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Wine Description
The Story
The name Robustus pays tribute to the first wine that Dirk Niepoort made in 1990 with the same name and which was never released. The inspiration behind Robustus is essentially based on traditional way of ageing the wines longer time in bigger old wood. The idea was to make a wine, which portrays well the Douro and its vineyards, of great structure, with the presence of tannins and acidity giving it vigour and nerve as well as many years of life in bottle. Its ageing in 2000 liters old wood vats for 4 years allows this powerful wine to develop, based on aromatic complexity, the balance of well integrated tannins derived from the length of time ageing and its great acidity.
Wine Information
The name Robustus pays tribute to the first wine that Dirk Niepoort made in 1990 with the same name and which was never released. The inspiration behind Robustus 2004 is essentially based on great traditional Italian wines where an extended maturation in old wood is used to soften the tannins. The idea was to make a full bodied wine, which portrays well the Douro and its vineyards, of great structure, with the presence of tannins and acidity giving it vigour as well as many years of life in bottle. It’s ageing in vats for 4 years, allows a powerful wine to develop, based on aromatic complexity, potent but well integrated tannins derived from the length of time ageing and its great acidity and ageing capacity.
Vinification
2004 was an extremely dry year which conditioned from an early stage the size of the berry, however the rain which fell in the middle of August permitted a very balanced maturity, with ripe tannins without excesses in sugar levels of the musts principally from higher altitude and less exposed vineyards. In fact the vinificationwas not carried outwith Robustus inmind,and in this batch we can find wines fermented with extended maceration as well as a small percentage made in lagar. It was after 18 months of barrel ageing that 2 lots of wine were chosen for there acidity and tannin structure for a more prolonged ageing in old 1500Lwooden vats.
Tasting Notes
In spite of the time spent ageing the Robustus 2004 exhibits a ruby colour with very little
development, a distinct aroma of great intensity and complexity, where notes of coffee, and cigar box are confused with those of dark and red fruits and with the intense notes of spices (black pepper, cloves).We even find elegant balsamic and resinous notes and earthy aromas. The palate has great amplitude with the presence of fruit and minerality, the wine imposes itself on tasting more by its freshness than by the weight of its structure which exhibits tannin in abundance but all very well integrated.
