Niepoort Late Bottled Vintage Port (LBV) 2020

Description

Niepoort Late Bottled Vintage Port (LBV) is an unfiltered cask-aged Port from a single vintage. The “Little Brother” to Niepoort’s Vintage Ports. Available to buy now at Fareham Wine Cellar.

Niepoort Port House

Niepoort Vinhos was founded as a Port House in 1842 and today is run by the 5th generation brother and sister Dirk and Verena Niepoort. This respected and historic Portuguese winery is known for its exceptional Port wines and table wines. The Niepoort family’s dedication to quality, innovation, and sustainable practices has helped them maintain their reputation as one of the top wine producers in Portugal and beyond.

Dirk Niepoort joined his father, Rolf Niepoort, in the family business in 1987 with the challenge of innovating while upholding cherished traditions. They remain one of the smallest, yet very high-quality, Port shippers.

Niepoort LBV Port

Winemaker Dirk Niepoort calls this the “Little Brother” of his Vintage Port, as the origins of the grapes and vinification methods are identical. The grapes for this wine were hand harvested from vineyards with low-yielding old vines ( Vinha da Pisca, Vale do Pinhão and Ferrão with an average age of more than 70 years old) in the Cima Corgo region of the Douro valley.

LBV Port Vinification

• Harvest and Selection: Grapes are rigorously selected on a sorting table post-harvest.

• Vinification: Whole grape bunches are foot-trodden in granite lagares.

• Fortification and Initial Ageing: The Port is fortified and aged for a few months in the Douro.

• Further Ageing: Transferred to Niepoort’s lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia, where it ages in large wooden vats and barrels.

• Bottling: Traditionally bottled 4 years after harvest to retain freshness.

• Grape Blend: Comprises Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Francisca, Tinta Amarela, Sousão, Tinta Roriz, and other Douro grape varieties.

Also available in 37.5cl half bottles.

Late Bottled Vintage Port: Filtered or Unfiltered

Late Bottled Vintage Port is a style of Port which first came to prominence in the 1960s, perhaps as an excuse to use up excess Vintage Port that had been left in barrel for longer than usual due to the lack of demand at the time. Today, there are two distinctive LBV Ports, one style is filtered and one style is not. If it is unfiltered LBV Port it will normally say so on the bottle and may be labelled “bottle matured”, “traditional” or simply unfiltered.

A good quality unfiltered Late Bottled Vintage Port can last almost as long as some Vintage Ports, and unfiltered styles will also develop in the bottle. They help to bridge the gap between Ruby and Vintage Ports, since a Ruby Port should be drunk quite young, and a great Vintage Port may need at least 15 to 20 years to open up and show its splendour.

Read more: Guide to Decanting Port.