FIVE Niepoort Port Releases at the LCBO this December
If one had to pick the winemaker that has had the greatest impact on not only Douro wines, but Portuguese wines in general, it would be Dirk Niepoort. Easily one of the world’s top winemakers, Dirk’s insight extends beyond soils, grapes and blends, and into humans, predicting and driving the wines that today’s wine lovers, of all ages and backgrounds, are interested in drinking.
While upholding his family’s history in Port wine, dating back to 1842, this fifth generation Niepoort has led the path for future generations to follow in both dry and Port wines. Independent, low-interventionist winemaking (biodynamic practices since 2012), earlier picking times, and clever marketing has created fresh wines both inside and outside of the bottle. There is little Dirk’s ceaseless mind hasn’t touched: natural, sparkling, and highly experimental wine, the latter category being labelled either as ‘undrinkable’, or ‘incredible’ by well-known wine critics. The soft-spoken Dirk deftly combines tradition with innovation, equally using granite lagares and ancient autochthonous grapes alongside sharp social media, alliances with artists, and collaborations with other winemakers around the world through his Niepoort Projectos projects, and the natural, smashable, NAT’Cool! wines.
We are thrilled to have FIVE Niepoort Port wines available in LCBO this month. Read below for more details about these new wines, along with the links to purchase them.
Niepoort Dry White Port
This Dry White Port is a blend of Côdega, Rabigato, Viosinho, Arinto and Gouveio from Douro's Covelinhas and Pombal vineyards, and vines upward of 30 years. After fermentation in open lagares, this aged in small old oak casks for 3.5 years before release. It is on the drier side of White Ports, with 51 g/L RS. Caramelized orange, white honey, candied lime and lemon peel, fragrant honeysuckle, dried apricot, and anise roll through this moderately sweet wine, finishing with a wild orange twist. Super smart, thankfully dryish, and calling out for a partnering with tonic.
Read more about Niepoort here.
Region : Douro Valley
Country : Portugal
Grape(s) : Blend
Price : $18.95
LCBO : 31768
Niepoort White Port
Niepoort White Port is a blend of Malvasia, Viosinho and Gouveio, from Douro's Covelinhas and Pombal vineyards and vines over 60 years. The fermentation is stopped by the addition of pure grape brandy, leaving ample residual sugar (110 g/L). After spending one year in large wood vats the wine is transferred to 550L casks where it rests for at least 3 years before bottling. Pouring a golden hue, this rolls golden raisins, butterscotch, caramelized walnuts along the palate, with a dusting of white pepper and anise lingering on the finish, and easy acidity countering the ample sugar. Try over ice.
Read more about Niepoort here.
Region : Douro Valley
Country : Portugal
Grape(s) : Blend
Price : $18.95
LCBO : 31767
Niepoort 10 Years Old Tawny Port
This 10 year old Tawny Port is a blend of numerous wines averaging 10 years in age. This comes from vines over 30 years from the schist soils of Vinha da Pisca, Vale do Pinhão, and Ferrão, and blends Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Francisca, Tinta Amarela, Sousão, Tinta Roriz and others. It was foot-trodden and fermented in lagares before ageing in small oak casks. Caramelized orange, bitter citrus marmalade, butterscotch glide along the sweet palate, with spirited citrus and a mint twist on the finish. Dryer than your typical 10 Year Tawny, this is still shining and ready for drinking now.
"A medium-bodied, 10-year-old tawny with candied-plum, light chocolate and toffee character. It's medium-bodied and medium-sweet with pretty intensity and focus of fruit and old wood." 94 points, James Suckling
Read more about Niepoort here.
Region : Douro Valley
Country : Portugal
Grape(s) : Blend
Price : $51.95
LCBO : 26959
Niepoort 20 Years Old Tawny Port
From the schistous vineyards of Douro's Vinha da Pisca, Vale do Pinhão, and Ferrão, this blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Francisca, Tinta Amarela, Sousão, Tinta Roriz comes from vines upwards of 60 years, and wines averaging 20 years. Post-ferment, it aged in 550L casks until bottling. 20 Years is when Tawny really truly becomes interesting, and with the drier, savoury Niepoort style, this is a stellar example of what the category can achieve. Roasted almonds and walnuts are woven with caramelized citrus, sweet tobacco, stretching long across the sultry palate, studded with flake salts, and lingering long into a sweet saline wake. Stunner.
Read more about Niepoort here.
Region : Douro Valley
Country : Portugal
Grape(s) : Blend
Price : $95.95
LCBO : 34676
Niepoort Colheita Tawny Port 2010
Colheita Ports are Tawnies which come from a single vintage, and are aged in 550L and 600L old barrels for a minimum period of 7 years prior to bottling. Niepoort ages theirs for more than that however, bottling this in October 2022. From 60+ year old Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Francisca, Tinta Amarela, Sousão, Tinta Roriz, and others, sourced from the schistous vineyards of Vale do Pinhão and Ferrão, this amber-hued tawny still carries a bit of the fiery spirit of youth, with a potent orange oil, treacle, marmalade, lime peel thread throughout the sweet, sultry and baking spiced palate. Caramelized roasted nuts finish this lingering palate. Quite primary still, and one to enjoy with sweet nutty desserts.
Read more about Niepoort here.
Region : Douro Valley
Country : Portugal
Grape(s) : Blend
Price : $56.95
LCBO : 26717
Most of our producers are small, independently owned and operated businesses, like ours. You can view our complete portfolio here. Thank you for letting us share these producers and wines with you.
Cheers,
Le Sommelier
416.603.7026
bernard@lesommelier.com
