<p>This grape used to be the most popular red wine grape in Cataluyna until a vine disease nearly wiped it out. Fortunately, it survived in the mountains and has created quite a stir. </p>
<p>The wine in this video is from <a href="https://winefolly.com/club/" title="Learn more about Wine Folly Club">Wine Folly Club!</a></p>


This grape used to be the most popular red wine grape in Cataluyna until a vine disease nearly wiped it out. Fortunately, it survived in the mountains and has created quite a stir. 

The wine in this video is from [Wine Folly Club!](https://winefolly.com/club/ "Learn more about Wine Folly Club")

Rare Wine That Grows In The Mountains

<p>What makes a great wine glass? Madeline Puckette walks through Wine Folly&#39;s glassware collection and why shape matters.</p>
<p><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/9dpm55oop5oi/580Ny6p30OpaVWC7TRnuN5/6c6a97cb021c061c0034997c65d70840/types-of-wine-glasses-by-style-winefolly.jpg" alt="Types of wine glasses by style | Wine Folly"></p>
<h2 id="universal-glass-conundrum">Universal Glass Conundrum</h2>
<p>We love universal glasses for comparative tasting when learning about wine. But when we&#39;re drinking wine? Well, that&#39;s a different story. As it turns out, having a glass shape specialized to the wine you&#39;re drinking does improve the flavor. </p>
<p>Why not always get the best taste out of a glass of wine? So, this is why <a href="https://shop.winefolly.com/collections/glassware" title="Shop Glassware on Wine Folly">we picked a collection of glassware</a> that highlights different wine&#39;s best features. </p>
<h2 id="glass-size">Glass Size</h2>
<p>For white wines, glasses tend to be smaller and much less wide, this helps keep your wine cooler. </p>
<p>Red wines glasses tend to vary in size, with some glasses being quite large because cold temperatures aren&#39;t as high of a priority when tasting (compared to tannin sensation and aromatics).  </p>
<h2 id="bowl-size">Bowl Size</h2>
<p>The bigger and rounder the bowl of a wine glass, the greater the aromas! For Pinot Noir, an aromatic red, this is a big deal. It&#39;s the reason why you&#39;ll often find Pinot Noir (aka Burgundy) red wine glasses to have the largest bowls. </p>
<p>It&#39;s not just Pinot Noir that benefits from a big, round bowl. You can also find this style of glass with Nebbiolo (Barolo and Barbaresco), Gamay, and Nerello Mascalese.</p>
<h2 id="opening-diameter">Opening Diameter</h2>
<p>We used to say you should look for a universal glass with a diameter of 2.5 inches or larger. Why? Well, it has a lot to do with how the tannins in red wine hit your palate. Of course, if you&#39;re not limiting yourself to a universal glass, you can pick based on the wine. </p>
<p>Smaller diameters help amplify acidity in wines and work excellently for white wines. </p>
<p>Larger diameters mitigate the drying, astringent sensation of tannins and are great for bolder red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. </p>
<h2 id="final-sips">Final Sips</h2>
<p>Regardless of what kind of glassware you choose (be it universal or specialized glasses) perhaps the most important secret of great glassware is feeling confident cleaning it. For that, check out this handy video on how <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i9FKVSkubw" title="Watch Now">we keep our glassware sparkly.</a> </p>


Wine Folly's Wine Glass Collection (2025)

