Highlights: Herdade do Rocim Clay Aged Tinto 2018 Alentejo, Portugal
Rocim, the Alentejo winery based between Cuba and Vidiguera in the south of the region, are famous for their hosting of the ‘Made in Clay’ festival. They have a number of old talha, the traditional clay amphora that were widely used in the past here for making wine, and which are undergoing a revival. This is a really lovely wine: rather than being fermented in talha in the traditional way, this wine is fermented in lagares (shallow stone fermenters) and then is aged in small amphorae. It’s really interesting, with lovely texture.
Herdade do Rocim Clay Aged Tinto 2018 Alentejo, Portugal
14% alcohol. A blend of Alicante Bouschet, Trincadeira and Touriga Franca, foot trodden in lagares and then aged for 16 months in in 140 litre talhas. This is a really interesting textural wine with a distinctly chalky, earthy underpinning to the sweet but well balanced blackberry and blackcurrant fruit. There’s great concentration here but also a sense of refinement, and I really love how it feels in the mouth. It’s all grainy and chalky, and very fine. A serious effort that will likely age very well: a new Alentejo classic. 94/100
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