Niepoort, founded by Dutchman Franciscus van der Niepoort in 1842, is probably best known for their Port wines - and rightly so, since the winery has been producing Port wines exclusively until the early 1990’s.
It wasn’t until Dirk Niepoort joined the family business (which happened in 1987) when the winery started to produce also dry wines. Originally Niepoort didn’t own any vineyards - they just purchased, aged, bottled and sold Port as a negociant business. However, Dirk was interested in trying his hand at making dry wines with grapes from a region known for their fortified wines - after all, this was back at the time when virtually no-one was making any dry wines from Douro, basically apart from Barca Velha.
Niepoort purchased two quintas from Cima Corgo in the late 1980’s: Quinta de Nápoles in 1987 and Quinta do Carril in 1988. Most of the neglected vineyards acquired with these purchases could not be put to immediate use, so approximately 15 hectares had to be replanted. However, approximately 10 hectares of old vineyards could be harvested, so in 1990 Dirk Niepoort made his first dry red, Robustus, with these estate grapes, followed by Redoma Tinto in 1991 - the first commercially made dry Niepoort red wine.
Although Dirk Niepoort doesn’t seem to consider himself a visionary, he was still among the very first producers to make dry wines in Douro - something that was almost unheard-of 30 years ago, but completely normal today. However, Niepoort seems like a guy who is never happy with status quo, but instead trying to come up with something new every day. Since 1991 Niepoort has introduced tons of different dry wines, projects and even Quintas to their ever-expanding lineup. Today Niepoort doesn’t make wine just in Douro, but also in other regions of Portugal - and abroad as well! Furthermore, there are numerous of different collaboration wines where winemakers all over Portugal - some also even abroad - have made together with Dirk Niepoort or with fruit sourced from Niepoort vineyards.
With this tasting we went through all kinds of different dry Niepoort wines, just to see what this Portuguese Gyro Gearloose is up to at the moment. Maybe not all the wines were that successful, but the best ones were truly beautiful and thrilling wines indeed.
(We also had one very old bottle of Niepoort White Port after this photo was taken, which is why it was left out from the lineup)
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2017 Mercator Vineyards Sauvage sur lie - Canada, Nova Scotia, Annapolis Valley (6.4.2023)
A blend of Chardonnay and Petite Milo, harvested in October. The wine is fermented spontaneously and aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, then blended and aged sur lie in tanks for further 6 months. 12% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Pale lemon yellow color. The nose feels dry and moderately woody with aromas of creamy oak and leesy richness along with some smoky notes of reduction, a little bit of crunchy white currant, light fresh apple tones, a hint of honey and a zippy touch of lemon. The wine feels dry, cool and brisk on the palate with a light body and zippy flavors of lemony citrus fruits and steely minerality, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of sawdusty woody character, light crunchy notes of Granny Smith apple, hints of herby spices and grapefruit bitterness and a touch of tangy salinity. The racy acidity lends good sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish feels dry, crisp and zippy with a medium-long aftertaste of steely and slightly salty minerality, some lemony notes of citrus fruits, light crunchy notes of Granny Smith apple, little bit of woody oak and creaminess, a hint of grapefruit bitterness and a touch of salty liquorice powder.
A nice, crisp and brisk little white. Perhaps a bit lean and linear in style, making the oak influence stick out in a somewhat awkward fashion - the overall feel is that of a still Vinho Verde that has been aged in oak. Which is why I guessed this was an oaked Vinho Verde. Well, it turned out to be a Canadian white from Nova Scotia, made partly from a grape variety I had never heard of before. Well, live and learn. I was surprised how youthful the wine was for its age - based on its very youthful overall feel and somewhat reductive nature, I can imagine this wine will keep just fine for years more. Most likely it won't improve much - there is very little to improve upon, really - but I don't see this wine really falling apart anytime soon, either. Drink or keep. Priced according to its quality at 23 CAD (approx. 16€).
(88 points) -
2018 Niepoort Bairrada VV Vinhas Velhas Quinta de Baixo - Portugal, Beiras, Bairrada (6.4.2023)
The VV stands for Vinhas Velhas. This is a blend of organically farmed Bical and Fernão Pires from very old vineyards (average age 80 yo, oldest vineyards +100 yo). Fermented very slowly in stainless steel tanks over 4-5 weeks, after which the wines were moved into old 1000-liter oak fuders imported from Mosel to finish the fermentation. The wines were kept in oak fuders for 20 months, during which the wines were fermented dry and underwent spontaneous MLF. Bottled unfiltered in August 2020. 11,4% alcohol, 1,5 g/l residual sugar, 7 g/l acidity, 0,57 g/l VA and total SO2 89 mg/l. Total production 6900 bottles.
