Niepoort (Vinhos) S.A.

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seven reviews

"Niepoort is to vintage Port what Krug is to Champagne. They  are both small houses in a world dominated by large competitors, but they are producing outstanding wines that very few can match."    - James Suckling

Still owned and operated by the same family (now the 5th generation) since its establishment at Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal in 1842, Niepoort produces some of the world’s best Tawny Ports that show their vibrant freshness and at the same time their age.  The grapes for Niepoort Vintage Ports come from four vineyards around Pinhào, at the very heart of the best vineyard area. Without exception, the vineyards are over 85 years old and the yields are extremely low at around 5 to 6 hectolitres per Ha.  The wines are made in the traditional manner, foot trodden in largares with the grapes still on their stems. Today, Niepoort is probably the only Port House making and ageing Port this way (a few prestigious Quintas such as Quinta do Crasto, Quinta do Vale Dona Maria, and Quinta do Vale da Mina also still use this method). Recently, Niepoort has started to commercially produce extraordinary Douro table wines. 

  The Ports

For the first time Niepoort declared two vintages in the same year: the classic Niepoort and Niepoort Secundum.  The first wine was created for the first time in 1927 whereas the second was born in 1999.  Two very different styles, in the opinion of Dirk Niepoort, are both enjoyable and interesting to confront.  If these two styles of Niepoort Vintages were to be compared with classical music it could be said that Secundum has the feeling of Mozart: charming, creative, with intermediate feel of melodies, happy and young.  The classic Niepoort would be compared to Bach: intense, profound, complex and slightly complicated, less intermediate in comprehension, so much so that it is possible to use a great deal of energy in order to understand....

Niepoort Vintage Port 2000

95-97 Points   Wine Access    The Top Rated 2000 Vintage Port

As usual with Niepoort Vintage Port, a proportion of the wine was aged in big wooden tonéis and a proportion aged in pipes, after which it was bottled without filtration in July 2002. 

"I believe that ageing the wine in pipes and tonéis produces harmonious, elegant wines of extraordinary longevity" commented Dirk van der Niepoort. “My dream is to create a vintage similar to that of the Niepoort 1945: great concentration with an expansive harmony between sweetness, alcohol, tannin and fruit. There are similarities between the 2000 and the vintage 1945, such as the structure of tannins and mainly the balance, however it still misses the maturity of the 1945 Vintage”.

With the vintage of 2000 the dream of the producer could have came true.

“The Vintages of 2000 are not aggressive but do have a good structure of tannin and a long lasting aroma.  These wines are showing a great deal of power but also harmony and delicacy,” explains Dirk Niepoort, who considers the Niepoort 2000 the best vintage he’s ever made.

From grapes harvested late in the season, a very powerful vintage port, rich and complex emerged.  Full aroma, of dark fruits and earthy, but still very closed.  In the mouth it is immense, sticky, extremely rich with firm tannins very ripe and with no aggression.  Classic vintage, with a great deal still left to be discovered, will be accompanied by the next generations. The Niepoort Vintage Port 1997 received 98 points from the Wine Spectator - it is rumoured that this classic will do better. 

SKU 633081

Secundum Vintage Port 2000

The Secundum 2000 was produced from vines that are more than 70 years-old (predominantly Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Tinta Amarela  and Touriga Nacional) cultivated using the traditional methods from a very small vineyard found in the valley of Pinhão, in the sub-region of Cima Corgo. The grapes, with the stems included, were foot trodden in tanks (lagares) made of stone.

For Dirk Niepoort, the Secundum 2000 “is very impressive, it shows its tannin and also identifies the fruit itself with its concentration and richness.  A very powerful wine with a great longevity.” 

Rich in colour; the intense aroma from the ripe fruit  can be compared to that of cocoa and chocolate.  Very powerful in the mouth, can be chewed well.  It has the tannin of grand years, well presented and ripe which secures its longevity but at the same time can be appreciated with half its longevity.

92-94 Points   Wine Access

SKU 635052

Quinta do Passadouro 2000

Tight nose with peppery, spicy overtones with cherries and floral streaks.  Another powerful, ripe, intense red with big acid and tannins.  A wonderful young wine crammed with black cherry jam, plums, and citrus undertones.  Fresh and well balanced.  Delicious future.  

92-94 Points   Wine Access

SKU 636571

Reviews to follow:

Redoma Branco

Vintage Port 2003

Quinta da Napoles

Batuta