Redoma Tinto Niepoort 2017

Redoma Tinto Niepoort, organic wine, unfined, unfiltered, full yet supremely elegant Douro red, beautiful poise and freshness, fruit picked early. Exclusively from Quinta de Nápoles vineyards whose vines are quite young, with an average age of 25 years. A minimal intervention wine with a short maturation period in an old wooden wine vat which had previously been used for Port. The end result is a pure wine without too much influence from the oak, but with firm and elegant tannins. Dark fruits on the palate such as currants, cherries and damson with subtle aged notes from the oak ageing.

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.