Pale, neutral whitish-green color. The nose feels fragrant but also somewhat subdued with light, nuanced aromas of fresh apple and zesty citrus fruits, some hay, a little bit of creaminess suggesting oak aging, light fragrant notes of exotic spices and a nutty hint of slivered almonds. The wine feels somewhat neutral and a bit understated on the palate with a medium body and dry, minerally flavors of fresh red apple and wet rocks, some hay, a little bit of creaminess, light woody notes of old, dry oak, a hint of woolly lanolin and a touch of chalk dust. The acidity feels quite high, keeping the wine effortlessly in balance, yet it doesn't really bring that much intensity or sense of incisive structure to the wine. The finish is dry, somewhat neutral and rather mineral and a bit mellow with a medium-long aftertaste of fresh red apple, some notes of hay, a little bit of creaminess, light woolly tones, a hint of zesty citrus fruits and a touch of crunchy white currant.
A nice, pleasant and harmonious Bairrada white, but considering how high the acidity is here, the wine is surprisingly mellow, open-knit and richly-textured. All this is further emphasized by the rather understated, even somewhat neutral fruit flavors of the wine. There's nothing wrong with this wine - I just sort of expected more from it. I guess it's possible the wine was just opened too early and it will pick up some depth and complexity as it ages. At approx. 35€ this feels somewhat expensive for the quality.
(88 points) -
2015 Casas do Côro Beira Interior Reserva Branco - Portugal, Beiras, Beira Interior (6.4.2023)
Casas do Côro is a hospitality estate but they also make some wines from both estate and purchased fruit. This vintage was made by Dirk Niepoort. A blend of Códega do Larinho and Rabigato from old vineyards. Fermented and aged for 24 months in old oak barrels. Spontaneous MLF. Bottled unfiltered. 13,5% alcohol.
Somewhat evolved medium-deep yellow-green color. The nose feels surprisingly evolved and tertiary with moderately oxidative aromas of chopped nuts, some browned apple tones, a little bit of caramel, light smoky nuances and a hint of mushrooms fried in butter. The wine feels balanced, evolved and a bit tired on the palate with a moderately full body and quite complex flavors of bruised apples, some nutty tones, a little bit of saline minerality, light toasty notes of oak spice, a hint of caramel and a touch of tart citrus fruit. The overall feel is quite aged, but still balanced and moderately structured with the rather high acidity. The finish is aged and tertiary with a medium-long aftertaste of chopped nuts, some saline mineral tones, a little bit of bruised apple, light woody nuances, a hint of mushroomy funk and a touch of wizened white fruits.
A pleasant but also surprisingly old and tertiary Beira Interior white that is already going downhill. The wine is still perfectly drinkable and not thoroughly oxidized, but it is pretty obvious this isn't in the shape it should be. I don't know whether this was just an off bottle or if this vintage is supposed to fall apart this soon, only 7½ years from the vintage. Go figure. Feels expensive for the quality at approx. 35€.
(84 points) -
2020 Niepoort Douro Voyeur - Portugal, Douro (6.4.2023)
A low-interventionist wine that seems to be labeled both as just "Voyeur" and "Nat'cool Voyeur", I guess depending on the vintage. It is a blend of fruit sourced from six old (40 to 50 yo) interplanted vineyards harvested as field blends of both red and white grape varieties; the vineyards in the warmer parts of Douro were harvested already in the first weeks of August, while the coolest, higher-lying vineyards in late September. Fermented spontaneously and macerated for six months in clay amphorae, then racked off the skins and blended in stainless steel tanks and finally aged for another 2-3 months in clay amphorae. Bottled in July 2021. 11% alcohol, 0,6 g/l residual sugar, 5,3 g/l acidity, 0,43 g/l volatile acidity, pH 3,38, 19 g/l dry extract and 86 mg/l total SO2. Total production 5000 1-liter bottles.
Youthful, pale and translucent pink color - the appearance of a somewhat deep rosé wine. The nose feels youthful, fruity and slightly bubblegum-y with aromas of strawberry-driven red fruit and raspberry jellies, some ripe appley tones, a little bit of cantaloupe, light cherry juice tones, a primary hint of estery fermentation character and a touch of herby spices. Despite the reddish color and somewhat red-toned aromas, the overall aroma is still that of a white wine rather than a red or rosé wine. The wine feels pretty fresh and quite uncomplicated on the palate with a medium body and youthful flavors of fresh red apple and some cherry, a little bit of crunchy cranberry, light primary notes of raspberry candies, a hint of tart lingonberry and a touch of wild strawberry. The overall feel is quite refreshing but also a bit soft with its medium acidity and no tannins to speak of. The finish is fruity and somewhat linear with a medium-long aftertaste of cranberries and wild strawberries, some crunchy notes of red apple, a little bit of tart lingonberry and a hint of zesty citrus fruit.
