António Maçanita is a Portuguese winemaker known for his work in Alentejo, the Douro and the Azores. Some of his most distinctive wines, however, come from Porto Santo, a small island near Madeira.
Maçanita founded the project Profetas e dos Villões with his friend Nuno Faria, a Madeira restaurateur who spent childhood holidays on Porto Santo and introduced him to the island’s vineyards. The name means “Prophets and Villains”: people from Madeira traditionally call Porto Santo residents prophets, while Porto Santo’s residents call Madeirans villains. Maçanita describes the venture as his “Covid project.”
Porto Santo differs sharply from Madeira. While mountainous Madeira is lush and receives abundant rainfall, flat, arid Porto Santo gets only about 380 millimetres of rain annually. Its soils are also distinct, consisting largely of calcareous sandstone.
The project’s first wines were made in Madeira. A winery opened on Porto Santo in 2022. The range now includes Porto Santo wines, known as Profetas, as well as wines from Madeira, called Villões. Most carry the DOP Madeirense designation; wines made at the new Porto Santo winery can be labelled DO Porto Santo.
Tasting notes
- Caracol Fazendas Areia 2021, Porto Santo — 94/100: Dense and stony, with orange peel, lime, lively acidity and a subtle waxy note.
- Caracol Fazendas Areia 2023, Porto Santo — 95/100: Taut and refined, combining lemon, wax and mineral notes with crisp citrus and bright acidity.
- Caracol dos Profetas Uvas Passas 2022, Porto Santo — 96/100: A passito-style wine aged for three years in cask. Nutty, honeyed and lime-scented, with a powerful palate, hints of raisin and marmalade, and a salty finish.
- Listrão dos Profetas 2021, Porto Santo — 95/100: From 80-year-old vines, this is bright, waxy and stony, with focused lime fruit and lively energy.
- Sercial Los Villões 2023, Madeira — 94/100: Concentrated and linear, with textured citrus, lemony acidity and a crystalline quality.
- Crosta Calcária 2023, Porto Santo — 97/100: From the island’s centre, this is refined and mineral, with smoky, spicy notes, crystalline citrus and an intense, energetic finish.
- Tinta Negra dos Villões 2022, Madeira — 94/100: Supple and vivid, showing red cherry fruit, a chalky edge and excellent balance.
Maçanita’s wines are presented on the winery website.