Summary
Espera is a tiny winery operated by husband/wife duo Rodrigo Martins and Ana Leal. Rodrigo is an agronomic engineer and master in viticulture and oenology. For years he has worked as a consultant to wineries throughout Portugal, before starting Espera in 2014 when he took charge of small vineyard plots in Alcobaça to craft wines with a distinct character. Initially without a label or brand, the name "espera" emerged naturally from the vineyard itself. During pruning, alongside the primary shoot destined to bear grapes that year, a secondary shoot—called the espera—is left with the intention of becoming a future fruit-bearing unit. This practice, combined with the deeper meaning of the word "espera" (wait or expectation), symbolizes the natural and creative process of winemaking that is central to the brand's concept.
Together with Ana, who is responsible for the brand’s identity, the project took root in a plateau region 120 meters above sea level, near the coastal town of Nazaré. This unique terroir imparts an Atlantic profile to the wines, characterized by freshness, salinity, and the influence of high humidity.
In the vineyards Espera doesn't use herbicides, synthetic pesticides, mechanization, or irrigation. In the winery they use only natural fermentations (no temperature control on their fermentation vessels). The wines are not fined or filtered, and only low levels of sulfur are used at bottling.
