Alentejo / Herdade do Esporão

Esporão Private Selection Branco 2022

2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010

Red White

Wine Concept

This wine was created in 2001 to challenge the classic profile of great Alentejo wines. Over the years the Semillon variety has been adapting with great success to the unique place where it was planted. The maturity of the vineyard, combined with its sun exposure and type of soil, has been giving grapes with an enormous potential that make this wine unique. Label by Alexandre Conefrey.

Awards

Wine Enthusiast

95 pts TOP 100  | 2018

93 pts | 2020 | 2019

92 pts | 2017 | 2009

91 pts | 2021 | 2015 | 2014 | 2008

Agriculture

The 2022 agricultural year was a dry year. During the vegetative rest period (autumn-winter) and spring, there were mild temperatures and low precipitation values. In the vineyard, budbreak was early, as in the previous year, and moderate temperatures anticipated vegetative development. The very high temperatures and the lack of water in the summer contributed to distant maturation between the varieties, resulting in a precision harvest with a special focus on the expression of each variety.

Vineyard with organic farming certification.

Grapes from the Palmeiras vineyard at Herdade dos Perdigões, one of Esporão’s properties. Northeast exposure, protecting the grapes during the hottest times of day.

SOIL TYPE

Predominantly clay, deep and well drained, ideal for balanced production, aromatic development and to preserve freshness and to enhance the terroir characteristics.

VINEYARD AGE

26 years.

Grape Varieties

Semillon

Vinification / Maturation

The grapes were delivered to the winery in the morning, when temperatures are at their lowest, and were placed in the pneumatic press. Long pressing cycles at low pressure enabled careful extraction for a rich must. Decanting was shorter than usual, which helped maintain the body and complexity of the wine. Fermentation took place in French oak barrels (550 liters) in a temperature-controlled cellar (18ºC).

Six months on the lees with periodic batonnage to provide better oak integration in the wine, thereby  reinforcing the creamy texture and depth. After bottling, the wine aged 6 months in the bottle to enhance the complexity that characterizes this wine.

More Information

Private Selection Red:

Over time, we have been expanding the knowledge about our land in Alentejo. We have a better understanding of its potential and make the most of the uniqueness of the vineyards to produce fine wines, at nature’s pace.

That knowledge takes shape in Private Selection, through a combination of select parcels from the different territories, along with separate vinification and ageing, according to each variety’s profile. This is a full-bodied wine, with texture, intensity, and vitality, that reflects the diversity and richness of Esporão’s territories in Alentejo and, in exceptional years, results in Torre do Esporão.

Private Selection White:

Esporão Private Selection white was launched in 2001 under the name “Garrafeira”. The desire to make a distinctive white wine that would challenge the classic profile of the great wines of the Alentejo, led winemaker David Baverstock to bring the Sémillon grape variety from Australia to our Herdade dos Perdigões estate. This French origin grape variety is iconic in the Barrosa Valley region of Australia, where it grows in a climate similar to that of the Alentejo.

Planted in granitic soils, clayey and deep, the Palmeiras vineyard has adapted well to our soils and the Alentejo heat. It is from this vineyard that the Private Selection White was born.

Every year we invite a new artist to illustrate our labels, and every piece of artwork has its own individual story to tell.

Wine Makers

Sandra Alves / Teresa Gaspar

Colour

Crystal-clear appearance, straw color with golden hues.

Aroma

Notes of apricot with nuances of ripe lemon, white pepper, and fresh almond.

Palate

Rich and intense, with white pulp fruit and spices. Long, elegant, and complex finish.

Sizes

750 ml

Bottling

8 August 2023

Alcohol/Volume

13.5 %

Total Acidity

5.85 g/l

pH

3.14

Reducing Sugar / Baumé

2.3 g/l