Esporao Private Selection Tinto 2016 750ml

The 2016 Garrafeira Private Selection is a blend of 40% Alicante Bouschet (from 1996 vines at Herdade dos Perdigões), 35% Aragonez (from Canto do Zé Cruz Vineyard, as planted in 1980) and the rest Touriga Franca (from 2005 vines at Rochedo Vineyard), with different aging practices: the Alicante Bouschet was aged 18 months in new French oak 500-liter barrels, the Aragonez in 5,000-liter used French oak casks and the Touriga Franca in 500-liter new French Oak. It comes in at 14.7% alcohol. This certainly shows off its new wood; there is vanilla around the edges. That said, the grapes handle themselves well too. The Alicante seems to particularly express itself well in the blend. The combination here becomes very appealing, although this will never be for oak-a-phobes. It’s tasty and delicious nonetheless, with good structure and some finesse. There were 40,212 bottles produced. This brand will not become organic until the 2019.