Espera Castelao

‘Espera’ means ‘wait’ and is a word that Rodrigo Martins uses as the basis of his winemaking philosophy. He works with organically farmed vineyards in the Alcobaça region just North of Lisbon, which are planted with several indigenous grape varieties. Rodrigo has no set elevage for his cuvées, preferring to treat each vintage as its own, giving more or less time as the wine needs. They’re more honest representatives of their year.

This new-wave Castelão sees freshness and intensity in perfect harmony. Blackcurrants, plum and red cherry flavours are layered with flint and minerals, and there’s just a gentle ruffle of tannin. Having spent 12 months in used French oak gives this wine a richness and smoky depth that shows the versatility of this Portuguese grape.