“Getting the chance to go to the wine cellar and taste all those memories is very exciting. There’s always great expectation and curiosity to discover the state of the wines. These are wines that have spent ten, 20 and 30 years in the bottle. Think about what has happened over the last 30 years in the world, in Portugal, at Esporão and to the people themselves. Where was I 20 years ago? And to think that a particular bottle has witnessed all these events, that wine is still there, has resisted time and still manages to give us special moments at the table, it’s incredible.” Sandra Alves.
In over 30 years of history, many wines have been produced, things experienced and memories created. Fortunately, there is a place where we can travel back in time and revisit them with different wines. Our wine cellar (garrafeira) is an archive of all the work undertaken and visiting it is quite a unique experience.
The Esporão’s Cellary Wines Tasting is a unique and special moment that stems from curiosity and the chance to visit the wine cellar to taste our rarest and oldest wines, sharing this experience with people interested in a dinner tailored to each wine.
After the first experience in 2016, we decided to do it again. Our winemaker, Sandra Alves, reopened the wine cellar, made a wide selection of wines and tasted them individually. The final choice was based on how well the wine had aged, but not only that.
«It’s interesting to monitor the development of each wine. Not only the wine, which, in the meantime, has radically changed in terms of profile and composition, but also in terms of label and image. Observing the growth of the brand, what it has become. opening the wine cellar is also that, accompanying the history of Esporão and the brand through the wines. what was done at the time, the grape varieties used, the vineyard plots and image.»
The final selection was made with the help of Chef Pedro Pena Bastos, who created ten dishes inspired by each wine. Crayfish, oysters, mullet, red shrimp, Iberian pig cheek and mature sirloin steak, were some of the ingredients featured.
The tasting was held at Restaurante Esporão, before dinner was served in the restaurant’s private room. From 1987 to 2016, between the tasting and the dinner, 15 wines were tried. Among the oldest was the Esporão Reserva white 1987.
«It’s a fascinating wine. it’s odd that the label says that it has the ROUPEIRO grape, because the rear label talks about other varieties, such as Perrum. It’s interesting because, nowadays, it wouldn’t be a grape we would choose for an Esporão Reserva. It doesn’t fit, it’s an easy grape with less acidity. But, there it is, in a 30-year-old wine. It was also one of the first wines produced at the winery. It marks the beginning of a story.» SANDRA ALVES
This was a special and exclusive tasting, and those who participated could not have been happier.
«What I like about this tasting is the contact with the winemakers and the history of each wine. As it’s only a small group of people, it’s easier to communicate. We understand better what we’re drinking and how the wine got there. The gastronomic aspect is also very important, the food is delicious and the pairings are very interesting. It’s the second time I’ve done a Garrafeira Tasting and my expectations were high. And they were exceeded. The wines and food were very balanced and that, in the end, is what stays with you, the complete experience. » Sofia Veiga Vaz
