Antonio Maçanita
Our primary goal is the search for freshness and minerality.
With deep passion and meticulous care, Joana and Antonio Maçanita produce balanced and elegant wines, a genuine expression of the true terroir of the Douro.
There is an intense pleasure in slowly travelling along the banks of the Douro and continuing to discover new nooks and crannies to observe between the rows of vines and rolling hills. Yes: we are back in Portugal, in the beautiful valley along the Douro River where, every time we are here, the vast vineyards, delightful people and breath-taking landscapes fill our hearts as they reveal new treasures.
We have been driving along the dirt road for some kilometres, when suddenly it veers sharply into a hairpin bend. We find ourselves before an entrance and, for a few minutes, I wonder whether we might have taken a wrong turn. I am only convinced I am in the right place when I see a wooden plaque affixed to a stone wall: Maçanita - IRMÃOS E ENOLOGOS (Maçanita - SIBLINGS AND ENOLOGISTS).
I widen my gaze and then I see it: a simple structure of clean, square lines, free of ostentatious signs or flashy details. A place designed to enable working in tranquillity with a focus on functionality and efficiency. Inside, ready to astound us, As Olgas tinto 2021 Letra F awaits: a truly unforgettable red.
As Olgas tinto 2021 Letra F is Maçanita's masterpiece. Try it now, together with the winery’s other exclusives, and let yourself be enthralled.
António Pereira and his love for this place sweep us off our feet like a late summer tidal swell.
Before we've even finished greeting him, then he has already poured us a glass of rosé: everything is more pleasant with a glass in hand, he says, and conversations flow better. And who can argue with that?
António is the quartermaster and knows every corner, every crevice and every creak of this cellar which dates back to 1955. The words and passion with which he guides us fully convey the philosophy and respect for the land that have always characterized the Maçanita siblings.
Joana and Antonio launched their Maçanita Vinhos project in 2011, thanks to an invitation from a local family who had read about these ambitious and eclectic winemaking siblings.
Of the two, it is Joana who, from the very outset, devoted all her energies to the challenging Douro Valley.
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Every month we travel the world to discover an exclusive winery. Every month you will receive what we consider to be its best bottle delivered directly to your door: a wine that is always new, exclusive and surprising.
Seeing them work together is a sight to behold. No matter how much they fight, their work is deeply complementary and has elevated their family name into one of the most award-winning in all of Portuguese winemaking . All this without having any formal wine-making history behind them. - António Pereira tells us.
We are more than familiar with what António is telling us because, between Fitapreta and the Azores Wine Company, the Maçanita family's other estates, there is not a single label that hasn’t bewitched us and swept us off our feet.
There is just one word that perfectly sums us this winery: boutique. Everything is meticulously considered, right down to the very last detail, with the aim of using every available inch according to Joana's instructions. Her approach in the winery combines respect for nature, scientific methodology and completely sustainable working methods.
She is certain that her vineyards are able to provide fruit that clearly convey the spirit of the terroir. This is why she adds nothing to the wines, neither prior to nor during fermentation. Her winemaking process embodies her fundamental belief: the more you understand about the biology and chemistry of the fruit, the better you can use it strategically to produce an extraordinary wine.
This principle is further displayed in her choice to principally use 10–15-year-old French oak barrels. Joana crafts the wines in their complexity and structure, all the while maintaining their distinctive freshness and acidity. This is the only way to prevent strong flavours from masking the light and nuanced qualities of the indigenous Douro varieties.
António tells us that Joana's understanding of how each variety will behave during fermentation is proof of just how much she wants to relinquish control and let nature express itself.
Simona and I are experiencing an ever-growing desire: to taste the result of all this painstaking work.
We move outside to visit the rows closest to the boutique, and also to see what a vineyard, capable of withstanding 48 degrees during the summer, actually looks like. In an area as expansive as the Douro, it is inevitable that, following logics of exposure and classification, the 45 hectares worked entirely by hand by Maçanita Vinhos are all some distance from each other.
In fact, with the aim of classifying vineyards for the production of Port wine, this is the region that first introduced the Douro DOC vineyard classification system in 1935. The highest rating is the letter A, which denotes the best and most desirable plots, with southern exposure, low altitude and proximity to the river, whilst the letter F denotes the less desirable ones.
