Amphora wine day, celebrating wines made in clay, part 1
Each year Herdade do Rocim host an amphora wine day, bringing together wineries from around the world who make wine in clay. It’s a great event, and the 2025 edition was the third I’ve attended. Diverse wines, with a strong emphasis on the Alentejo where the talha tradition has been revived to good effect, and also some good producers from the rest of Portugal and further afield. My impression is that people are learning better how to work with clay. Here are my notes on the wines I tasted. I’ve split them into two sections: first of all, the non-Portuguese wines, and then the second is focused on the Portuguese amphora wines.
Château Petit Guillot, Bordeau
Petit Guillot are based in Cadillac, and make two amphora wines, both in 750 litre Tavas. I tasted with proprietor/winemaker Fabien Guillotin.
Château Petit Guillot Hors des Clous Sauvignon Blanc 2024 Bordeaux
This spends 4 weeks on skins in stainless steel then a year in amphora. Complex and bright with a lovely citrus edge to the fruit, as well as ripe apple and pear. Supple with some waxy hints. Juicy, showing nice energy. 93/100
Château Petit Guillot Hors des Clous Merlot 2022 Bordeaux
The Merlot here makes two wines. Half goes to big barrels, but this wine is made from amphora. 44 year old vines. Ripe, pure and grainy with lovely texture. Good density to the ripe berry fruits, and there’s a slight stony edge. Lovely fruit here. 93/100
Carsin/Charivari Wines, Bordeaux, France
Nea Berglund was born in Finland, but makes wine on her family’s estate in Cadillac, which her father bought in 1990. She’s now been there for 10 years and makes 12 different wines from 13 hectares. They also have fruit and olive trees. Nea says her father hated her more natural wines and begged her not to use the Carsin name for them. She makes two amphora wines, using 750 litre Tava. They are both brilliant.
L’Amour Fragile 2021 Vin de France
12.5% alcohol. Sauvignon Blanc from red clay soils. Hand picked, destem, then 3 weeks on skins in the amphora. Just keep the cap wet. Take the skins out by hand and then leave it in there for a year. Sulfites added before bottling, total is 18 ppm. Beautiful aromatics: perfumed melon and pear, and some apple. Floral honeysuckle and elderflower notes. The palate is lively and textural with some rich melony notes and then a chalky texture. So interesting. 94/100
Carsin Amphora Carmenere 2024 Bordeaux
11.5% alcohol. They planted Carmenere at Carsin 20 years ago, and then added more, so they now have over 1 hectare of this variety that was almost extinct in Bordeaux, but which has 10 000 hectares in Chile. Destemmed, fermented in amphora, very little pigeage, skins taken out after 3-4 weeks, then 6 months ageing in amphora. So Carmenere on the nose, chalky, white pepper, cherries. The palate is supple and spicy with some chalk and spice as well as supple red cherry and berry fruits. This is quite lovely. 94/100
Cantina del Malandrino, Etna, Sicily
The focus here is monovarietal wines from Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio and Carricante. Albarello (bush vine). They began working with terracotta vessels of various sizes, but have switched to a sort of clay called Roman concrete, and using this it’s possible to make larger amphorae of 1000-1500 litres. None of the wines have any added sulfites.
Cantina del Malandrino Bradamante 2023 Etna, Sicily
Cataratto. 30% on skins for 4 days. 70% direct pressed to amphora. Then blended. Full colour. Bold and rich with grapes, apples and lemons. Nice grainy structure. Refreshing, grippy and also has some depth. 93/100
Cantina del Malandrino Lupo Cappuccio 2022 Etna, Sicily
Complex and lively. Wild edge with high acidity and nice structure. Grippy and vivid ith intense raspberry and cherry fruit. Natural but delicious. 93/100
Cantina del Malandrino A Franco 2020 Etna, Sicily
Nerelllo Mascalese, short maceration. Stony, mineral and bright with high acidity. Fine grains with a nice acid line. Stony and mineral with nice elegance, but also grip and energy. 94/100
Cantina del Malandrino Rosso Volcanico 2021 Etna, Sicily
Nerello Mascalese harvested in October, 17 days on skins. Stony, mineral and grainy. Fine and elegant with good acidity. Has real interest and style. 94/100
Cantina del Malandrino di Ego 2021 Etna, Sicily
80% Nerello Mascalese, 20% Nerello Cappuccio. One year in amphora and then one year in large acacia. Juicy and bright with nice energy. Stony and vivid with a grippy finish and lovely savouriness. Restrained, fruity and serious with redcurrant and wet stone notes. 94/100
Tezi, Georgia
Peter and Dareen Evans were on holday in Georgia went to a wine tasting, and ended up staying for a few hours. They became friends with the winegrower, and later he and a friend bought some land and asked Dareen and Peter whether they wanted to build a winery. So they formed a company together and started to build the winery, buying 19 qvevris which they use to make all their wines. The first vintage was 2022, and they now visit Georgia four times a year.
Tezi Tsolikouri 2022 Georgia
One day on skins. Fresh, textured and quite distinctive with a herbal twist and nice acidity, showing a bit of grip with a fine spicy edge. Two years in qvevri. This has an amazing texture with a wet stone edge and a touch of mint. Very expressive. 93/100
Tezi Chinuri 2022 Georgia
30 days on skins. Fresh and expressive with some mint and spice, and a bit of grip. Lovely focus here with some structure and nice acidity. Shows great balance with a long, finely spiced finish. 93/100
Tezi Kisi Magrani 2023 Georgia
21 days on skins in Qvevri then spends another year in there. Golden/amber in colour. This is powerful, spicy and intense, and quite pure. Marmalade, peach and apricot with a grainy structure and nice tannins. This is beautifully expressive with keen acidity and rich fruit and spice flavours. Quite wonderful. 95/100
Tezi Kisi Akhmeta 2023 Georgia
Cloudy orange colour. Spicy and vibrant with nice acidity and some marmalade notes. I’m worried about mousiness here.
Tevi Mtsvane 2022 Georgia
Supple and dry with nice structure, a hint of mint and good tannins. 93/100
Tezi Saperavi 2023 Georgia
12.5% alcohol. 8 days on skin. This is quite intense and vivid, but there’s a softness to it, with mellow texture and moderate tannins. Inky and vivid with some chalky notes under the bold blackberry fruit. Broad and satisfying. 93/100
Vicchiomaggio, Chianti Classico, Italy
Based in Greve in Chianti, Vicchiomaggio make one amphora wine, and it really captures the place well. I was poured this by Sebastian Matta, who’s part of the family who own it, and who makes the wine.
Vicchiomaggio Amphiarao 2023 Rosso Toscano
Third each of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Sangiovese. Fermeted in stainless steel with 15 days maceration, then goes to amphora in December for a year. They use a local clay amphora. Natural clay so lots of oxygen transmission. This is supple, elegant berry fruits with some raspberry and sour cherry, as well as a slight stony, earthy character. Juicy, vivid and expressive with good acidity. Fresh, structured, direct and drinking very well now. 94/100 (€35 retail in Italy).
