x
  • Weather

    10° C Moderate rain
  • Time

    10:04 AM
  • Wine average?

    94 Tb
  • Country Ranking?

    6
  • Region Ranking?

    4
  • Popularity ranking?

    28

News

Harvest Report 2019

The 2019 vintage brought only moderate precipitation in winter, followed by relatively low temperatures over the month of March, which led to delayed bud break.

It was a year with practically no disease pressure, therefore eliminating the need for interventions in the vineyards. A dry and extremely hot summer caused the grapes to ripen early: harvesting began as early as 26 August and ended on 26 September.

Overall it was a good year, with balanced acidity levels and more colour intensity than usual. Though the alcohol contents were slightly higher compared to previous vintages, we were able to produce wines with the freshness and elegance usually expected of the Quinta de Baixo.

Harvest Report 2019 - Dão

The 2019 vintage was a very balanced year in the Dão. Much like in the Bairrada region, the incidence of disease was very low and there was almost no need to treat the vines. The dry and extremely hot conditions in the summer caused the grapes to ripen early: harvesting began on 28 August and ended on 29 September. In our opinion, it was a good year, with balanced acidity and more colour intensity than usual. Fermentation occurred as expected, with slightly higher alcohol levels that in previous vintages, without however compromising the freshness and elegance of the wines in general. The ageing period in the barrels of the Quinta da Lomba is also contributing to this vintage’s promise of beautifully balanced wines.

Harvest Report 2019 - Douro

The 2019 viticultural year was marked by dry weather. Spring began with high temperatures, which subsequently dropped and remained low during the entire summer. Some rainfall occurred at just the right point of the vines’ growth phase, and flowering took place in excellent weather conditions, leading to medium to high yields with healthy berries. The mild days and cool nights of the month of August allowed the fruit to ripen slowly and harmoniously.

Harvesting began on 8 August, starting off with Pinot Noir, followed by the Bastardo grapes and the white varieties in the Murça area. The peak harvesting period took place during the week of 8 - 15 September, with the harvest ending on 1 October with the red grape varieties from the high-lying vineyard sites.

We consider 2019 to be an exceptional vintage for the “DO Douro” appellation, with a perfect balance between the natural acidity and sugar levels of the musts. This will result in white wines of great purity and superbly balanced red wines with excellent ageing potential.

Harvest Report 2019 - Vale de Mendiz

Following three successive small years in terms of yield, 2019 marked a return to a normal or average production. The average rainfall was not only low in the winter months but also throughout the year. The Douro and, in the case of Niepoort, the Cima Corgo sub-region were lucky as there were two compensating factors:  firstly, the summer months were unseasonably cool, and secondly, the timely rainfall on 26/27 August and some minimal rain in the 3rd week of September proved to be invaluable. As a result, an analysis of the musts showed very balanced juice with great acidity levels providing freshness and superb elegance.

At Vale de Mendiz, harvesting began on 2 September under fine conditions. The last of the grapes were picked in the first week of October. Musts required only very little adjustments. Some very fresh, elegant, acid-driven wines for the Charme have been vinified, and it will be fascinating to see how the Ports will close up over the next few cool winter months. All vintages are remembered for different unique reasons and 2019 will surely go down as a year with outstanding acid-driven musts and very cool weather, reminding one of the elegant year of 2008 – very much in line with the Niepoort style, but unusual for such a hot region as the Douro Valle

 

 

Harvest Report 2015 - The wines are expected to be fine, elegant and with great longevity.

The old museum at Vale de Mendiz was purchased by Niepoort in 2003 and converted into a winery exclusively for port. The separation into two winemaking centres is intentional, as it allows dedicated and optimized processes for ports and Douro wines.

The QUINTA DE NÁPOLES estate has about 30 hectares of vineyards. The vines are located at an altitude of 180-250 m and their age ranges from eighteen to seventy years and over. The Quinta de Nápoles estate is located on the left bank of the River Têdo, and it is there that Niepoort produces its red, white and rosé wines. A new winery was built in 2007. It is an underground "cathedral" devoted to wine, and integrated into the terraces.

