Weekly Pour
Featuring a handpicked wine with tasting notes, pairing ideas, and a backstory.
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Since the first harvest for Mirabilis White in 2011, Quinta Nova’s proprietor Luisa Amorim sought to produce a high-quality white wine that not only showcased the potential of the region and contributed to the visibility of Douro white wines, but put the country of Portugal global scale. Back then, this kind of vision — and ambition — was incomprehensible to a vast majority of wine experts. With characteristic precision and determination, Luisa designed an intense travel schedule for her and her team to visit key winegrowing regions, particularly Burgundy, to understand, research, and learn about how to produce rare, singular wines.
Mirabilis White was first imagined in 2010 at Quinta Nova’s Wine Atelier, where Luisa and the team treat their wines as works of study. In this atelier, set in the winery's 18th century granite presses, different wooden vats and stainless steel tanks were installed to develop small-scale vinifications of the estate's plots and subplots. Again, precision was key, with grape selection and vinification all done under strict control.
A White Wine That Re-Defined Portugal's Future
Some wines are made to be enjoyed — Mirabilis White was created to change perceptions.
High above the Douro River Valley, where slate-cut terraces catch the morning sun, Quinta Nova crafts a white wine that rivals the world’s most iconic regions — and proves that Portugal now belongs in the fine-wine conversation.
With each vintage, the bar moves higher. This is Portugal’s quiet revolution, bottled.
Tasting Notes
The Mirabilis White displays an extraordinary combination of
freshness, aromatic depth, silky texture, and vibrant structure. On
the nose, you’ll find layered aromas of citrus peel, green apple,
almond blossom, wet stone, and fresh herbs. It is smooth and
crisp on the palate, where freshness and acidity stand out,
accompanied by an elegant richness and minerality
Pairings
A Taste of Portugal at Home
You don’t need a passport to discover the future of Portuguese wine.
Mirabilis White is available in select U.S. markets, with limited allocations.
Mostly self-taught, Luisa’s wine education began in the world of Port wine
in 2000, blending and defining the style of a wine house and brand. At the
time, few believed a woman, especially a very young one from outside the
traditional wine world, could succeed in the Douro. But growing up
surrounded by the worlds of cork and wine, Luisa was driven by her deep
sense of “portugalidade” — bringing value to the regions she works in and
proving that Portugal’s top wine regions can stand among the best in the
world.
Luisa has become a pioneer on multiple fronts: she launched the
first line of Port wine aimed at a younger audience, introduced the first
unoaked red from the Douro, recovered old vineyards, and created the
first great white wine from the Douro — Mirabilis — at a time when only
red wines were being discussed. She was also the first to market a
Provence-style rosé that became a huge success in Portugal and abroad.
In 2005, Luisa launched the first wine hotel in Portugal, Quinta Nova de
Nossa Senhora do Carmo. Across all projects, she leads with a firm
commitment to terroir, authenticity, and local culture.
Stay among 18th-century vineyards, taste at the estate, and walk historic wine terraces carved into the mountainside.
Quinta Nova is home to one of the Douro’s oldest wineries, dating back to 1764 — built just eight years after the first official demarcation of the wine region. They’ve been trailblazers since, from planting the first monovarietal vineyards with Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, and Touriga Franca, to preserving the history and creating a sustainable future for the entire region.
Explore Quinta Nova: https://www.quintanova.com/en/
Wine tourism & tastings: https://www.quintanova.com/en/wine-tourism/wine-tasting/wine-tasting/449/
