Honrado Talha White wine, produced by Honrado Vineyards, in the Alentejo wine region of Portugal.
This Talha wine was produced artisanally using the ancient technique of fermenting the grapes in clay pots. This technique which had come from Roman times has remained unchanged over more than 2000 years of history, moving thru generations through popular wisdom. It is in the region of Vila de Frades (Vidigueira), a small village with less than 900 inhabitants in the heart of Alentejo, that this tradition has been kept alive, and that is now recognized as “the Capital of the Amphora Wine”.
Each amphora has a different size, porosity, and density that causes that the levels of oxygen and the temperature at which grapes are subject to fermentation to be different from amphora to the amphora. This way, even if made from the same grapes, amphora wines have the peculiarity of being all different from each other due to the unique touch each amphora confers.
It is therefore impossible to replicate a batch, which consequently ensures the uniqueness of this type of wine.
Due to its direct contact with the carving, this wine has absorbed unique characteristics that only the clay could give it, and which are readily felt on the palate.
This DOC Alentejo wine, from the year 2019, is a blend with Antão Vaz, Arinto, Perrum and Diagalves grapes, growing on shale soil and Mediterranean climate, in the Vidigueira sub-region of Alentejo. The grapes were harvested by hand and by grape variety. Destemming and crushing of the grapes in a manual mill, and fermentation in clay pots coated with beeswax. The wines were kept in contact with the wine masses until November, and the malolactic fermentation still took place inside the amphoras.
The wine presents a beautiful medium amber color in the glass.
On the nose, for the first time, mostly spicy aromas of green pepper with mineral notes and oakiness, you can almost smell the ocean.
Lots of things happen in the glass after some airing, but most of all, you get an energetic fruit cocktail.
On the palate, the wine shows an initial softness with some bitterness, followed by harsh acidity which awakens the intense citrus and tropical fruits aromas such as mango and grapefruit, with intense notes of sweet tangerine peel, and a bit of pear and almond.
The persistent and intense aftertaste in a long finish.
A dry, white wine with good structure and a nice body. Very acidic and with a unique flavor. But, made in the carving, this white has aromas that change with the time in the glass. The wine has 3 years from bottling, according to the winemaker.
Pairing well with fish, seafood (clamshell and shrimp) and white meat.
A very special wine not to be missed!
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