NV Niepoort - Porto Tawny

Niepoort was founded in 1842 by a Dutch merchant family and remains family-run today, based in the historic cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia. While the house is known internationally for pushing into unfortified Douro table wines, its Port range still rests on the traditional styles the region built its name on, and the entry-level Tawny reflects the deft blending work of longtime cellar master José Nogueira, who oversees Niepoort's aged tawny program across the board.

The grapes for this wine come from low-yielding old vineyards in the Cima Corgo, the heart of the Douro's Port-producing zone. Fruit is predominantly trodden by foot in traditional lagares before fermentation and fortification, and the resulting wine is aged in small old oak casks in Gaia for an average of about three and a half years. Rather than chasing concentration, the blend is built around freshness, lightness, and balance, and it needs no decanting before serving.

In the glass it shows a bright brick-red to tawny hue. The nose offers delicate nutty aromas layered with dried fruit and a touch of pepper, while the palate turns youthful and fruity, with sweet cherry, currant, and a mineral note of slate carrying through a long, spirited finish. It works nicely with toasted almonds, an apricot tart, or a wedge of aged Gouda.