Niepoort Charme, Douro

Description

Niepoort Charme is a rare wine from the Douro, which goes against modern tendencies. Its elegance and complexity combined with smooth tannins are unique in expressing old sheltered vineyards (average age 70 years, some 100 years plus) from Vale de Mendiz in the heart of the Douro area in the Pinhão valley. Charme is the ultimate interpretation of Dirk Niepoort’s strong passion for the Burgundy region.

Niepoort was founded as a Port House in 1842 and today is run by the 5th generation brother and sister Dirk and Verena Niepoort. Whilst they are style very well known for their superb Port wines, they are now considered to be one of the top Portuguese producers of table wines. Dirk really was at the forefront of the Portuguese wine revolution. He first started experimenting with wines in 1990 and releases his first wine, Niepoort Redoma Tinto in 1991. Dirk continues to experiment and innovate and produces some fantastic Douro wines as well as from relatively newly acquired vineyards in Bairrada.

Niepoort Charme is the only table wine that is made at Niepoort’s Port Vale de Mendiz winery which is predominantly where Niepoort’s Ports are made. All of the other still wines are made at Niepoort’s futuristic Quinta da Napoles winery. The grapes are harvested by hand and are lightly crushed, with stems, into granite Lagares where they were foot trodden. Charme initially undergoes fermentation in Lagare and then moves on to barrel, where it concludes the process and undergoes malolactic fermentation. The wine undergoes minimal racking and is aged in French oak barrels for 15 to 19 months. It is a blend of Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and Douro grape varieties.