“Many people believe our wines aren’t high quality, but that’s not true” - GBF beneficiary Matheus Alecsander Vargas on the Brazilian wine industry
When Matheus Alecsander Vargas put his name down to compete in the 2025 Brazilian Tasting Championships, he knew he was in for a challenge. Not only was it his first competition, but he was also conscious he had limited practical experience in the field and virtually no wine travel under his belt. Thus, when his name was called at the end of the day and he was welcomed up to the stage as the winner of the competition, nobody was more surprised than Matheus himself.
A few weeks have passed since the competition when I sit down with Matheus to talk about his experience, and he is still buzzing with excitement. “I couldn’t believe it when they announced me as the winner,” he says. “I am incredibly grateful to Mário Lescano and Máuricio Ceccom [of Celebrare Wine School] for the invitation”.
Celebrare Wine School in Brazil has been a grantee of the Gérard Basset Foundation’s since 2023 and has sponsored WSET and ISG courses for over 40 local wine students with the help of our funding. Matheus was one of those students in the 2024 cohort. As an openly gay sommelier living in a country which, in his words, “unfortunately still [has] much inequality and prejudice towards those who are different”, the bursary and the chance to advance his career felt like a great vote of confidence. He is currently working as Head Sommelier in a restaurant in Guarulhos, the second most populous city in the state of São Paulo, and he wants to use his experience from both Celebrare Wine School and the Brazilian Tasting Championships to have a greater impact on the wine industry.
His biggest challenge? For the vast majority of people in Brazil, beer is the beverage of choice, not wine. “The culture around wine here in Brazil isn’t very strong yet,” Matheus explains, “but I really love creating meaningful wine experiences and helping others discover the beauty of it.” The reason behind the nation’s preference of beer is simple – it’s a cooling drink, and summers in Brazil tend to be very hot and humid. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, Matheus has noticed an uptick in interest around wine – sales are steadily growing every year.
Wine is still regarded as “glamourous” and an indulgence reserved for a select few, but Matheus is determined to change that. He is working hard in his role as a sommelier to make wine more accessible and easier to enjoy, referring humorously to himself as a “wine hunter” who is always on the lookout for new and interesting wines to recommend to guests in his restaurant.
He is especially passionate about changing the narrative around Brazilian wines, which are facing heavy resistance locally. “Many people believe our wines aren’t high quality, but that’s not true,” he says, shaking his head. “Both our still and sparkling wines are getting better and better every year.” Where some might feel discouraged by the lack of interest in wine, Matheus feels excited at the prospect of being part of shaping a stronger wine scene in Brazil.
With every intention of continuing to work as a sommelier for the rest of his life, he plans on entering more sommelier competitions in the future and wants to continue studying in his spare time – but for now, he is rightfully focused on celebrating his big win.
To keep up with Matheus, follow him on: https://www.instagram.com/sommeliermatheus/ or https://www.instagram.com/caravaggiowinebistro/
To learn more about our grantee Celebrare Wine School, click here: https://www.instagram.com/escolacelebrare/
Article written by Isabelle Anderbjörk, Head of Marketing for the Gérard Basset Foundation