Niepoort: a mixed case from Portugal’s maverick master

Niepoort: a mixed case from Portugal’s maverick master

'Once an obscure Port house, family-run Niepoort is now one of the most prestigious names in the wine world.’'– Decanter, April 2023

When Dirk Niepoort joined his family's Port business in 1987, he had a lot of history to respect. Niepoort was founded by his great-great-grandfather back in 1842. It had never been a large house, but the quality of the Port was very fine. Dirk quickly developed a great admiration in particular for the Ports and table wines that had been made by his grandfather, including the great 1945 Port. When it comes to Port, he hasn’t changed much in the family style: Niepoort still make exemplary Ports, more about elegance than sheer power. 

But Dirk is one of life's restless innovators. Inspired by the great table wines his grandfather made, he began to explore the potential of local grape varieties. Experiments and collaborations with other winemakers have seen him expand into most regions of Portugal at some point, but the Niepoort heartland remains very much the Douro Valley. The style of these wines is always about restraint and elegance, often with surprisingly low alcohol levels. To achieve this, Dirk seeks out elevated vineyards with less sunny aspects. These are often planted with old-vine field blends of traditional Douro varieties. 

Dirk's explorations have redefined what it means to make wine in the Douro, and in the process brought Niepoort a prominence it had never previously enjoyed. These days, 85% of Niepoort's production is table wine, 15% is Port. And while Dirk is the first to admit that not every experiment always works, the best have become the new core of the range. We've put together a few in a mixed case for you to explore, with money off and free delivery. /NT

Niepoort Douro Mixed Case
6x75cl
£150 case inc duty, VAT
Saving £24.74; buy two cases for free delivery!

Contains one bottle of each of the following wines:

2023 Redoma Branco: Pure, tightly wound and mineral in style, with a vibrant citrus freshness. Some discreet oak brings a touch of biscuit and smoked almond to the finish. Produced from a field blend of very local varieties, including Rabigato, Codega do Larinho, Viosinho, Donzelinho and Gouveio.  Like white Burgundy but from Portugal. And only 12% alcohol!

2022 Tiara: In a steely style, Tiara has seen no malolactic fermentation. Dirk describes Tiara as 'trying to make Riesling in the Douro, but of course with local grapes'. Tiara comes from a high-altitude, old vine field blend led by Rabigato, a classy variety that offers texture, depth and acidity. 11.5% alcohol.

 2021 Drink Me: The name is a reference to Alice in Wonderland; this juicy Douro red demands you do just what it says. Cedar and plum lead past chocolate to a graphite-marked finish, with plenty of acidity to sweep you along for the ride. A field blend, and 12.5% alcohol.

2021 Vertente: 'Vertente' means 'hillside' and Dirk calls this his overview of the valley, 'a little bit of every Douro terroir we cultivate'. It is mainly Touriga Franca, Tinta Amarela and Rufete, all late-ripening varieties that like the dry local climate, and all of which are more about perfume than power. 12% alcohol.

2021 Redoma Tinto: Redoma Tinto is the wine that started it all, the table wine that proved that Niepoort really knew what they were doing. It comes from very old vineyards in the Vale do Tedo. It is made from a field blend fermented with whole clusters for an elegant, fresh, peppery style. 12% alcohol.

 2020 LBV Port: No Niepoort line-up would be complete without one of their exemplary Ports. LBV stands for Late Bottled Vintage, and is a category of Port that falls between Vintage and Tawny Port; LBVs are aged in barrel for several years before release. Niepoort's luscious 2020 LBV marries the rich fruit flavours of a young Port with the some of the nutty notes of a Tawny Port. 19.5% alcohol. 

Offered subject to remaining unsold. To place an order, click on the mixed case below or call 020 7638 5998