For The Love Of Port

Today we were a guest at the Dutch importer of Niepoort, to test the 2015 Niepoort vintage port and more. The tasting was led by Nick Delaforce (head winemaker Niepoort)


2015 Niepoort Vintage Port
Beautiful dark red in color. On the nose some alcohol (because of the young age) but also round fruit. In the mouth full and an explosion of full red fruit. Nice tannins and a round finish, very tasty 94/100

2015 Niepoort Bioma Vinha Velha
The color is more purple than the regular vintage port. I taste cassis, licorice and some chocolate. The port is rounder and slightly fruity than the regular vintage port. The finish continues on, excellent vintage port 95/100

2007 Niepoort Vintage Port
A young vintage port that's just starts to enter its 'closed' phase, therefore still leaves a lot of fruit on the nose and soft in the mouth. Strawberry, chocolate and a warm full finish. Leave this port for the next 10 years. 93/100

2005 Niepoort Vintage Port
This port is now fully in its closed period, you will taste the class but the tannins are a bit hard. Rose hip, raspberry and a round finish. In about a year or five it should be good again, a very nice port still though especially from a non-classical year 92/100

2003 Niepoort Vintage Port
Here you smell the typical Niepoort scent of warm ripe fruit. The tannis are still a bit rough, Nick Delaforce explains that the port is just coming out of its closed phase. A bit dry in the mouth with raspberry and licorice, medium finish 91/100

2000 Niepoort Vintage Port
The fragrance betrayed that this port has a lot to offer! Delicious full ripe strawberry, raspberry and plum with a hint of chocolate, very well balanced. Port of the day. 96/100

1982 Niepoort Vintage Port
Light red in color, clearly by aging. Light fruit flavor with a slightly shorter finish. This port must be drunk, because it is at or over its peak 89/100

1970 Niepoort Vintage Port
Today's most noticeable intage port. I smell light acids on the nose, like some Belgian beers also have, maybe yeast? And a hint of green apple. In the mouth surprisingly different, like the taste of fruit cake and raisins supported with a nice acidity. 95/100

Great report, from a really nice tasting you had there by the looks of things.

Sounded like a really fun tasting. Have you ever had the 1970 from the regular bottle (not the short dumpy one)?

Andy Velebil wrote:Sounded like a really fun tasting. Have you ever had the 1970 from the regular bottle (not the short dumpy one)?

This my first Niepoort 1970 VP so can't tell you. I like the short dumpy bottle (adds to the image of an old port)

I have both the Bioma and regular bottling sitting in front of me.

As to your notes on your tasting of the other vintages, I would totally agree with you that the 2000 is the best of the lot and IMO, the finest Dirk has ever made (only VP specific).

Jasper A. wrote:

Andy Velebil wrote:Sounded like a really fun tasting. Have you ever had the 1970 from the regular bottle (not the short dumpy one)?

This my first Niepoort 1970 VP so can't tell you. I like the short dumpy bottle (adds to the image of an old port)

I do love the old look of that bottle too. I've had it from both, as they also made it in a regular style bottle. For whatever reason, the dumpy one tends to show better.

Our scores are v. close on the Niepoort, but Bioma ... not so much.

Roy Hersh wrote:Our scores are v. close on the Niepoort, but Bioma ... not so much.

hmm i guess not upwards :) Maybe a bad showing?
I will be looking forward on your notes

Nice, very nice tasting Jasper!
Special reason why you didn't (get to) taste the 2011?

Monique Heinemans. wrote:Nice, very nice tasting Jasper!
Special reason why you didn't (get to) taste the 2011?

I don't know why, these ports were selected for the 'masterclass'. I think they wanted a mix of old and new.

Jasper A. wrote:

Monique Heinemans. wrote:Nice, very nice tasting Jasper!
Special reason why you didn't (get to) taste the 2011?

I don't know why, these ports were selected for the 'masterclass'. I think they wanted a mix of old and new.

Very attractive tasting indeed, Jasper! Wish I had been there too . Very happy to read, that Niepoort VP 2000 was the Port of the day: bought two bottles in January for €53.00 each! Looking forward to drink them!

Paul C. Metman wrote:

Jasper A. wrote:

Monique Heinemans. wrote:Nice, very nice tasting Jasper!
Special reason why you didn't (get to) taste the 2011?

