Niepoort 2008 Colheita Port

Description

Niepoort 2008 Colheita Port is a single vintage Tawny Port produce by Niepoort Vinhos, one of Portugal’s great Tawny Port specialists.

Niepoort Vinhos

Niepoort Vinhos may be small, but it is a very well-regarded Portuguese wine producer with a rich history dating back to 1842. The company was founded by Franciscus Marius Niepoort from Holland and has been family-owned for generations, currently led by the visionary Dirk Niepoort, the fifth generation. Niepoort’s three children Daniel, Marco and Ana have all entered the family business. In particular, the eldest son, Daniel, has been involved in winemaking at the company since 2020.

Dirk Niepoort joined the family business in the late 1980s and brought a fresh perspective to the company. He recognized the potential of the Douro Valley to produce exceptional table wines, not just fortified wines. Dirk convinced his father to purchase Quinta de Nápoles and Quinta do Carril, plant 15 hectares of new vines and preserve the 60-year-old vineyards. He first started experimenting with table wines in 1990 and released his first wine, Niepoort Redoma Tinto, in 1991. Dirk’s innovative approach and passion for quality led to the development of a diverse range of still wines not just from the Douro, but also from estates and vineyards including Bairraida, Dao and Açores (Azores). They remain one of the smallest, yet very high quality, Port shippers.

Colheita Port

Colheita Ports are dated tawny Ports aged in large old casks. They are a Tawny Port from a single vintage. Colheita Ports must be aged for a minimum of 7 years from vintage. Niepoort often ages their Colheita Ports for much longer in cask prior to release. In fact, the same Colheita Port, can be bottled after different periods of ageing in cask as long as it is over 7 years, and it can be fascinating to see the differences.

Niepoort 2008 Colheita Port

The grapes for the Niepoort 2008 Colheita Port are hand-picked from vineyards with schistous soils located in Vale do Pinhão and Ferrão with an average age of over 60 years old. This is a typical Douro Field Blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Francisca, Tinta Amarela, Sousão, Tinta Roriz and others.

The grapes were trodden in “lagares” at Vale de Mendiz and later the Port was matured in small old oak casks (550 and 600L pipa or “pipe” casks) at Niepoort’s lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia. During the slow cask-ageing process the wine takes on a tawny hue and woody and nutty tones become on the palate with naunces of summer fruits, coffee and raisins.

Colheita Port does not need decanting.