Yes, another first for a winery in the Azores. Indeed, it is a unique distinction—the international recognition of the quality produced on the island of Pico with the signature winemaker António Maçanita. According to Wine & Spirits, this choice is based on the performance of the performance of the wines, which have consistently impressed its panel of tasters and critics.

The Azores Wine Company, together with three other Portuguese wineries, will be present at the event to present the best producers in the world, to be held on October 11th in San Francisco.

The Azores Wine Company – a project by António Maçanita and Filipe Rocha – has made a solid contribution to the revolution that has taken place in Azorean the Azores in the last decade. Recent awards include Wine Company of the Year 2021 (Grandes Escolhas magazine), and Vinha dos Utras elected Best Wine of the Year 2021 (Grandes Escolhas magazine).

In addition, the company’s wines are frequently awarded and highlighted with some of the best scores for Portugal in international specialty magazines.

In July 2021, Azores Wine Company opened its new winery in Pico, contributing to the island’s tourism through wine tourism. The building was constructed with respect for the landscape in the middle of a Unesco World Heritage Site. In addition to the wine production area, the AWC has a Tasting Room, Restaurant, and Accommodation.

The recognized quality project further affirms the island of Pico as a destination for wine lovers, who will now find a winery with all the features of quality wine tourism. It should be noted that the Azores Wine Company’s new winery has been the topic of many international news outlets, such as the Financial Times, New York Times, Monocle, and Forbes.

The latter gave particular prominence to gastronomy, placing the Azores Wine Company restaurant as one of the 50 restaurants to visit worldwide in 2023.

In 2022, the Azores Wine Company’s wine tourism project was awarded the Revelation Prize in the renowned “Boa Cama, Boa Mesa” guide published by Expresso newspaper. In 2023, the company received the “Best Sustainable Wine Tourism” award from APENO, which highlighted the Azores Wine Company’s project, “not only in terms of respect and environmental practices but also in terms of promotion of the region, the involvement community through its human resources, among human resources, among others (…)”.

In Diário dos Açores – Osvaldo Cabral, director

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Cultures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Medial Alliance)  at California State University, Fresno.