Niepoort 10 Year Old Tawny Port

Niepoort 10 Year Old Tawny Port is made by blending different tawny ports to create a blend with an average age of 10 years old. Niepoort also make a 20 and a 30 year old Tawny Port as well as the superb Niepoort 10 Year Old White Port.

Niepoort is a family company now in its fifth generation and presently managed by Dirk Niepoort. Despite being the second smallest shippers in the trade they are second to none in quality. Already famous for their classic tawny ports, they have now joined the ranks of the great producers of Vintage Port. “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.” (James Suckling, Vintage Port).

The grapes for the Niepoort 10 Year Old Tawny Port are sourced from vineyards located in Vinha da Pisca, Vale do Pinhão, Ferrão which have schistous soils and an average of over 60 years old. The grapes are hand picked and foot trodden in lagares. They are a typical Douro Field Blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Francisca, Tinta Amarela, Sousão and Tinta Roriz. Niepoort Tawny Ports are aged in small old oak casks (550 l) in their cellars at Vila Nova de Gaia. As the port ages in barrel, the prolonged ageing in small wooden casks confers the characteristic Tawny colour. The skilful ageing and blending of the different tawny ports is the art of Niepoort’s master blender José Nogueira. The principle features of an aged tawny are the complexity of aromas, the freshness and a persistent bouquet and refinement.

Niepoort 10 Year Old Tawny Port is a benchmark for other 10 Year Old Tawny Ports, the mature aromas and characters suggest that there is some Port older than 10 Years Old in here. Indeed, I have heard it said that this is closer to 15 Year Old Tawny, a classification which doesn’t exist of course!