Portugal’s Ancient Clay-Pot Reds in Alentejo Are Back. Worth the Hype?

Winemakers in the Alentejo region of Portugal have been bringing back the ancient tradition of making wine in Talha, also known as Amphora, also known as clay pots. In fact, there is a specific designation for wines made in that method in Alentejo called Vinho de Talha. Winemakers are attracted to making wine in clay pots not just because of tradition, but because clay pots, like oak barrels, allow oxygen into the wine, but unlike oak, they do not impart the same heavy, oaky flavors. In addition, making wine in Talha is also usually accompanied by more natural, low-intervention winemaking techniques. In this episode, we dig into this winemaking method, explore the history of winemaking in the Alentejo region, discuss why wine in Alentejo is different from wines made in the more well-known Douro and Dão areas, and give our honest review of two wines from Alentejo made in Amphora. It is an adventure worth taking! Wines reviewed in this episode: 2023 Bojador Vinho de Talha Tinto, 2020 Casa Relvas Art.Terra Amphora Red Send us a Text Message and we'll respond in our next episode! Contact The Wine Pair Podcast - we’d love to hear from you! Visit our website, leave a review, and reach out to us:  https://thewinepairpodcast.com/ Follow and DM us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewinepairpodcast/ Send us an email: joe@thewinepairpodcast.com