2020 Clay Pot Wines Pandora’s Amphora

“When Pandora opened the amphora gifted to her by Zeus, all the evils of the world escaped. All that remained inside was, Hope."

Pandora’s Amphora is a unique hand crafted wine made using ancient winemaking methods that are still practised in some parts of Europe today. She also represents a very personal winemaking ‘journey’ of her Winemaker Glenn James. It’s all about letting go! 

Due to the catastrophic bushfires in our region in 2020 Pandora has gone back to her roots, with three white grape varieties – Vermentino, Fiano and Moscato Giallo sourced from the Chalmer’s Heathcoate vineyard.  Hand harvested on the same day and then fermented as one, along with their skins and seeds in a single terracotta ‘Amphora’. In Greek mythology Pandora was the first human female created by Hephaestus by order of Zeus. Her name means “all gifted” as all the Gods of Olympia bestowed all manner of gifts upon her (good and not so good). She was created from the clay of the earth just as are our Amphora is.

Fermentation occurs using only the ‘indigenous’ yeast from the vineyard’s own terroir. Once fermentation is complete Pandora is then sealed up and her precious contents matured on the skins and seeds for around 200 days. All the flavours and many other grape derived compounds produced by the vines each season in the presence of fermentation lees (yeast and malolactic bacteria) are slowly extracted and transformed during this period to produce an aromatic, complex and textured white wine. 

Pandora is then gently basket pressed and it is only at this point that the wine has a small addition of sulphur dioxide to preserve all that has been captured. The wine is then matured on light yeast lees for six months - 210 days on skins in amphora, the wine is unfined, unfiltered and quite clear with only a slight sediment in the bottle.    

Bottling occurs after careful racking, without any filtration or the use of fining agents, therefore the wine displays a light haze.

Tasting Note 

Deep straw hues. Aromas are complex, with intricate layers of whole nutmeg, cassia bark and woody spices, complimented by lifted acacia blossom. Aromas infused with wild honey, bees wax and cassia bark persist on a palate that is textural, with super fine talcy phenolics that define a complex and layered palate.

Technical details

Region:       Heathcote, Victoria
Vineyard:    Chalmers Heathcote Vineyard (Mt Camel range)
Varieties:    Vermentino 45%; Fiano 45%; Moscato Giallo 10%
Alcohol:       13%

Reviews

"A blend of Heathcote vermentino, fiano and moscato giallo. Wild ferment in single clay amphora, maturation on skins and seeds for 200 days, basket pressed, aged for six months, unfined, unfiltered. Cloudy, deep golden hues reveal a low-intervention white wine that will undoubtedly divide drinkers. Bruised apple, baked pear, peach and earthy ginger root show a pronounced level of development in the five-year-old, a complexity aligned to a warm, textural nuttiness. Acidity could be fresher as per previous releases. Match with a seafood chowder, and it works well." Awarded 89 points, Halliday Wine Companion, Jeni Port - Published 24 February 2025