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750ml
Bottle:
$36.00
Aged in small 550L old oak casks in Niepoort’s cellars at Vila Nova de Gaia, this svelte 10-year-old has detail and...
1.0Ltr
Bottle:
$15.93
$16.96
Light in colour, the 2021 has a very fruity character, but with more freshness and floral notes than the first...
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Winery
Niepoort
Vintage: 2009
Despite less than ideal climatic conditions, featuring storms which threatened an otherwise perfect year, most parts of California had an excellent year for viticulture. Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs were picked at optimum ripeness, and Californian white wine was just about as good as it could be. Surprises and overcoming difficulties summed up much of the United States' wine industry in 2009, and many of the results from Oregon, Washington State and all over California speak for themselves, with the flagship Cabernet Sauvignon grapes having developed healthy, thick skins and thus plenty of character and distinction. Elsewhere in the New World, South Africa had a very good year in 2009, and wineries across the cape of the African continent are proclaiming it a truly great vintage.
In most of Europe, fine weather and punctual ripening periods produced some excellent wines, with many of the best coming out of France's Bordeaux and the surrounding regions. Merlot had an exceptionally good year in France, and wineries are proclaiming that the 2009 Merlot harvest was one of the best in living memory. Indeed, across most of France, ripening was relatively even, and red wine grapes such as Cabernet Franc, Syrah and others were reportedly highly characterful, with plenty of the required tannin levels with which to make high quality wines. Italy, too, had a very good 2009. Piedmont reported extremely favorable conditions throughout 2009, and their signature Nebbiolo grapes were more or less perfect when harvested, having benefited from the slight drop in temperature at the end of their ripening period. Veneto, too, had an enviable year, producing superb Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay wines in 2009.
Region: Porto
Porto has a history which stretches back centuries, and involves empires, riches, and the discovery of new countries and civilisations. Today, the city and the region which surrounds it is perhaps best known for wine, and in particular, the tawny colored, aromatic and delicious Port wines which have been wildly popular since the 18th century. The region Porto is situated in, the Douro wine region of Portugal, is one of the oldest protected wine regions in the world, and is widely considered to be one of the finest places in Europe for viticulture. Indeed, the area around Porto supports an astonishing number of native and imported grape varietals, although by far the most common grapes found flourishing on the valley sides are Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cão, Tempranillo, Touriga Francesa, and Touriga Nacional – all grapes most commonly used for Port wine production.
Country: Portugal
Most of us are quick to associate Portugal primarily with the excellent fortified wines which come out of the Porto area, but there is much more to Portuguese viticulture than just this. Perhaps the most popular still wines the country produces are the varieties from the Vinho Verde region, which uses grapes that do not achieve high doses of sugar, meaning the wines are at their best when young and full of natural, springy fruit flavors The wines of the Douro region have undergone many transformations in their flavor and character over the centuries; once regarded as a bitter wine, the exporters experimented with fortifying the wine with brandy. After several centuries, vintners found a balance in the modern age which is at once reminiscent of Port wine, yet with the structure and character closer to other fine Portuguese wines. Thanks to the appellation system of Portugal and the strict laws governing wine production, Portuguese wines continue to maintain their reputation for quality and the distinctive characteristics they carry.