A nice and pleasant but also quite simple and uncomplicated little wine that is surprisingly soft and mellow for a wine macerated with the skins for half a year - you really see there is no sense of extraction here whatsoever. Although the wine is made sort of like a red or orange wine, it drinks more like a rosé wine or almost like a white wine. Enjoyable, but pretty harmless. Feels a bit pricey for the quality at 25€ for a 1-liter bottle.
(85 points) -
2018 Niepoort Bastardo - Portugal, Douro (6.4.2023)
100% Bastardo aka. Trousseau from two vineyards, one younger (30 yo) and one older (+70 yo) - the warmer one was harvested in mid-August and the cooler one in mid-September. Spontaneous 100% whole-bunch fermentation in stainless steel. Aged for 16 months in used French oak barriques. 10,8% alcohol, 5,2 g/l acidity, 0,67 g/l volatile acidity, pH 3,62, 22 g/l dry extract and 60 mg/l total SO2. Total production 1900 bottles.
Deep, luminous and slightly evolved cherry-red color. The nose feels quite meaty with aromas of ripe red fruits, some gamey tones, a little bit of wizened blackberries, a hint of fresh cherry and a touch of earth. The wine feels fruit-forward but also very umami-driven on the palate with a medium body and savory flavors of cherries and gamey meat, some wizened dark berry tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light leathery notes, a hint of tobacco and a touch of licorice root. The overall feel is enjoyably balanced with its moderately high acidity and quite light yet somewhat grippy medium-minus tannins. The finish is savory, subtly grippy and pretty long with flavors of stony minerality and meaty umami, some crunchy cranberry tones, a little bit of brambly raspberry, light notes of tobacco, a hint of tart red plum and a touch of ripe Bing cherry.
An enjoyably light and fresh yet pretty serious and savory Douro red that isn't a big powerhouse nor an easy, crowdpleaser bistro wine. This is sort of antithesis to the modern red wine - it's not big and that accessible; it's not immediate or aromatically obvious, but instead very savory and somewhat indistinct; it's not stern and particularly ageworthy, just structured enough to be a good food wine. This is just a nice, unpretentious yet very balanced and enjoyable red wine with no thrills or frills. The wine might continue to evolve and improve for a handful of years more, but it doesn't feel like it calls for any further aging - this is in a fine spot right now. However, at 39€ it feels a bit pricey for the quality.
(90 points) -
2019 Susana Esteban and Dirk Niepoort Vinho Regional Alentejano Sem Vergonha - Portugal, Alentejano, Vinho Regional Alentejano (6.4.2023)
Sem Vergonha stands for "Shameless"; this is a collaboration wine between Susana Esteban, former winemaker at Quinta do Castro, and Dirk Niepoort. 100% Castelão from Alentejo. Fermented spontaneously in stainless steel, aged for 12 months in old French oak barriques. Bottled in March 2021. 13% alcohol, 5,7 g/l acidity and pH 3,37. Total production 3559 bottles.
Youthful, very slightly hazy and only subtly translucent black cherry color with faint purplish highlights. Very fragrant and expressive nose with fruit-forward aromas of blueberries and elderberry juice, some raspberry jam tones, a little bit of cherry marmalade, light floral notes of violets, a hint of ripe strawberry and a touch of characterful spicy action. The wine feels ripe and juicy yet dry and crunchy on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and somewhat austere yet still fruity flavors of elderberries and brambly raspberries, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of crunchy cranberry, light strawberry tones, a hint of meaty umami and a touch of earthy spice. The high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins make the wine feels somewhat stern, but also wonderfully balanced, not aggressive. The finish is dry, firm and somewhat angular with moderately grippy tannins and a long, crunchy aftertaste of fresh bilberries, wild strawberries and elderberries, some boysenberry tones, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light sweeter notes of raspberry jam, a hint of meaty umami and a touch of tart cranberry.
A wonderfully fresh, firm and youthful yet not too young wine with a lot of character. Although the wine is pretty fruity, it still has a somewhat austere, dry and angular overall feel - which might be off-putting to people who are looking for easy, accessible wines, but for me, is part of its charm. Susana Esteban says a good Castelão has similarities with Burgundy red, but while I really don't find much common ground here, I do feel the wine is aptly named - this is pretty shameless, in a good way. It is drinking now really nicely, but I assume it will age nicely for a good handful of years more. Maybe it doesn't have enough fruit concentration and intensity to be aged extensively, but based on its very youthful overall character, I feel it isn't going to be falling apart anytime soon. Fun stuff, solid value at approx. 20€.
