Douro 2015 vintage: the Niepoort take
The Douro Boys; photo credit The Douro Boys
It has been a while since I’ve been on a Douro Boys visit, simply because I know I’ll catch up with the famous five elsewhere (Niepoort, Quinta do Crasto, Quinta do Vallado, Quinta Vale D. Maria & Quinta Vale Meão). At the very least to review their latest releases for my work on Hugh Johnson Pocket Wine and my own annual Douro vintage report – click here (2011 wines), here (2011 Vintage Ports) and here for 2012 (wines) reports.
But given the palpable excitement attached to this vintage (click here for the Symington’s recent bullish report), not to mention the all too tantalising invitation to attend a celebration of Ramos Pinto’s 25th anniversary of Duas Quintas Douro wine, how could I resist?
Photo credit: Niepoort
Last Thursday I had an exchange with Dirk Niepoort about the 2015 vintage (plus I wanted to check he’ll show me the finished Bairrada whites, samples of which blew me away on my May visit). Since the Symington’s report there has been some rainfall. Here’s Niepoort’s take on 2015:
“The harvest is going amazingly well. I’m very, very happy and all finished except for some Port. It is an incredible year in all three areas. Again a different year from any other I have lived with. Amazing colour, very good acidity (when picked at the right time ….otherwise a big disaster) but lots of malic acid, great fine tannins, not too much alcohol (for us at least), lots of freshness and balance (picked at the right time) with great length and complexity. In our case it looks like an unusual fantastic year for whites/reds and Ports.”
Can’t wait to have a sneak peek at the 2015 vintage myself. Watch this space for more news on that and the Duas Quintas event.
As always, I am *so* looking forward to the next vintage of Douro table wines — and Porto — can’t wait! My only problem here in California is availability —> such great wines; so hard to get!
There is great availability in New York, contact a store such as 67 Wines or for greater assortment, some stores in Newark, New Jersey, a concentration of Portuguese residents and business.