A New Time for Amphora Wines to Shine - Beverage Testing Institute

A New Time for Amphora Wines to Shine

Amphora wines, which date back thousands of years are being rediscovered and embraced by restaurants, winemakers, and passionate wine drinkers. “Everything old is new again.” says Aldo Zaninotto, Chicago restaurateur and wine expert, and the cycle of wine trends has returned to traditional wine making and native grape varietals.

Amphorae are large clay pots in which wine can be fermented and aged, with modern versions sometimes constructed from concrete. Georgians, the people living on the land along the Black Sea and between Russia and Turkey, are thought to have pioneered winemaking in amphora, also known as qvevri, approximately 8,000 years ago.

Today, winemakers in Georgia, and many other wine regions are carrying on – or re-invigorating — the practice as a way to showcase the purest expression of a wine, and offer wine lovers something new to discover and savor.

Amphorae are slightly oxygen porous containers that can allow tertiary flavors to develop in wines. As these wines age and are exposed to more oxygen in an amphora than in a wood barrel, tannins can be softened, and more intense flavors like mocha, berry compotes and nuts evolve. Because of the added oxygenation, wines aged in amphorae can also be ready to bottle sooner than wines in oak barrels.  Plus – no oak means no flavor influences that can come from wood, such as vanilla, coffee, coconut, or dill.

As Zaninotto describes it, “An amphora is a neutral vehicle for the wine. It’s a very natural way to make wines. While winemakers can control and manipulate conditions in stainless steel and oak barrels, there is nothing to hide behind with amphora wines.”

At his Chicago restaurant Testaccio, Zaninotto has dedicated a section of the wine list to amphora wines titled “Ancestrale.” The current list includes wines by Cos in Sicily, Monastero in Lazio and Maradei in Calabria. Having sipped the Cos 2020 “Nero di Lupo” Nero d’Avola recently, I can attest to the silky texture and pure expression of the grape. The wine was like a more sophisticated expression of a young Nero d’Avola, with fine tannins and vivid black and red fruits accented with a subtle undercurrent of fresh earth.

Testaccio’s name even honors the mighty amphora, taking the name from the oldest trading post in Rome, where tradesmen would deposit used amphorae. That spot today is a giant hill composed of shards of those ancient amphorae.

But it’s not just Italy. The Alentejo region in Portugal, comprising 13% of Portugal’s wine production, has been a wine-producing region for more than 4,000 years and has consistently turned out wines fermented and aged in amphorae. There, they have a special word for the clay vessels – talha (pronounced “tall-ya”) and it’s worth noting that to use the word “talha” on the label, the wine must be made within the Alentejo DOC, if made outside of Alentejo the wines are simply called “amphora wine.”

The process for making these wines is simple: the grapes are crushed and then put into the amphorae where fermentation takes place. The amphorae are sometimes “sealed” with a layer of olive oil on top to keep out air, and then covered with an oilcloth cover. The porosity of the clay vessel allows slow, micro-oxygenation, resulting in wines with unique structure. Tannins are integrated resulting in a more silken feel on the palate, and fruit shines through in a purer expression.

Any wine fermented and/or aged in talha in Alentejo must remain in its vessel until Nov. 11 – St. Martin’s Day. Wine producers across Alentejo have even created an entire experience around Amphora Wine Day, with wineries offering first tastes of their talha wines on the first weekend following Nov. 11.

Pedro Ribeiro, general manager of Herdade do Rocim near Cuba, Portugal (an hour south of Évora) originated Amphora Wine Day in 2018 as a way to create new excitement about amphora wines. Today, it’s must-taste tourism for visitors from both near and far. “This region has so much potential to create world-class wines,” said Ribeira. “I want the world to know that Portugal – and The Alentejo – are making wines that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with great wines from anywhere.”

Herdade do Rocim’s “Fresh from Amphora” line of wines and Amphora Tinto wines are two that are available in the U.S., to meet consumer demand for more natural styles of wine.

Amphora wines can also be found in California (there’s even a winery called Amphora in Healdsburg, using amphorae imported from Italy), Washington (Hoquetus in Walla Walla offers a Cabernet Franc aged in amphora) and Oregon (Beckham Estate Vineyards). Mexico also has embraced the trend, with Casa Pedro Domecq using amphora on several of their wines from the Valle de Guadalupe.

Wondering what makes these wines so interesting with modern producers and consumers spurred a dialog with wine educator, Veronica Hastings, who has been a fan of amphora wines for decades. “I think it’s really cool that so many wines today are being made in the original way from 8,000 years ago,” says Hastings. “I feel that the gentle oxidation that wines have in amphora translate to a silkiness on the palate for whites and rosés and a lushness on the palate for reds. I also perceive a liveliness – an energy, if you will – in amphora wines that makes them fun to drink.”

Retail wine shop owner Melissa Zeman stocks several amphora wines at her Chicago shop, Bottles Up!, noting they skew mostly Old World.  “I think it’s important to offer amphora wines to get customers thinking about the winemaking process and teach them a little history,” she says. “The wines are complex, food-friendly, and tell a great story.”

