Garagiste Offer: 2005 Niepoort VP
Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:06 am
To order this, send an email to niki@garagistewine.com
Garagiste is located in Washinton state. http://www.garagistewine.com/
Dear Friends,
As the smallest (or second smallest?) shipper of Port, Niepoort cannot compete with the marketing arms of Taylor or Fonseca. What they can compete with is wine and, in 2005, they excelled beyond what most thought possible in the vintage. Their 2005 dry wines have already been lauded over (check the WS reviews) and this Vintage Port is the very best expression they have in the vintage.
As one of my near and dear producers, this house is holding the traditional flame very close to its heart. James Suckling believes Niepoort is one of only a handful of first-growth quality producers in the world, often comparing them to Krug: "Niepoort is to Vintage Port what Krug is to Champagne. They are both small houses in a world dominated by large competitors but they are producing outstanding wines which very few can match." Their Vintage Port is an anomaly for the genre - it is about the wine first and foremost and not about the pursuit of monetary gain. It is 100% foot-stomped and vinified in stone lagares - it can be mesmerizing in its density and freshness with a woven, tannic web of superlative expression that is like a painting or canvass of the Ferrao. In my belief, Niepoort represents an element of vintage Port that has been lost on the majority of the other houses and it will age for a very long time.
The 2005 is nothing short of sublime for its style - it is a classic Vintage Port that retains an esoteric mystery that captivates the spirit and the senses. It is reflective of vintage and place, balanced and naturally made with a structure of lovely tannins and spiritus length that make this imbibement one of a kind in the vinous world.
Joshua Greene: “Since Niepoort vintage lots tend to be small, the firm often makes great wines in vintages others choose not to declare. Dirk Niepoort believes his 2005 is one of the best vintages he’s produced and compares it to the magnificent 1945 (a legend). It is certainly the best wine we tasted, the only one with a red cast to its fruit, indicating the freshness in the fruit Niepoort selected for this blend. That plentiful fruit belies the wine’s power, seemingly a lovely, gentle Porto until the tannins begin to show their intensity. With several days of air, the tannic intensity has risen to match the fruit, now earthy and blue, equally intense. This is not a blunt and powerful wine. What excites Niepoort is the balance and elegance; what spoke to me was the freshness and harmony. All those aspects of the wine set it up for long aging. This is destined to be both a classic and memorable wine. 94pts”
Dirk Niepoort: “We believe that only certain vineyards are suitable for making great Vintage port. We also take great care to nurture them and pick the grapes at the right time for the best balance of intensity of flavour, ripeness of tannins and vibrancy of fruit. Our vineyards are all over 80 years old with typical Douro varieties (over 30 different ones) with yields of fewer than 15 hectolitres per hectare. The weather conditions were near ideal during the year (2004/2005). This allowed the crop to ripen slowly, helped by the very low humidity late in the summer, so we picked perfect grapes at the end of September. All the Vintage 2005 was made at our Vale de Mendiz winery. The grapes were fermented in lagares (foot trodden) with all the stems included. After fortification, the resulting port was then aged for 21 months in pipas (very old barrels). The hallmark of the 2005 is Balance, Harmony and Elegance. Niepoort 2005 Vintage Port is highly concentrated with lots ! of elegant tannins and unusual harmony and freshness. The colour is dark and inky, with intense ripe black fruit flavours wonderfully integrated with the spicy hints from the fortifying spirits, finishing with poise and balance.”
VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for value, traditional winemaking and exemplary quality that should age for a very long time - would be an excellent choice for a 2005 birth year.
We have an exceptional price on this parcel (about the same as in Europe, or even lower) with perfect provenance:
2005 Niepoort Vintage Port (750ml) - $58.73
(this is a full 750ml - compare at $75-100+, this is not the Vertente, Redoma or other)
FIRST COME FIRST SERVED at this price up to 12/person until we run out
To order: niki@garagistewine.com
This wine arrives in a few weeks (it will be available for pick up well in time for holiday gift giving) - check OARS for arrival information. It will ship during the first available shipping window (weather permitting).
Out of state orders will be held for free under ideal storage conditions (56 degrees/70%humidity) until shipping is possible. Locals may pick up at their leisure.