(91 points) -
2015 Casas do Côro Beira Interior Reserva Tinto - Portugal, Beiras, Beira Interior (6.4.2023)
Casas do Côro is a hospitality estate but they also make some wines from both estate and purchased fruit. I've understood Dirk Niepoort has been a consultant for the winery and made some of their wines, but is not the winemaker for this particular wine that is a blend of Rufete, Alfrocheiro, Touriga Nacional and Mourisco from old vineyards. Bottled unfiltered. 13% alcohol.
Clear, moderately translucent blackish-red color. Meaty, relatively evolved and even slightly oxidative nose with aromas of beef jerky, some minty green tones, a little bit of lavender, light evolved notes of wizened plums and dried dark fruits, a hint of crunchy cranberry, a fragrant touch of wilted flowers and a whiff of sun-baked earth. The wine feels firm, earthy and savory on the palate with a medium body and moderately aged flavors of tart cranberries, some wizened red fruits, light oxidative notes of soy sauce and meaty umami, a little bit of gravelly minerality, a hint of prunes and a touch of earthy. The overall feel is somewhat rustic and pretty structured, thanks to its high acidity and pretty grippy tannins. The finish is long and rather grippy with a complex, evolved aftertaste of game and meaty umami, some tart cranberry, light crunchy notes of redcurrants, light beef jerky tones, a sweet hint of prunes and an oxidative touch of soy sauce.
Just as the 2015 Casas do Côro Reserva Branco, also this red iteration was surprisingly aged - even slightly oxidative - for its age. The wine shows nice complexity and pretty impressive sense of structure, but the overall feel is somewhat rustic - and in a positive, non-modernist fashion. The wine feels too evolved, maybe a bit more gritty rather than positively firm and sinewy, and thus slightly clumsy. There is a lot to like here, but to me, this wine is starting to feel too old already - and an eight-year old Portuguese red should be a mere baby at this point. I must say this really isn't worth its price at approx. 34€.
(86 points) -
2012 Niepoort Merlot Bairrada Quinta de Baixo - Portugal, Beiras, Bairrada (6.4.2023)
This is the first vintage ever of Quinta de Baixo Merlot. The fruit is sourced from a 20-yo, one-hectare vineyard that was harvested in mid-September, after a very dry summer. 80% of the fruit was destemmed and then vinified in a traditional lagar with gentle foot pressing. The wine was fermented and aged for 20 months in old French oak barriques, then blended together in vats. Bottled in June 2015. 13,5% alcohol, 1,9 g/l residual sugar, 6,08 g/l acidity, 0,55 g/l volatile acidity, and 49 mg/l total SO2. Total production 2700 bottles.
Relatively youthful, luminous and somewhat translucent dark cherry red color. The nose feels savory, quite evolved and even subtly oxidative with aromas of earthy spices and beef jerky, some pruney notes of dried red plums, a little bit of tobacco, light smoky nuances and a hint of meat stew. The wine feels juicy, mellow and silky smooth on the palate with a full body and rich, rather tertiary flavors of ripe dark fruits and evolved gamey tones, some pruney notes, a little bit of oxidative soy sauce character, light earthy nuances, a hint of tobacco and a touch of beef jerky. The wine is medium in acidity with moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is long, savory and quite tertiary with rather grippy tannins and a complex, slightly oxidative aftertaste of tobacco of wizened red plums, some gamey tones, a little bit of soy sauce, light earthy nuances, a hint of dried dark fruits and a touch of smoke.
An enjoyable but also surprisingly evolved and even slightly oxidative Bairrada Merlot. If we didn't have a prematurely aged bottle but instead one that was representative of the vintage, I must warn you - this wine is not fit for further aging. It is either at its peak now, or slightly past it. The wine is still fully enjoyable, but I'd enjoy if it showed a little bit less tertiary qualities. The acidity feels surprisingly soft, considering the wine is +6 g/l in acidity, but at least the firm and chewy, somewhat rustic tannins lend good sense of firmness and structure to the wine. All in all, a nice little drop, albeit one with relatively little age ahead. Maybe a bit pricey for the current quality at approx. 25€.