<p>Alentejo, Portugal, is a land of extremes: scorching summers, wild cork forests, ancient dolmens, and wines so dark they look like ink in the glass. On a recent trip, Wine Folly set out to answer a quirky but important question: Can you actually taste stone in wine? Specifically—marble stone.</p>
<h2 id="the-marble-mystery">The Marble Mystery</h2>
<p>Alentejo is famous for its marble industry, especially around Estremoz and Borba. You’ll find marble castles, marble quarries, even marble-paved streets. But vineyards? Yes, some of the region’s vines grow directly out of marble-based soils. And those soils don’t just look dramatic—they affect the taste of the wines.</p>
<h2 id="how-marble-soils-shape-wine">How Marble Soils Shape Wine</h2>
<p>Marble may be tough as stone, but in the vineyard it does delicate work:</p>
<p><strong>Heat Absorption:</strong> Marble soaks up the day’s warmth and radiates it back at night, nudging grapes toward ripeness.</p>
<p><strong>Drainage:</strong> Like <a href="https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/introduction-soil-types-wine/">gravel</a>, marble drains fast, limiting water retention and stressing vines in a good way. The result? Grapes with more aromatic intensity.</p>
<p><strong>Structure:</strong> Wines from marble soils often show lighter body, fresher acidity, and softer <a href="https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/what-are-wine-tannins/">tannins</a> compared to their clay-soil cousins.</p>
<p>Side by side, clay-based wines tend to be darker, <a href="https://winefolly.com/tips/homage-to-big-bold-red-wines/">bolder</a>, and richer, while marble-soil wines lean perfumed, lifted, and bright.</p>
<h2 id="the-blind-tasting-challenge">The Blind Tasting Challenge</h2>
<p>To test this out, Wine Folly staged a blind tasting. One wine was made from vines rooted in marble soils, the other from grapes fermented in a traditional marble lagar (tank). Both were deep <a href="https://winefolly.com/grapes/alicante-bouschet/">Alicante Bouschet</a> reds — Alentejo’s calling card grape.</p>
<p>The clues? Color, aromatics, and body. The marble-soil wine was slightly lighter in hue, more aromatic, and carried a zippy freshness. The clay/lagar wine was richer, denser, and more brooding. The guess? Nailed it. Marble, it turns out, does leave a fingerprint.</p>
<h2 id="cork-forests-alentejos-other-gift">Cork Forests: Alentejo’s Other Gift</h2>
<p>Of course, Alentejo’s wines aren’t just about marble. The region is also home to vast Montado cork forests; UNESCO cultural landscapes that supply most of the world’s cork stoppers. These trees are harvested only once every 9–12 years, and their presence has shaped Portugal’s role in global wine culture for centuries. Together with marble soils, cork forests remind us that Alentejo’s land is inseparable from its wines.</p>
<h2 id="final-sip">Final Sip</h2>
<p>So, can you taste stone in wine? In Alentejo, the answer is yes. Marble soils bring freshness and perfume to wines otherwise known for their dark, bold character. Pair that with cork forests safeguarding biodiversity, and you get a region where both bark and stone play a starring role in every glass.</p>


Can You Taste Stone in Your Wine? (Blind Tasting in Alentejo)

