebrities who are people like us (or, at least, try to be). Alessandra Negrini is the drum queen, Marcelo Rubens Paiva is the standard bearer, Simoninha sings, Criolo also, Marisa Orth and André Frateschi parade. It’s a very diverse group, which appeals to both gay and straight audiences. It starts in front of Belas Artes and goes down to Consolação.

It is scheduled to end at 6pm. I suggest you speed up your pace and arrive at around 5pm at At Mercy, in Praça da República. A mix of grocery store, cafe and wine bar, this tiny house has a great selection of wines at very interesting prices. The Argentine sparkling wine Cave Amadeu Brut, for example, costs R$ 120. The Argentine white Cara Sucia, which in my opinion is almost orange, costs R$ 150. Glasses start at R$ 30.00.

À Mercê can also serve as a warm-up for Salete Block Campari, one of the favorites of the LGBTQIA PN+ community and members. Salete is a very famous drag queen and brings important guests, such as Rita Cadillac. This block will have already paraded on Saturday, but on Sunday it will feature different DJs. It departs from Vieira de Carvalho at 1pm and arrives at Largo do Arouche at 7pm.