What’s the difference between amphorae, dolia, qvevri and other clay winemaking vessels?
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Dear Dr. Vinny,
I keep seeing more stories referencing amphorae, dolia, qvevri and other clay winemaking vessels. Is there a difference, and why do winemakers use them?
—Todd, Omaha, Neb.
Dear Todd,
Clay and terra-cotta fermentors date back at least as far as Ancient Rome, where they were used to ferment, store and transport wine; the earliest known examples used for wine date to around 6,000 B.C. In the thousands of years since, clay vessels have been used off and on by some winemakers. (The same goes for concrete, which I’m going to lump in with clay since both are neutral and porous, and used similarly in winemaking.) Recently, clay containers have had a bit of a resurgence—they’re used from California to Ukraine and beyond—as interest in ancient winemaking techniques is on the rise and very oaky wine styles have largely fallen out of favor.
It might be helpful to think of concrete’s functionality as somewhere between that of stainless-steel tanks and oak barrels. Concrete fermentors are neutral, like stainless steel, which means they impart minimal flavors to the wine (some winemakers may claim they add mineral notes). They also preserve fresh fruit flavors.
Concrete fermentors’ thick walls help stabilize temperature, which is good for slow and steady fermentations. Some winemakers believe that concrete can enhance a wine’s texture similar to the way a barrel does, since small amounts of oxygen can penetrate the concrete.
As far as the differences between amphorae and dolia in the ancient world, I checked in with Olivia Nolan, who wrote a fascinating story on how Ancient Roman wine might have tasted. She explains, “Dolia were actual winemaking vessels, designed first and foremost with oxygen and temperature control in mind for proper vinification to occur—basically the ancient equivalent of barrels or tanks.”
She continues: “Amphorae were primarily decorative transport and serving vessels for wines that had already undergone fermentation and aging—more the ancient equivalent of big bottles.” Amphorae are typically tall and narrow, and they often have a handle or two to make carrying them easier. Qvevri are large, egg-shaped amphorae from the country of Georgia; functionally, they’re quite similar to dolia.
Nolan adds that some wines might have been served straight from dolia or made and aged in amphorae—depending on the time and place, there wasn’t necessarily a clear divide between which vessels were used for what. Culturally, amphorae and dolia dispersed differently, depending on the trade routes of the empire at various periods. As a result, amphorae are much more commonly found in western European excavations, while dolia are more common in eastern European and western Asian excavations.
—Dr. Vinny