<p>Welcome to Beja, the southern frontier of Portugal&#39;s Alentejo wine region. A land where summer temperatures regularly hit 135ºF (57ºC). A land of survival, resilience, and tradition. And at the center of it all? An ancient winemaking vessel called the talha (pronounced “tahl-yah”).</p>
<p>These massive clay pots (some taller than a human) have been used in Portugal since Roman times. And while the technique was nearly lost to modernization, today, talha wines are some of the most exciting (and unexpected) in Europe.</p>
<h2 id="beja-portugals-wild-south">Beja: Portugal&#39;s Wild South</h2>
<p>To understand talha wines, you have to understand Beja.</p>
<p>This is the <a href="https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/what-wines-to-drink-from-portugal-by-region/">southern slice of Alentejo</a>, home to subregions like Vidigueira, Moura, and Granja-Amareleja. The terrain is rugged, dry, and sun-scorched. In August, stepping outside is like opening an oven door. And yet, this extreme climate produces surprisingly elegant wines, if you know where to look.</p>
<p>Some grapes, such as Moreto (a local red variety similar to <a href="https://winefolly.com/grapes/pinot-noir/">Pinot Noir</a> and <a href="https://winefolly.com/grapes/grenache/">Grenache</a>) and Perrum (a white variety), have adapted to thrive in these harsh conditions. They ripen fully while maintaining freshness; a rare feat in such heat. And when you ferment them in a talha, something magical happens.</p>
<p><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/9dpm55oop5oi/2xPaldc4q75gFuwE3vsQ0c/cb963ccad557f0e316672f4a8cc09dfb/Talhas_at_Rocim_Winery_in_Southern_Alentejo._Credit.jpg" alt="Talhas at Rocim Winery in Southern Alentejo. ">
Talhas at Rocim Winery in Southern Alentejo. <a href="https://rocim.pt/produto/amphora-wine-tour/">Credit</a></p>
<h2 id="what-is-talha-wine-exactly">What Is Talha Wine, Exactly?</h2>
<p>Think of a talha as Portugal&#39;s version of the <a href="https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/concrete-egg-fermenters-classic-or-cracked-fad/">amphora</a>: a giant clay vessel used to ferment and sometimes age wine. But these aren&#39;t just historical novelties. Talha winemaking is still alive in parts of Beja, especially Vidigueira, where some winemakers ferment wine exactly as the Romans did.</p>
<p>The process is simple, but not easy:</p>
<ul>
<li>Whole grapes are crushed and placed directly into the talha</li>
<li>Fermentation happens naturally (no temperature control, no fancy tools)</li>
<li>Gases must be released by stirring (or risk a clay explosion)</li>
<li>Some winemakers even leave the wine on skins for months</li>
</ul>
<p>The result? Wines that are textured, <a href="https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/what-are-wine-tannins/">tannic</a>, earthy, and deeply tied to their place. They taste old, in a good way.</p>
<p><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/9dpm55oop5oi/2AFixfrhvMIsZrY4x1e9CR/e3bfbea18814c6f52efe0ad049a104b3/Wine_Folly%C3%A2__s_Madeline_Puckette_tastes_Talhas_wine_at_Honrado_Vineyards.jpg" alt="Wine Folly’s Madeline Puckette tastes Talhas wine at Honrado Vineyards">
Wine Folly’s Madeline Puckette tastes Talhas wine at Honrado Vineyards</p>
<h2 id="talha-is-tradition-but-its-also-innovation">Talha Is Tradition, But It&#39;s Also Innovation</h2>
<p>In Granja-Amareleja, Wine Folly&#39;s co-founder, Madeline Puckette, met José Piteira, a winemaker with a tiny plot of old-vine ungrafted Moreto. He pours his latest vintage, made entirely in talha.</p>
<p>It&#39;s fresh, lifted, and shockingly lithe, especially considering these vines see more heat than Death Valley. &quot;After 15 years and tens of thousands of wines tasted… I&#39;ve never had a Moreto before. Honestly, I&#39;m impressed. Moreto is worth saving, hands down.&quot;</p>
<p>Meanwhile, at Herdade do Peso, one of Portugal&#39;s larger producers, tradition meets sustainability. In the face of rising alcohol levels, they did something radical: They reforested 40% of their vineyard estate.</p>
<p>The trees cool the land, reduce evaporation, and create microclimates. And it&#39;s working:</p>
<ul>
<li>In 2012: Wines bottled at 15.5% ABV</li>
<li>In 2023: Wines bottled at 13–13.5% ABV</li>
</ul>
<p>Sometimes, looking back is how you move forward.</p>
<h2 id="how-to-find-talha-wines">How To Find Talha Wines</h2>
<p>If you want to taste this ancient tradition, look for wines labeled &quot;Vinho de Talha DOC.&quot; These wines are often field blends of indigenous varieties, fermented in clay, and made by small-scale producers across Beja, especially near Vidigueira.</p>
<p>Talha wines don&#39;t taste like anything else. They&#39;re not fruity bombs. They&#39;re not buttery oaks. They&#39;re textural, soulful, and often a little funky. They speak softly, but carry centuries of wisdom.</p>
<p>In a world full of stainless steel and barrique, talhas are a reminder: Sometimes, the future of wine lies in the past.</p>


Rare Wine That Grows In The Mountains

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