Wine Concept

Private Selection red is a continuation of Esporão Garrafeira red which was launched back in 1987. Initially, this wine was a selection of the best barrels of Esporão reserve red, but in time, with a better understanding of our estate vineyards, evolved into a selection of the best vineyard parcels of several premium grape varieties. This has resulted in a wine with great fruit intensity and a powerful tannic structure, ensuring long term bottle ageing.

Label photograph by Duarte Belo.

Awards

Premium Gold – Wines of Portugal Challenge, 2019

Agriculture

A moist winter followed by a mild summer with great thermal amplitudes, which allowed the vines to perform well, allowing wines to be more balanced and intense.

SOIL GEOLOGY

Canto de Zé Cruz Vineyard (Aragonez) – Sandy loam soil with granite stone in the top 20 cm layer, clay below.

Telheiro Vineyard (Syrah) – Stony schist based skeletal soil.

Palmeiras Vineyard (Alicante Bouschet) – Deep clay soil with good drainage.

Grape Varieties

Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez, Syrah

Vinification / Maturation

Each variety was vinified and aged separately. Syrah and Aragonez fermented in marble lagares with foot treading and pumping over. Alicante Bouschet fermented in small stainless-steel fermenters with regular pump overs. After pressing, the wines were kept separate, the malolactic fermentation occurring naturally in barrel.

Ageing was achieved in 30% new barrels and 70% used (1 year old), all French oak, a mix of 225 and 500 liter barrels. Ageing took place for 18 months, with one transfer following the malolactic fermentation. The final blend was made and bottled on 23rd June 2016, with no fining and only a light final filtration.

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 has its origin in a distinct vineyard, with extra viticultural supervision (bunch thinning where necessary), leading to the best possible fruit.

Aragonez from Canto Zé Cruz, planted in 1980, one of our oldest vineyards. Normally this is the latest Aragonez parcel we pick, having the longest ripening period and good phenolic ripeness producing wines with perfume and intensity. Syrah from the Vinha do Telheiro vineyard planted in 1998. Berries are very small and oval shaped. Grape production from this vineyard is low resulting in wines with power and concentration. Alicante Bouschet from the Vinha das Palmeiras vineyard planted in 1996, on a gentle sloping hillside in Herdade dos Perdigões. Good fruit exposure and well drained soils contribute to nicely concentrated groats and intense wines.

Wine Makers

David Baverstock and Sandra Alves

Colour

Deep, dark red.

Aroma

Mature dark berry fruits, complex tabaco, chocolate and toasty notes.

Palate

Silky texture but equally compact, firm tannic structure to ensure persistence and longevity.

Sizes

750 ml   ·   1,5 l

Bottling

June 2016

Alcohol/Volume

14.5 %

Total Acidity

6.7 g/l

pH

3.5

Reducing Sugar / Baumé

2.5 g/l