Charme Douro Tinto Niepoort 2022

Charme  Douro Tinto Niepoort 2022, full bodied Douro red from old vines, deep, elegant, capable of long ageing.  The wine is made in traditional stone lagares with 100% whole bunch fermentation. Charme’s elegance is achieved using grapes from very old vineyards in Vale de Mendiz, on the banks of the Pinhão river.  Floral notes appear, followed by aromas of graphite over cherries and rhubarb. The oak is very discreet and balanced. The palate offers elegance, precision and structure.  Niepoort’s nod to fine Burgundy.

Niepoort Port, Douro, Portugal. Founded in 1842, the small Port house of Niepoort is now run by 5th generation brother and sister Dirk and Verena.....

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.