2× Esporão Private Selection Branco 2022 – 100% Sémillon – Alentejo – 75cl

Esporão Private Selection Branco 2022 is one of Herdade do Esporão’s premium white wines, created to challenge the traditional profile of great Alentejo whites. It is produced entirely from Sémillon, sourced from the Palmeiras vineyard, planted in 1996 and described by Esporão as one of Portugal’s oldest Sémillon vineyards. The vineyard is planted on deep granite and clay soils and farmed organically. The grapes are harvested by hand before fermentation in 550-litre French oak barrels. The wine then remains on its fermentation lees, with bâtonnage for six months, followed by another six months of bottle ageing. The 2022 shows ripe apricot and lemon, white pepper and fresh almond, developing into a rich, intense palate with white-fleshed fruit, spice and a long, elegant, complex finish. Esporão bottled the vintage on 8 August 2023. Another distinctive feature is Esporão’s artist-label tradition. The original artwork for this vintage is by Alexandre Conefrey, as confirmed both by Esporão and the bottles themselves.