Vintage Port must be bottled within two years of the harvest date and be 100 per cent wine from that harvest.

The magic of Vintage port is different in every phase: as a young wine it captures the youthful fruit characters, then after  20 years or more the effects of the slow bottle age integration are revealed and finally after many decades the spirit dominates the wine. Vintage Port is amazing in all the three phases.

Maturation in the bottle is more reductive than cask ageing and the wine that results has a fruitiness and power which develops in the traditional ageing vessel, the classic, thick, black port bottle.

Serve at the end of a meal with cheese, especially blue cheese which goes really well. Please note that Vintage Port needs decanting.

[ 1983 ENG PT | 1987: ENG  | 1992: ENG  | 1994 : ENG PT |  2000 : ENG |

2003: ENG PT |  2005: ENG PT]

Niepoort created a second style of vintage port: “Secundum Vintage”. The Secundum’s intention is the creation of an approachable Vintage that offers immediate satisfaction yet keeping the balance to age for decades. If we compare the Niepoorts Vintage Port with classic music then Secundum would be like Mozart, young, charming, creative and tangible and the Vintage like Bach: intense, profound, complex and less accessible.

Secundum was produced in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2003.

[1999: ENG PT| 2000: ENG | 2003: ENG ]

The so-called garrafeiras are a speciality of Niepoort. These ports from a single year age for decades, not in wood but in special small glass containers "demijons" (7 to 11 litre glass balloons in the form of old apothecaries’ bottles). Demijon  bottles are no longer produced today and therefore at Niepoort the 18th century demijons  are used and re-used. This type of ageing adds a unique character derived from prolonged direct contact with the glass demijons .

The Niepoorts’ garrafeira cellar is secluded from the bustle of the town, filled with tranquility and tradition, and inspires respect for the longevity of the wines.

Late Bottled Vintage port is from a single year. The wine ages 4-6 years in old oak casks (opposed to Vintage that ages 2-3). LBV fills the gap between the rubies and the vintage ports since a Ruby Port should be drunk quite young and a great Vintage Port may need 15 to 20 years to really open up and show its splendour. This led to the idea in the 1960s to age the wine 4 to 6 years in large casks before bottling it, thereby producing a wine with the style of a Vintage Port with its deep colour and concentration of fruit but with a more mature character caused by the longer ageing in wood.

Late botted vintage is the perfect port to accompany chocolate desserts, specially if dark/bitter chocolate is used!

Niepoort produced: …1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000

[ 1975  ENG PT |  1999: ENG | 2000: ENG PT | 2001: ENG PT | 2003: PT ENG | 2004 PT ENG]

Colheitas are dated tawnies aged in cask. The  minimum age requirement is 7 years, but the tradition at Niepoort is to age several more years in the casks before bottling. The wine takes on a tawny hue. Wood and nutty tones are evident on the palate due to the wine’s slow ageing in old casks.

After the meal Colheita combines well with Crème caramel, and especially with deserts that contain dried fruits or nuts. As a starter the combination with foie gras is impressive.

Note that Colheita Port does not need decanting.

Niepoort produced: 1934, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1994 and 1995.

[ 1900 PT | 1976: ENG  | 1978: ENG  | 1980: ENG  |  1983: ENG PT | 1986: ENG|  1987: ENG  | 1988 ENG | 1991: ENG ] | 1994: ENG | 1995: ENG PT  | 1998: ENG PT]

Tawnies with an age indication such as "20 years" are blended from different wines averaging 20 years. The prolonged ageing in small wooden casks confers the characteristic Tawny colour. The principle features of an aged tawny are the complexity of aromas, the freshness and a persistent bouquet and refinement.
After dinner,  old tawny is a good match with cheeses and especially chocolate based desserts. It can also be drunk as an aperitif, serve at room temperature or lightly chilled. Niepoort produces 10, 20 and 30 years old Tawny.  The skilful ageing and  blending of the different tawny ports is the art of master blender José Nogueira.

[ 10 Years: PT ENG GER  | 20 Years ENG PT| 30 Years ENG PT]

Júnior Tinto and Sénior Tawny, considered by Dirk Niepoort a starting point into port wines.

The Junior Tinto under-goes an early filling, and spends the rest of its time in the bottle, where it is protected against outside influences. Through this, its youth, dark colour, freshness and dark fruit aromas and flavours are optimally maintained. With its concentrated tannins, this is a full -bodied wine.

The Senior Tawny, however spends most of its time ageing in barrels. through the pores of the wood, it’s contact with air is soft and light, which results in a slow oxidation process over the years. This is an elegant port with a subtle expression – a light colour and a range of flavours and aromas that are based on red fruit tones.

[ ENG GER PT ]

Tawny port keeps well for several years, although the wine will not improve with age. It contains no sediment and need not be decanted.

[ENG PT]

Niepoort Ruby is fresh, young and fruity (lot's of red cherries and red fruits!). An expressive port with great character. Ruby keeps well for several years, although the wine will not improve with age. No decanting is necessary since the wine contains no sediment.

[ ENG PT]

White port is made from white grapes (Malvasia, Viosinho and Gouveio). The juice is fermented as a white wine until the fermentation is stopped by the addition of pure grape brandy. After spending one year in large wood tanks the wine is transferred to Pipes (550 liter oak barrels). It is then aged in wood until at least 3 years before bottling.

[ ENG PT]

Niepoort Dry White is made in the tradicional style with long skin maceration. The final  blend includes different  wines aged in oak casks making an average of 3,5 years.

Dry White is lovely if served chilled as an aperitif or as a long drink with Tonic Water ice and a twist of lemon.

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[ ENG PT]

Very old wine brandy aged for decades in oak casks at Niepoort wine cellars.