Bottler: Niepoort Vinhos S.A, Rua Cândido dos Reis 670, 4400-071 Vila Nova de Gaia / Portugal
In the glass
Colour
Deep, almost opaque ruby-purple with a black core.
Nose
Dense dark berry fruit such as blackberry and black cherry, flanked by violet, slate minerality and spicy notes of dark chocolate and cedarwood.
Palate
Concentrated and multi-layered with juicy dark fruit, firm tannins, warm spice and a long, lusciously sweet finish structure despite 19.5% ABV.
Character
A majestic, profound Vintage Port with both formidable power and filigree elegance – exuberantly full-bodied when young, mellowing into complexity with age.
Pairing
Dark chocolate with herbal notes, ripe blue cheeses such as Roquefort or Stilton, as well as roasted walnuts and dates.
Notes
The grapes come from vines up to 100 years old on the schist terraces of the UNESCO World Heritage Douro; traditionally foot-trodden in granite lagares, biodynamically certified and aged in the cool cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia.
Tasting note
Character
A Vintage Port of truly classical depth, balancing luscious richness with remarkable structure and freshness. It displays the dark fruit and spicy complexity one expects from a great vintage, yet without the overbearing heaviness that often dominates the style. This is a wine of substance that nevertheless remains elegant – a reflection of Dirk Niepoort’s credo that concentration need not come at the expense of finesse.
Terroir & Origin
The grapes hail from the terraced schist vineyards of the Douro Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the steep slopes force the vines to root deep into the rocky subsoil. The schist stores the intense daytime heat and releases it to the grapes at night, ensuring the necessary ripeness whilst preserving acidity. Niepoort cultivates some of the region’s oldest vines here – up to 100-year-old Vinha Velha (old vines) – at Quinta de Nápoles and other top sites. Farming has been organic since 1999, and today all vineyards are biodynamically certified.
Grape Varieties & Vinification
The cuvée of Touriga Franca, Tempranillo (known as Tinta Roriz in the Douro) and Tinto Cão represents Portugal’s indigenous diversity. Vinification follows the traditional method: the grapes are foot-trodden in granite lagares, a gentle extraction that carefully releases colour and tannins. Following spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts and fortification with grape spirit (which yields the characteristic sweetness and an alcohol level of 19.5% abv), the wine matures in the cool cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia. The result is a Port that combines the power of old vines with the precision of biodynamic viticulture.
Food Pairings
Classically paired with pungent blue cheeses such as Stilton or Roquefort, where the wine’s sweetness contrasts with the saltiness of the cheese. Equally compelling alongside dark chocolate with a high cocoa content or walnut-based desserts. For the adventurous: serve with game dishes accompanied by dark berry sauces, or simply enjoy it on its own as a meditation wine after a rich meal.
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