WINE CONCEPT

The first wine made by Esporão in 1985. Made from estate grown grapes, shows the consistency and the rich, ripe fruit characters which are typical of the best Alentejo red wines.

We defied the plastic artist Rui Sanches to illustrate this year’s label.

Prémios

2011, Essência do Vinho – 17 points

2012, Concour Mondial Bruxelles – 82,03 points

2012, Revista de Vinhos – 16 points

2012, Wine spectator – 89 points

Agriculture

Integrated Production (certified)

An extremely dry year, with rainfall concentrated between December and February. The period from March to August was hotter than average, resulting in an early vintage. With these higher temperatures during the growing season, most grapes were picked in very ripe conditions resulting in rich wines with body and depth.

SOIL TYPE
Clay loam soils with granite and schist mother rock.

AVERAGE AGE OF VINES
15 years

Grape Varieties

Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez, Trincadeira, Cabernet Sauvignon

VINIFICATION / MATURATION

Each variety hand picked and vinified separately, fermented in open tanks with robotic plunging and temperature control (22ºc – 25ºC), membrane pressed, malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks following inoculation.

12 months ageing in French (30%) and American (70%) oak barrels. 1 year of bottle ageing prior to market release.

MORE INFORMATION

The first wine to be produced by Esporão in 1985. A classic wine made exclusively with grapes from Herdade do Esporão, it offers the consistency and personality typical of the unique terroir from whence it comes.

The viticulture employed involves integrated production methods which are based on rationalising natural resources and the use of natural regulation, thus contributing to sustainable agriculture that provides better-quality produce.

The grapes for this wine are hand-picked. For the red, they are vinified in small, temperature-controlled vats and, after being pressed, the wines age in American and French oak for 12 months. In the case of the white, the grapes are picked in the early, cooler hours of the morning, vinified separately and partially aged for 6 months on the lees in French and American oak barrels.

This is a wine for special occasions that combines the universal culture of wine and art, via the reproduction of original works of art on its labels.

WINE MAKERS

David Baverstock and Luís Patrão

Colour

Clear, deep red.

Aroma

Intense spicy aroma of ripe red berry fruits with soft, new oak integration.

Palate

Rich and full bodied, well balanced with robust tannins, good bottle ageing potential.

Formats

750 ml   ·   1,5 l   ·   3 l

Bottling

March 2011

Alcohol/Volume

14.5 %

Total Acidity

6.38 g/l

pH

3.59

Reducing Sugar / Baumé

2 g/l