Amphora wine day, celebrating wines made in clay, part 2
Here I’m writing up all the Portuguese wines tried at the amphora wine day at Rocim, November 2025.
Arvad, Algarve, Portugal
This is a relatively new project in the Algarve, initially with 20 hectares of vines, and now another 30. The speciality here is local grape Negra Mole, which makes lighter red wines, and because of the lighter colour this variety went out of fashion, but now people are interested in it again. But the problem is it can be hard to find because vineyards were taken out and planted with other varieties. When ripe, it has berries of different colours in the bunch. Arvad make between 120 and 160 000 bottles a year.
The amphorae used here are 750 litre Tavas.
Arvad Espumante Arinto Brut Nature 2022 Algarve, Portugal
The base wine spends a year in amphora and then 2 years on lees. Bright and linear with subtle stoniness, and good acidity. Linear, focused and stylish. 91/100
Arvad Espumante Negra Mole Brut Nature Rosé 2022 Algarve, Portugal
One year amphora for the base wine then two years on lees. Notes of apple, pear and spice. Stony and linear with good acidity. Juicy and quite delicious: this is really good. 92/100
Arvad Negra Mole Branco 2024 Algarve, Portugal
Fermented in amphora off skins and aged for 8 months. Stony, bright and linear with fresh citrus fruit. Pure and direct with taut fruit. Energetic and fine. 92/100
Arvad Negra Mole Rosé 2024 Algarve, Portugal
Stony and sappy with fresh fruit and really nice texture. Has good acidity. Juicy, fine and textural. 93/100
Arvad Negra Mole Tinto 2024 Algarve, Portugal
Two months on skins in stainless steel then 8 months in amphora. Pale red in colour. Supple, juicy red currant and red cherry fruit. Bright, linear and elegant with lovely balance. 93/100
Mainova, Alentejo, Portugal
This is a new project, and a very good one. Barbara Monteiro used to work in marketing in Lisbon, and she quit her job in 2019 to make wines from a family property, moving to Evora in the process. Originally the vineyard was planted by the late David Booth, and Antonio Macanita makes the wines. They come from 20 hectares of vines on a 200 hectare family property, which also has 90 hectares of olives. Vineyards are organic. This is the amphora wine.
Mainova Moinante Amphora Tinto NV Alentejo, Portugal
This is a blend of Baga, Alicante Bouschet and Aragonez from 2021 and 2022 vintages. Ferments in talha then goes to stainless steel. Supple, lively and pure. It’s fresh with a slightly spicy edge to the juicy berry and cherry fruits. Nice acid line. 94/100
I also tried a Baga from the 2025 vintage, in talha. It was deliciously expressive with intense black fruits and some intriguing green notes. So pure and linear: this will be really good.
Amoreira da Torre, Alentejo
This is an interesting project not far from Evora, and I tasted with owner and winemaker Paulo Cunhal. He planted the vineyard in 2001, made the first wines in 2003, and converted to organics in 2005. These wines were made in raw clay amphorae (not old talhas) and they are 1500 litres in capacity.
Amoreira da Torre Amphora + Barrica Branco 2023 Alentejo
Arinto and Verdelho fermented on skins, then half goes to amphora and half to 500 litre barrels. This is textural, stony and mineral with nice pear and citrus fruit as well as some green apple. Fine-grained and textural. 94/100
Amoreira da Torre Amphora +Barrica Palhete 2022 Alentejo
Arinto and Verdelho (80%) and then Aragonez and Trincadeira (20%). Pale in colour. Lively and bright with fresh, focused cranberry and raspberry fruit with spicy acidity and some grainy structure. Pure and nuanced. 94/100
Amoreira da Torre Abafador Vinho Abafado 2024 Alentejo
This is must that is fortified before fermentation starts, and it’s made in an 80 litre amphora, where it stays for just over a year. It’s a palhete (blend of red and white grapes). Sweet, complex and pure with appealing almond and cherry notes as well as fine spices. Very expressive, and very sweet. 92/100
Adega das Flores, Alentejo, Portugal
This is a new project in the Alentejo, based in Reguengos. It’s focusing solely on talha wines, and they bought the winery with 20 talhas in it in 2019, renovated it and then made the first vintage in 2022. It’s the project of the Flores family, hence the name. After buying the winery they bought 2 hectares of vines.
