Herdade do Esporão Private Selection Red Alentejo 2016

94 points Wine Enthusiast: "Big, rich and dense, this is a powerful wine. The concentration and solid, smoky fruits show most strongly. With its blend including Alicante Bouschet, the wine has firm tannins and a dark color. It is just mature, so drink now or wait until 2022. Alcohol 14.5%. (Dec 2021)"

93 points Mark Squires (Wine Advocate): "[$85 list] The 2016 Garrafeira Private Selection is a blend of 40% Alicante Bouschet (from 1996 vines at Herdade dos Perdigões), 35% Aragonez (from Canto do Zé Cruz Vineyard, as planted in 1980) and the rest Touriga Franca (from 2005 vines at Rochedo Vineyard), with different aging practices: the Alicante Bouschet was aged 18 months in new French oak 500-liter barrels, the Aragonez in 5,000-liter used French oak casks and the Touriga Franca in 500-liter new French Oak. It comes in at 14.7% alcohol. This certainly shows off its new wood; there is vanilla around the edges. That said, the grapes handle themselves well too. The Alicante seems to particularly express itself well in the blend. The combination here becomes very appealing, although this will never be for oak-a-phobes. It's tasty and delicious nonetheless, with good structure and some finesse. Drink: 2022-2035. (Jul 2022)"