Alentejo, Portugal

Oenologist: António Maçanita and Sandra Sárria

Environmental Practices: Integrated Production, Minimal Intervention, Vegan Certified, Organic Practices (see descriptions for Organic Certified wines)

Mainova was born in Herdade da Fonte Santa, in the Alentejo region — a land shaped over centuries, where schist and granite meet in a rare ecosystem.

The Mainova Alentejo wine project was launched in 2019 by José Luís Monteiro and his family. Led by their youngest daughter, Bárbara Monteiro, they decided to return to their roots and bring to life a project with purpose: creating authentic, sustainable wines and olive oils full of character. They believed it was possible to innovate while respecting the land, its traditions and its family memory.

António Maçanita is widely recognised as one of Portugal’s most exciting and influential winemakers at the moment. His remarkable career has earned him international acclaim, including being named Portugal’s Winemaker of the Year in Tim Atkin MW’s Portugal Special Report. His approach is deliberately unconventional; questioning established ideas about Portuguese grape varieties and terroir, and exploring how they can express themselves in new and unexpected ways.

Together with Sandra Sarria, António shares a commitment to wines that are closely connected to their origin. Their work places a strong emphasis on organic and sustainable viticulture, low intervention winemaking and allowing the vineyard and landscape to speak for themselves.

The unique terroir of Arraiolos, Alto Alentejo in a bottle

  • Mandona Sparkling Brut Rosé

    MAIN1-SPK - 100% Castelão

    Winemaking: Manual harvest at night to preserve acidity and prevent premature fermentation. Whole bunches are pressed directly to extract a very pale, delicate salmon-pink juice with minimal skin contact. The base wine undergoes a cold, natural fermentation using indigenous yeasts. The second fermentation takes place in the bottle and rest on the lees for 24 months

    Tasting Notes: Light salmon colour, fine bubbles. Subtle notes of green strawberry, some red fruits and toasted bread. Long finish with good persistence.

    Serving Temperature: 6ºC - 8ºC

    Food Pairings: Fresh & aromatic dishes, fish, seafood, Mediterranean & Asian cuisine.

  • Mainova Red

    MAIN1-R - Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Nacional, Baga

    Winemaking: Manual harvest at night to preserve the fresh aromas. The grapes are passed through a sorting table where a rigorous selection is made before entering the fermentation tanks by gravity. Spontaneous alcoholic fermentation. Little intervention throughout the process and low sulfur content. Aged 8 months in old french oak barrels.

    Tasting Notes: Ruby violet colour with intense fruitiness on the nose with hints of ripe cherry and some menthol notes. A smooth, round attack with good freshness, round tannins and a long finish.

    Serving Temperature: 16ºC - 18ºC

    Food Pairings: Pork, beef, chickpea stew

  • Mainova White

    MAIN1-W - Antão Vaz, Arinto, Verdelho

    Organic Certified

    Winemaking: Manual harvest at night followed by a direct whole bunch press, cold decantation without additives, with little intervention throughout the whole process. Aged 90% in stainless steel and 10% in french oak barrels. Low sulphur content.

    Tasting Notes: Clean, bright citrus yellow with greenish accents. On the nose there is fresh citrus, cut grass, wet stones and some notes of tropical fruits. On the palate there is good freshness with a medium to full texture with great volume. The finish is persistent and clean with lingering citrus and minerality.

    Serving Temperature: 8ºC - 10ºC

    Food Pairings: Grilled white fish and shellfish, light poultry

  • Mainova verdelho

    MAIN2-W - 100% Verdelho

    Organic Certified

    Winemaking: Manual harvest at night with direct whole bunch pressing. Cold decantation without additives with little intervention throughout the process, aged in stainless steel. Low sulphur content.

    Tasting Notes: Clean and bright with soft greenish-citrus highlights. Medium intensity on the nose with fresh tropical pineapple, ripe citrus fruit and subtle hints of cut grass or herbs. On the palate there is good freshness with a well integrated, crisp acidity. Persistent, dry & clean finish.

    Serving Temperature: 8ºC - 10ºC

    Food Pairings: White fish and shellfish.

  • Moinante Curtimenta

    MAIN1-OW - Antão Vaz, Arinto, Verdelho, Encruzado

    Organic Certified

    Winemaking: Manual harvest at night. In the winery, after the first pressing, the grapes are macerated for three days without temperature control before being pressed again. The must is decanted cold without additives, with spontaneous alcoholic fermentation. Little intervention throughout the process and low sulphur content. Aged in stainless steel.

    Tasting Notes: Pale yellow hay coloured with intense aromas of candied orange peel, tanferine and notes of ripe peach. Dense, opulent and full bodied with a rich, grippy skin contact texture. Ripe stone fruit, citrus zest and tropical hints on the palate with vibrant, refreshing acidity that leaves a long, dry and salty finish.

    Serving Temperature: 8ºC - 10ºC

    Food Pairings: Complex and spicy foods, Indian cuisine, roast suckling pig, sausages.

Digital Resources