(87 points) -
2012 Niepoort Syrah Bairrada Quinta de Baixo - Portugal, Beiras, Bairrada (6.4.2023)
I'm not sure, but this might be the only vintage of Syrah that Dirk Niepoort has made from the Quinta de Baixo estate in Bairrada - at least the Niepoort website doesn't list any other vintages. The fruit is sourced from a 20-yo, one-hectare vineyard that was harvested in early September, after a very dry summer. 80% of the fruit was destemmed and then vinified in a traditional lagar with gentle foot pressing. The wine was fermented and aged for 20 months in a single 2500-liter oak cask. Bottled in July 2014. 13% alcohol, 1,5 g/l residual sugar, 5,71 g/l acidity, 0,68 g/l volatile acidity, pH 3,39, 20,4 g/l dry extract and 24 mg/l total SO2. Total production 2770 bottles.
Quite deep, dark and almost fully opaque blackish-red color that doesn't look youthful nor particularly evolved. The nose feels quite hefty and dark-toned with brooding aromas of ripe black cherries and juicy black raspberries, some blackberry tones, a little bit of earthy spice, light floral nuances of violets and a tiny hint of rustic funk. The wine feels ripe, juicy and pretty youthful on the palate with a moderately full body yet still a pretty airy texture. There are flavors of boysenberries and black raspberries, some brambly blackberry tones, a little bit of farmhouse funk, light peppery nuances and a hint of sweet black cherry. The wine is enjoyably bright with crunchy, high acidity and pretty light and gentle tannins that slowly pile up on the gums. The finish is juicy, pretty vibrant and gently grippy with a moderately long aftertaste of fresh blackberries and ripe boysenberries, some crunchy notes of tart red plums, a little bit of earthy, light peppery tones and a pleasantly rustic hint of earthy funk.
A nice, surprisingly youthful and maybe a bit linear Syrah. This isn't a big and extracted Portuguese Syrah, but this ain't a meaty and peppery Northern Rhône Syrah, either. The style is somewhat more reminiscent of a Northern Rhône Syrah, but the wine feels a bit more straightforward and less complex in character, showing just more fresh fruit flavors but relatively little of those other, non-fruity Syrah notes. But since the wine feels still surprisingly youthful and fresh at the age of +10 years, it's possible they might emerge with further aging! At least the wine feels like it could take on some additional cellar age, although its fresh, relatively light and airy overall character and quite easy tannins don't really call for any further aging. Drink or keep. Priced according to its quality at approx. 25€.
(91 points) -
2015 Niepoort - Raul Perez Douro Ultreia de Douro - Portugal, Douro (6.4.2023)
Ultreia is a series of Bierzo wines by Raúl Pérez, but this particular Douro iteration of Ultreia is a collaboration effort between Pérez and Dirk Niepoort. Pérez chose two 60-yo Niepoort estate vineyards in Vale do Têdo and Vale de Covas, Douro, for this wine and worked as the primary winemaker. The wine is composed of a field blend of grapes that are partially destemmed, fermented and macerated with the skins for more than a month in open-top oak fermentors, then racked into old French oak casks for MLF. Aged for 12 months in oak barrels. Bottled in 2017. 12,5% alcohol.
Youthful, luminous and quite translucent cherry-red color. The nose feels fragrant and expressive with attractive aromas of cherries and sweet red forest fruits, some ripe red plummy tones, a little bit of boysenberry, light floral nuances of violets, a hint of fresh blueberry and a woody touch of savory oak spice. The wine feels ripe, juicy and wonderfully open-knit on the palate with vibrant flavors of succulent dark berries and fresh blueberries, some floral notes of violets, a little bit of cherry, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a hint hints of elderberries and boysenberries and a touch of pipe tobacco. The overall feel is pretty accessible yet firm enough with its rather high acidity and gently grippy medium tannins. The finish is clean, vibrant and slightly grippy with a long aftertaste of blueberries and boysenberries, some floral notes of violets, a little bit of fresh red plum, light stony mineral notes, a hint of woody oak spice and a touch of pipe tobacco.
A very attractive, harmonious and tasty Douro red that tastes very Douro with its fragrant, dark-toned flavors of blueberries, boysenberries and violets, yet comes across as much lighter and more delicate than one would expect from a Douro red. If one were to compare Douro reds to the wines of Bordeaux, I'd say this wine was a fine Burgundy instead. Still super youthful, promising a lot of further aging potential, but seeing how very vibrant and open for business this wine is now, I'd say it doesn't really call for any additional cellaring. A fine wine and solid value at approx. 25 to 30€.
(92 points) -
2013 Álvaro de Castro & Dirk Niepoort DODA - Portugal (6.4.2023)
A wine known as DaDo until 2004. It is a more or less 50/50 blend of Dão fruit from Quinta da Pellada of Álvaro de Castro and Douro fruit from Quinta do Carril of Dirk Niepoort, comprising of Alfrocheiro, Jaen, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional. The Dão portion was vinified in traditional lagares, then racked into French oak barriques for fermentation. Half of the Douro portion was vinified by in traditional lagares, crushed by foot; half in open-top oak fermentors. After the fermentation the wine was racked into oak barrels. Aged for 21 months in French oak barriques, blended and bottled unfiltered in July 2015. 13% alcohol, 5,3 g/l acidity, 0,78 g/l volatile acidity, pH 3,7 and 33 mg/l total SO2. Total production 4890 bottles and 29 magnums.
