Portugal's Top White Wines are Coming from the Azores Within Earshot of the Surf

A wine that screams for all things from the sea.

I tasted the 2025 Azores Wine Co., Pico, Arinto dos Açores this week and I will say it plainly: it is one of Portugal's great wines. The energy is immediate, with grapefruit pith, green apple, and a persistent saline finish that speaks of its maritime origin. It is electric, nervy, vivacious, and linear, the very definition of pulverized mineral and flint. It is lean but tremendously focused, subtle yet masterfully flavorful.

Nearly one thousand miles off the coast of mainland Portugal, the island Pico rises out of the Atlantic, dominated by a dormant stratovolcano that climbs more than 7,700 feet. It is the highest peak in all of Portugal. There is almost no top soil here. Vines are planted directly into the fractures and crevices of razor sharp black basalt, and hand stacked walls of lava stone, known as currais, that stand guard against violent gales and sea spray. Just offshore, the seafloor drops into deep oceanic trenches, a year round home to sperm whales.

The Atlantic meets the currais. Photo courtesy of António Maçanita.

The North Atlantic is notorious for relentless rain, yet Pico makes its own microclimate. The summit traps the clouds and leaves the coastline dry, breezy, and sun drenched. Local lore holds that the greatest wines come from vines planted where you can hear the singing of the crab, hugging the rocks just yards from the surf. There the grapes develop astonishing concentration and an oceanic salinity you can taste.

This is Pico. This is where António Maçanita felt compelled to make some of Portugal's greatest wines. He founded the Azores Wine Company in 2014 with his partners, devoted to restoring indigenous varieties and reviving the island's historic viticultural practices, although traditionally known for fortified wine production.

Harvest in the currais, Mount Pico behind. Photo courtesy of António Maçanita.

This wine was born for seafood. Bracing, intensely mineral, and mouthwateringly saline, it is the ultimate companion for oysters, local Azorean cracas, grilled white fish, and fresh shellfish. Pour a glass alongside a bowl of Spaghetti alle Vongole, and your evening is set. While it is vibrant and irresistible today, its spine of natural acidity will allow it to age gracefully, evolving savory layers of preserved lemon, almond skin, and toasted brioche over time.

Would I buy more? Without a second thought, a resounding yes.

To secure your bottles please use the link below, or reach us at shop@mwcwine.com.

Now Available

2025 Azores Wine Co., Pico, Arinto dos Açores
12+ btls @ $57/btl
Fresh, mineral, and salty. Made for oysters, cracas, and grilled fish.

Order Now

Cheers,
Kimberly Cavoores

More of Our Favorite Island Wines

2023 Insula Vinus, IG Acores, Chao de Lava aa 12+ btls @ $38/btl		2023 I Vigneri (Salvo Foti), Vigna di Milo, Etna Bianco 12+ btls @ $55/btl
2024 Comte Abbatucci, Vin de Corse, Faustine Rouge 12+ btls @ $56.99/btl		2024 Azienda Agricola Frank Cornelissen, Susucaru, Terre Siciliane IGT Rosso 12+ btls @ $28.99/btl

Shop Island Wines