Wine Concept

A wine with a contemporary style, having an elegant and intense profile. The wines show the character of the selected vineyard parcels on the Estate.

Agriculture

Spring had lower temperatures and higher humidity than in previous years, ideal climatic conditions for fungal diseases in the vines, implying increased care in the vines to avoid mildew attacks. The cooler temperatures at this time of year provided a longer period of vegetative growth and, despite the heat felt since July, the beginning of the harvest took place about 10 days later than usual. Warm temperatures continued throughout the harvest period, but the grapes arrived with excellent quality, with moderate sugar levels and acidity slightly lower than the average of previous years.

SOIL TYPE
Clay loam structure, granite/schist origin

AVERAGE AGE OF VINES
10 years

Grape Varieties

Touriga Nacional, Syrah

Vinification / Maturation

Varieties harvested and vinified separately, destemmed/crushed, temperature controlled fermentation (22-25ºC) in stainless steel, pressed, controlled malolactic fermentation in tank.

Part of the blend was aged in tank, the other part in french oak for a period of 6 months. Proceed 6 month bottle maturation before market release.

More Information

In the 18th century, João de Aboim, a descendent of Egas Moniz and an important figure in the time of King Afonso III, created, from the different lands given by the Monsaraz and Portel municipalities, Defesa do Esporão one of the oldest estates of this type in Southern Portugal.

Defesas were large demarcated estates that were defended against grazing cattle from other areas and directly linked to the founding of Portugal during the Christian reconquest of the south. Examples of agro-forestry and pastoralist systems, defesas had a variety of uses. Deriving from the Mediterranean forest, at the time of the founders, the defesas reclaimed land from forests for the purpose of pasture.

Defesa do Esporão was one of the key examples of this type of estate linked to the founding of Portugal. Its boundaries, which were established in the late-13th century by a charter kept at Torre do Tombo national archive, have remained unchangend until today.

For centuries, the estate has employed agro-forestry and pastoralist methods based on the preservation of biodiversity and a multifunctional system that Esporão considers best practice to protect our ecosystem.

Wine Makers

David Baverstock and Sandra Alves

Colour

Clear, intense ruby.

Aroma

Black berry and fresh cacao, with toasty notes of French oak.

Palate

Creamy and solid texture, with smooth tannins, leading to an intense and persistent finish.

Sizes

750 ml

Bottling

April 2017

Alcohol/Volume

14 %

Total Acidity

6.4 g/l

pH

3.6

Reducing Sugar / Baumé

2.2 g/l