Wine Concept

A contemporary wine, with an elegant and intense profile. These wines express the character of selected and distinct parcels on the Estate.

Agriculture

Temperatures during the 2019 agricultural year were within the average of the last 20 years, while rainfall was below the average values for the same period. Between spring and early summer, the temperatures were higher than in 2018, leading to considerable phenological development of the vines, which resulted in the harvest beginning 2 weeks earlier than the previous year. The summer registered lower temperatures in the veraison phase, enabling a constant and homogenous ripening, the ideal conditions to produce outstanding raw material.

SOIL TYPE
Granite/schist origin with clay/loam structure.

VINEYARDS AGE
13 years.

Grape Varieties

Touriga Nacional, Syrah

Vinification / Maturation

Each variety harvested separately, destemmed, crushed, temperature-controlled alcoholic fermentation (22-25ºC) in stainless steel tanks, pressed, followed by malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks.

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

Intense ruby color.

Aroma

Intense berry and red plum aromas, with some notes of fresh woods.

Palate

Rich and intense, with a vibrant texture. A long and balanced finish.

Sizes

750 ml

Bottling

As of March 2020.

Alcohol/Volume

14 %

Total Acidity

6.00 g/l

pH

3.62

Reducing Sugar / Baumé

1.6 g/l