The Organic Path

Esporão was born in the Alentejo with the ambition to make the best wines. Over the years, we have learned that organic farming contributes to this mission. By protecting the soils and increasing the resilience and quality of the vineyards, we are able to obtain healthier, more balanced grapes that require less intervention in the winery. This allows us to produce wines with greater identity and a sense of place, without harmful products to our health and the environment.

All the vineyards in the Alentejo, at Herdade do Esporão, Herdade dos Perdigões, Lavradores, and Enxofral, are certified organic. The same applies to all the vineyards at Quinta dos Murças, in the Douro. Esporão's vineyards thus represent about 18% of the total organic production in the country. Our ambition extends to olive oil, and currently, around 93 hectares of olive groves are planted at Herdade do Esporão, with four varieties of olives, all in organic farming. This path began in 2007, with Olival dos Arrifes. The olive groves at Herdade dos Perdigões and Quinta dos Murças add 3 hectares and 19 hectares, respectively, also in organic production.

The sustainability journey has been undertaken in both the winery and the vineyard, providing a framework that not only recognises what we have already achieved but also encourages us to continue improving. The Herdade do Esporão winery is surrounded by natural habitats, and we have long worked to enhance and protect the local ecosystems. We actively maintain wildlife corridors, preserve native species, and integrate agroforestry practices that ensure our vineyard and olive grove management aligns with nature. The introduction of hedgerows, the maintenance of cover crops, and the installation of bat boxes to encourage natural pest control are just a few examples of how biodiversity plays a key role in our agricultural model.

Climate change adaptation is a top priority at Esporão. Our approach to precision farming, supported by advanced technologies such as satellite imagery and machine learning, helps us efficiently manage water usage and respond to changing environmental conditions. Furthermore, our commitment to the circular economy is reflected in practices such as composting organic waste from our vineyard and winery operations, which is then returned to the soil to nourish future crops.

Esporão is committed to supporting local communities and ensuring the well-being of our workers. We participate in various initiatives to promote local culture, including support for local artisans and educational programmes that involve younger generations in agricultural practices. Additionally, we have implemented fair labour policies and promote a healthy, safe working environment for all our staff.

Some specific examples include:

SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES AT HERDADE DO ESPORÃO

The agricultural practices at Herdade do Esporão aim to restore and enhance soil fertility, reduce erosion, promote balance between pests and their natural predators, increase water efficiency in irrigation, reuse agricultural by-products to produce fertilizers for our crops, conserve biodiversity, and preserve vegetative material at risk of disappearing from national vineyards.

AMPELOGRAPHIC FIELD

Planted in 2010, the ampelographic field is an open-air laboratory of approximately 10 hectares, representing 189 grape varieties. The field includes varieties from the Alentejo and Douro regions, as well as major varieties from other Portuguese wine regions and some less widespread national varieties with winemaking potential. It also includes international varieties with potential for the Alentejo region. This field was created to preserve national viticultural heritage, maintain clonal diversity, study the adaptability of each variety to climate change, and protect ancient varieties at risk of extinction.

PRECISION AGRICULTURE

The heterogeneous soils of Herdade do Esporão led to the adoption of innovative management measures, exploring variability during vineyard establishment and production. Soil variability is analyzed through the collection of data such as soil electrical conductivity and NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index). During the production phase, variability is monitored via satellite images collected every 5 days and drone footage, analyzed during critical growth stages (budburst, flowering, veraison, and ripening). Research has been invested in new technologies like Machine Learning. One notable project, developed with EY-Parthenon, aimed to analyze various factors affecting vineyard productivity, forecast and simulate short-, medium-, and long-term production. This data-driven approach, supported by advanced data science techniques, uses drone and satellite images, meteorological data, irrigation records, and intervention logs to create personalized models that enhance decision-making.

COVER CROPS

The maintenance of cover crops between vineyard rows helps reduce soil erosion and compaction, increases microbiological activity, water infiltration, organic matter, and soil fertility. Cover crops also promote biodiversity by providing habitats for beneficial fauna. At Herdade do Esporão, natural and sown cover crops are maintained, either permanent or temporary. Seed mixtures are based on native plant species, with legumes playing a key role in nitrogen fixation.

WATER AND IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT

A water-efficient irrigation strategy is adopted, promoting water stress in the plants to enhance quality. Climate monitoring equipment (weather stations), soil moisture sensors (Enviroscans and Diviners), and plant water status tools (pressure chambers) have been acquired, increasing the precision of irrigation applications and minimizing water loss through runoff and drainage.

ANIMALS

Bats and sheep are key allies in maintaining the ecosystem balance at Herdade do Esporão. Bats are insectivorous, consuming approximately one-third of their body weight in insects daily, helping control harmful insect populations. A 2018 study by the University of Évora identified eight bat species at Herdade do Esporão. Following this study, 20 bat boxes were installed to provide shelter and encourage bat activity in agricultural areas. Analysis of bat droppings showed that a significant portion of their diet consisted of the olive moth, one of the main olive grove pests. Sheep assist in vineyard grazing during the dormancy period, helping reduce feed costs and fertilizer use by leaving their droppings as natural fertilizer, and reducing mechanical and manual labor for weed control.

COMPOSTING

Composting transforms organic matter from biodegradable waste into a valuable end product: compost. At Herdade do Esporão, organic by-products such as grape stalks, olive leaves, and olive pomace are composted, producing nutrient-rich compost for the crops.

HEDGEROWS FOR NATURAL PEST CONTROL

In 2008, Esporão began an annual survey of its agricultural areas. The work identified lower abundance and diversity of beneficial species within vineyards compared to the surrounding margins, prompting the implementation of ecological infrastructures like hedgerows to compartmentalize the vineyard and encourage the presence of pollinators and natural pest enemies. In 2014, a pest survey was conducted, and the most suitable plant species were identified to support natural enemies. Species like wild rose, honeysuckle, blackberry, and others were planted to promote a natural balance in the future.

SEXUAL CONFUSION TECHNIQUE

The sexual confusion technique is a preventive method used to control grape moth populations by releasing pheromones throughout the vineyard. This saturates the atmosphere, preventing male moths from locating females, thereby reducing reproduction and controlling the pest population.