Multi: Nosing & Tasting: Niepoort & Kopke.

[Christopher Woodman]

Hi All,


Yust recently I had the opportunity to try several portwines that I had never had before. These portwines where: Niepoort Aged 10 years old White, Kopke LBV 2004 and the Kopke Colheita 2000. My impressions are as follows.

Niepoort Aged 10 years old White:

Fairly dark in colour for a white port. Quite close to a very old tawny actually, only more translucent.
Perfume was light & refreshing. The taste was soft, full, and rich.
My only regret was that I had to drive home, and therefore had to limit my intake.
The best White I have had sofar, and worth drinking more often.

Kopke LBV 2004:

Ruby in colour. Perfume is pleasant.
Suprisingly soft for A Kopke. It did not have the sharpness I have come to expect from a Kopke, and this is a good thing. Fairly round in its taste. Enjoyable enough.
It is not my favorite portwine, but I would definately not refuse another glass in the future.

Kopke Colheita 2000:

Ruby in colour. Perfume was plesant.
It had some pleasant fruit & other tastes, but the typical sharp, rough, spicy Kopke experience was present with a vengence. It probably needs to airate for a very long time before drinking. Some distant spicyness would not necessarily be frowened on, but this is to much. This portwine would not be found in any wine cellar of mine.

Final Remarks:
Most port lovers prefer red port over the white variation. I mostly agree with this. In this case I can only say the following. From the three afore mentioned portwines, I would first choose the Niepoort Aged 10 years old White, and a fairly close second would be the Kopke LBV 2004.

This port tasting experience was enjoyed at "Chez Antoinette" in Deventer, the Netherlands. I combined the port tasting with dinner. Starter: Melon & prosciutto ham. Main course: Filet of Duckbreast. Very good, and worth trying if you are in this part of the world. The menu is very Portugal minded. This restaurant has a large selection of Kopke portwines. I will have to try others in the future, and give them a fair chance. This restaurant offers portwine tasting evenings, and I understand they offer different ports from different shippers. http://WWW.CHEZANTOINETTE.NL

Happy Drinking,

Christopher D J Woodman

[Glenn E.]

Niepoort Aged 10 years old White:

Fairly dark in colour for a white port. Quite close to a very old tawny actually, only more translucent.
Perfume was light & refreshing. The taste was soft, full, and rich.
My only regret was that I had to drive home, and therefore had to limit my intake.
The best White I have had sofar, and worth drinking more often.

Some day I hope to get to try Dirk's "new" 10-year old White Port. It sounds great!

[Derek T.]

Some day I hope to get to try Dirk's "new" 10-year old White Port. It sounds great!

It certainly is