Esporão Reserva Tinto

The Powerful Elegance of Esporão Reserva Tinto

Black fruit, chocolate, plum, blueberry, vanilla, leather with soft tannins! This is really very nice. The Esporão Reserva Tinto is a full but soft red wine from the Alentejo-region in Portugal. A selection of indigenous grape varieties, Aragonez, Alicante Bouschet and Trincadeira, make this a particularly characterful wine. The wine is ripe and rich, with notes of dark plums, black and red currants, a hint of clove, and subtle eucalyptus. A light hint of vanilla emerges in the finish, thanks to aging in oak. It distinguishes itself through its beautiful balance between power and finesse. Year after year, this wine is rated at least a 4 on Vivino, and we can attest to that.

Taste and Food Pairings

The Esporão Reserva Tinto has a rich and complex flavor profile, dominated by dark fruit and spices. The firm tannins give the wine structure, while the freshness and minerality ensure a pleasant balance. This powerful red wine is best enjoyed with roasted red meat, such as a juicy lamb burger, or grilled vegetables like beetroot. Smoked ham, such as Jamón Serrano, also pairs beautifully with the wine's spicy and earthy notes. The wine is excellent with traditional Portuguese dishes such as braised lamb or Cozido à Portuguesa. This makes it a perfect choice for culinary evenings or festive barbecues.

The Esporão Winery: Tradition, Terroir and Vinification

The historic winery Herdade do Esporão, with roots dating back to 1267, produces this iconic wine in the heart of AlentejoThe region has a Mediterranean climate with warm days and cool nights during the growing season. The vineyards, situated at an altitude of 200-250 meters, benefit from diverse soil types including granite, schist, and clay-limestone. Esporão is known for its high-quality wines and respect for tradition and nature.

The grapes for this wine—Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez, and Trincadeira—are carefully selected and vinified with precision. Entirely organic! They are harvested by hand in the early morning at optimal ripeness. After an initial selection in the vineyard, a second selection follows on sorting tables in the winery. The grape varieties are vinified separately to preserve their individual characteristics. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature between 24-26°C. After fermentation, the wine undergoes an extended maceration of approximately 10 days for additional extraction of color and tannins. Malolactic fermentation takes place in the tank, after which the different grape varieties are blended. The wine then ages for 12 months in a combination of French (70%) and American (30%) oak barrels, 40% of which are new. This makes it softer and provides subtle vanilla and clove notes. Prior to release, it undergoes a further 8 months of bottle aging for further refinement.

The winery combines centuries-old tradition with modern techniques and a strong focus on sustainability. The 700 hectares of vineyards are organic. The estate benefits from the microclimate created by the nearby Alqueva reservoir, which ensures optimal ripening conditions. Also try his full white little brother!