For The Love Of Port

2000 Niepoort Batuta, DOC Douro red wine - Decanted for two hours, which probably was just right. I decided to open one of my only two bottles of this beauty, for a holiday weekend dinner on our deck, and a perfect night for it. Showing fully opaque purplish ink, with violets, white pepper and ripe blueberry notes which are wild and prominent, defying nearly eight years of age. There is an underlying scent that is definitively Douro as this nearly replicates the aroma of Port. It is even more youthful on the palate and primary and really needs another five to ten years before this will be in its prime. Talk about infanticide! Smooth already, with mild, fine tannins and a solid core of acidity the 2000 Batuta is delicious but no where near ready to drink. I actually felt like I had made a mistake by opening this now. A long crazy finish like a current vintage fleshy Port.

It is now Monday and I am drinking a 5 oz. pour from what was left in the bottle and recorked. Where yesterday this showed some No. Rhone like qualities with distinct pepper that one friend felt was like an Australian Shiraz (not!) today it is much more racy although still smooth. Today the fruit flavors tend more towards boysenberry and plum and the tannins are much more prevalent. I must upgrade this a full point as I am enjoying this quite a bit more than yesterday's baby fat presentation. I won't open my other bottle until close to 2020 when it will really be at peak performance.
94+ points 5/25/08

I find many 2000 red Douro replicates the aromas of Port. Today it is not the case anymore, we can withness the evolution of winemaking in the Douro every year. It is nice to read your comments as I only have a bottle and a mag, I'll definitively wait for them!

Thanks for the note Roy. I was tempted to open one when we get back to Holland this summer, but I think I will go for the 2000 Redoma instead. I'll let the Batuta sit where it belongs: the cellar!

Frederick and Ronald,

PLEASE heed my advice and don't make the mistake of opening any bottle of this until next decade. I wanted to "take one for the team" to see this was at today, but wish I had more than one more bottle. Glad to be able to share the impressions and know that those who read here will not be so cavalier in opening their bottles early on. This is big stuff and really needs FIVE more years to even think about getting something spectacular from it. Wish I had more and if I did not already say so, It would be great if I had more. I may have to go and seek a few out but have a feeling they're going to be priced out of the hemisphere that I can afford.

Roy Hersh wrote: I may have to go and seek a few out but have a feeling they're going to be priced out of the hemisphere that I can afford.

Unfortunately there are not many bottles available on the market, and if you find them in Portugal, expect to pay more than 100 Euros which was the price to pay for it back in 2004 when I got mine. You might be able to get one at Passadouro though, I know he had them all from 99 at one time.

I bought my (single bottle!) for 55 euro in a Dutch store at the time. Last time I was there, I believe he still had some bottles. Price had gone up, but still well below 100 euro I think.