Luminous, moderately translucent and slightly evolved pomegranate color. The nose feels wonderfully aromatic and expressive with seductive aromas of violets and other perfumed floral tones, some black wine gum tones, a little bit of lifted balsamic character, light blueberry tones, a hint of licorice root and a touch of ripe boysenberry. The wine feels juicy, silky and somewhat ripe yet very savory on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and vibrant flavors of meaty umami and ripe dark fruits, some juicy boysenberry tones, a little bit of balsamic richness, light blueberry nuances, a hint of licorice root and a touch of pipe tobacco. The wine is moderately high in acidity with firm, balanced medium tannins. The finish is rich, sophisticated and silky with ripe, quite gentle tannins and a lengthy, harmonious aftertaste of juicy dark berries and meaty umami, some blueberry tones, a little bit of roasted game, light licorice nuances, a hint of balsamic richness and a touch of earth.
A fine, harmonious and complex Douro/Dão red with a lot of vibrant character and somewhat evolved yet not too tertiary complexity. The wine shows beautiful depth of flavor, distinctive character and good sense of structure, beautifully highlighting the best qualities of both Dão and Douro without letting either overwhelm the other. As the wine is starting to show some developed meaty character and the structure is starting to feel pretty resolved, I'd say the wine isn't built for the really long haul, but at least it will keep - if not evolve - for a good handful of years more. Drink now or in the near-but-not-so-immediate future. Solid value at approx. 35€.
(93 points) -
2011 Telmo Rodríguez & Niepoort Douro OMLET - Portugal, Douro (6.4.2023)
A collaboration wine between Telmo Rodríguez and Niepoort. Rodríguez is the winemaker of his family winery, Remelluri, but he has made all over Spain. However, with this wine Dirk Niepoort gave Rodríguez access to Douro vineyards so he could make a wine in his own signature style outside of Spain. The fruit is sourced from several old (+60 yo) high-altitude (+500 m above sea level) vineyards in Douro mainly planted to Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz (aka. Tempranillo), Sousão and Alicante Bouschet, but also having a little bit of other local varieties. The wine is fermented spontaneously in stainless steel tanks, after which the wine is racked into old 228-liter Burgundy pièces for MLF. Aged for 22 months in oak pièces. Bottled in 2013. 14% alcohol.
Quite deep, dark and concentrated blackish-red color that doesn't seem young nor particularly aged. The nose feels fine-tuned and quite attractive with harmonious aromas of bilberries and boysenberries, some floral notes of violets and lilacs, a little bit of fresh tart dark berry, light licorice tones, a hint of savory spice, a touch of sun-baked rocks and a whiff of Bassett's black wine gums. The wine feels juicy, ripe and somewhat concentrated yet surprisingly airy on the palate with a relatively light-to-medium body and bright, vibrant flavors of juicy dark berries and fresh bilberries, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light boysenberry tones, a hint of licorice root and a perfumed touch of floral lift. The overall feel is harmonious and pretty firm, the structure relying a bit more on the high acidity than on the ripe medium tannins. The finish is dry, savory and gently grippy with a long aftertaste of meaty umami, licorice root and some earthy tones, a little bit of fresh bilberry and crunchy crowberry, light gravelly mineral nuances, a hint of pipe tobacco and a touch of brambly black raspberry.
A very attractive, vibrant and harmonious Douro red that is surprisingly lithe and delicate for the region. Normally Douro reds are known for the power, concentration and intensity, but this wine is a very elegant expression of the region; very much Burgundian, if anything. Normally I'd expect Douro wines to be more powerful than Rioja wines, so I find a bit funny that Rodríguez crafts a Douro red in the exceptional 2011 vintage that would feel pretty lightweight compared to his own Remelluri Reserva 2011! Whatever, this is still a very lovely, balanced and immensely enjoyable wine that doesn't feel particularly young anymore, it it isn't showing any aged character, either. This wine is drinking perfectly right now but I'd expect it to at least keep, if not evolve, for another dozen years. A terrific wine and a terrific purchase at approx. 25-30€.
