Defesa do Esporão Red 2020
2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010
Wine Concept
A wine with a contemporary style, featuring an elegant and intense profile. These wines convey the character of select and distinct parcels on the Estate.
Agriculture
Temperatures in 2020 were slightly higher than the average of the last 21 years, while rainfall was identical to the values recorded in the same period. Winter and spring were mild and rainy, allowing a healthy replenishment of the vines’ water reserves, which resulted in good vegetative growth compared with 2019. The summer was very hot and dry, presenting extremely high temperatures in July and leading us to begin the harvest around 2 weeks earlier than in the previous year. The weather conditions in the veraison phase let the grapes ripen gradually, which enabled a selective harvest that maximised the expression and quality of each grape variety.
SOIL TYPE
Granite/schist origin with clay/loam structure.
VINEYARDS AGE
13 years.
Grape Varieties
Touriga Nacional, SyrahVinification / Maturation
Each variety harvested separately, destemmed, crushed, alcoholic fermentation at controlled temperatures (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 & Sandra Alves.
Colour
Intense ruby colour.
Aroma
Intense berry and red plum aromas, with forest floor notes.
Palate
Rich and intense, with a vibrant texture. A long and balanced finish.