Vidigueira, Portugal, Oct. 2, 2026 (Lusa) - Vidigueira Municipal Council intends to relaunch the application to have the artisanal production of ‘talha' wine (amphora wine), an ancient winemaking practice typical of the municipality, recognised as World Heritage by the end of 2027, the mayor said on Friday.
«We want to move into a new cycle for talha wine and [therefore] we are planning to have the complete dossier ready by the end of 2027 so that we can resubmit this application [to UNESCO],» Ricardo Bonito told the Lusa news agency.
The process of applying for the artisanal production of ‘vinho de talha' to be recognised as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) began in 2016 in collaboration with four municipalities, and the initiative expanded to the whole of Alentejo in 2017 and 2018, but it contained «some inconsistencies».
«We can say that the application is still under review and simply needs some refinement,» the mayor said.
According to Ricardo Bonito, the next step is to gather all information covering «the grape harvest, the picking of the grapes and [placing] the grapes into the barrels» to «refine the existing application» and finalise the dossier by 31 December 2027.
Without specifying whether this version will follow the same format as the previous one or whether it will be submitted separately, the mayor of Vidigueira, in the district of Beja, acknowledged the importance of researcher Paulo Lima's involvement in the project, emphasising that he is a «specialist in this type of UNESCO application», who brings «valuable input and expertise».
Diogo Conqueiro, chairman of the Parish Council of Vila de Frades, a town which has held the title and brand of «Capital of Talha Wine» since 2008, as awarded by the council, will be the municipal commissioner for Talha Wine, Heritage and Territorial Identity for the application.
«To give this application a boost, we have also appointed a commissioner so that we have someone on the ground working closely with the wineries and benefiting from their input,» explained Ricardo Bonito.
According to the mayor, a meeting held at the end of September with producers, municipal experts and industry associations «served to mark the start of this process» and give it «new impetus», allowing the expectations of those involved in the sector on a daily basis to be heard.
«This meeting marked the first stage of the relaunch, during which the current status of the application was outlined; from this point onwards, we realised that we are in a position to move forward and increasingly assert our territory,» he noted.
For the mayor, the main aim of the project is to create a «conservation plan that will ensure that what dates back to Roman times is preserved in the best possible way for future generations», much as happened «with the [Alentejo] cante, which had almost disappeared».
«Talha wine is something that is within us, that defines us, because when we talk about talha wine we are not just talking about drinking the wine, but about all the moments that can be experienced with it,» he said.
In December 2023, the Directorate-General for Cultural Heritage approved the inclusion of Talha Wine Production in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage (INPCI), recognising the importance of the process «as a reflection of the identity of the surrounding community, its historical depth and its clear connection with other practices inherent to the community».
ASYS/ADB // ADB.
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