Niepoort Tiara white 2021/2022

Where to start? I have known Dirk Niepoort for over 25 years and have followed his wines over the years. He never stops. He has expanded his company in an impressive way. The still wines have reached a new level since 2018 (they are always evolving, and they mention 2013 and 2021 as other years of change) with the arrival of winemaker Luís Pedro Cândido da Silva and the new generation of the Niepoort family, especially his son, Daniel, who joined the team in 2020. Today, they produce wines not only in the Douro, but in several regions of Portugal—Dão, Alentejo, Vinho Verde, Bairrada...

The style of the wines is elegant, but they want the wines to age in the bottle, so for them it’s all about balance. Some of the vineyards and wines have been certified organic since 2008. All of their own vineyards are certified organic, but some of the grapes they buy are not. Daniel Niepoort, who is increasingly focused on the vineyards, said that organic production is very important to him, but that the winegrowers are also key. They want to maintain relationships with the producers and set an example, showing them that organic viticulture is viable, convincing them by example.

In 2022, there was only 202 liters of rain (a little less than in 2003!), but the vines adapted to the low water availability and yields were better than expected. There was some rain during the harvest and also fungus. It was one of the most challenging vintages for viticulture, and some plants died. However, 2022 was a great year for Port Wine. 2021 was excellent for dry wines (but not for Port), as there was a good water reserve in the soil. It is considered a perfect agricultural year, with good yields; the spring and summer were mild, resulting in a longer cycle and perfect ripening of the grapes. It can be compared to 2018, 2008 and 2001—cooler years with higher acidity. 2020 was a hot and dry year, which ensured healthier grapes, but it was the vintage marked by COVID-19, which brought some challenges to the vineyards; Everything was atypical that year. As for 2023, although it is still too early to assess, the year was also excellent in the Douro; for Luís Pedro, it was the best he has ever seen in the region.