A winemaker who works with unfamiliar grape varieties in a lesser-known region, Sandra Alves is creating wines that many describe as both intriguing and sensuous. Despite experimenting with native and uncommon grapes, the young white-wine winemaker at the large, complex Herdade do Esporão estate in Portugal’s Alentejo region keeps her approach straightforward: “I try to keep things as simple as possible.”
Alves grew up amid vineyards near the famed Douro Valley and knew early on she wanted to pursue winemaking. After completing academic training that includes an M.B.A. focused on viticulture, oenology and marketing, she gained experience at several wineries before taking responsibility for the white wine program at Esporão.
Alentejo is a vast, hot and generally dry region located roughly 110 miles east of Lisbon. Although the Esporão estate dates back more than seven centuries, it became a dedicated winemaking property after its acquisition in 1973 and released its first bottlings in 1985. Today Esporão manages more than 1,200 acres of vineyards and is the largest and best-known producer in the Alentejo.
Alves’s white wines are rooted in Portuguese grape varieties. For Monte Velho 2011 ($10), she blended Roupeiro, Antão Vaz and Perrum to achieve a well-balanced wine: fresh and intensely fruity, with a surprising level of acidity given the region’s warm climate.
Esporão Private Selection 2011 ($25) combines Antão Vaz, Arinto and Semillon — the latter being a French variety and the only non-native grape in this blend. The result is a wine that balances ripe fruit aromas with a firm, lively acidity that holds up well in hot conditions.
Particularly notable is Esporão Reserva White 2011 ($20), a blend of Arinto, Antão Vaz and Roupeiro. This full-bodied wine delivers rich fruit flavors, especially citrus notes, with subtle oak influence and a long, satisfying finish.
Esporão Verdelho 2011 ($13) is crafted entirely from the Verdelho grape. It’s round in texture, refreshing and generous with melon and tropical fruit flavors, making it an approachable single-varietal expression.
These wines are well suited to warm summer days, offering freshness, balance and vivid fruit character that highlight both the grapes and the Alentejo terroir.