Branco do Tareco 2023
XXVI Talhas is the project of winemaker Ricardo Santos and his childhood friend Daniel Parreira. They grew up together in the village of Vila Alva in the Alentejo, where there used to be more Talhas - large earthenware pots in which wine is made - than people lived. This ancient culture has almost completely disappeared. But not entirely thanks to Ricardo and Daniel. The interest in this special way of wine is greater than it has been in decades.
| Country | Portugal |
| Region | Alentejo |
| Protected Designation of Origin | Alentejo DOC |
| Wine maker | XXVI Talhas |
| Grape varieties | Antao Vaz, Perrum, Roupeiro |
| Terroir | The vinyards are close to Vila Alva in Alentejo. The parish of Vila de Alva is located on the left bank of the Alvito brook. The vines are on average 30 years old. The soil consists of shale and granite with a low fertility. |
| Harvest method | Handpicked. |
| Yield per hectare | 4 tons per hectare. |
| Vineyard treatment | This is a natural wine made from organically treated vineyards. |
| Vinification | Total destemming and slight crushing. Spontaneaous fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Maceration with the skins and seeds for two months in clay pots (Talhas), without temperature control. It was not subjected to any filtration or stabilization process. Filtration occurs only through the passage of the liquid through the masses present in the talha. |
| Impression | Dark yellow. Earthy, somewhat clayey nose. Tastes of mandarin, apple peel, lime blossom and rooibos tea. Has grip. You could call it an orange wine, but it is perceived rather as white. |
| Vegan | Yes |
| Did you know? | This is amphora wine in its purest form. Tareco is the name for the small 300 liter amphorae that the locals have at home in Alentejo to make wine for their own consumption. |