Espera: brilliant natural-leaning wines from Lisboa, Portugal
Website: https://www.esperawines.pt/en-gb
Espera is a natural wine producer based in Alcobaça, in the Lisboa wine region of Portugal. Soils here are clay limestone. Rodrigo Martins (pictured above) and Ana Leal farm five hectares of vines in Alcobaça and another five in nearby Óbidos. The climate here is moderated by proximity to the ocean. I tasted these wines on two occasions: at Simplesmente Vinhos in Porto, February 2025, and at the Glu Glu festival in Coimbra, June 2025.
Espera Bical Arinto 2023 Lisboa, Portugal
Apple, lemon and pea fruit with nice texture and weight. Lovely presence on the palate. 92/100

Espera Rosé 2023 Lisboa, Portugal
Touriga Nacional, barrel fermented. Aromatic orange peel nose with a slight volatile lift (but it’s not problematic). Lively and bright on the palate with nice brightness and a nice citrus tang. Such an interesting rosé. 92/100

Espera Curtimenta 2023 Lisboa, Portugal
Fernão Pires and 10% Alvarinho, 12 days on skins and then aged in stainless steel. Cloudy. Lovely texture and weight with a stony edge to the fruit, showing fine spiciness and notes of pear, lemon and peach. 93/100
Espera Curtimenta 2024 Lisboa, Portugal
This is mainly Fernão Pires with 2 weeks on skins, 90% fermented in stainless steel and 10% in new oak. Cloudy yellow in colour. Bright, fresh and vivid with nice acidity. Tangy with peach and apricot richness and some table grape notes. Bright citrus fruit. So appealing. 94/100

Espera Alvarinho Na Anfora 2022 Lisboa, Portugal
This spends 7 months on skins and stems (whole cluster) and then goes to amphora from Bordeaux. Powerful and lively with nice structure and acidity. Peach and pear fruit with lovely mealy depth. This has freshness and complexity with nice tannins, and the aromatics of peach, pear and warm spices are just amazing. 95/100

Espera Nat Cool 2022 Lisboa, Portugal
This is Castelão, 3 days on skins, matured in stainless steel. Fresh and bright with nice cherry and raspberry fruit, with some crunch. Grippy and expressive with nice tannins, some juiciness and good energy. Such fun. 93/100
Espera Nat Cool 2023 Lisboa, Portugal
This is Castelão, 3 days on skins, matured in stainless steel. Richness here as well as freshness with grainy sweet fruit. Nicely complexity with a chalky mineral character as well as rich fruit. 94/100

Espera Castelão Vinha dos Vales 2023 Lisboa, Portugal
50 year old single vineyard. Carbonic maceration then 9 months in barrel. Fresh, juicy and supple with good acidity. Bright redcurrant and raspberry fruit with nice structure. Delicious and drinkable with a hint of seriousness. 94/100