NIEPOORT
2015 Bioma ‘Vinha Velha’
Bioma is Dirk's single vineyard, organic Port from his own vines in Pisca. Independently minded as ever, Dirk ages the Bioma in 'pipes' up in the Douro - rather than in larger wooden casks down-river in the cooler warehouses in Vila Nova de Gaia as he does with his regular Vintage Port. This he says does allow more oxidation, but it also gives the wine more stability for the long haul The Bioma also spends another 8 months compared to the Vintage - and it needs it. The intensity here is immense. Deep, rich, dark fruit gives a lovely wallop of mashed black cherries, violets, a spicy - almost marzipan note of kirsch too. This is savoury too - -wow. It's like the Vintage but with the volume up - Loud! Brooding, powerful and long - this will take a moment, but will be immensely satisfying in a few years' time. Vinha Velha simply means 'old vines'. Dirk Niepoort describes this as 'a single-vineyard Vintage Port' rather than a single Quinta. L&S (Jun 2017)
In Bond
75cl bottles (wood case of 3)
Duty Paid
75cl bottles (wood case of 3)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
Distinctive, with violet and jasmine notes giving this bright floral lift up front, while the raspberry, blackberry and plum fruit is very pure and racy from start to finish. Light bergamot and anise echoes add even more elegance and refinement to the finish. Best from 2030 through 2055. Drinking range: 2030 - 2055 Rating: 96 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Jun 2018)
Made entirely from organically cultivated fruit grown at Quinta da Pisca, high above the Douro downstream from Pinhão: marginally deep in colour than the Niepoort above with a more expressive wild berry character on the nose; ripe with great purity and definition on the palate, very pure berry fruit character backed by ripe, peppery tannins, not big but elegant, long and sweet in style. Rating: 17.5 Richard Mayson, www.richardmayson.com (Sept 2017)
Cask sample. Inky and the colour of elderberry juice. Wonderful dark-fruited intensity. Damsons, black plums and sweet spice. Roasted but not overripe. Incredible power but the sweetness is taken down a peg by charry, dark savoury finish. Glorious. Drinking range: 2028 - 2050 Rating: 19 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Aug 2017)
Niepoort
Bucking the trend once again, as is his way, Dirk Niepoort proudly declared his excellent Vintage Ports in 2015 unlike the rest of the top producers - and this year he is declaring only the Bioma. This is his superior Port from a single plot on a steep slope.' From our tasting this declaration is totally justified. The wine is superb and fascinating. At Niepoort the aim is harmony and balance these are both here with the Bioma 2016 - but it is also a more cerebral wine than others released - a different feel - this is off-beat perhaps but in a good and beguiling way.
At the same time that famous English names were establishing themselves in the Douro, the other great Port importing nation - the Netherlands - was sending bright business types to set up Port Houses. One such was Franciscus Marius van der Niepoort. Five generations later and the dynamic Dirk van der Niepoort is at the helm.
Niepoort used to be well-known for their Tawny and Colheita ports, but Dirk has worked tirelessly to raise the profile of their Vintage Ports too. One of the key moves, with this in mind, was for Niepoort to purchase their own vineyards with Quintas de Nápoles, do Carril and do Passadouro coming under the Niepoort wing at the end of the 1990's.
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