Details
Dry White Port Rabbit Niepoort NV 375ml, Off dry, rich, delicious aperitif. Malvasia Fina and other mixed Douro varieties go into this excellent off dry white port, the Rabbit! 100% foot trodden and aged in casks to produce a lovely fruity wine with delicious balance of alcohol, sugar and freshness. The soft pressing and resultant skin contact makes for a deep golden colour and the oxidative ageing adds to this and also adds extra layers of flavour and depth.
This is a traditional style dry white Port, about 80mg/l of sugar so still with notable sweetness although much drier than red Ports. It is super versatile wine, goes well cool as an apero, room temp as a dessert wine and great with some spicy curries too.
Founded in 1842, the small Port house of Niepoort is now run by 5th generation brother and sister Dirk and Verena Niepoort. Its easy to forget that it was only a few years ago that Niepoort was only sought out by a small band of faithful followers, as stock of remarkable, artisan wines built up in the cramped old Niepoort lodge in Rua Serpa Pinto in Vila Nova de Gaia. These days, with a formidable international reputation which spans all styles from aged tawny to vintage, and all points in between, demand threatens to outstrip supply. Ports are all made at the old Museu de Lagares in Vale de Mendiz, which has the only circular granite Lagares in the Douro. Niepoort's mission has always been to be a "niche player", to produce distinctive Ports and Douro wines, combining centuries-old tradition with innovation. This continues today with new vineyard projects to produce dry, natural wines in the Douro - Bairrada - Dão triangle. The importance attached to understanding soils, climates and grape varieties has led the current head of the business Dirk Niepoort down the path of Biodynamics, a practise that respects the "moods" of Nature, to find a balance between biodiversity and minimum intervention, and the wines really speak for themselves. Many of their vineyards now have organic certification, which is very much against the grain in contemporary Port making. After 150 years of doing things just a little differently, Niepoort are now highly respected for their delicious Ports and an increasing array of natural table wines.