(93 points) -
2016 Weinmanufaktur Fio Wein Falkenberg Riesling - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (6.4.2023)
A collaboration wine between Philipp Kettern from Piesport, Mosel; Dirk Niepoort; and his eldest son Daniel Niepoort. The fruit is sourced from multiple different plots in the Piesporter Falkenberg vineyard, fermented spontaneously and aged for at least 12 months in very old oak fuders. The fermentations can be extremely slow and the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered only when it has reached full dryness. No SO2 is used apart from a tiny dose at the time of bottling. 11% alcohol.
Youthful and quite intense yellow-green color. The nose feels fragrant and can be instantly identified as a Riesling with its aromas of ripe and zesty citrus fruits, lighter nuances of beeswax, some peachy tones, a little bit of fragrant floral character and a mineral hint of wet rocks. The wine feels ripe, firm and steely on the palate with a medium body and crunchy flavors of lemony citrus fruits and tart Granny Smith apples, some sweeter honeyed tones suggesting good sense of ripeness, a little bit of fresh apricot, light stony mineral notes of wet rocks, a hint of beeswax and a touch of tangy salinity. The wine is very brisk and quite electric with its racy acidity. The finish is crisp, long and zippy with a dry aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and tart green apples, some steely mineral notes, a little bit of grated grapefruit, light crunchy notes of fresh, barely ripe peach and a hint of tangy salinity.
A youthful, clean and crisp Riesling that is marketed as a modern and characterful Mosel Riesling, but which feels unabashedly old-school dry German Riesling to me: the wine is quite lithe and low in alcohol, yet very intense and high-strung with its bracing acidity and pronounced mineral tones, which contrast the rather noticeable yet not at all sweet-fruited sense of ripeness wonderfully. The wine is still pretty nervous and tightly-wound in overall character, but nevertheless already showing great sense of promise. Terrific stuff that is starting to drink quite nicely now, but will improve for many years more. Highly recommended. Priced according to its quality at approx. 35€.
(91 points) -
2022 Carlos Gabriel Fernandes Vinho Verde Chapeleiro - Portugal, Minho, Vinho Verde (6.4.2023)
A blend of Arinto and Loureiro. 11,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Pale, youthful and rather neutral yellow-green color. The nose feels youthful and somewhat primary with aromas of pear drops and apple jam, some fragrant floral tones, a little bit of cantaloupe, light waxy tones and a hint of white peach. The wine feels crisp, youthful and subtly prickly on the palate with a light-to-medium body and quite primary flavors of pear drops and ripe pear, some cantaloupe, light steely mineral notes, a candied hint of fruit jellies and a hint of floral character. The moderately high acidity lends good sense of energy to the wine. The finish is crisp, refreshing and subtly prickly with a medium-long aftertaste of tart green apples, some lemony notes of fresh citrus fruits, a little bit of cantaloupe, light primary notes of pear drops and gummi bears and a floral hint of apple blossom.
A nice, tasty and still super young Vinho Verde from the ripe yet still quite light and zippy end of the spectrum. The overall feel is still quite dominated by the candied fermentation flavors that the wine really calls for some aging to make them disappear. Although the wine doesn't feel like it is built for aging, I feel this could benefit from another year or two down in a cellar. Terrific value at just 7-8€.
(87 points) -
2020 Archil Guniava Wine Cellar Nino's Mgaloblishvili Kvaliti - Georgia, Imereti, Zestafoni, Kvaliti (6.4.2023)
100% Mgaloblishvili, a rare Imeretian variety named after a Georgian 19th-century ampelographer. Mgaloblishvili used to be a widespread variety in Imereti but was borderline extinct when Archil Guniava found some cuttings in a state nursery and decided to plant some. The fruit comes from a 9-yo vineyard and is vinified in a kvevri, macerating for 9 days with the skins. Spontaneous fermentation, no SO2, bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12% alcohol.
The wine looks slightly murky and somewhat opaque blackish-red with a maroon hue. The rather animale nose feels somewhat rustic and dirty with aromas of juicy dark berries, some bretty notes of Band-Aid and barnyard, a little bit of acetic VA, light smoky notes of phenolic spice, a hint of ripe black raspberry and a touch of floral character. The wine feels, dry, funky and rather rustic on the palate with a medium body and savory flavors of game stew, some bretty notes of barnyard, Band-Aid and sweaty horse saddle, a little bit of crunchy crowberry, light brambly notes of black raspberry, a hint of earth and a slightly salty-irony touch of blood. The overall feel is firm and somewhat angular with its high acidity and slightly grippy medium tannins. The finish is dry, funky and slightly bitter with a little bit of tannic grip and somewhat angular aftertaste of tart crowberries and lingonberries, some gamey tones, a little bit of astringent chokeberry character, light bretty notes of Band-Aid and phenolic smoke, a sweeter hint of black raspberry and a touch of stable floor.
