In Monte Belo do Sul, Serra Gaucha, Michael Scott Carter created the first black cellar and celebrates wine as an inclusion tool
Summary
The American businessman Michael Scott Carter founded a cellar in Monte Belo do Sul, RS, combining Brazilian and African cultures, evaluating diversity, inclusion and stories that are not very represented in national vinulture.
Viniculture is able to break the boundaries and bring people closer to distinct nationality. And this is how the love of wines made the American Michael Scott Carter decide to buy land in the Bucol and pleasant municipality of Monte Belo do Sul, which is located in Serra Gaucha, 143 km from the capital Porto Alegre.
The rural village has about 2,500 inhabitants and it was there that Scott founded his cellar, shortly after the pandemic period. Born in the United States, he was the owner of a restaurant in Chicago and studied law and economy in the United Kingdom. He was married to a Brazilian and has two Brazilian children. The purpose of the entrepreneur is to bring references to national soil to his labels, as well as to allude to African ancestral culture. Therefore, the production of Scott, launched in November 2024, is one of the first in Brazil to be entirely elaborated by a black man.
The names of the wines are designed in this sense, as White Ilé Amanò, that in Yoruba, a language spoken especially in Nigeria, West Africa, refers to the “House of Love” and indicates the ground that welcomes the purity of Brazilian flowers and fruits, or Rosé Ilé Amanò, whose meaning is “Prosperity House”. The letter also offers a red wine, a red reserve. And planning is to launch a sparkling wine in the coming months. The bottles cost between $ 150 and $ 260.
Scott speaks Portuguese with a good resourcefulness, but it was more comfortable to speak in English and explain the adventure that has been the last few years with the foundation of the cellar.
“Brazil is the story of a people who try to find their way in a wonderful place. And what we try to do with our wine is to unite the country – in black and white, to the north and south – because there are deep divisions here. We want to be this common denominator that brings people around a good bottle of wine. Earth.
The manufacturer also observes the difficulties it faces in instituting in a competitive and traditional market such as Serra Gaucha, since it is the region that produces more wines and sparkling in Brazil. However, he underlines that, to a certain extent, there are difficulties for everyone and that many people in the community have helped him. For him, having the protagonism as a wine manufacturer to be a black man allows him to tell a story that has not yet been told.
“I did not face any unusual challenge. The challenge is to be new in a community. They are in a city of 2,557 people -and 56th and 57th are my children. And as soon as the people came to meet us, the doors simply been open. When I saw that I was only a boy who tried to happen here, they opened the story.
“And in front of the wine, we are trying to clarify that we are not the same as the other cellars. We are putting the African history, as Italian, the German, the Polish in the Brazil fabric, because our story has not yet been told. And we are not saying that it is better. Who we are, this is what we are doing. And what is the difference between the black and white victims?
The biggest challenge, in Scott’s words is to enter certain niches of the market, as it is very common to come across obstacles during the production and sales set, making it very complex to explain to the public why some prices, as there is no direct distribution chain. Therefore, it is also necessary to explain to potential customers why the importance of consuming local producers.
“We have to educate because it is important to buy. Because if you want to be an entrepreneur, you need people to buy. Then you have to say: listen, buy. If you cannot buy from us every day – which is natural, right, we understand – so at least on a special occasion, once a month, we are the choice for that important moment.
As an objective for the next few years, the American entrepreneur establishes the sale for the largest number of Brazilian cities that can, but also aims to be abroad to become a global power: the company is already present in the United States, in the British market and is about to be launched on the African continent. In addition, Scott wants to be an example, not only for the children themselves, but for the people who historically do not hold hegemony in the leadership in some business segments, such as wine production.
“Even if it is the first black cellar, each person has a story of growth, expectations, choices – and we want this to be an integrative experience. The idea is to be a company of wine and competitive drinks globally, so that people can say: ‘Do you know that the company you have understood? Someone, like you, that’s why we have built a company with as much diversity as possible.
* The journalist traveled Gonçalves (RS) to participate to participate in the Wine South America (WSA) at the invitation of the Italian government.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
