The paper presents the historical context of wine production in São Paulo and how scientific publications characterized it. Through the reading of Boletins do Instituto Agronômico de Campinas, Boletim da Agricultura, booklets by Pereira Barreto (1840-1923), Chácaras e Quintaes, O Campo e Revista Agrícola I identify the factors that influenced its development. Influences from modern scientific theories and social ideals were noted on the construction of the terms: artesian wine, false wine and regular wine. Although it is not possible to say what economic impacts those publications had on the development of São Paulo's wine production, we can show a scientific debate, its topics and demands. This debate subsequently contributed to the foundations of other scientific researches.
history of scientific literacy; scientific institutions; history of grapevine agriculture of São Paulo
