Esporão Private Selection Red
2019 2016 2014 2013 2012 2011 2009 2008 2007
Wine Concept
Private Selection is our concept of the classic Alentejo Garrafeira: intense, complex and rich aromatics without excesses and a well balanced palate with structure for long term ageing.
We defied the plastic artist João Queiroz to illustrate this year’s label.
Awards
2016, Paixão Pelo Vinho – 18 pontos: “Paixão pelo Vinho Excelência”
2016, Revista de Vinhos – Prémios Excelência: os melhores vinhos de 2015
Agriculture
Integrated Production (certified)
The low winter rainfall contributed to a smaller than average grape harvest with deeply concentrated high quality wines.
SOIL TYPE
Canto do Zé Cruz vineyard – The soils are clay-loam with stony outcrops of granite.
Telheiro vineyard – The soil is of schistous origin, stony and skeletal.
Palmeiras vineyard – Deep clay soils.
Grape Varieties
Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez, SyrahVinification / Maturation
Each variety was vinified and aged separately.
Syrah and Aragonez were fermented in small open stainless steel fermenters with regular pumpovers and foot treading employed during the fermentation phase.
Alicante is fermented in a small static closed fermenter with regular pumpovers. This is a milder fermentation regime because of the softer skin of this variety and the potential for over extraction. After pressing, the varieties are kept separate to assess their quality potential. Malolactic fermentation takes place naturally in the barrel.
30% new and 70% used (one year old), 225 liter, French oak barrels. After 18 months ageing, with only one transfer after the completion of the malolactic fermentation, the final blends are made.
Bottling was done on 28th May 2014 with only a light pre filtration and no fining.
More Information
Private Selection Red:
Over time, we have been expanding the knowledge about our land in Alentejo. We have a better understanding of its potential and make the most of the uniqueness of the vineyards to produce fine wines, at nature’s pace.
That knowledge takes shape in Private Selection, through a combination of select parcels from the different territories, along with separate vinification and ageing, according to each variety’s profile. This is a full-bodied wine, with texture, intensity, and vitality, that reflects the diversity and richness of Esporão’s territories in Alentejo and, in exceptional years, results in Torre do Esporão.
Private Selection White:
Esporão Private Selection white was launched in 2001 under the name “Garrafeira”. The desire to make a distinctive white wine that would challenge the classic profile of the great wines of the Alentejo, led winemaker David Baverstock to bring the Sémillon grape variety from Australia to our Herdade dos Perdigões estate. This French origin grape variety is iconic in the Barrosa Valley region of Australia, where it grows in a climate similar to that of the Alentejo.
Planted in granitic soils, clayey and deep, the Palmeiras vineyard has adapted well to our soils and the Alentejo heat. It is from this vineyard that the Private Selection White was born.
Every year we invite a new artist to illustrate our labels, and every piece of artwork has its own individual story to tell.
Vineyard
Each variety is grown in a distinct part of our estate vineyards where, with a more concise viticultural approach, we can achieve a pure expression of each variety.
Aragonez originates in the Canto do Zé Cruz vineyard, planted in 1980. Perhaps because of its age, this is the last of the Aragonez parcels to be harvested, allowing for a longer phenolic maturation period and a wine with perfume and vibrancy.
Syrah comes from the Telheiro vineyard planted in 1998. Berries are very small and oval shaped, and because of the poor nature of the soil, yields are extremely low, resulting in wines of great power and concentration.
Alicante Bouschet originates from the Palmeiras vineyard in the neighbouring Perdigões estate and was planted in 1996. It is a hillside vineyard and, despite this variety being a high yielder, the exposition of this vineyard and good drainage conditions, coupled with bunch thinning, allows for more balanced yields with concentrated berries and wines with great intensity.
Wine Makers
David Baverstock and Luís Patrão
Colour
Deep intense red colour.
Aroma
Dark berry fruit aromatics with complex notes of spice and smoke.
Palate
The palate is both rich and dense, with balancing fine tannins and finishing acidity.