Dirk Niepoort

Niepoort Vintage Port 2019 / Brilliant appearance with a dark purple rim and concentrated depth of colour. The aroma is fine and subdued with only a hint of primary dark fruits and some spice. The true potential and style of this wine really comes together on the palate with wonderful integration of dark fruits with a grainy tannic structure, pairing volume with amazing balance and elegance and an impressive finish. In conclusion, the primary fruit on the palate is appealing at this stage, but it’s the balanced tannic structure which indicates great ageing potential for the future.

DoDa 2012 / It was Rolf Niepoort who conceived the idea, and Dirk who brought it to fruition: a project which was initiated 17 years ago. This wine was borne from Rolf Niepoort’s conception of an ideal Portuguese wine, which would combine the elegance, freshness and longevity of the wines of the Dão region with the structure and power of Douro wines. It would marry the fruitiness provided by the schist soils of the Douro with the pine needle aromas and the minerality which are so typical of the granite soils of the Dão. This vintage is a blend of 60% Douro wine from very old vines of the Quinta de Nápoles (some as old as 120 years) and 40% Dão wine from the Quinta da Pellada, also stemming from old vines consisting of the typical grape varieties of the region: Tourigo, Jaen, Alfrocheiro and Tinta Roriz.

Coche 2011, like the 2010, is also a great wine with a great character and intense mineral hints. Coche displays citrus and mineral aromas, with a variety of floral hints and great complexity. On the palate is elegant, with several layers to discover, with very firm acidity and concentration. It features hints of stone fruits and minerals, and it has great persistence and length in the finish.

Flowering was very early in 2011 and the entire cycle was anticipated, with the harvest starting earlier than ever before. However, the maturation of the vines planted at higher altitudes was slower and when the harvest ended all wines had a good amount of malic acid.

The traditional vines, aged over 80 years, are mostly planted in schist soil. About 30% are planted in granite soils and in years such as 2011 these vines convey enormous freshness to the wines.

Alcoholic fermentation occurred in French oak barrels of 228 litres. The wine aged 12 months in the same barrels without bâtonnage, where malolactic fermentation occurred, and then five months in stainless steel vats before bottling in February 2013.

The 2017 Redoma Reserva Branco displays a light, crystalline lemon colour. Its vivacious and mineral aromatic profile reflects the vines’ fantastic terroir. Complex aromas with hints of toast from the barrels complement the wine’s distinct floral and delicate character. Notes of spice, tropical fruits and white blossoms emerge to form a very complex and seductive ensemble. Tight and vibrant on the palate, with some body and a marked acidity, the wine offers plenty of elegance and depth. The finish is very long, with a final touch of smokiness and salinity. Much like its previous versions, this is a white wine which will greatly benefit from cellaring. Serve in Burgundy-style wine glass.

The 2017 viticultural year was once again very atypical in the Douro region. Due to the extreme drought, harvest began on 10 August and concluded on 10 September – according to our records, this is the earliest date we have ever started and ended harvesting. The grapes proved to be of excellent quality, with firm and crunchy skins and ripe seeds. Thanks to Niepoort’s philosophy to harvest early, we were able to obtain fruit with sufficient acidity to produce fresh and elegant wines. The grapes were transported to the cellar under temperature-controlled conditions, sorted meticulously upon arrival and then gently and slowly pressed. The grape must was left to settle for approximately 24 hours before slowly fermenting in 228L French oak barrels. The Redoma Reserva matured for 10 months in barrel, without bâtonnage. It only partially underwent malolactic fermentation.