Niepoort

 Niepoort, a family business in its 6th generation, is an important winery in Portugal. When I visited here 6-7 years ago, I was impressed with the white wines. In a country which started from Port, then moved to serious red table wines, this was different. Dirk Niepoort, the 5th generation winemaker, has influenced many younger winemakers in Portugal. It all stemmed from his broad-based experience in wine. I am showing here one of his three wine cellars.

Since my first visit the range has expanded enormously, and I was looking forward to tasting some exciting wines from the six regions Niepoort operates in. The main winery is based in Douro, but the philosophy is almost an antithesis of typical Douro wines: Niepoort wines are fresh and low alcohol. What was unfortunate was that I got caught up in the increasing wine tourism trend: I was offered more entry level wines.

The Agua Viva Champagne, made in the traditional method, was quite agreeable. Quite fresh, but some toast on the back palate, and plenty of mousse. 

The 2021 Dialogois a field blend from a number of Douro vineyards, is fermented in stainless steel. This is a very light wine, with citrus and green apple flavours, and vivid acidity at 11% alcohol - an easy drinking, quite simple, but well made wine (86 points). The 2021 Redoma is sourced similarly, but from 60 year old vines. The wine is matured in French barriques for six months, 10% new. This has added some toastiness and complexity to the more intense fruit. Alcohol is 11% again (91 points).

The first red is the 2020 Lagar de Baixo. It comes from the Bairrada region, near the ocean, and is made from the Bara grape. This variety is lighter in character than the typical Douro grapes. The wine has been aged in Foudre for 18 months. The wine is quite transparent, the fruit not intense - an open, easy drinking and approachable style (88 points). The 2020 Batuta was the best wine in the line-up. It comes from two vineyards in the Douro, one high up, one near the river, to blend intensity and freshness. The wine is a blend of eight or nine varieties (who knows?). It is fermented in steel, and after a staggering 80 days of maceration moved to oak barrels for 22 months. Despite this, the wine is fresh and elegant, and the blue fruit flavours attractive (93 points).

I would have liked to taste more of the Niepoort range. Alas, it was not to be.