I don't know why, these ports were selected for the 'masterclass'. I think they wanted a mix of old and new.

Very attractive tasting indeed, Jasper! Wish I had been there too . Very happy to read, that Niepoort VP 2000 was the Port of the day: bought two bottles in January for €53.00 each! Looking forward to drink them!

That is a good deal for an awsome port! That are the perks of being a business owner in the Port trade. I also recieved a bottle of Graham's The Stone Terraces 2015, for next week

That is a good deal for an awsome port! That are the perks of being a business owner in the Port trade. I also recieved a bottle of Graham's The Stone Terraces 2015, for next week [/quote]

Need help??

I got to try both of the 15s at Dirk's home in Porto during São João

They struck me as very different wines..

The Bioma is supremely sexy and very approachable. I'm never quite sure how wines like this will mature, but suspect that most buyers won't wait to find out..

The regular Niepoort had a spicy nose and a fine tannic structure, it was one of those wines where you wake up the following morning I think: 'that's a winner, I'm buying that'

Unlike the Niepoort '11, which I felt was built to last well into the next century, the Niepoort '15 will probably start showing really well from around 2050/2055

Tom Archer wrote:I got to try both of the 15s at Dirk's home in Porto during São João

They struck me as very different wines..

The Bioma is supremely sexy and very approachable. I'm never quite sure how wines like this will mature, but suspect that most buyers won't wait to find out..

The regular Niepoort had a spicy nose and a fine tannic structure, it was one of those wines where you wake up the following morning I think: 'that's a winner, I'm buying that'

Unlike the Niepoort '11, which I felt was built to last well into the next century, the Niepoort '15 will probably start showing really well from around 2050/2055

Hope to try a (.375) bottle a little earlier: I'm not sure I will make it to an age of 108-113

Tom Archer wrote:I got to try both of the 15s at Dirk's home in Porto during São João

They struck me as very different wines..

The Bioma is supremely sexy and very approachable. I'm never quite sure how wines like this will mature, but suspect that most buyers won't wait to find out..

The regular Niepoort had a spicy nose and a fine tannic structure, it was one of those wines where you wake up the following morning I think: 'that's a winner, I'm buying that'

Unlike the Niepoort '11, which I felt was built to last well into the next century, the Niepoort '15 will probably start showing really well from around 2050/2055

So perhaps not Dirk's best VP ever made then?

Tom Archer wrote:I got to try both of the 15s at Dirk's home in Porto during São João

They struck me as very different wines..

The Bioma is supremely sexy and very approachable. I'm never quite sure how wines like this will mature, but suspect that most buyers won't wait to find out..

The regular Niepoort had a spicy nose and a fine tannic structure, it was one of those wines where you wake up the following morning I think: 'that's a winner, I'm buying that'

Unlike the Niepoort '11, which I felt was built to last well into the next century, the Niepoort '15 will probably start showing really well from around 2050/2055

That is the same experience i had, i also thought the Bioma was great. I am wondering what Roy his score will be, due to his comment in this thread.

So perhaps not Dirk's best VP ever made then?

I thought Dirk put everything into longevity when he made the '11, perhaps to excess. The 2015 is more balanced IMO. I indulgently popped an F55 last night to drink at home, and the similarity is remarkable. I don't have a strong view as to which is Dirk's best wine - we'll know in forty years time.. - but I suspect the 2015 will be a contender.

Tom Archer wrote:

So perhaps not Dirk's best VP ever made then?

I thought Dirk put everything into longevity when he made the '11, perhaps to excess. The 2015 is more balanced IMO. I indulgently popped an F55 last night to drink at home, and the similarity is remarkable. I don't have a strong view as to which is Dirk's best wine - we'll know in forty years time.. - but I suspect the 2015 will be a contender.

Makes sense. And don't forget his 2000 VP as well. I thought he hit a home run with that one as well as the 2011.

I know it's an outlier, but I think the 2005 Niepoort is a sleeper which will show very well at maturity. I haven't had the chance to try 2000, but it's probably a bit early to try a 2000, 2003, 2005, 2011, (2015) tasting... It *would* be interesting, but probably even more so in another 10yrs+