You might have noticed amphorae popping up all over the map as the trendiest new winemaking accessory. The use of these magical clay jars dates back 6,000 years to the veritable cradle of winemaking civilization; it speaks volumes that amphora-aged wines still capture our imagination and hold their own against a world’s worth of modern competition. They’ve got a heady dose of attitude accumulated over millennia that seems to say, “I’ve been around this long for a reason.”
But today’s Portuguese red is the farthest thing from stiff or prehistoric. It’s an absolute treasure in a world where mechanization, yields, and scores supersede the aggregated wisdom of generations, a wine made like no other I’ve had the privilege of trying this year. A little-known but highly productive Portuguese region, Alentejo, is being reborn thanks to vivacious young producers like Herdade do Rocim, helmed by Catarina Vieira and her partner, Pedro Ribeiro. They’re regenerating vineyards with organic farming and breathing new life into the sacred production of Talha—amphora-aged wines made in a process that feels closer to alchemy than vinification. Today’s blend of 50% Aragonez (Tempranillo) is bolstered by a concoction of indigenous grapes before undergoing one of the most surprising and unique winemaking processes in the world. Whatever the methods, the results are nothing short of magic, and priced perfectly for generous exploration with your savviest wine-loving friends.
Catarina and Pedro seem to pour out love for their country and their region into every drop of wine they produce. Catarina’s family founded the gorgeous Herdade do Rocim estate in 2000, filled it with modern art and dedicated it to traditional wine. It’s a natural juxtaposition for Catarina to navigate, and her dedication to walking the knife’s edge between the old and the new can be felt the second you set foot on the property. A greater variety of grapes and heightened scruples in the vineyard have created benchmark wines for the entire region, sparsely populated as it is. That being said, Alentejo’s hot days, cool nights, and position directly on the Vidigueira fault make for refined, mineral-driven wines of elegant terroir and strong character. Slowly transitioning from oak to amphorae is a commitment to showcasing the typicity that’s defined the region for centuries.
The winemaking alone deserves a dissertation, or maybe a love poem. Pedro Ribeiro used every ounce of his prodigious skill in perfecting the amphora method, infusing the tradition with a gentle dose of modern intelligence. He carries serious clout, having placed either first or second in the local Talha wine competition for the past 30 years, a ringing endorsement considering the vocal cohort of local experts who’ve been drinking Talha their entire lives. The magical process begins with the preparation of the clay pots; Pedro lines them with beeswax and olive oil both sourced from the property itself. Only the grapes from the oldest tinto vines enter the amphorae—60-80 years old, grown in clay and sand, a traditional mixture of Aragonez (aka Tempranillo), Trincadeira, Moreto, and Tinta Grossa. Filled with the ripe weight of the grapes, their skins, and their stems, the amphorae stay above ground (a modern update from the ancient burial process) and ferment without any additions whatsoever—no inoculations, sulfur, or corrections. Since the jars have no lids, Pedro floats a thick cap of fresh olive oil on top of the wine to prevent oxidation. The skins and stems drift to the bottom of each amphora after fermentation, where they rest for up to six months before a small tap is opened at the base of the jar and the sediment serves as a natural filter for the wine, which trickles out very slowly. The potent potion is bottled directly before some of it makes its way, miraculously, to the SommSelect warehouse for us to worship. A process indeed!
The “Amphora Tinto” is such a drastic departure from any other wine in the world, common tasting notes barely do it justice. Drinking it is nothing short of an adventure, a foray into a thicket of fresh blackberries, dark juicy plums, and sour cherry jam. The texture really shines; the amphorae manage to capture both freshness and opulence in a ripe swirl of dark fruits and cool minerals. The indigenous grape varieties impart wonderful acidity and don’t skimp on the complexity—each sip clings to the palate with velvety depth and refinement. But above all, this wine is tasty, like seriously, mouthwateringly delicious. It deserves to be paired with a hearty, tomato-based dish with lots of richness, like a slab of oozing roasted veggie lasagna. While the firm tannins will be softened by the acidity of the tomato sauce, keep in mind that they’ll naturally silken over the next three to five years of age—by which time you might be living in Portugal, drinking amphora-aged wine every night of the week.
