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 moving away from too sharp or lemony, too tropical or sweet-smelling and too buttery or thick.

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

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

A little less sharp or lemony.
About as tropical or sweet-smelling as the wine you started from.
Substantially less buttery or thick.

Chasselas

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

A little less sharp or lemony.
A little less tropical or sweet-smelling.
A little less buttery or thick.

Koshu

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

About as sharp or lemony as the wine you started from.
A little less tropical or sweet-smelling.
A little less buttery or thick.

Trebbiano Toscano

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

About as sharp or lemony as the wine you started from.
A little less tropical or sweet-smelling.
A little less buttery or thick.

Melon de Bourgogne

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

More sharp or lemony, not less.
Substantially less tropical or sweet-smelling.
Substantially less buttery or thick.

Muscadet

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

More sharp or lemony, not less.
Substantially less tropical or sweet-smelling.
Substantially less buttery or thick.

Jacquère

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

More sharp or lemony, not less.
Substantially less tropical or sweet-smelling.
Substantially less buttery or thick.

Palomino Fino

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

A little less sharp or lemony.
A little less tropical or sweet-smelling.
About as buttery or thick as the wine you started from.

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

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

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

Chasselas

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

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

Koshu

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

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

Trebbiano Toscano

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

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

Different grape, similar feel

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

Sercial

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

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

Chasselas

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

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

Koshu

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

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

Trebbiano Toscano

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

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

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.

Trebbiano Toscano

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

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

Chasselas

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

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and less oaky.

Koshu

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

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

Melon de Bourgogne

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

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and lighter.

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.

Melon de Bourgogne

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

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and lighter.

Muscadet

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

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and lighter.

Jacquère

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

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and lighter.

Koshu

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

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

Similar but fuller

Keeps the character but adds weight, concentration and mouthfeel.

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.

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 rounder and creamier in texture, and fresher.

Savagnin

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Chardonnay

curated

Comparable structure, texture and response to barrel ageing.

Expect: Rounder and more overtly oaky.

Vin Jaune

Vin Jaune scores closest to Encruzado across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

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

Similar but less tannic

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

Sercial

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

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

Chasselas

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

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

Koshu

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

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

Trebbiano Toscano

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

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

Similar but more structured

More tannic architecture, for food or for ageing.

Koshu

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Istrian Malvazija

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

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and softer and rounder.

Malvazija Istarska

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

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and softer and rounder.

Brda Rebula

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Similar but fresher

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

Melon de Bourgogne

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and lighter.

Muscadet

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and lighter.

Jacquère

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and lighter.

Gavi

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.

Auxerrois

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

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

Roussanne

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

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and more aromatic.

Marsanne

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

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

Grenache Blanc

Grenache Blanc 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.

Crémant

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

English sparkling wine

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

English Blanc de Blancs

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Melon de Bourgogne

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and stiller.

Similar but sweeter

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

Trebbiano Toscano

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

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

Sercial

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

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

Sémillon

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

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

Trebbiano Romagnolo

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

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

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

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

Chasselas

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

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

Koshu

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

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

Trebbiano Toscano

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

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

Similar but more oaky

Adds barrel character, toast and a creamier texture.

Sémillon

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Chenin Blanc

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Chardonnay

curated

Comparable structure, texture and response to barrel ageing.

Expect: Rounder and more overtly oaky.

White Burgundy

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Similar but more aromatic

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

Aidani

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

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and softer and rounder.

Sancerre

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

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

Pouilly-Fumé

Pouilly-Fumé scores closest to Encruzado across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

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

Mtsvane Kakhuri

Mtsvane Kakhuri scores closest to Encruzado across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

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

Similar but more restrained

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

Chasselas

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

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

Koshu

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

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

Trebbiano Toscano

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

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

Melon de Bourgogne

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

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and lighter.

Similar but more floral

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

Aidani

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

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and softer and rounder.

Roero Arneis

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and more aromatic.

Macabeo

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and more aromatic.

Arneis

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and more aromatic.

Similar but more savoury

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

Muscadet

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

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and lighter.

Palomino Fino

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

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and less oaky.

Sercial

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

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

Vin Jaune

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Similar but fruitier

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

Avesso

Both come from the same country.

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

Verdelho

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

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

Mtsvane Kakhuri

Mtsvane Kakhuri scores closest to Encruzado across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

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

Montlouis-sur-Loire

Montlouis-sur-Loire scores closest to Encruzado across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

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 softer and rounder, and fresher.

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 fruitier, 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.

Chardonnay

curated

Comparable structure, texture and response to barrel ageing.

Expect: Rounder and more overtly oaky.

Pinot Grigio

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Pinot Gris

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and more aromatic.

Grüner Veltliner

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Something more adventurous

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

Sercial

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

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

Chasselas

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

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

Koshu

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

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

Trebbiano Toscano

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

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

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

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

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

Chasselas

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

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

Koshu

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

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

Trebbiano Toscano

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

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

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 fresher, and more aromatic.

Santorini Assyrtiko

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

South African Chenin Blanc

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and fresher.

Grüner Veltliner

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

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.