The Bomb Box
July ‘23
feat. a fruity and chewy palhete made in the ancient Alentejo talhas, a floral yet super crisp and mineral Encruzado from the Dão, and wonderfully smooth, focussed red with a touch of balsamic character from the Beira Baixa.
NaTalha Palhete, Gerações da Talha
Region: Vidigueira, Alentejo,Portugal
Grape: Old vine field blend with 90% white and 10% red
Ageing: N/A.
Vinification: Fermented in the traditional Alentejo talhas with native yeasts.
Farming style: Organic
Soil: Granite and Schist sands
Vine age: 80+ years
Notes: This is the fun and fruity new release from Gerações da Talha, a new project using the traditional talhas that have been in the family for generations. The style, known as palhete, is a wine, like a dirty rosé, made with the mixing of both red and white grapes. A lot of Portuguese grape growing has always been subsistence farming. Faced with too few red grapes to make red and too few white to make white, it is traditional for people to mix them all together to make the year’s wine.
Pairing suggestion: The fruity notes and chewy mouthfeel would work wonderfully with flavourful dishes that have a little spice made with pork, fish or vegetables. Best served chilled!
Encruzado, Quinta do Perdigão
Region: Dão, Portugal
Grape: Encruzado
Ageing: Aged in steel for 4 months
Vinification: Cold fermentation in steel with native yeasts
Farming style: Certified Organic
Soil: Granite sands
Vine age: 7 years
Notes: The Quinta do Perdigão was founded by José Perdigão in 1997 when he converted an old granite barn into a winery and started to plant the surrounding land with vines. The family project works with just 8ha with a number of Dão varieties. Encruzado is the star of the region however. It has a little of everything and all packaged so beautifully. Try it and see for yourself.
Pairing suggestions: Being a light, sharp this wine will go great with summer salads and fish/seafood dishes, particularly those cooked fresh with the simplest of seasoning.
Corricão, Primeiras Gotas
Region: Beira Baixa, Portugal
Grape: Old vine blend with a lot of Rufete
Ageing: 8 months in used oak.
Vinification: Gentle maceration with native yeasts in steel tanks.
Farming style: Organic
Soil: Granite gravel and sands
Vine age: 70-80years
Notes: Primeiras Gotas, led by André Lourenço, is a fascinating project that shows the traditional roots as well as the brilliant terroir of the Beira Baixa. This wine in particular is an exceptionally smooth and balsamic red which is strikingly similar to something made from the Nebbiolo grape in the Piedmont. Brilliant wine!
Pairing suggestions: This wine has a medium body with a lively acidity. It’d do very well with a summer BBQ as well as a nice tomato based dish like pasta or parmigiana.
Pairing