With the QUINTA DE BAIXO acquisition, in December 2012, Dirk Niepoort decided to revolutionize and convert all the project into Biodynamics. To help him with this process, a partnership was established with Andrew and Kati Lorand. They started living at Quinta de Baixo, assuming the great challenge of changing mentalities and procedures.

 

Quinta de Nápoles

The weather conditions of the viticultural year 2015 were very favourable, with sun, heat and low humidity, allowing a homogeneous vegetative growth.

The winter, with rain from March, has replaced a large part of water reserves in the soil. In early spring average temperatures were high and some rain completed the water replacement, allowing a balanced sprouting. After flowering in May, the veraison began in July, rather homogeneous, about two weeks earlier than in the previous year.

One of the particular features of this viticultural year was the vineyard ability to remain hydrated during ripening. In late August, early September, the basal leaves still remained green and moist, with hydrated berries and a thick, firm skin. The balance of musts, the softness of tannins, and the intense colour concentration indicate that this is an exceptional year for Doc Douro Wines.

 

Vale de Mendiz

Harvest started early in V. Mendiz on 28th August after a very hot July and August, the first grapes harvested were for Charme and for port wine in the V. Mendiz area from cooler north facing vineyards. The hotter classic port vineyards were exhibiting a certain heat stress, but with the onset of cooler nights maturity advanced in the first few weeks of September under fine conditions and the wines exhibit hard tannins and a lot of colour. Yesterday however there was an intense rain shower so we stopped picking, hopefully within a few days the weather will clear up and fine tune the remaining grapes so as to complete the harvest. At this point our top vineyards have already been harvested but we have only harvested 40% of the vineyards — time will tell — but the year shows a lot of promise so far!

 

Quinta de Baixo

The winter 2014-15 was mild and with little rainfall, however during spring, in April and May, the rainfall was high, which led to a careful and rigorous intervention in the vineyard.

High temperatures in the following months allowed a balanced ripening.

The ripening control in early August confirmed that 2015 would be a precocious year. The harvest began on 25 August, a week earlier than the previous year and ended on 14 September, demonstrating an increase in production of close to 20%.

This year it is foreseen the continuity of wines with a balanced profile, great freshness and low alcohol content.

Dão

The winter 2014-15 was mild and with little rainfall. From early spring to mid-summer, the weather conditions with low humidity and a lot of sun gave rise to some stress in the vineyard, which eventually has stood up well to a very dry year in Dão.

In early August the ripening control showed that 2015 would be a precocious year. The harvest began on 31 August, a week earlier than the previous year.

The harvest ended on 15 September, demonstrating an increase in production of close to 40%.

The wines presented a perfect acidity, with degrees between 11,5 and 12,5, so the wines are expected to be fine, elegant and with great longevity.

 

 

Harvest Report 2014

At Quinta de Nápoles, 2014 was a winegrowing year with less quantity but higher quality.

The decrease in production, which represents 20% when compared to the previous year, was not only on account of plant health reasons, but also due to “desavinho” – the natural selection that both physiologically as with certain weather conditions, affects negatively the transformation of flowers into fruits. The whole picture indicated we would have an early year due to the large amount of water accumulated during winter and spring. The maturation phase occurred early and allowed the beginning of the harvest on August 19 with Pinot Noir, followed by Bastardo. On September 7, fell 8mm of water that were beneficial for some ripening in the vineyards located in less fresh places. September, as already forecasted, was the wettest month in 80 years. Thus, at Quinta de Nápoles, we harvested most of the parcels over a period of good weather, between 7 and 21 September.

2014 will undoubtedly be a great year for white wines, with freshness, minerality and an unusual precision. The red wines are very balanced, with great freshness and a clean and fleeting fruit. Despite being early to say so, we believe it is a year of exceptional quality, with wines that will show the cooler character Douro can give.

