If you like this, try…

Wines like Encruzado

The Dão’s outstanding white variety, capable of Burgundian weight and longevity. Below: what to try next, grouped by the direction you want to travel.

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What do you like about Encruzado?

Optional — the results below already work without it. But “I like Malbec” is at least four different preferences wearing one name, and saying which one you mean changes the answer substantially. Only qualities this wine actually has are offered.

I like…

How full and weighty it is The creamy, rounded texture That it is properly dry

But it’s a bit…

too sharp or lemony too tropical or sweet-smelling too heavy too buttery or thick too savoury or funky too austere

Clear all

What these words mean

The citrus and orchard fruit: Lemon, lime, green apple, pear. The signature of a cool-climate white — quieter and less perfumed than tropical fruit, and a different thing from the acidity it usually travels with.
The tropical fruit: Passionfruit, mango, pineapple, guava. It comes from riper fruit and warmer sites, and it is the difference between Marlborough and Sancerre in the same grape.
How full and weighty it is: Body is how much the wine seems to fill your mouth — the difference between skimmed and whole milk. It comes mostly from alcohol and ripeness.
The creamy, rounded texture: A soft, almost dairy-like roundness. In white wine it usually comes from malolactic fermentation or from time on the lees, not from the grape.
The savoury, meaty side: Leather, olive, cured meat, dried herbs, tobacco. It is what people mean by calling a wine "serious" rather than "fruity", and it comes with age as well as with place.
That it is properly dry: No perceptible sugar at all. Almost all red wine is dry and a good deal of white wine is not, which is why this is a more useful thing to say about a white than about a red.

Looking for something keeping the full body and weight, while moving away from too sharp or lemony, too buttery or thick and too austere.

Based on what you said

Ranked against the qualities you named rather than against the wine as a whole. The directions below are refined the same way.

Sercial

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Has some of the full body and weight, though less of it.
A little less sharp or lemony.
Substantially less buttery or thick.
Substantially less austere.

Malvasia

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Keeps the full body and weight.
A little less sharp or lemony.
About as buttery or thick as the wine you started from.
Substantially less austere.

Verdelho

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Has some of the full body and weight, though less of it.
About as sharp or lemony as the wine you started from.
Substantially less buttery or thick.
Substantially less austere.

Bual

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Keeps the full body and weight.
About as sharp or lemony as the wine you started from.
About as buttery or thick as the wine you started from.
Substantially less austere.

Vidal

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Has some of the full body and weight, though less of it.
A little less sharp or lemony.
About as buttery or thick as the wine you started from.
Substantially less austere.

Welschriesling

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Has some of the full body and weight, though less of it.
About as sharp or lemony as the wine you started from.
A little less buttery or thick.
Substantially less austere.

Albana

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Has some of the full body and weight, though less of it.
About as sharp or lemony as the wine you started from.
A little less buttery or thick.
Substantially less austere.

Petite Arvine

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Has some of the full body and weight, though less of it.
More sharp or lemony, not less.
Substantially less buttery or thick.
Substantially less austere.

Closest overall

Nearest neighbours, no change of direction.

Closest matches

The nearest overall neighbours across structure and flavour, with no deliberate change of direction.

Sercial

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and lighter.

Malvasia

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and fruitier.

Verdelho

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fruitier.

Bual

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and fruitier.

Different grape, similar feel

Deliberately excludes the variety you already know, to find a genuinely new wine that fills the same role.

Sercial

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and lighter.

Malvasia

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and fruitier.

Verdelho

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fruitier.

Bual

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and fruitier.

Change the structure

Same idea, different weight, grip or freshness.

Similar but lighter

Keeps the character but reduces weight, alcohol and density in the mouth.

Welschriesling

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fresher.

Albana

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fresher.

Muscadelle

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and softer and rounder.

Chenin Blanc

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fresher.

Similar but lower in alcohol

Holds the character and the weight where it can, and moves specifically on strength. Note that below about 11% the choices narrow sharply, and below 5% they are mostly a different category rather than a lighter version of the same one.

Vouvray

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and lighter in alcohol.

Furmint

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.

Welschriesling

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter in alcohol, and fresher.

Spätlese

Spätlese scores closest to Encruzado across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter in alcohol, and fresher.

Similar but fuller

Keeps the character but adds weight, concentration and mouthfeel.

Condrieu

Condrieu scores closest to Encruzado across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and rounder and creamier in texture.

Viognier

Viognier scores closest to Encruzado across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and rounder and creamier in texture.

Pedro Ximénez

Pedro Ximénez scores closest to Encruzado across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and sweeter.

Alsace Pinot Gris

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and softer and rounder.

Similar but less tannic

For readers who find firm reds drying. Reduces tannic grip while holding flavour and weight roughly steady.

Nothing in WineHQ's catalogue makes this move meaningfully from here. These are the closest wines otherwise, but do not expect them to deliver what you asked for — the honest answer is that this style does not have a good neighbour in that direction.

Bual

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and fruitier.

Vidal

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and lighter in alcohol.

Alsace Pinot Gris

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and softer and rounder.

