The boundaries of Herdade do Esporão were first established in 1267 and have been unaltered since then. The property´s first owner was Soeiro Rodrigues, Judge of the city of Évora. The property witnessed many battles, intrigues, and episodes of revenge during the Middle Ages in the Lower Alentejo. The estate later came to belong to one branch of the eminent Távora family and later to the Counts of Álcaçovas. In 1973, José Roquette and Joaquim Bandeira bought the property and started a winemaking project. The first wine was produced in 1985 under the brand name Esporão.
Endless expanses of vineyards, forests and olive groves cover the 1,800 hectares that make up the landholding that is bathed by the waters of a reservoir formed by a dam on the Caridade stream. The company is highly dedicated to environmental preservation and is committed to protecting biodiversity.
The goal of Esporão is to produce the best possible grapes with the greatest winemaking potential, whilst encouraging the closest possible link between grape growing and winemaking. The varieties planted are carefully selected with special emphasis on the native Alentejo grapes in order to protect them and raise awareness of their value. The wineries are equipped with the highest possible technology and have a winemaking and storage capacity of 9,000 tones. They are equipped with an automatic cooling system.
The wine tourism facilities are built in a traditional style with emphasis on local materials and construction methods. Large terraces provide a panoramic view over the reservoir.
 |
Share |
See wine Tourism 
 |
 |
