1987 Niepoort Garrafeira port

[Rune EG]

This is the next Niepoort Garrafeira.
The 1987 Garrafeira was bottled from demi johns to 75 cl bottles in March 2018. Very interesting for my wife Emmy and me to taste a Niepoort Garrafeira before it is being commercially released. Tasted at a lunch with Dirk Niepoort at Niepoort’s Quinta de Napoles 28th May 2018.
Decanting time unknown. Medium brown colour. Although the nose was a bit subdued, it was easy to detect a fantastic pleasant aroma which was expressive including floral notes, herbs and some caramel. Medium to full body. Taste is showing a wonderful combination of being powerful and at the same time elegant. Very fresh including strawberries, dried fruit and nuts. Spices in the background. Well-structured and having a super acidity/sweetness-balance. Medium length aftertaste. 95 pts.

[Andy Velebil]

Did he say when it might be released? I know sometimes they end up holding them back for some time in bottle until they settle back down after bottling.

[Rune EG]

Dirk indicated release "in two years".

[Andy Velebil]

Dirk indicated release "in two years".

Thanks

[Frederick Blais]

They always wait around 3 years after bottling before releasing. There is a shock at bottling time, they blend all the demijhons togheter, one by one. Then they let the blend rest and do the bottling.

There should be a small amount of 1983 as well. But it is much less in quantities than the 1987, so I don't know how wide the 83 will be available. Both were blended and bottled around the same date.