A rather rustic yet quite sophisticated little wine - well, as sophisticated as a random Georgian funk bomb can be. There is quite a bit of brett here and I have a hunch the wine could turn mousy with extended oxygen exposure, but at least the wine is wonderfully characterful, fresh and vibrant upon opening. Fun stuff, but people who are incompatible with bretty characteristics should steer clear of this wine. Perhaps a bit pricey for the quality at 22,50€.
(89 points) -
NV Niepoort Porto Nat Cool Trudy - Portugal, Douro, Porto (6.4.2023)
A low-interventionist Ruby Port made with fruit sourced primarily from interplanted vineyards in the sub-region of Cima Corgo. The wine is a field blend primarily composed of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Francisca, Tinta Amarela, Sousão and Tinta Roriz, but there are smaller amounts of local varieties as well. The grapes are foot-trodden in lagares, fermented until the wine is approximately 100 g/l in residual sugar, then fortified to 20% ABV and moved to age in large oak casks. The wine is a blend of multiple vintages with an average age of three years. 19,3% alcohol, 104 g/l residual sugar, 4,4 g/l acidity, 0,3 g/l volatile acidity, pH 3,65 and 41 mg/l total SO2.
Dense, fully opaque blackish-red color. The nose feels sweet, quite youthful and slightly boozy with bold aromas of cherry marmalade and blueberry juice, some odd and slightly atypical green and vegetal tones, a little of leafy herbal character, light plummy nuances and a hint of savory spice. The wine feels clean, youthful and juicy on the palate with a silky mouthfeel, rather full body and sweet flavors of blackberry jam and blueberry juice, some alcohol heat, a little bit of stony minerality, light pruney and raisiny tones, a hint of cherry marmalade and a primary touch of sweet, candied fruit. The wine is quite modest in acidity with rather light, powdery tannins. The finish is youthful, warm and juicy with a little bit of tannic grip and a moderately long, medium-sweet aftertaste of boysenberries and blueberry jam, some wizened plummy tones, a little bit of cherry marmalade, light raisiny nuances and a hint of savory spice.
A nice, clean and rather linear little Ruby Port. Apart from the slightly green nuances in the nose, the wine is a decent little port wine with vibrant fruit flavors and nice intensity of taste. However, the overall feel is a bit simple and harmless and the wine is a bit lacking in structure - it's not news that Port wines can be a bit on the low side in acidity, but usually they rely on their firm tannic structure to add firmness and muscle. However, with its light and easy tannins, Trudy does come across as quite soft and mellow - some people might consider the wine enjoyably smooth and accessible, but to me the wine is somewhat lacking in firmness, coming across as somewhat dull and flabby. While an enjoyable wine, this wine doesn't really give me anything I look for in a red Port - I'll probably continue to stick to Vintage Ports and LBVs. However, at just 15-20€ for a one-liter bottle, the wine is priced very much according to its quality.
(84 points) -
NV Niepoort Porto Dry White - Portugal, Douro, Porto (6.4.2023)
Made from a blend of Arinto, Côdega, Gouveio, Rabigato and Viosinho. Fermented in lagares with the skins and getting even some foot-treading before the fortification. The final blend is from different vintages averaging 3,5 years of age - however, this is an older bottler estimated to be bottled some 15-20 years ago. 20% alcohol.
Deep, slightly hazy amber color. The nose feels evolved, waxy and quite hot with aromas of Tawny-like nuttiness, some apricot jam, a little bit of bruised apple, light aged notes of decomposing wood, a hint of quince jam and a touch of almond paste. The wine feels hot, moderately evolved and slightly viscous on the palate with a full body and medium-sweet flavors of apple jam and overripe apricot, some oxidative nutty tones, a little bit of savory spice, light waxy tones, a hint of almond paste and a touch of caramel. The wine is quite modest in acidity, further contributing to the lack of freshness here. The finish is round, hot and medium-sweet with flavors of overripe peach and boozy alcohol, some evolved notes of beeswax, a little bit of oxidative nuttiness and almond paste, light sweeter notes of apple sauce and quince jam and a hint of bruised apple.
Well, this feels marginally more interesting and complex than a young bottle of Niepoort's Dry White. However, this still isn't my favorite wine - and those evolved characteristics don't manage to make the wine that much drinkable. As a whole, the wine is a pretty solid choice in Porto Tonico or other cocktails, but on its own it feels rather flabby, dull and ponderous. And I still can't help but wonder why Port producers traditionally label their medium-sweet or rather sweet wines as "Dry". I could understand a little bit of residual sugar in a Port labeled as "Dry", but there's nothing "dry" here! This is only marginally less sweet than your typical white Port.
(82 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