Adega das Flores 42.5 Almudes Antão Vaz 2024 Alentejo, Portugal
12.5% alcohol. Made with skins in talha, wild yeast, left on skins until January. Lovely nose: vivid with a hint of mint. Lively and mineral; salty and stony, with a hint of earth. Harmonious. A classic talha white, showing lovely personality, finishing salty. 94/100
Adega das Flores 18.3 Almudes Moreto 2023 Alentejo, Portugal
Kept on skins in talha until March. Lighter style red but very bright in colour. Fresh and pure with cranberry and red cherry fruit with a nice stoniness. Vivid with real finesse. 94/100
Adega das Flores 44.5 Almudes 2023 Alentejo, Portugal
This is 80% Touriga Nacional, with the balance Moreto, Aragonez and Castelão. 6 weeks in talha. Deep in colour but very bright. Grippy, fresh and vivid with nice detail. Pure and expressive with firm tannins and nice fruit. 95/100
Adega das Flores 68.5 Almudes Aragonez 2023 Alentejo, Portugal
4 months in talha. Supple and juicy with vivid cherry fruit. Expressive and fine with purity and balance. Quite lovely. 95/100
Malhadinha Nova, Alentejo, Portugal
Malhadinha bought the Teixinha property in April 2021. They are based in the very south of the Alentejo, but Teixinha is much further north in Portalagre, at 700 m altitude.
Teixinha Field Blend Tava Branco 2023 Alentejo, Portugal
Just use the amphora for ageing, not fermentation. These vines were planted in 1997, four varieties, co-fermented. 750 litre Tava. No skins, direct press, settled, then fermented, then Tava. No malolactic. This is lively and bright with direct citrus fruit, showing some pithiness and lovely acidity. This is pure and intense with great energy. Stony and juicy. 94/100
Teixinha Field Blend Tinto 2023 Alentejo, Portugal
Aged in Tava. 14 months in Tava. 1997 plantings with Alicante, Trincadeira and Aragonez. This is fresh and fruit forward and really direct with bright, vivid red cherry and berry fruits with nice grip and intensity. Grainy with nice tannins, finishing fresh. Really alive. 94/100
Niepoort, Douro, Portugal
Niepoort needs little introduction. This is one of the NatCool wines, and it’s a brilliant lighter-styled red with real drinkability.
Niepoort Voyeur NatCool 2022 Douro
11.5% alcohol. This started out as a normal red wine in 2007, but Daniel and Louis Pedrocs decided to take it to amphora, and the result is amazing. Six vineyards, three red and three white. Reds in Covas and the whites from Porrais. All field blends. Amphora made in the Alentejo, but they aren’t old ones. All whole bunch, with a bit of foot treading, then 6-8 months of maceration. Then when the amphorae are opened the wine is then settled for four months. Fresh, vivid and expressive with tart, juicy red cherry and redcurrant fruit, with nice tartness. There’s freshness and energy here, with some tannin and good acidity, finishing brisk. Such lovely energy and focus. 94/100
XXVI Talhas, Alentejo, Portugal
This is a project I’ve been following for a few years now. They began with 26 talhas (this is a talha only winery) but have added a few more. The wines are really good.
