Niepoort Vintage Porto 2017

And one of the most anticipated awards of the night: Wine of the Year 2017, which according to its producer Dirk Niepoort, is the best wine he has ever produced!

In the national wine scene there is no more consensual producer than Niepoort. The long history of this house begins in 1842 and with the first Van Der Niepoort to arrive in Portugal. He started out as a Port Wine dealer and soon turned his business into a prosperous business that would greatly facilitate the work of future generations. In the 5th generation, Dirk Niepoort was born, an unavoidable character in the world of wine, recognized as one of the most important characters who worked, and works, in favor of Portuguese wine. He collaborated with several dozen producers, helping them to improve their wines and understand their vineyards. He brought about a revolution in the 90s when his first Robustus was born, still a mythical wine in the Douro today. In 2006, he created the Niepoort Projectos brand, where he shared his experiences, his fantastic experiences around unusual grape varieties in the Douro, such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir or Riesling, and began to import some of the best wines in the world, from Burgundy. or the Rhône, and distributes wines that he loves, from several winemaker friends. In 2012, he began a project in Bairrada, with the acquisition of Quinta de Baixo, an old dream, or had he not been the one who helped Gonçalves Faria, Quinta de Saima or Dores Simões to become well known. Again in 2014, Niepoort acquired Quinta da Lomba in Gouveia and began its project in Dão. Many other projects, in practically all national and some foreign wine regions, were carried out by Dirk Niepoort. And as someone once said, Portugal needed four or five more Dirks, and we wouldn't have any wine to sell today.

Tasting Notes: The appearance is marked by a wonderful dark purple edge and a great depth of color. The aroma is dominated by young black fruits. It is powerful on the initial palate, leading to a fresh mid-palate with very seductive black fruit flavors. A great combination of power and elegance, with a bold, dry and long finish. The admirable structure of the 2017 Vintage promises a wine with great aging potential.