Esporão Reserva Tinto 2023 is the estate's oldest and most iconic red wine, a cuvée that has become a benchmark for quality and craftsmanship in Portugal. The blend comes from organically certified vineyards on Herdade do Esporão and beautifully demonstrates how different grapes and soils come together in a powerful, layered style. The label also boasts character, having been designed by architect Álvaro Siza Vieira.
The foundation of this wine lies on Herdade do Esporão, in the heart of Alentejo.
- Location / Origin: The grapes come from Herdade do Esporão in Reguengos de Monsaraz, one of Alentejo's best-known sub-regions. This firmly places the wine in an area renowned for powerful, sun-ripened red wines with a lot of character.
- Soil: The vineyards are situated on granite soils with transitions to schist, in a franc-clay structure. This combination gives the wine both depth and a solid, supportive foundation.
- Climate & Influences: Herdade do Esporão benefits from clear temperature differences and a warm, dry growing season, which allows the grapes to ripen well while helping to maintain balance in the wine.
- Vineyard & Harvest: The vineyards are organically certified and have an average age of 23 years. This combination of mature vines and organic farming perfectly suits the precise, layered style of this wine.
In the cellar, Esporão opts for an approach that beautifully combines power and refinement.
- Harvest & Selection: Each grape variety is harvested, destemmed, and crushed separately. This allows for very precise control over the blend's composition.
- Fermentation: Alcoholic fermentation takes place in concrete vats, marble lagares, and temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, followed by malolactic conversion in stainless steel. This ensures great fruit intensity, controlled extraction, and fine, lively tannins.
- Maturation / Oak ageing: The wine ages for 12 months in oak barrels, split 50% French and 50% American oak. This adds extra structure, spice, and a beautifully integrated oak influence without overshadowing the fruit.
- Bottle ageing: After bottling, the wine rests for another 6 months in the bottle. This allows it to become more harmonious and well-integrated in the glass.
- Alcohol percentage: At 14% alcohol, this blend has enough power to effortlessly support its oak ageing and robust structure.
The blend is classic Esporão, with Portuguese varieties playing the main role and international grapes providing an additional layer in the structure.
- 25% Aragonês – Alentejo: Aragonês gives the wine its core of ripe red fruit and a round, approachable start.
- 20% Alicante Bouschet – Alentejo: Alicante Bouschet provides color, depth, and additional structure to the whole.
- 20% Touriga Nacional – Alentejo: Touriga Nacional brings aromatic precision and gives the blend extra tension and refinement.
- 15% Cabernet Sauvignon – Alentejo: Cabernet Sauvignon provides backbone and helps the wine to linger longer and more firmly on the palate.
- 15% Syrah – Alentejo: Syrah adds spice and dark fruit, giving the wine more breadth and character.
- 5% Trincadeira – Alentejo: Trincadeira provides extra vibrancy and a subtle aromatic lift.
