Hugo Mendes Talha 2021
The Hugo Mendes 'Talha' is a red wine blend of Aragonês, Trincadeira and Tinta Grossa unique to the Portuguese wine region of Alentejo. The winemaking process for a Talha wine is very simple and was implemented by the Romans over two thousand years ago. In the Alentejo region, the technique has been preserved until today, and has been passed down from generation to generation, in an almost immutable way. To make the wine, the grapes are crushed and then are put inside the clay amphorae, or talhas, where fermentation spontaneously takes place. During this period, the grape pulp and skins rise to the surface and form a solid mass. This is punched with a wooden plunger and is pushed back down into the must to transmit more colour, aroma and flavour to the wine. When fermentation is complete, the mass settles to the bottom of the talha where it serves as a filter. Additionally, by law, the wine must remain on skins until at least 11th November (St Martins Day). "Bright mid crimson. Very, very scented, pure cherry. Beautifully fragrant with both sour cherry and sweet red fruits, plus a light, leafy freshness. Extremely fine tannins – elegant and chalky. So much drinking pleasure. Peppery and scented. Long, too. (Julia Harding, 17 points, JancisRobinson.com)"
