An alluring $50 bottle of wine is not hard to find.

On the other hand, alluring everyday wines under $15 are much more challenging to find.

Please allow me to help you with that!

I recently sampled two delicious, refreshing, food friendly wines imbued with personality well beyond their price point. On top of that the wines are vegan and sustainably produced by Heredade do Esporão, one of Portugal’s  most recognized forward looking companies and wine producers.

Disclosure: These wines were provided as media samples. No other compensation was involved. All opinions are mine.

The Wines

The 2021 Monte Velho Branco (white) and Rosé are blends from Portugal’s Alentejo region. Monte Velho (pronounced MON-teh VELL-yo), meaning “old mound,” references a high point on the Herdade do Esporão estate, capped by the ancient square fortress depicted on the labels.

Blending has been part of Alentejano winemaking culture for over 2,000 years. In the past, blends were usually “field blends.”(multiple interplanted grape varieties that were harvested and fermented together). Today, different grape varieties are typically planted in distinct and separate parcels to enable greater control at harvest and in the winery.

Fruit for this Monte Velho duo comes from vines that are, on average, 18 years old. Both raised in stainless steel and fermented to around a dry 2 g/l residual sugar to highlight freshness and fruit.

Each wine is certified vegan by the European Vegetarian Union. In the spirit of delivering more eco-friendly packaging, the wines come in lighter weight bottles (certified ISO 9001), shipped in cartons made from 100% varnish-free (certified ISO 14001), recycled cardboard.

My tasting notes follow:

2021 Herdade do Esporão Vinho Regional Alentejano Monte Velho Branco

Pale straw yellow color with inviting citrus zest, apricot, white peach, toasted almond, crushed gravel and a hint of floral aromas. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied and well balanced with vibrant, zesty acidity. It shows flavors of lemon zest, white peach, and apricot with hints of lychee and guava. Blend of 40% Antão Vaz, 40% Roupeiro, 20% Perrum. 13% abv| SRP – $12

2021 Herdade do Esporão Vinho Regional Alentejano Monte Velho Rosé

Pale pink color with a copper hue and red fruit, white pepper, citrus zest and dried herb aromas with an appealing hint of menthol. On the palate, it medium-bodied, and dry with vibrant, zesty acidity. It shows raspberry, red cherry, and just ripe strawberry flavors. Blend of red (Touriga Nacional, Aragonez (a.k.a Tempranillo) Syrah, Trincadeira and Tinta Caiada) and white grapes(Arinto). 12.5% abv|SRP – $12

Our region just experienced its 42nd day in a single year of temperatures over 100°F (and currently working on a 10 day streak). This pair of wines offered a bit of respite from the heat.

We poured a glass (or two) to enjoy on its own, but we also enjoyed it with snacks, and I couldn’t help but reminisce about our recent trip to Portugal, where these gastronomic wines would have been welcome with grilled sardines, or octopus! Fantastic value here. Highly recommended!

About Heredade do Esporão

Herdade do Esporão was founded in 1973 (though the geographic boundaries of the property date back to 1267), by José Roquette, the current owner, and Joaquim Bandeira. It is Alentejo’s largest wine producer. Its wines are exported to 50 countries, and is also the region’s most widely distributed in the U.S..

It’s been a driving force behind a revitalized Alentejo wine industry in the past 30 years, and a pioneered of certified winegrowing.

Namesake Esporão Group, led by second-generation João Roquette, with additional holdings in the Douro and Vinho Verde, today constitutes Portugal’s largest wine company and in 2019 joined the ranks of the world’s largest producers of certified organic wines.

But none of it almost happened.

In the wake of the Carnation Revolution in 1974 the pair lost everything. Roquette was arrested by the revolutionary government and imprisoned in 1975. He moved his family to Brazil to build a new life there.

Once the country ended its flirtation with communism in 1980, Roquette returned. The pair invested heavily in the winery and by 1985 released their first commercial vintage.

You can most definitely call it a comeback!

Many thanks to Creative Palate for the opportunity to taste these alluring wines.

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