Torre do Esporao 2017 Tinto

€ 265.00

A dark red, dense, almost opaque red wine with a complex aroma of black currant and stone fruit combined with pure black chocolate and fresh mint hues. The taste is deep, compact, dense and structured with a silky texture, long finish, full of character

Autumn and winter were colder and wetter than the previous year, with the highest precipitation and lowest temperatures between November and February. Nevertheless, the temperature and precipitation remained within the average values of the past 18 years. Spring temperatures were higher than in 2016, leading to anticipation of the phenological stages, but this season's hot and dry weather ensured a healthy development of the grapes. The beginning of summer started to get hotter than in 2016 (+2.0ºC), leading to anticipation of the start of ripening. The months of August and September ended with lower temperatures than in 2016, with the grapes ripening faster and the sugar content being higher, resulting in fuller white wines, with hints of fruit. concentrated red wines

Food pairing

Excellent, powerful wine with red grilled or roasted meat

Grapes: Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Nacional, Aragonez, Touriga Franca

Grapes come from different domains. 75% Herdade do Esporão, 15% Herdade dos Perdigões and 10% from local wineries. The grapes of Herdade do Esporão come from following vineyards, Canto do Zé Cruz Vineyard (Aragonez) – Vineyard planted in 1980 at an altitude of 200 meters. Soils with a sandy loam texture, with the presence of some stones of the parent rock - granite, after the first 20 meters it abruptly turns into clay. Vinha do Rochedo (Touriga Franca) – Vine planted in 2005 at an altitude of 200 meters. Soil originating from a transition between slate and granite with a clay-sandy loam texture. And Badeco Vineyard (Touriga Nacional) – Vineyard planted in 1988 at an altitude of 200 meters. Soil of schist origin with frank to loamy texture. From Herdade dos Perdigões (15%): Vineyards of the Palms (Alicante Bouchet) – Vineyard planted in 1996 at an altitude of 225 meters Very clayey and deep soil, with good drainage. and the 10% Alicante Bouschet comes from local growers. Machuguinho Vineyard (Alicante Bouchet) – Vineyards planted in 2003 at an altitude of 400 meters where sandy soils of granitic origin predominate.

Throughout the harvest, we maintain close monitoring and detailed maturity indices, with each plot and variety harvested individually according to its profile and respective origin. In 2017, Aragonez was harvested on August 21, earlier than usual. Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional arrived at the winery on September 11, Alicante Bouschet dos Perdigões on September 14 and Lavradores on September 29. After the harvest, the Aragonez began alcoholic fermentation in foot-tread marble barrels and ended in concrete barrels where it underwent malolactic fermentation and then transferred and remained in 5000 liter barrels. Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional were jointly fermented in footstep marble barrels, after pressing they were transferred to 500 liter French oak barrels, 2nd year old, where they also underwent malolactic fermentation and remained for 18 months. Both plots of the Alicante Bouschet variety ferment separately in concrete vats. The malolactic fermentation took place in new 500 liter French oak barrels, where they remained for another 18 months in new barrels and barrels of 2nd use, with a capacity of 500 liters of French oak and 5000 liter barrels. Followed by 3 years of bottle aging.

Alcoholcontent

14,5%

pH: 3.62

Store & Serve

A wine with an aging potential of 25 years. Serve at 16-18 °C

Critics & Awards

19/20 - Grandes Escolhas Tasted: Aug 2022

94/100 - Wine Enthusiast Tasted: Jul 2023

The wine is named after a medieval tower at the heart of the Esporão estate. It is a serious, long-lived blend of four grapes, aged in wood. The structure is still apparent, so the wine needs to age further. Drink from 2025.

Tags: Herdade do Esporao - Alentejo