Azores Wine Company

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Country of Origin: Portugal
Location: Archipelago of the Azores
People: António Maçanita, Owner & Winemaker

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Media Links
Good Food Revolution: The Azores Wine Company: Triumph Over Adversity
Blend-allaboutwine.com: Azores Wine Company, rarities born in the middle of the Atlantic
The Wine Detective: Pico, The Azores - The Santorini of Portugal?

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Azores Wine Company Facebook

The Portuguese archipelago of the Azores is about 1,000 miles off the coast of Portugal and is home to a winemaking tradition that dates back to its colonization in the 15th century, wherein viticulture was introduced by Franciscan friars. This group of islands is home to a singular terroir and microclimate, one that draws close comparison to the island of Santorini. Like Santorini, the Azores are volcanic islands comprised entirely of black basalt. Pico, the main wine producing island where these vineyards are located, has such poor soil that the vineyards need to be supplemented with soil from neighboring islands to support vine growth, and even with that, the yields are a fraction of what they are in the rest of the DOC. Additionally, the vineyards are grown in tiny plots (2-6 bush trained vines per square) protected on all sides by small walls called “currais” to ward off the strong winds that blow in from the nearby beaches.

Dynamic winemaker Antonio Maçanita is based in the Alentejo, but wanted to explore this unique terroir because of his family’s history in this area – his father is from the Azores, and he wanted to pay tribute to this heritage. The Azores Wine Company is a project to reclaim the lost vineyards of Azores and save varieties that were on the brink of extinction.

Azores Wine Company Verdelho O Original 2016 Voted #48 by Decanter for The Most Exciting Wines of 2017
"Lively citrus and fresh leather nose, zippy lime fruit along with complex, smoky, iodine notes, a fleeting moment of apple blossom and a touch of salinity on the finish. Will age well but ready to enjoy now."