Vinho de Talha Bojador Branco Espaço Rural, Alentejo, Portugal

A wonderfully delicious example of natural orange wine. Made with Perrum, Roupeiro, Rabo de Ovelha and Manteudo. As a ‘natural’ wine, it is bottled unfiltered, with no temperature control, no additions or correction to the juice or the wine, and no stabilisation or addition of sulphites (potentially resulting in some harmless sediment in the bottle). Aromas of honey and marmalade, alongside earthy and mineral notes. Full bodied with a creamy palate and a fresh finish.

Pedro Ribeiro and his wife Catarina Vieira moved to Vidigueira, an area which benefits from an excellent micro-climate, to produce wines that are true to the historical traditions of Alentejo. Their wines are fermented in impermeable clay pots called Talha, where both wine and skin remain in contact for a much longer period then sealed by olive oil to prevent oxidisation. This process gives the wine it's distinctive orange colour.

"Dusty, herbal, scented. Grapefruit pith, finally aromatic. Cedary, woody flavour with pear on the finish. That cedar is (for me) a bit of Vidigueira character rather than a varietal one, perhaps related to the cooler local climate and the granite soils here. Long, stoney, dry, refined. Great tension and intensity from start to finish, even with such low alcohol. 17/20 points" -Julia Harding MW, Jancisrobinson.com April 2022