1934 Niepoort Colheita

[Will W.]

Older Niepoort colheitas are far and away the most sought after wood-aged ports; correspondingly, they command significant prices on the resale market from both connoisseurs and monied laymen. The substantial premiums paid for Niepoort colheitas reflect their consistently high quality as well as extraordinary staying power in the bottle. Certain aficionados of wood-aged port maintain that Niepoort tawnies improve in the bottle or, at any rate, that their flavours evolve in a unique and highly-positive manner. Having never had the opportunity to compare side by side a given Niepoort colheita taken from the barrel as well as a bottle after many years in the latter, I have no basis upon which to express an opinion with respect to the impact of bottle time upon the tawnies of this shipper. That noted, there can be no doubt that Niepoort colheitas invariably emerge in very fine form from thirty to forty years in the bottle. This bottle constituted an exception to this rule; as such, it did not live up to the high expectations forged during earlier Niepoort colheita tastings.

The date at which this particular bottle was filled could not be determined as the label had been shredded during its travels. However, the selo, in the old IVP style, suggested that the deed had been done during the 1970s. In the glass after two hours in a decanter, the wine had a chestnut colour, with a touch of amber at the centre. As ever with older Niepoort colheitas, the nose was fantastic, presenting as it did notes of wood smoke, tobacco, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and even a hint of prune. A touch of citrus likewise hit the olfactory nerve, which was suggestive of the volatile acidity to come, this being another characteristic of this shipper’s colheitas. Nonetheless, the wine proved to be a bit weak on the fore-palate. Midway through, however, the searing acidity became evident, along with all manner of spices, toffee and coffee. The finish was hot, to the point of distraction, and somewhat less than might have been expected from a Niepoort of this age. Overall, this bottle was a touch light in weight and ever so slightly off kilter, the acidity level being too much for the port’s relative dryness – even for an acidity fanatic such as myself. Was it a poor bottle? Not at all. Still, one had hoped for a great deal more.

-90 points

[David Spriggs]

This sounds like an off bottle. There is a lot of bottle variation, but most show better than this.

[Andy Velebil]

This sounds like an off bottle. There is a lot of bottle variation, but most show better than this.

Agree. Sorry to hear this normally amazing Port didn't show better.