**Kiki, Juan and Rodrigo @ Vino Vero in Lisbon**

Espera took time.

There is something wonderfully poetic about a winery called Espera. In Portuguese, espera means to wait, but in the vineyard it has another meaning. During pruning, a small spur is left behind to bear fruit in the coming season. A promise of what is yet to come. Patience, anticipation, and trust in nature. We couldn't imagine a more fitting name for the wines of Rodrigo Martins and Ana Leal.

In 2014, Rodrigo and Ana began their project with a handful of small vineyards around Alcobaça and Óbidos, just inland from the thunderous Atlantic surf of Nazaré. Here, cool ocean breezes drift across clay-limestone soils, giving the wines an irresistible tension between ripe fruit, electric acidity, and a deliciously saline character. Rodrigo brings his extraordinary talent for viticulture and winemaking, while Ana is the creative force behind Espera's beautiful visual identity. Together, they've created something soulful, authentic, and unmistakably their own.

Rodrigo is particularly gifted with Castelão, a native Portuguese variety that finds an extraordinary expression in his hands. Imagine crushing ripe raspberries with fresh bay leaves in a mortar and pestle made of eucalyptus. Wild red fruit, savory herbs, and fragrant woodland magic mingles with a freshness that feels straight from the Atlantic. The whites are equally captivating, bursting with citrus, orchard fruit, and a mineral brightness that makes us salivate.

Everything begins with thoughtful organic farming and minimal intervention. Rodrigo's wines aren't about being wild for the sake of being natural. They're about purity, balance, and allowing each vineyard to tell its own story.

We first discovered Espera in 2020, but the timing wasn't quite right. We said we'd wait…Espera. Years later, after countless conversations, shared meals, and a beautiful friendship with Rodrigo and Ana, we're thrilled to finally welcome Espera to the La Luz family.

Some things really are worth waiting for.