Esporão Touriga Nacional expresses not merely the grape variety and the characteristics and maturity of the vineyard where it was grown but also the experience of those who have carefully tended to the vines for years. The 2017 harvest yielded an especially rich and concentrated edition. Five-years' ageing in Herdade do Esporão's cellars added finesse and polish.
Touriga Nacional is a proudly traditional Portuguese grape variety that grants intensity and balance to wines, making them well-suited to ageing. This particular wine comes from one of the oldest Touriga Nacional vineyards in the Alentejo—planted in 1988 at Herdade do Esporão. The grapes were harvested by hand, trodden by foot in marble lagares, then subjected to malolactic fermentation in temperature-controlled concrete vats. After ageing in new French oak barrels for a year, the wine was matured for another five inside the bottle before being released now—at its peak potential.
This meticulous crafting both in the vineyard and the winery has resulted in a rich, elegant and intense wine, which will remain at this level of quality for many years to come.