Our primary goal, António tells us, is the search for freshness and minerality.
Indeed, the Maçanita siblings want to produce balanced and elegant wines, a transparent expression of the true terroir of the Douro. Almost 90 years since the DOC classification was established, vineyards such as Letra F, the “losers” with northern exposures, high altitudes and vineyards where reds and whites are co-planted, have become a magnet for young winemakers in search of elegance and drinkability. Vineyards that were once the underdogs are today some of the most coveted.
Please, António, let's go and taste something. - I think that was the phrase I blurted.
Sitting in the shade of a pergola, accompanied by a cool breeze wafting up from the banks of the Douro, a long table laden with all kinds of mouth-watering Portuguese delicacies stands before us. This is the famous and unique hospitality I fell in love with the first time I set foot in this part of the world.
António keeps us enthralled recounting every facet, every secret, every scent that we might possibly recognise in the wines we would shortly be tasting. A phenomenal journey, the ultimate expression of the dedication and passion which, day after day, this young man puts into his work.
Of all the labels we have sampled, these are the ones that best represent Joana, Antonio and the world of Maçanita Vinhos.
Gouveio by Joaninha. A very, very traditional single variety from the Douro. This label is entirely produced in the style of Joana, who was intrigued by the thematic side of the Douro: hence its signature by Joaninha. And the tropical hints in this wine express themselves with verve through notes of peach, mango that accompany an exquisite minerality.
Viosinho by Joaninha – single variety. With this label, Joana is more focused on the minerality and less on the tropicality of the wine. The finish has a smoky, savoury hint but you can taste a soul that is completely interconnected to Gouveio. The two wines each have their own, individual but complementary identity. However, whilst Gouveio is rounder, Viosinho has more verticality. It is like discovering a whole new world. With every sip we are introduced to something unexpected and hitherto unexplored.
Os Canivéis tinto 2021 Letra F. Coming from vineyards that are classified as the last for the production of Port, this red is a field blend of old vines, planted 80-92 years ago, lying some 700 metres above sea level. A production of around 1450 bottles per year for a Douro that is closer to the style of Burgundy. Finer, more elegant, more intense. With an abundance of freshness and minerality.
As Olgas tinto 2021 Letra F. This wine also comes from vineyards classified as Letra F, aged between 90 and 110 years old. For António, it is simply AMAZING. With a limited production of just over 1,000 bottles, this field blend comes from a single vineyard (an As Olgas, in ancient Portuguese) growing Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Donzelinho Tinto, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Carvalha, Bastardo, Carião and Cima Corgo grapes. It has rested in neutral barrels for 18 months and hints of wild plum and cherry are enveloped by fine, long tannins, enhanced by a delicate stony acidity through a lingering finish. This refined and serious wine is absolutely enchanting and we are literally astounded by it.
Touriga Nacional Letra A. For António this wine shouts "DOURO!" from the highest rooftops and choruses the very river, the shale and the soil it was grown in. An exceptionally gastronomic wine that can accompany the finest meats, it is powerful and complex with a marked tannicity. The vineyards are classified as the best for producing Port wine. A category traditionally favoured for producing grander, more alcoholic and powerful wines. This Touriga Nacional has the power of the prestigious Port wines, but with a certain grace and lightness. After 23 days on skins and fermentation, the wine is then rested for 14 months: 70% in neutral French oak barrels, 20% in new oak barrels and 10% in stainless steel barrels. It is superbly perfumed, with the characteristic Touriga violet aroma seeping into wild plum, wild blackberry and black liquorice. The tannins are ample, though absorbed into the dense fruit, and the acidity is strident, driving it through the peppery finish.
At the end of this trip, we are truly surprised and thrilled by the quality and excellence of what we have found. This boutique and its wines, all of which are organic, have the power to convey the passion, delicacy and respect that is paid to nature and the territory.
As ever, Simona and I are astounded by the work and eclecticism of the world of the Maçanita family.
A family that is dedicated to excellence, to the rediscovery of ancient vineyards and the fellowship and involvement of every member of its team.
And once again, I was unable to meet Antonio Maćanica. However, had I closed my eyes, listening to António Pereira, to his story, his love for this place and his dedication to his work, I could have easily believed that I was standing next to the Antonio I have been chasing for so long.
The very stuff that dreams are made of!
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