2021 Esporao Reserva Tinto

Bottle weight 500 g. 25% Alicante Bouschet, 25% Trincadeira, 20% Touriga Nacional, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% other grapes. Fermentation in a combination of stainless-steel vats, concrete tanks and small marble basins. Malolactic conversion in stainless-steel tanks was followed by 12 months' ageing in American (60%) and French (40%) oak barrels. After blending and bottling the wine was further aged for eight months in the bottle. RS 2.2 g/l.   Available in 154 stores. Very deep purplish crimson. High-toned. Very firm and pungent, with quite a bit of oak evident. Still a bit young, unfortunately. I’m sure it’ll get there but I wouldn’t recommend it for current drinking. (JR)