TN: 2004 Niepoort Projectos Chardonnay Douro

[Frederick Blais]

Bottle #720/766

I'm not sure if it was a perfect bottle or this wine is evolving fast, but right at the color it was looking a bit oxydized. Nose of old butter, ripe fruits and with time, some spicy flowers(capucine). On the palate it is smooth, you can see that these grapes are coming from a hot region, ripe fruits, low acidity, some nice minerality coming through but the finish is short. 15.5/20

[Roy Hersh]

Let's be real here and call it what it should be ... a bad bottle or a bad wine. I had it when young and even in cask. It was not a beautiful baby by any stretch of the imagination. I respect Dirk a ton ... and his white wines have been really solid from the Redoma Branco to the RB Reserva and even Tiara and Riesling projectos too. He gets the need for planting these grapes at high altitude to get the requisite acidity so why are you making excuses for this wine's failure to deliver and saying it is because it's hot in the Douro. C'mon and be a fair critic and don't let your personal friendships get in the way of your reporting on a wine.

I am only being tough on you Frederick because of my deep respect for your knowledge and palate, but want you to put aside your love for everything Niepoort and call 'em like you taste 'em!

[Frederick Blais]

By perfect, I meant if the bottle was what it should.

I never had it in barrel but I did taste it a few times in 2007 which led me to buy it as I thought it was a very good chardonnay. I did open one at Passadouro in 2007, I did serve it blind to a team of wine maker and everyone loved it. I was really surprised to see the bottle I did open last week, I was expecting more and especially younger. Yes high altitude helps, but in 2004, it was as hot if not hotter than 2003 with very limited water supply as no major winter rain did fall, decisions on when to harvest for the style you are looking for can be hard to make. We can certainly expect more from Niepoort, that's true.

It was still a pleasant drink, it was not over oxydized and I don't think at any moment my friendship is affecting my ratings, honestly. I did open the wine with good wine tasting friends, rating was varying between 14 and 15.5 for 7 tasters.

[Roy Hersh]

Fair enough.