Chenin Blanc

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fresher.

Similar but more structured

More tannic architecture, for food or for ageing.

Malvasia

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and fruitier.

Albana

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fresher.

Mtsvane Kakhuri

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fruitier.

Kisi

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fruitier.

Similar but fresher

Raises acidity and overall lift, usually by moving to a cooler-climate expression.

Petite Arvine

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.

Vouvray

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and lighter.

Petit Manseng

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.

Furmint

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.

Similar but softer

Lowers acidity and sharpness in favour of a broader, gentler feel.

Alsace Pinot Gris

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and rounder and creamier in texture.

Malvasia

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and fruitier.

Muscat of Alexandria

Muscat of Alexandria scores closest to Encruzado across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and fruitier.

California Chardonnay

California Chardonnay scores closest to Encruzado across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and rounder and creamier in texture.

The sparkling version

Moves to a sparkling expression while holding the flavour and weight as close as possible.

English sparkling wine

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and drier.

Crémant

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and drier.

Vouvray

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and lighter.

Sekt

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and drier.

Similar but sweeter

Adds perceptible sweetness, which also softens acidity and chilli heat.

Madeira

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and rounder and creamier in texture.

Malvasia

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and fruitier.

Szamorodni

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and fresher.

Vidal

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and lighter in alcohol.

Change the flavour

Same shape, different aromatic character.

Similar but less oaky

One of the commonest requests in wine. Strips oak influence while holding grape character and weight.

Sercial

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and lighter.

Malvasia

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and fruitier.

Verdelho

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fruitier.

Bual

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and fruitier.

Similar but more oaky

Adds barrel character, toast and a creamier texture.

California Chardonnay

California Chardonnay scores closest to Encruzado across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and softer and rounder.

Chenin Blanc

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fresher.

Sémillon

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and lighter.

Furmint

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.

Similar but more aromatic

More to smell before you taste — floral, fruity or spiced aromatics.

Scheurebe

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and fruitier.

Muscadelle

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and lighter.

Ortega

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and lighter.

Hárslevelű

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and lighter.

Similar but more restrained

For readers who find intensely aromatic wines tiring over a whole glass. Keeps the structure, turns the volume down.

Sémillon

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and lighter.

Trebbiano Toscano

Trebbiano Toscano scores closest to Encruzado across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and lighter.

Silvaner

Silvaner scores closest to Encruzado across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and softer and rounder.

Palomino Fino

Palomino Fino scores closest to Encruzado across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and drier.

Similar but more floral

Pushes specifically towards rose, violet, blossom and elderflower character.

Muscadelle

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and lighter.

Ortega

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and lighter.

Hárslevelű

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and lighter.

Scheurebe

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and lighter.

Similar but more savoury

Moves away from primary fruit towards earth, herb, meat and umami character.

Sercial

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and lighter.

Vin Jaune

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fresher.

Palomino Fino

Palomino Fino scores closest to Encruzado across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and softer and rounder.

Savennières

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fresher.

Similar but fruitier

More obvious, generous fruit flavour, usually from a warmer climate.

Malvasia

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and softer and rounder.

Vidal

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and lighter in alcohol.

Muscadelle

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and softer and rounder.

Petite Arvine

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and fresher.

Change the place

Keep the grape, move it somewhere else.

Same grape, cooler climate

Typically fresher, lighter and more herbal, with lower alcohol.

Douro white

Both are made from encruzado, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and softer and rounder.

Same grape, warmer climate

Typically riper, fuller and more generous in fruit, with higher alcohol.

Douro white

Both are made from encruzado, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fresher.

Change the mood

Safer, stranger, cheaper or more serious.

A safe next step

Well-known wines that are widely available and unlikely to surprise anyone.

Chenin Blanc

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fresher.

Pinot Gris

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and drier.

Chardonnay

curated

Comparable structure, texture and response to barrel ageing.

Expect: Rounder and more overtly oaky.

Riesling

Riesling scores closest to Encruzado across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fresher.

Something more adventurous

Less familiar wines that occupy similar territory — the interesting end of the shelf.

Sercial

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and lighter.

Malvasia

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and fruitier.

Verdelho

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fruitier.

Bual

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and fruitier.

A better-value alternative

Wines that occupy similar sensory territory from regions carrying less price premium. WineHQ does not hold live prices, so this reasons from regional reputation and demand rather than from a price feed — treat it as a lead, not a quote.

Sercial

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and lighter.

Malvasia

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and fruitier.

Verdelho

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fruitier.

Bual

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and fruitier.

A step up

The benchmark expressions of the same territory, usually with more concentration, structure and ageing potential.

White Burgundy

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fresher.

South African Chenin Blanc

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fruitier.

Santorini Assyrtiko

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fresher.

Australian Chardonnay

Australian Chardonnay scores closest to Encruzado across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fruitier.

How these are chosen

Each suggestion is scored across sixteen taste dimensions, weighted so that structure matters more than flavour, and adjusted for whether the wine actually moves in the direction you asked for. Curated links from an editor carry extra weight — but only when the editor tagged them for this direction. Nothing here is a black box; see the taste model for the full method.