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 Lourdes de Castro to illustrate this year’s label.

Awards

2014, Essência do Vinho – 17.5 points

2011, Shanghai International Wine Challenge – Silver

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
Granite/schist geology with clay/loam soils.

AVERAGE AGE OF VINES
20 years

Grape Varieties

Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez, Syrah

Vinification / Maturation

Hand picked by variety, fruit selected on sorting table, destemming and crushing, fermentation with temperature control in small open tanks with foot treading ( 22ºC – 25ºC), basket pressing, malolactic fermentation in new french oak barrels.

18 months barrel maturation and 18 months bottle maturation, prior to bottle release.

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.

Wine Makers

David Baverstock and Luís Patrão

Colour

Deep dense red colour.

Aroma

Intense aromas of ripe red berry fruits with smokey notes.

Palate

Dense, compact palate with firm tannins, well structured, finishing long and with good persistence.

Sizes

750 ml

Bottling

June 2011

Alcohol/Volume

14 %

Total Acidity

6.41 g/l

pH

3.48

Reducing Sugar / Baumé

2 g/l