XXVI Talhas, ‘Branco Do Tareco’ Vinho De Talha Branco (2023)

Alentejo, Portugal— A blend of organic / biodynamic Anto Vaz, Roupero, and Dona Branca from old, mixed planted vineyards. Fermented and aged on the skins for just over two months in ‘Talhas’, traditional Portuguese amphora lined with beeswax and olive oil. Complex nose of dried fruits, ginger and pineapple with hints of kerosene and caraway. Very well balanced with good structure citrus, tropical fruits and good salinity. A long, dry and slightly nutty finish. Low S02. 

Daniel Parreira and Ricardo Santos started the winery with the 26 Talhas and a cellar inherited by Daniel from his grandfather.

XXVI refers to the 26 Talhas that the winery uses to ferment their wine. Tareco is the name for the small Roman clay vessels (similar to amphorae) that the local population in Alentejo use at home to make wine for their own consumption. The Talha method here is very unique with the Talhas lined with a mix of beeswax and olive oil, called pês. This lining is responsible for the characteristically fresh styles of wine.

One of the rules for the wine to be DOC Vinho de Talha is the total vinification from start to finish must be in clay vessels and the opening of the Talha can only occur on 1th November, just after the Festa de São Martinho, either for filling in bottles or for consumption.

Vines are on average 30 years old. Soil is infertile with schist and granite. Harvest is manual harvest using small capacity containers to protect the fruits. Grapes are  destemmed and lightly crushed. Fermented with maceration and contact with the skins for just over two months in clay pots, without temperature control and with indigenous yeasts. No filtration or stabilisation process. 

It is in Mestre Daniel's old Adega, in Vila Alva, that this winery produces their Talha wine according to traditional methods. Daniel António Tabaquinho dos Santos (1923-1985) in addition to producing wine, also used this place to work as a carpenter and, for this reason, he was known locally as "Mestre Daniel". Mestre Daniel produced Talha wine here for about 30 years, following the family tradition he inherited from his parents and grandparents. After his death, some years of production followed. However, in 1990, the winery ended its activity. In 2018, after almost thirty years of inactivity, the winery is back in operation, resuming the local and family tradition of Talha wine production. As is the tradition in Vila Alva, the containers used for winemaking are the Talhas, descended from the large Roman vessels, with capacities that vary between 300 and 1300 liters. In their cellar they have 26 Talhas: 22 are made of clay, some dating from the 19th century, and 4 are made of reinforced cement, which, although more recent (1930s), were manufactured by “Vila Alva masters”, which is why they also have great significance for them.