What does Amphora mean?

An amphora is a clay vessel in which wine ferments or ages; the clay breathes slightly and gives the wine texture without adding wood flavour.

Also known as: Clay vessel, Qvevri, Tinaja

In wine, amphora is a collective name for vessels of fired clay in which wine is fermented, aged or both. It is one of the oldest ways of making wine, and it has seen a revival among producers who want to work with minimal intervention.

The best-known tradition is in Georgia, where egg-shaped vessels called qvevri are buried in the ground. There the wine often ferments and ages together with skins and sometimes stems, and the method has been on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage since 2013. In Spain the equivalent vessel is called tinaja and in the Alentejo in Portugal talha.

Clay is slightly porous. Unless the vessel is coated inside, for example with beeswax, small amounts of oxygen get in, much as in an old barrel but without wood giving off flavour. The result is often wines with fine texture and clear fruit. Buried vessels also keep an even, cool temperature.

Amphorae are used for white, red and orange wines alike. The method tells you how the wine was made, but its style depends just as much on the grape, the skin contact and the producer's choices.