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 buttery or thick and too tropical or sweet-smelling.

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.

Chardonnay

curated

Comparable structure, texture and response to barrel ageing.

Keeps the full body and weight.
About as buttery or thick as the wine you started from.
About as tropical or sweet-smelling as the wine you started from.

Douro white

Both are made from encruzado, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both come from the same country.

Keeps the full body and weight.
About as buttery or thick as the wine you started from.
About as tropical or sweet-smelling as the wine you started from.

Trebbiano d’Abruzzo

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

Vernaccia di San Gimignano

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

Palomino Fino

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

Has some of the full body and weight, though less of it.
About as buttery or thick as the wine you started from.
A little less tropical or sweet-smelling.

Pinot Blanc

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

Chasselas

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

Assyrtiko

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Keeps the full body and weight.
About as buttery or thick as the wine you started from.
About as tropical or sweet-smelling 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.

Chardonnay

curated

Comparable structure, texture and response to barrel ageing.

Expect: Rounder and more overtly oaky.

Douro white

Both are made from encruzado, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both come from the same country.

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

Trebbiano d’Abruzzo

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

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fruitier.

Vernaccia di San Gimignano

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

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fruitier.

Different grape, similar feel

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

Trebbiano d’Abruzzo

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

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fruitier.

Vernaccia di San Gimignano

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

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fruitier.

Palomino Fino

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

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

Pinot Blanc

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

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, 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.

Trebbiano d’Abruzzo

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

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fruitier.

Vernaccia di San Gimignano

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fruitier.

Pinot Blanc

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Chasselas

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

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

Melon de Bourgogne scores closest to Encruzado across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

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

Muscadet

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

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

Arinto

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

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

Etna Bianco

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Similar but fuller

Keeps the character but adds weight, concentration and mouthfeel.

Pedro Ximénez

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

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

Douro white

Both are made from encruzado, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both come from the same country.

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

Chardonnay

curated

Comparable structure, texture and response to barrel ageing.

Expect: Rounder and more overtly oaky.

Assyrtiko

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

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

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.

Douro white

Both are made from encruzado, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both come from the same country.

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

Chardonnay

curated

Comparable structure, texture and response to barrel ageing.

Expect: Rounder and more overtly oaky.

Assyrtiko

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Santorini Assyrtiko

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Similar but more structured

More tannic architecture, for food or for ageing.

Friuli white

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

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

Brda Rebula

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Istrian Malvazija

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Trebbiano Spoletino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Similar but fresher

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

Assyrtiko

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Santorini Assyrtiko

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Greco di Tufo

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Savennières

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Similar but softer

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

Roussanne

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

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

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Pošip

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Crémant

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Cava

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Corpinnat

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Similar but sweeter

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

Albana

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Vouvray

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Welschriesling

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Trebbiano Toscano

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, 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.

Palomino Fino

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

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

Chasselas

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

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

Sercial

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

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

Greco

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Similar but more oaky

Adds barrel character, toast and a creamier texture.

Chardonnay

curated

Comparable structure, texture and response to barrel ageing.

Expect: Rounder and more overtly oaky.

White Burgundy

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

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

Friuli white

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

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

Sémillon

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Similar but more aromatic

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

Sancerre

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

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

Pouilly-Fumé

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

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

Roussanne

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Vin Jaune

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

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

Similar but more restrained

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

Trebbiano d’Abruzzo

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

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fruitier.

Vernaccia di San Gimignano

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

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fruitier.

Palomino Fino

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

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

Pinot Blanc

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

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fruitier.

Similar but more floral

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

Soave

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Garganega

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Sancerre

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

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

Vouvray

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Similar but more savoury

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

Palomino Fino

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

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

Savennières

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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 and more acidic.

Franken Silvaner

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

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fruitier.

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 lighter.

Montlouis-sur-Loire

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

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and lighter.

Gros Manseng

Gros Manseng scores closest to Encruzado across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

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

Petite Arvine

Petite Arvine scores closest to Encruzado across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

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

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

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

Same grape, warmer climate

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

Douro white

Both are made from encruzado, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both come from the same country.

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

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.

Santorini Assyrtiko

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

White Burgundy

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

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

Grüner Veltliner

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Something more adventurous

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

Douro white

Both are made from encruzado, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both come from the same country.

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

Trebbiano d’Abruzzo

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

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fruitier.

Vernaccia di San Gimignano

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

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fruitier.

Palomino Fino

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

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

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.

Douro white

Both are made from encruzado, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both come from the same country.

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

Trebbiano d’Abruzzo

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

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fruitier.

Vernaccia di San Gimignano

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

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and fruitier.

Palomino Fino

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

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

A step up

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

Santorini Assyrtiko

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

White Burgundy

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

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

South African Chenin Blanc

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

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

Australian Chardonnay

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, 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.