Maçanita Vinhos, Douro Branco Reserva, Peso da Régua, DOP Douro, Portugal, 2023

Producer Profile

The Maçanita Vinhos project was created by characterful siblings, Joana and António Maçanita, in the Douro back in 2011.

Having worked together in over 14 wineries around the country, they wanted the new project to reflect their experiences and aspirations: lots of laughter, lots of arguments and an ethos of questioning the existing way of doing things. Over the intervening years, Maçanita Vinhos have managed to encompass the diversity of the terroir of the Douro Valley in its purest and most faithful form. The wines of Maçanita express each facet of this spectacular landscape: the “high-altitude Douro”, the “hot schist Douro”, the “cold granite Douro” all through indigenous grape varieties from old vines and a non-interventionist approach.

Viticulture

Sourced from high-altitude vineyards in the Cima Corgo near Peso da Régua, planted on schist soils. Indigenous white varieties such as Viosinho, Gouveio, and Códega do Larinho are farmed sustainably, with great care taken to preserve freshness and aromatic clarity in the heat of the Douro.

Winemaking

Hand-harvested grapes are gently pressed and fermented with wild yeasts. The wine is aged for around 8–10 months in French oak barrels (partially new), with bâtonnage on the lees to build texture, complexity, and mouthfeel while retaining the wine’s crisp structure.

Tasting Note

Baked apple, lemon peel, and white blossom, layered with hints of wet stone, hazelnut, and a gentle smokiness. The palate is broad yet poised, with fine acidity and a long, mineral-driven finish.

Food Matching

Salt cod brandade, piri-piri spiced chicken, or grilled squid with garlic and lemon.