TN: 2003 Niepoort Redoma Douro

[Frederick Blais]

Following Otto comments on the 2003 recently, I decided to open one bottle and see how it was evolving. I've only tasted this shortly after it was bottled and none since that time.

Opaque ruby/purple color fading towards ruby on the edge. The nose is quite open with field berries, red cherries and some raisinny flavours coming probably from overipe berries. The palate is bold, great power on the entry, acidity is striking with nicely grain tannins, the fruit has enough concentration at this moment to keep those 2 elements in harmony. Flavours of licorice, blueberries, blackberries and sun dried plums leading a nice cherry/chocolate finish. Though the fruit is not as fresh as Redoma is normally showing, I like the structure a lot, the acidity is great too. It reminds me a lot of what the 97 was showing in its youth. A dry wine with Port flavours that will evolve well but will stay concentrated and ripe. 16.5/20+?

Will see how it evolves, in my opinion it is not a disapoiting Redoma but it is not showing as good as the release since 2001 and still it is a very good wine.

[Otto Nieminen]

Thanks for the note! This is what I wrote about the wine on 30.11.2006: "An excessively oaky, vanillary, espresso-like nose. Yet at the same time there seems to a great depth to the fruit and genuine complexity. The palate is very sweetly fruity, oaky, very modern in style, yet vibrant. The aftertaste is clean and fresh, and it seems to have fair acidity lurking underneath the copious fruit. Very primary at the moment and a bit bewildering. It seems at the same time utterly spoofulated yet totally terroir-oriented in its unique berry and earth aromas. Odd. Not very nice now, unless you love oak, but I really can't say if I'll like it with a bit more age on it. Perhaps time to buy one for an experiment."

I never did go back for another bottle to see if it would age into something I like - I have limited space and limited funds so I spent the money on something that I surely will like (Musar) instead. Vive la difference: it would get boring here quickly if we all liked the same thing! :)

-O-

[Frederick Blais]

Redoma can be saturated with oak when young. Especially the 01,02,03 line. The 02 was still very oaky this summer. It has change quite a bit since 2004 with the new winemaker. Funny that you speak about Musar, I'll have a vertical tonight from 79 to 99, it is my first time with this wine and I think I should like it! I'll post my comments on the other discussion.