◎●◎●●●●❶❷❸－8－Since 2025, the Portuguese Embassy has hosted the “Deep Dive in Portugal” wine masterclass series. The seventh session, held this June, focused on António Maçanita and Fitapreta, his home winery located in the Alentejo region. António gained attention in Portugal and internationally for his uniquely bold and challenging initiatives focusing on native varieties. We asked Mr. Takenori Beppu, an expert on Portuguese wine scene and lecturer for the series, to tell us about the event.LisboaWineryMAP ●Serra d’Ossa MountainsEvoraMAP ●Chão dos EremitasCODE13031Fitapreta: Pushing Boundaries in Alentejo António has established his own brands in several Portuguese wine regions, producing highly original wines wherever he goes. But Fitapreta, in Alentejo, remains his home base. His work at Fitapreta is particularly distinctive, pursuing winemaking methods previously untried in the region while simultaneously reviving indigenous grape varieties.Alentejo RegionThe AzoresPorto Santo IslandMadeira Island Shortly after the masterclass concluded ̶and just as I was preparing this article̶ Tim Atkin MW released his inaugural report on Portuguese wine which named António Maçanita his Winemaker of the Year in Portugal. Receiving such recognition while still in his mid-forties is a remarkable achievement. Yet spend any time in Portugal and you will hear the same refrain: António is the country's next star. In that context, the accolade almost seems inevitable. So what sets him apart from Portugal's many other producers?The answer lies in António's ability to uncover the potential of wine regions that others had overlooked and bring them into the modern wine world. His endeavours are daring ̶ sometimes bordering on crazy. The Azores and Porto Santo are now among Portugal's most talked-about wine regions. Had António not begun making wine there, they might still be absent from the world's wine map.PortugalLisbonIn recent years, Portugal has seen renewed interest in reviving ancient winemaking techniques, such as the use of amphorae (known locally as ‘talha’) and the production of orange wines (referred to as ‘curtimenta’). Fitapreta was a ahead of this movement, adopting these techniques for more than a decade to make modern, high-quality wines.Alentejo, a hot, arid and hilly region in southern Portugal, has traditionally been associated with powerful, fruit-driven, full-bodied red wines with relatively high alcohol. It is also a major source of low-priced wine for the Lisbon market. Against this backdrop, Fitapreta’s wines come as a surprise. Compared to typical Alentejo wines, they stand out for their CODE12642FitapretaTrincadeira das Pratas2021Origin: Alentejo DOC, PortugalVarietal: Tamarez (Trincadeira-das-Pratas) 100% Alc. 13.3% striking freshness and beautifully defined acidity.This profile comes from the practice of hand-harvesting grapes during the cool of the night, as well as the unique terroir of Fitapreta’s flagship vineyard, Chão dos Eremitas. The vineyard is home to many indigenous varietals that have disappeared elsewhere. To reveal their full potential, Fitapreta vinifies them separately, producing single-varietal wines unlike any others in the world.Because Fitapreta’s approach is so unconventional, the true value many not always be immediately obvious. YBut haven't the wines that changed the world often been made by precisely these kinds of challengers? It is wonderful to see António and Fitapreta’s wines gaining recognition and appreciation not only internationally, but here in Japan.An orange wine produced by macerating the juice remaining after the initial pressing of white grapes. You might expect this to be something of a by-product, but the result is delicate. The use of multiple grape varietals creates a complex flavour profile, while vibrant acidity and strong minerality balance the robust tannins. It evokes Portugal’s long tradition of ‘curtimenta’ (skin-contact winemaking) with modern finesse. The name ‘A Laranja Mecânica’ translates to ‘A Clockwork Orange.’Takenori Beppu, Representative of Wine in MotionIn 2018, Takenori became the only Asian recipient of the ‘International Personality of the Year Asia 2018’ (ViniPortugal). He served as an international judge for the TOP 10 wine competition organised by the Portuguese wine magazine Revista de Vinhos (2019, 2025). Qualifications: J.S.A. Sommelier, WSET® Level 4 Diploma, and Cavaleiro, Confraria do Vinho do Porto (Knight of the Port Wine Brotherhood), Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto.CODE12733Fitapreta A Laranja Mecânica NVOrigin: Alentejano IGP, PortugalVarietals: Arinto / Roupeiro / Verdelho / Antão Vaz / Alicante Branco (Boal de Alicante) / Tamarez (Trincadeira das Pratas) / Fernão Pires Alc.11.4％Prices do not include Consumption Tax. RRP= Recommended Retail Price.Village Cellars Wine Catalogue 2026Autumn António Maçanita and Fitapreta: At the Forefront of Portuguese Wine ̶ Highlights from the June MasterclassFitapreta White O Ancestral 2023Origin: Alentejano IGP, PortugalVarietals: Roupeiro / Rabo de Ovelha / Antão Vaz / Tamarez (Trincadeira-das-Pratas) / Alicante Branco (Boal de Alicante) / Arinto Alc. 12.3%Portugal’s Next Star WinemakerRRP￥3,200From the masterclass tastingWhite O Ancestral 2023 ［WINE ❶］An affordable wine that perfectly captures the winery's philosophy. Made in a low-intervention style from several indigenous Alentejo varieties from two old vine vineyards, it is fresh and mineral-driven with a lower alcohol content. Composed and elegant approach expands into multi-layered complexity. A wonderfully gastronomic white that completely overturns the traditional image of Alentejo wines as bold and fruity.Trincadeira das Pratas 2021 ［WINE ❷］A single-varietal wine made from the indigenous Alentejo grape Trincadeira-das -Pratas, sourced from the Chão dos Eremitas vineyard. This vineyard is blessed with groundwater, requiring no irrigation despite the region's arid climate. It is characterized by distinct citrus flavours reminiscent of lemon and lime, and a rich, substantial texture. Perhaps it is the influence of the Atlantic, felt even here in hot Alentejo, that makes me want to pair it with white fish.A Laranja Mecânica NV ［WINE ❸］RRP￥7,300Text by Takenori BeppuRRP￥4,800Wines tasted at the seminar (7 in all). Pictured alongside the Portuguese national soccer team jersey on display at the embassy!See below for technical detailsJune 2026Seminar ReportPortuguese Wine MasterclassDeep Dive in Portugal Vol. 7: Fitapreta
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