XXVI Talhas Branco do Tareco 2024 Alentejo, Portugal
Three months on skins. Yellow/gold colour. Stony, vivid with yellow plum and citrus fruit, and hints of mint and chalk. Nice finish. 93/100
XXVI Talhas Palete do Tareco 2024 Alentejo, Portugal
Single vineyard field blend, white (more, it’s from Vidigueira) and red varieties. Crush grapes, 10% stems, make four talhas, natural fermentation and punch down twice a day, then middle of November it is removed. Two weeks settling in stainless steel then bottle, adding a small dose of sulfites. Pink/orange in colour with some red. Subtle and supple with lovely chalky notes to the cherry and pear fruit. So expressive and delicious with some richness but also freshness. Really fine grained and detailed, and easy drinking. Talha wine for novices. 94/100
XXVI Talhas Tinto do Tareco 2024 Alentejo, Portugal
Three months on skins. Lovely red cherries, plums and spice. Grainy and fresh with nice acidity and good density. Such finesse here. 94/100
XXVI Talhas Mestre Daniel Branco 2023 Alentejo, Portugal
6 months on skins. So refined. Fresh citrus and pear, some green apple, and a hint of mint. Wet stones, too. This is supple and pure; mineral and fresh. 94/100
XXVI Talhas Mestre Daniel Talha X Branco 2023 Alentejo, Portugal
Old vineyard, 0.5 hectares, one talha. 6 months skin contact, then bottled. Talha is stirred occasionally to bring the lees up and improve the mouthfeel. Full golden colour. Refined and powerful, with lovely crystalline white peach and pear fruit as well as a bit of fine-grained structure, and nice acidity. Complex, detailed and layered, finishing really fresh. Amazing texture and depth here. 95/100
XXVI Talhas Mestre Daniel Tinto 2023 Alentejo, Portugal
6 months on skins. Juicy and tart with redcurrant, raspberry, cherry and spice. Fresh, showing nice acidity. Refined tannins. There’s a touch of sour cherry on the finish. Beautifully expressive. 95/100
XXVI Talhas Mestre Daniel Talha XV Tinto 2023 Alentejo, Portugal
This is mainly Tinta Grossa. Dense and grainy with some structure. Lovely full bodied wine, but it’s still elegant. Grippy and grainy with black cherries and raspberries and a crunchy finish. 94/100
XXVI Talhas ‘XXVI’ Tinto 2022 Alentejo, Portugal
6 months skins, then goes to small talha for a year with olive oil on the top. This is the first time they’ve bottled this: they’ve tried this twice before. Aragonez, Trincadeira and Tinta Grosso. This is textured and elegant with fine-grained structure and amazing elegance. There’s some ripeness here but also structure, with beautiful raspberry, cherry and plum fruit, with nice detail and purity. Such refinement here: truly beautiful. 96/100
Ode Wines, Tejo
This is quite a fancy new project in the Tejo region, which began in 2022. There are 22 hectares of vines on the 100 hectare property. Viticulture is organic. There are also olive and cork trees, and they plan to build a high-end wine resort.
Ode Wines Feito a Mão Naturalmente 2023 Tejo, Portugal
This is a field blend white that spends 9 months in clay amphorae specially made by a master of clay based in Tomar. The wine is fermented on skins in tank and then goes to clay. Bold and bright with nice energy, some juicy citrus fruit and a bit of pithiness. Impactful with good acidity. 92/100
Ode Wines Amphora Tinto 2024 Tejo, Portugal
This is Alicante Bouschet that spends 6 months on skins in clay. Vivid, fresh, bright and salty, showing nice energy. Grippy and broad with lots of fruit. Finishes grippy. This is really good. 94/100
Ode Wines Amphora Tinto 2023 Tejo, Portugal
Supple, fine and grainy with nice fruit intensity and a bit of grip. Pure and linear. 93/100
Morais Rocha, Vidiguiera, Alentejo
The man on the front label made just talha wine from his family and friends, until he passed aged 96. In 2019 Morais Rocha launched their first talha wine as a tribute, made in talhas at least 150 years old.
Morais Rocha JJ Branco 2023 Alentejo, Portugal
Antão Vaz. Golden colour. Complex, layered, waxy and spicy with nice citrus and pear fruit. Grainy and grippy with good energy but also some depth, and pear, peach and spice. Nic grainy structure. 94/100
Morais Rocha JJ Branco 2024 Alentejo, Portugal
Minty edge to the vivid, bright, stony citrus fruit, as well as notes of pear and minerals. Nice intensity here, with a grapey edge to the fruit. Fine, with good acidity and some waxy notes. 94/100
Morais Rocha JJ Tinto 2023 Alentejo, Portugal
Trincadeira and Aragonez. On skins until mid November. Light in colour. Lovely elegance with fresh red cherry fruit, some raspberry and nice grip. So stylish. 94/100
Howard’s Folly, Alentejo, Portugal
Howard’s Folly Três Anforas Rosado 2024 Alentejo, Portugal
From Portalagre. Supple and fresh with lovely energy. Bright cherries and some citrus. Juicy and refined. 93/100
Howard’s Folly Três Anforas Tinto 2022 Alentejo, Portugal
Bright and juicy, stony and grainy, showing a nice savoury twist to the palate. Has some grip. 92/100
