NV Niepoort - Porto 10 Year old Tawny

Founded in 1842 by Franciscus Marius van der Niepoort, a Dutch entrepreneur who settled in Vila Nova de Gaia, Niepoort remained a small, family-run négociant house for generations, building its reputation by sourcing exceptional fruit from growers across the Douro rather than owning vineyards. That changed under Dirk Niepoort, the fifth-generation head of the business, who acquired the family's first estates in the late 1980s and went on to become one of the region's most influential winemakers, championing low-intervention methods and elevating both Port and Douro table wines. Today the house is guided by master blender José Nogueira, whose family partnership with the Niepoorts dates back to the house's founding.

This 10 Year Old Tawny is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Francisca, Tinta Amarela, Sousão, and Tinta Roriz sourced from across the Douro's schist hillsides. The grapes are foot-trodden in traditional granite lagares before fortification, then the resulting wines are aged separately in small old oak casks of 550 liters in Niepoort's cellars at Vila Nova de Gaia. Over roughly a decade, José Nogueira blends wines of varying ages to achieve a consistent, well-balanced style, a skill that has made this bottling something of a benchmark for the category.

The wine shows a warm tawny hue with aromas of dried apricot and candied tangerine peel, layered with a gentle nutty character built up through years in cask. On the palate, dried fruit flavors carry through to a spirited, slightly fiery finish with real length and structure. It is an excellent match for almonds and raisins, egg-based desserts, or a simple cup of coffee to close out a meal.