Esporao Torre de Esporao, DOC Alentejo

Description

Esporao Torre de Esporao is the flagship wine from this famous Alentejo wine estate. It is only made in very special vintages, the 2017 is only the third vintage after the 2007 and 2011. It is a blend of Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Nacional, Aragonez, Touriga Franca.

Esporao was founded in 1977 by José Roquette and Joaquim Bandeira. Today the company has expanded to produce wines outside of Alentejo in the Douro (Murcas) and Vinho Verde (Quinta do Ameal) regions. They are one of the largest organic wine producers in the world. 

The Herdade do Esporao estate is located in the Alentejo DOC in the Reguengos de Monsaraz sub-region region some 170 kms from Lisbon. The Alentejo is characterised by hot and dry summers, mild springs and autumns and cold, dry winters. The Esporao estate is cover some 1849 hectares with 441 hectares of vines and 93 hectares of olive groves. The estate offers unique agricultural conditions – large temperature variations, 7 different types of soil and an extraordinarily rich biodiversity that supports the ecosystem.

Esporao Torre de Esporao is not only the ultimate  expression of the singularities of the harvest year but also the expertise of those who produce the wine. The grapes are sourced from various vineyards, some of the oldest vineyards in the estate of varying altitudes, ranging from 200 – 400m altitude and average age of 25 years, planted on granite and schist soil with clay loam structure.

75% of the grapes come from Herdade do Esporao – Aragonez from the Canto do Zé Cruz Vineyard, Touriga Franca from the Rochedo Vineyard and Touriga Nacional from the Badeco Vineyard. 15%, Alicante Bouschet, come from the Palmeiras Vineyard at Herdade dos Perdigões. 10%, Alicante Bouchet, come from the Machuguinho Vineyard at Propriedade dos Lavradores.

After harvest, the Aragonez grapes began their fermentation in marble lagares with foot treading before being sent to concrete vats for malolactic fermentation and were then transferred to 5000-litre tanks for ageing. The Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional were co-fermented in marble lagares with foot treading and then transferred to 500-litre, 2nd year, French oak barrels for both malolactic fermentation and 18-months ageing. The grapes from both Alicante Bouschet plots were fermented separately in concrete vats. Malolactic fermentation took place in new, 500-litre French oak barrels, where they were aged for 18 months.

Finally the Esporao Torre de Esporao is matured for 18 months in either 500-litre, new and 2nd-use French oak barrels or in 5000 litre tanks. The wine is then aged for another three years prior to release.

Winemakers are David Baverstock & Sandra Alves.