Our Forum’s Guest Corner has had a group of distinguished, and eclectic assortment of guests, specifically chosen for their diverse roles played in the Port trade.  We’ve invited Richard Mayson (author-critic); Bartholomew Broadbent (importer-“negociant”); Dan Carbon (marketing manager); David Guimaraens (TFP Portmaker); and George Sandeman (Confraria Chancellor-producer) all of whom participated with very different perspectives.  It has been fun for all of us involved to learn from these esteemed gentlemen.

Continuing in our lineup of distinct personalities, between May 3rd and 9th, FTLOP is ready to spend an action filled week with Dirk van der Niepoort.  Dirk, known as the guiding force in the Douro Boys’ movement and our first producer of high end Douro wines, in addition to the great wood-aged and Vintage Ports his company produces, will be joining us to respond to your questions.

Dirk is well versed in the wines of the world and has always been a leader in the promotion of Douro wines, globally, while never losing touch with his family’s roots in the Port business.  His insistence on the importance of terroir in the Douro, maintaining the balance of old field blend vineyards throughout the region and his desire to explore less popular grape types in the Douro, like Riesling and Pinot Noir for example, makes this complex visionary, a controversial contrast to many of the more traditional figures in the trade.

Please join me in welcoming Dirk Niepoort to FTLOP and I hope that you will participate by asking him some intriguing questions on Port, Douro wines, Madeira (which he is very knowledgeable about) and enjoy his wit and unconventional perspective that promise to keep discussions lively, educational and entertaining!  Visit the FTLOP Forum guest hosted by Dirk Niepoort.