Altagracia: Wine growing in the surrounding area

In the area around Altagracia, two perspectives on wine growing come together: work with European grape varieties and the 2016 Vendimia. One leads to cultivation methods and adaptation to Venezuelan soil; the other to a festival programme featuring food, music and grapes. For travellers interested in the origins and production of food as well as festival culture, this offers a concrete way to explore the area. Cultivation and the festival are different perspectives on the same subject.

Grape varieties and cultivation in the surrounding area

A 2024 account reports that seven European grape varieties had adapted to Venezuelan soil and were grown manually on 60 hectares at Viñedos Altagracia. Before that, 22 European varieties had been planted there on a trial basis. The director named in the account associated Viñedos Altagracia with Empresas Polar. The information refers to the account at the time and describes cultivation as it stood then.

The account contrasts the earlier trial planting of 22 varieties with the later mention of seven varieties being cultivated. The figures and the area answer different questions: the number of varieties offers insight into the selection described, the 60 hectares indicate the scale of cultivation, and the manual work describes its method. Together, these details make wine growing more tangible than a general overview of the subject. The adaptation of European grape varieties to Venezuelan soil also connects the plants’ origins with the environment in which they are grown.

The 2016 Vendimia

At the 2016 Vendimia, participants were welcomed at Casa de la Viña with a Creole breakfast. It included mini empanadas, cachapas, arepas and juices. Participants could also take part in the grape-stomping ritual; Pomar Brut and music by Golperos de Don Pío were on offer. The festival programme shows a culinary and musical side of the wine-growing theme, distinct from the information about grape varieties and cultivation.

The visitor programme also included a train ride through the vineyard plots. Visitors received information about tropical wine growing, saw different grape varieties and could taste grapes. In this way, explanations about cultivation went hand in hand with a tasting; within the programme at the time, looking, listening and tasting all formed part of the experience. Those interested in the connection between agricultural work and culinary experiences will find different points of interest in these details.

Which focus suits your trip?

The perspectives described here appeal to different interests: the cultivation information from 2024 covers grape varieties, acreage and manual labour; the 2016 Vendimia represents a specific festival programme featuring breakfast, music, grape stomping and a train ride through the plots. When looking for a holiday apartment in Altagracia, you can consider whether wine growing will be a main focus or an additional discovery during your stay. If the Vendimia determines your travel dates, check current event dates before making plans.

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