Maçanita - Branco Reserva, Douro, Portugal (2023)

TASTING NOTES

Lightly pungent with a hint of Epoisses cheese, macadamia nuts and white mushrooms. Supple, subtle and attractively nutty on the palate, with a medium to full body and fresh but creamy acidity. Very composed and long. 

In 2010, Joana and António founded Maçanita Vinhos after an invitation from a local Douro family who had read about these playful and ambitious sibling winemakers. Both siblings contribute to Maçanita Vinhos, but the challenging Douro Valley has been Joana’s passion project since the start, and Joana and her children even moved to the Porto area to be closer to the winery and vineyards. Setting down roots in the region has allowed her to focus her famous energy into expanding the rising star that is her Douro career.

Joana works with "forgotten" vineyard plots from areas long un-fancied because they did not over-ripen grapes suited to the Port style - but are exceptional for still wines with finesse and elegance. 

After a long period of maceration, the fermentation took place, with the help of indigenous yeasts in stainless steel vats. Then, 60% of the batch was transferred to French oak barrels where it stayed in contact with fine lees, for 9 months with regular stirring, before being mixed, filtered and bottled.