For The Love Of Port

2010 Niepoort Douro Redoma Branco Reserva - Portugal, Douro (10/24/2013)
-- popped and poured --
-- tasted non-blind on Day 1 and also on Day 3 --

NOSE: DAY 1: strong oak --- banana; corn meal (tamale); papaya Lifesavers; hint of cooked pasta. DAY 3: much less oaky than on Day 1.

BODY: nearly colorless; medium bodied.

TASTE: DAY 1: loads of mineral; green banana oak; very oaky --- new vanilla French oak; 13.5% alc. not noticeable; oily texture; medium+ acidity is well-embedded, and is noticeable only as the wine warms to almost room temperature; I liked this more from barrel, when it was like a live mineral wire --- now, it is considerably softer and oakier; finish is short and is of medium+ intensity. DAY 3: clean pear; some oak, but less oaky than on Day 1, and the oak also seems to recede with time in the glass today; lots of mineral; better today than on Day 1. Hold.

Day 1: B: 50, 5, 12, 16, 7 = 90
Day 3: B: 50, 5, 13, 17, 7 = 92

Posted from CellarTracker

My favorite bottling of white in all of Portugal. I've only had this from cask and once from a finished bottle, but the 2010 is quite nice. Very fine tasting note Brian, thanks!

One of my favourite also! All the Niepoort whites from 2010 are outstanding. I'm surprised to see the word oak here as Niepoort probably use only 20% new oak on this wine. I did open one during the holidays and I agree that it needed some time, it was better 1 hour after decanting it. Also it needed to be around 12 celcius to perfectly show its qualities.

I could see opening one of these now, but really they need years to show their best. Currently 2005-2008 are in their prime and more the older ones than the younger. Like great Meursault in many ways, the comparisons are not lost on my Burg loving friends.