NO SALES TO RETAILERS OR WHOLESALERS
Thank you,
Jon Rimmerman
Garagiste
Seattle, WA
Port9800
Garagiste is located in Washinton state. http://www.garagistewine.com/
Dear Friends,
As the smallest (or second smallest?) shipper of Port, Niepoort cannot compete with the marketing arms of Taylor or Fonseca. What they can compete with is wine and, in 2005, they excelled beyond what most thought possible in the vintage. Their 2005 dry wines have already been lauded over (check the WS reviews) and this Vintage Port is the very best expression they have in the vintage.
As one of my near and dear producers, this house is holding the traditional flame very close to its heart. James Suckling believes Niepoort is one of only a handful of first-growth quality producers in the world, often comparing them to Krug: "Niepoort is to Vintage Port what Krug is to Champagne. They are both small houses in a world dominated by large competitors but they are producing outstanding wines which very few can match." Their Vintage Port is an anomaly for the genre - it is about the wine first and foremost and not about the pursuit of monetary gain. It is 100% foot-stomped and vinified in stone lagares - it can be mesmerizing in its density and freshness with a woven, tannic web of superlative expression that is like a painting or canvass of the Ferrao. In my belief, Niepoort represents an element of vintage Port that has been lost on the majority of the other houses and it will age for a very long time.
The 2005 is nothing short of sublime for its style - it is a classic Vintage Port that retains an esoteric mystery that captivates the spirit and the senses. It is reflective of vintage and place, balanced and naturally made with a structure of lovely tannins and spiritus length that make this imbibement one of a kind in the vinous world.
Joshua Greene: “Since Niepoort vintage lots tend to be small, the firm often makes great wines in vintages others choose not to declare. Dirk Niepoort believes his 2005 is one of the best vintages he’s produced and compares it to the magnificent 1945 (a legend). It is certainly the best wine we tasted, the only one with a red cast to its fruit, indicating the freshness in the fruit Niepoort selected for this blend. That plentiful fruit belies the wine’s power, seemingly a lovely, gentle Porto until the tannins begin to show their intensity. With several days of air, the tannic intensity has risen to match the fruit, now earthy and blue, equally intense. This is not a blunt and powerful wine. What excites Niepoort is the balance and elegance; what spoke to me was the freshness and harmony. All those aspects of the wine set it up for long aging. This is destined to be both a classic and memorable wine. 94pts”
Dirk Niepoort: “We believe that only certain vineyards are suitable for making great Vintage port. We also take great care to nurture them and pick the grapes at the right time for the best balance of intensity of flavour, ripeness of tannins and vibrancy of fruit. Our vineyards are all over 80 years old with typical Douro varieties (over 30 different ones) with yields of fewer than 15 hectolitres per hectare. The weather conditions were near ideal during the year (2004/2005). This allowed the crop to ripen slowly, helped by the very low humidity late in the summer, so we picked perfect grapes at the end of September. All the Vintage 2005 was made at our Vale de Mendiz winery. The grapes were fermented in lagares (foot trodden) with all the stems included. After fortification, the resulting port was then aged for 21 months in pipas (very old barrels). The hallmark of the 2005 is Balance, Harmony and Elegance. Niepoort 2005 Vintage Port is highly concentrated with lots ! of elegant tannins and unusual harmony and freshness. The colour is dark and inky, with intense ripe black fruit flavours wonderfully integrated with the spicy hints from the fortifying spirits, finishing with poise and balance.”
VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for value, traditional winemaking and exemplary quality that should age for a very long time - would be an excellent choice for a 2005 birth year.
We have an exceptional price on this parcel (about the same as in Europe, or even lower) with perfect provenance:
2005 Niepoort Vintage Port (750ml) - $58.73
(this is a full 750ml - compare at $75-100+, this is not the Vertente, Redoma or other)
FIRST COME FIRST SERVED at this price up to 12/person until we run out
To order: niki@garagistewine.com
This wine arrives in a few weeks (it will be available for pick up well in time for holiday gift giving) - check OARS for arrival information. It will ship during the first available shipping window (weather permitting).
Out of state orders will be held for free under ideal storage conditions (56 degrees/70%humidity) until shipping is possible. Locals may pick up at their leisure.
NO SALES TO RETAILERS OR WHOLESALERS
Thank you,
Jon Rimmerman
Garagiste
Seattle, WA
Port9800