2005 Niepoort Tiara Branco

Written by Roy Hersh

Sunday, 20 July 2008

2005 Niepoort Tiara Branco, DOC Douro white wine - From Codega, Rabigato, Donzelinho, Viosinho, Arinto and other white grapes from old vines that average over 60 years of age.  Tiara in just its second unveiling, is grown between 650 and 800 meters, which is why the crisp acidity stands out here.  Tasted blind with the Seattle Tasting Group, "minerality" was the descriptor on just about everybody's tongue.  As Tiara never sees oak or ML fermentation, the profile can best be described as "clean."  I noted stone fruits, a gentle lemon/lime-citrus nerve, Bosc pear and an under ripe honeydew melon flavor that combined to provide a light and dry finish, which was delicious with our appetizer course.  I still have one of my original six bottles remaining, which I will put away to see what this is like with a few more years of bottle aging.  At $22 on release, how can you go wrong?  Drink now through 2010.   90 points ~ 7/17/08