Quinta de Nápoles 2014

Vale de Mendiz

The weather during the agricultural year of 2014 will certainly be remembered for its instability, especially in the latter stages and during the Vintage itself. If it had rained at the end of August, followed by a dry September with average temperatures - then some surely fabulous ports would have emerged; however this was not the case, but I believe with the lower yields in 2014 and less potential alcohol, some very fresh and acid driven wines (in the Niepoort style) with good colour have been made at Vale de Mendiz, before the rain started in the middle of the Vintage. Harvest at Vale de Mendiz started early, on 1st September principally with grapes from vineyards in Vale de Mendiz which supply the base of wines for Charme aswell as some superb elegantly structured ports. The first Lagar from the Pisca vineyard was harvested on 12th September with very good colour evident in the Lagar and great finesse after fortification. Ports from the old vineyards at Sibio and Bragão are also impressive and not affected by the rain. The last grapes were harvested on 2nd October, so with a small harvest quite an early finish.

Overall, some superb wines have been made and very much in the Niepoort style and the early start certainly paid off with the majority of the wines not being affected by the rain, it will be interesting to see how the wines close up over the next few months.

Quinta de Baixo

The Winter in Bairrada was rigorous, long and with a fairly high rainfall, as had already happened in 2013. An almost non-existent Spring and a very mild Summer, with temperatures around 30°C, hinder disease control and maturation.

In the vineyard, the control of ripening began in mid-August, as is the tradition, by tasting the berries and checking the health aspect of the grapes.

The white wines harvest began the 28th August in excellent weather conditions. The days were mild and relatively humid. On the 10th September, with the appearance of heavy rainfall, the harvest was interrupted until the 16th, the date when began the picking of the red grapes. Due to the rainfall, the harvest ended up having to be accelerated to prevent the rot got settled. The harvest ended on September 23, in a very difficult year, but with an excellent acidity and alcohol levels between 11.5 and 12.5, which contributes to fine and elegant wines, with an excellent ageing potential.

Dão

2014 was the first harvest year of Niepoort in Dão.

The two-hundred year old Quinta da Lomba, situated between two mountain ranges in Gouveia, was acquired by Niepoort earlier this year. With some effort and dedication, the winery was rebuilt and the vineyard was restructured. At the end of the growing season, the grapes were in an excellent status of health and maturation.

Unlike other regions, it didn’t rain a lot in Dão and there were weeks of hot weather with dry nights and sunny mornings, excellent conditions for the start of the harvest, that began with the white wines on 10 September, followed by the harvest of the red wines on 22 September. The harvest was short, held in ideal weather conditions and ended September 27.

 

Close

History

We are an independent family business since 1842. Through five generations, the business passed successfully from one Niepoort to the next Niepoort and in most cases older and younger generation worked side by side for a long period. At this time, we are enthusiastically looking forward to the future sixth generation, anticipating close collaboration.

 

  •  

The fifth generation: Eduard Dirk Niepoort and Verena Niepoort. Dirk is ahead of the business, since the formal retirement of Eduard Rudolph Niepoort in 2005. Dirk, born in 1964, discovered the world of wine during the studies in Switzerland. In 1987 Dirk joined his father Rolf Niepoort in the family business and was challenged to innovate maintaining the good traditions. The first important step was the acquisition of the first own vineyards: Quinta de Nápoles and Quinta do Carril in Cima Corgo, a region that traditionally produces the best Port Wines; 15 hectares of vineyards were newly planted, and 10 hectares 60-year old vines were carefully maintained. Owning Quintas and vineyards in the Douro was an important step in the Port wine and the first step for the creation of Niepoort wines. Dirk's passion for wines and the humble respect and curiosity for the Douro terroir defined Niepoort spirit over the last two decades and is a constant inspiration and challenge to the team. Dirk's sister, Verena, joined Niepoort team as executive director in 2005.

