2021 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.

Technical details

Reviews

"...Wild fermented in terracotta amphora, left on skins for six months, basket pressed, matured in stainless steel, unfiltered. The use of amphora is opening up a whole new world of wine flavours and sensations, and, when combined with an excellent vintage, there are some pretty special qualities to explore. Light golden hues. Honeysuckle, acacia, Meyer lemon, grapefruit pith, sorrel, pear aromas. Savoury influences on the palate with preserved lemon, pear skin and bitter almond phenolics that take the wine further into complex flavour, textural territory. Finishes fresh on a savoury bitter lemon note." Awarded 93 points, Halliday Wine Companion, Jeni Port - Published 10 March 2026