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Sezão (or Sousão) is an incredibly dark, powerful, and expressive Portuguese red grape variety. Mostly grown in the Minho and Douro regions, it is famous for its ability to provide wine with an inky black color, firm tannic structure, and exceptionally high, crisp acidity. It is a bold choice for those who appreciate highly concentrated, characterful, and age-worthy red drinks.
Read moreAlthough historically this variety was used only as a color and acidity-enhancing component in blends (including Port wine), today bold winemakers are creating impressive 100% Sezão wines.
Pure Sezão wines require patience and time. Due to the massive amount of tannins and acidity, the best examples of this variety are aged extensively in oak barrels. The oak softens the grape's rough nature, allowing deep aromas of black cherries, blackberries, dark chocolate, and spices to unfold. When choosing this wine, prioritize longer-aged (Reserva) variants.
The powerful body and high acidity of the wine make it a perfect companion for hearty and fatty gastronomy. Sezão is inseparable from heavy meat stews, barbecued beef and lamb, and long-aged hard cheeses. The acidity perfectly cuts through the fat, paving the way for new flavors.
Sezão belongs to the rare category of "Teinturier" (dyer) grapes. Unlike most of the world's red grapes, whose flesh and juice are white, the inside of Sezão berries is naturally red. For this reason, during fermentation, the wine immediately acquires an opaque, blue-black hue.
Yes, genetically they are exactly the same variety. The name "Sezão" is historically more established in the northern Minho ("Vinho Verde") region, where the variety originated. Meanwhile, the name "Sousão" is much more commonly used in the Douro Valley and on international labels.
