Technical Information
Year: 2018
Grape Varieties: Antão Vaz, Arinto, Perrum and Fernão Pires
Region: Vidigueira
Type of soil: Schist
Climate: Mediterranean
Bottling: June 2019
Longevity: 2 years
Production: 2.667 bottles
Vinification
Hand-harvested in small boxes, and divided by grape variety. Destemming and crushing of the grapes in a mill. Natural fermentetion in amphoras (clay pots) wich are previously coated and waterproofed with beeswax and resin. The wines were kept in contact with the wine masses until November 20th. Malolactic fermentation also ocurrs inside the amphoras.
Analysis
Alcohol (%vol.): 13%
Total acidity (g/l): 5,2
pH: 3,81
Total sugars (g/l): 0,3
Winemaker's notes
Color: Golden.
Aroma: Ripe fruit (pineapple) with hints of orange peel.
Palate: Structured, with great minerality, and an intense and persistent finish.
Winemaker: Paulo Laureano
History
Wine produced artisanally through the millenarian technique of fermenting the grapes in clay amphoras. Technique that had come from the 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".
Singularity
The fact that each amphora have different size, porosity, and density causes that the levels of oxygen and the temperature at which grapes are subject to fermentation is different from amphora to 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 and translates the uniqueness of this type of wine.