The fourth generation: Eduard Rudolf van der Niepoort. Rolf was born in March 1927. He is a fan of mechanics since a kid, but he also has a good sense for business. In 1950 he joined with his father Eduard Niepoort in the family business. His experience was a valuable complement and he was able to overcome a financial difficult period. Rolf focused on the commercial and human relations inside and outside the company and was conservative related to the wine making. Rolf remembers with nostalgia the making of one Vintage port, the 1970, as it was his own creation since the beginning, to the end. Nowadays it is considered to be one of the greatest ports from Niepoort. As all Niepoort's also Rolf is a fan of collections: old cars, antiques and especially Portuguese weapons.

 

The third generation: Eduard Marius. Eduard Marius Niepoort, born the 14th September 1890 in Porto, was very skilful and a natural scientist . In 1912 due to the death of his father Eduard Marius Niepoort was forced to enter the family business. Rolf Niepoort, his son, remembers his father as “Interested in different subjects like chemistry, physics or mechanics and a man of fine humour”. According to Elisabete, who worked with him, already linked to the administrative area at the time, he was a true "icon of intelligence", an upstanding person who carefully weighed up the decisions he made.

Eduard Marius left as an active partner in 1980 and dedicated his time to his many hobbies and collections. Eduard Marius Niepoort died at the age of 91 (03.06.1982). His grandchildren, Dirk and Verena, remember his severity concerning their studies and keep the memory of a grandfather with never-ending collections of books, stamps, coins and tram tickets!

The second generation: Eduard Karel Jackob. Eduard Jackob was born in 1848 in Porto. Niepoort was already a prosper business when Eduard Karel Jacob van der Niepoort took over the family business. He just continued the work of his predecessor.

The first generation: Franciscus Marius van der Niepoort. The founder, Franciscus, was born in 1813 in Hilversum in Holland. He was married with Francisca Louisa Elisabeth Ehlers. Franciscus Marius came to Portugal to be part of Niepoort business in Port Wine. He started the company as a Port seller, with no land or vineyards. He was primarily a negociant of port wines. Died in Porto on 7 March 1887.

Close

Vineyards

The north of Portugal consists almost exclusively of granite. This extremely hard stone with a thin layer of soil is practically of no use for agriculture. Interestingly, the Douro River also cuts through a massif of slate that happens to extend from Barca d'Alva almost to Régua. This slate frequently splits into vertical layers below the surface. This not only allows moisture to seep in, but also gives roots a place to grow. Thus these soil conditions form the natural borders of viticulture in the Douro region: vines thrive as far as the slate reaches.

Slate is hard but brittle and breaks down into ubiquitous yellowish-brown dust in the Douro region and becomes a souvenir on the shoes and car of every visitor to the winegrowing region.

 

250,000 hectares consist of slate soil, of which 40,000 hectares are now used for viticulture. Approximately half of these cultivation sites are located on slopes with inclines of more than 30%. Those steep and stony slopes are difficult and costly to work.

 

Four mountain ranges protect the winegrowing hills from cool and moist weather. In the north, this includes the Serra de Alvão, the Serra de Padrela and the Serra de Bornes, which set the Douro region apart from the cooler climate of the Minho (Vinho Verde). Toward the west, the infamous Serra do Marão, which rises to 1,400 m, serves as a reliable weather divide. In the summertime one frequently leaves the city of Porto in overcast, foggy and moist weather only to encounter the wonderful view of the peaceful valley in glowing sunshine after coming past the many curves of the Marão Pass. The heat in the Douro region is often insufferable and can reach temperatures between 40 and 50 degrees Celsius in the daytime, which is usually 15 to 25 degrees above the temperature of the relatively cool Porto. The highest temperatures are reached in the vicinity of the river and in the adjoining valleys on the right-hand bank. In contrast, winter temperatures in the Douro region can be quite low (around 0 degrees Celsius) and in some exceptional years there will even be snowfall. Once travelers cross the Marão toward the west, they usually encounter mild temperatures, soft sunshine and blossoming trees.

