Azores Wine Company

Conservation of cultural heritage: The Landscape of Vine and Wine Culture on Pico Island in the Azores is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so there is a commitment to caring for the region and its history. As such, Azores Wine Company is committed to the conservation and promotion of the local heritage, firstly by maintaining elements of the island's landscape in good condition, such as the volcanic stone corrals that protect the vineyards from the sea and mountain winds, by avoiding techniques that compromise the historical integrity of the landscape and by implementing agricultural practices that respect local biodiversity. In addition, the promoter is implementing recovery processes for several of the island's historic grape varieties, some of which are at risk of extinction. In this way, the recovery seeks to conserve genetic diversity, promote sustainable agricultural practices and enhance cultural heritage, since these varieties are an integral part of the region's history and identity and represent centuries of tradition and knowledge.

Sustainable wine production: This funding will be used by the promoter to develop and implement organic production measures, so that in approximately four years they can obtain organic production certification. The Azores Wine Company produces wines using sustainable agricultural practices, in which they use ground cover cloth, lapili and sheep in the vineyards to replace chemical fertilizers, preventing erosion, controlling weeds and promoting biodiversity. The shape and structure of the new winery building allows rainwater to be collected and stored in a tank, which enables sustainable use of the water needed for vineyard processes. The promoter also has solar panels to generate around 25% of the energy to be used in the winery, and has used responsible construction practices that enable greater energy efficiency and reduced consumption and greater thermal comfort, such as natural thermal insulation in the walls, natural ventilation and optimized natural lighting.

Promoting responsible tourism: In addition to producing wines, the Azores Wine Company also promotes wine tourism combined with environmental sustainability and social and cultural responsibility on Pico Island in the Azores. The food used in the restaurant is called “Km 0” because it comes from regional and organic producers, giving preference to seasonal products. The promoter focuses on eliminating waste and reducing non-reusable or non-recyclable elements. The Azores Wine Company's 38 employees are mostly local professionals, adding value to the region's economy.

The Azores Wine Company, based in the parish of Bandeiras, in the municipality of Madalena, and founded in 2014, has its main activities in viticulture, the production of quality wines and wine tourism.

The Azores Wine Company project is based on the uniqueness, exclusivity and history of Azorean wines. The founders of the Azores Wine Company realised that there was great potential for quality, given the grape varieties, the terroir and the wines that already existed. This project has confirmed that by combining their knowledge and experimentation with their misgivings, they have produced wines that few expected for the Azores region.

At the same time, the project has been developing in the field of wine tourism, promoting the true meaning of the word ‘winery’ on Pico Island: more than just a place where wines are produced, a winery is a living room, where friends are received and vineyard landscapes are enjoyed, where wines and snacks are tasted, and sometimes where people also sleep.

Its unique location on the island of Pico led to the creation of an accommodation space, wine tasting and fine dining restaurant, which offers experiences inspired by local products, especially wines, which reflect the new gastronomy of the Azores. Azores Wine Company is the only wine tourism centre in the Azores, and one of the few in Portugal, with a winery, tasting room, accommodation and restaurant.

The company's partners have a strong connection to the Azores and share a passion for wine and gastronomy. The company's current shareholders are: Fita Preta Vinhos, SA (10%), António Luís Moita de Andrade Maçanita (51%) and Filipe Pavão Nunes Rocha (39%), with the latter two managing the company.

António Maçanita is a Portuguese winemaker with an Alentejo and Azorean streak, known for his love of challenges. He is an entrepreneur who has developed the projects Fita Preta Vinhos (Alentejo), Maçanita Irmãos Enólogos (Douro), Azores Wine Company (Azores) and Companhia dos Profetas & Villões (Madeira), today with more than 500.000 bottles produced and exported to around thirty countries. António Maçanita also provides consultancy services, through his company Wine ID, to various wine projects from the north to the south of the country. His brands are well placed in the rankings of all the regions where he produces wines, in national and international publications, especially the American magazine Wine Advocate.

Filipe Rocha is an economist from the island of São Miguel, with in-depth knowledge of the reality of gastronomy, tourism and the potential of the Azores. He has experience in restaurant management and in organising events linked to wine and gastronomy, as well as a vast network of national and international contacts with professionals in the kitchen, bar and wine areas.

Among the various awards and recognitions, the promoter highlights:

• Revelation Producer (Revista de Vinhos 2024);
• 100 Top Wineries of the World 2023 (Wine & Spirits)
• Sustainable Wine Tourism 2023 (Portuguese Wine Tourism Association)
• Vinha dos Aards 2020 (Wine of the Year 2022 - Revista de Vinhos) 
• António Maçanita (Winemaker of the Year 2018 by Revista de Vinhos and Singularity Award 2018 by Grandes Escolhas magazine).
• Revelation Project and Entrepreneurs of the Year (100 Largest Companies in the Azores, Açoriano Oriental newspaper)