Zeman also sees cross-over with the natural-wine movement. “Many amphora wines check of a lot of the boxes that natural-wine consumers are seeking, from unfined, and unfiltered, to no added sulfites and minimal intervention winemaking.”

As you consider your next wine list or retail shelf, why not seek out and add amphora wines for consideration? The great thing about wine is the endless opportunities to discover something new and delicious!

Liz Barrett is a Beverage Testing Institute wine judge, as well as wine writer, and educator who also blogs for whatsinthatbottle.com

 

For more information on the contributors check out their social media:

Testaccio @testaccio_chicago

COS  @aziendaagricolacos

Herdade do Rocim @herdadedorocim

Casa Pedro Domecq @casadomecq

Bottles Up!  @bottles_up_chicago

For the Love of Old Vines

Old Vine Zinfandel “Credit: Lodi Winegrape Commission” In our modern society we seem to always think new is better. We live in a world of trading in and trading up. The same can apply to grape ...

The English Are Coming! And They Are Sparkling

English Sparkling Wine is Having a Moment Situated just 200 miles northeast of Champagne, the vineyards of southern England are less than two degrees latitude north of the famed French wine reg...

Sherry, Sherry in the Cask. Who is the Fairest You Might Ask?

A tippling tour through the wonderland of Sherry-finished whiskies For many lovers of fine Whiskies or luxury spirits of any type, there are few things better than a well-aged Scotch matured in Sherr...

Corks Versus Screw Caps: Which Is Better?

A recent report from Wine.com that correlated high-quality wines with cork closures got me thinking about corks and screw caps. Since April is Earth Month, it’s a good time to explore natural co...

Celebrating Lagers for King Gambrinus Day

Today is King Gambrinus’ birthday – and rather than drink an entire cask of beer, as he so cleverly once did to more easily win a barrel lifting contest, let us celebrate this mythological personi...

"The consistency and broad consumer reach of BTI ratings and reviews really solidified the quality message of our artisan brand and helped us build a well-distributed and highly regarded specialty portfolio of beers."
Laurent-Xavier Gilbert,
VP Development at La Brasserie Unibroue
"The BTI rankings have an effect on what restaurants put on their wine lists, and ultimately on what you might be drinking."
Joe Gray,
Editor, Chicago Tribune
"BTI is still the outstanding tasting organization, uniquely independent. Keep up the good work!"
Jan Wells,
VP of Marketing, Cannon Wines
"Beverage Testing Institute is a professional operation with a professional approach. I like that they are committed to truly blind tastings and that their reviews are comprehensive and informative. We highlight the reviews in our tasting room and post them on social media; the consumer response is very positive. "
Edwin Richards,
Winemaker/Owner, Adastra
“Our BTI awards have helped us with our US distribution. Sales have increased form 0 cases to 250 cases in just a couple of months. We opened two new accounts in Seattle and New York.”
Eduardo Aguirre Victoria,
Terre de Vignerons
“[BTI's] Tastings.com is well known as a main reference for connoisseurs, experts and followers of spirits.”
Otto Flores,
Ron Barcelo
"We have used Tastings.com (BTI) for the last 5 years and couldn’t be happier. They always have great customer service and support! Not only do they have detailed professional reviews and tasting notes, the addition of the metallic stickers and shelf-talkers help us capture customers, and drive bottle sales. The trophies, medals, and printed awards are displayed as center pieces in our tasting room. Their website is easy to navigate and has great product information."
Mike Huffman,
Whidbey Island Distillery
“Our winery has had BTI rate our wines for a number of years. We use the bottle stickers and shelf talkers for both education and to enhance our marketing. We have had distributors request bottle stickers, and during wine pourings, we use the shelf talkers as a customer take away. We appreciate the information written by BTI since we find it to be concise, descriptive, informational, and a well rounded review of our wines.“
Janet Soderberg,
Alamira Wines, Vistaflores Estate
When we found out that our 20 year Pappy Van Winkle had been entered in BTI's 1997 World Spirits Championships and received their 99-point rating, that’s when we started getting calls from distributors around the country looking for our whiskey.

That was a benchmark moment for our business. Every time we received a high rating from BTI over the years, interest increased for our brand.

We owe a lot to the Beverage Testing Institute for our success.
Julian P. Van Winkle, III,
President, Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery
BTI has been our go-to partner for our alcohol awards program for years now, providing quality reviews of our wide selection of wines, beers and hard seltzers. The unique quarterly submission process allows our team to highlight new, trending and seasonal offerings and the staff at BTI is always responsive, collaborative and supportive to help us reach our goals.
Carrie Reitz,
Corporate Buying US, ALDI Inc.
The trust that consumers, major retailers, distributors and suppliers have for BTI makes their reviews and recommendations an invaluable complement and a huge asset to the success of Atlas’ bespoke label brands. I enthusiastically recommend their tools and services to anyone in the control or private label beverage program spaces.
Jim Cosma,
Atlas Imports

Brand Partners

Translate »