 

Even though the climate of the city of Porto on the Atlantic Coast is not suitable for viticulture, it offers the perfect cool and humid conditions to store wines for many years. Traditionally, the wine casks from the Douro region were brought to Porto (to be more precise: to Vila Nova de Gaia) every year in June before the beginning of the greatest heat to finish maturing in the lodges of the shippers. They were shipped downriver on sailboats ("barcos rabelos"), which today only anchor on the Douro at Vila Nova de Gaia as an open-air museum. (Almost) every port wine lodge polishes up its company boat only once a year: the traditional sailing regatta takes place on the day of the town's patron saint São João (June 24) and the employees of the port wine lodges prove their mettle in a sports competition.

 

The winegrowing region of the Douro is divided into three areas along the river. The Baixo Corgo ("Lower Corgo") is the area furthest to the west, spanning approximately from Régua to a tributary called Corgo. It is joined to the east by the Cima Corgo ("Upper Corgo") area that includes the town of Pinhão. The area to the east of Pinhão to Barca d’Alva is referred to as Douro Superior ("Upper Douro").

Close

Winemaking

The Niepoort family has been creating Port Wines since 1842. The first property in Douro was bought in 1987 and Dirk Niepoort started a new Era in the company with the creation of the first Redoma red in 1991. In the last years Niepoort took on the great challenge of interpreting other soils and climates and acquired two properties in other regions, Dão and Bairrada. Discover the Niepoort Triangle which express the different terroirs: Schist (Douro), Limestone (Bairrada) and Granite (Dão).

Close

Inside information

Niepoort's mission is to maintain its position of "niche player", continuing to produce distinctive ports and Douro wines, combining centuries-old tradition with innovation. This combination has come to include throughout our growth wines from two other regions that have contributed to marking out the Douro - Bairrada - Dão triangle.

The most recent points of the triangle (also) "produce the goods" and occupy a place that Niepoort considered important to recover, given the potential they possess, combining the undeniable legacy of Portugal's winemaking past with the possibilities of innovation. 

 

The importance we attach to the need to interpret soils, climates and grape varieties has led us on the path of Biodynamics, a relationship that looks to respect the "moods" of Nature, listening to nature in order to find a balance between biodiversity and the least possible intrusive intervention. In Biodynamics, we give particular attention to the interrelationship between all the people involved in a continuous demand for respect for their idiosyncrasies and appreciation of what they have and bring of best to the Niepoort family. 

 

"Could we do any better?", asked Maria Alice of the Quinta de Baixo estate, one day. It depends. It depends on Niepoort continuing to make dreams come true, depends on the creation of the appropriate procedures and maintains the willingness to learn what characterizes us. But above all, the answer lies in the pleasure we gain from what we do.

Close

47 different wines with 275 vintages

Incorrect Information
If you found some information that is wrong, let us know
UPGRADE MEMBER PLAN
Upgrade your membership now, it's quick and easy. We use PayPal, the world's largest payment system, it accepts all credit cards. Once you've chosen your membership level, you'll go directly to PayPal. You can cancel your membership at any time.
Thank you for your support!
 

Pro Member

 

Winemerchant Member

 

Winery Member

 

User

 

HOW TO USE TASTINGBOOK?

We recommend you to share few minutes for watching the following video instructions of how to use the Tastingbook. This can provide you a comprehensive understanding of all the features you can find from this unique service platform.

This video will help you get started



Taste wines with the Tastingbook


Create Your wine cellar on 'My Wines'



Explore Your tasted wines library



Administrate Your wine world in Your Profile



Type a message ...
Register to Tastingbook
Sign up now, it's quick and easy.
We use PayPal, the world's largest payment system, it accepts all credit cards.
Once you've chosen your membership level, you'll go directly to PayPal, where you can sign up for a free 7-day trial period. You can cancel your membership at any time. We wish you a rewarding journey to the world of Fine Wines.

Free 7 days Member trial

 

Member

 

Pro Member

 

Winemerchant Member

 

Winery Member

 

User

  Register