The Niepoort family, originally from the Netherlands, has been creating Port Wines since 1842 and established themselves as one of the most respectable Port Houses.

Dirk Niepoort, fifth generation, runs the firm with a dedication and enthusiasm that has made him one of the most popular figures in the wine trade, and quickly became a trailblazer of table wines in Portugal with his projects focused on Terroir, elegance and the relentless pursuit of freshness. Dirk helped transform the Douro region and the way the world thinks about wine, with wines transcending the heat and displaying astounding craft and elegance.

His vision has striven to improve the company on all aspects: the vineyards were upgraded in sustainability (notably most are farmed organically, without any pesticides and herbicides) and the winery completely revamped. As for the grape crushing, Dirk is a passionate advocate of the traditional method of ‘treading’ (by foot) to extract maximum colour and flavour. These efforts resulted in magnificent examples from recent years.

Dirk Niepoort deserves the accolades he receives for his hard work, dedication and wonderful craft which propelled him to be one of the most reverred in Portugal and a world wine legend, elevating not only Port but Portugal’s dry wines.

What’s there in common between a bottle of red wine and an animated film? At first glance, apparently nothing. But if we have time to see instead of just looking, we begin to detect some coincidences: the design of the label… the shadows… the person who designed it… the name of the wine… the one who produced it… But the greatest evidence unfolds when we taste the wine, especially if the film in question is about a vampire called KALi. And then… a good bottle of wine can last for an eternity. Vampires too… the one in this film, in any case, lives forever.

The year 2021 presented a production above expectations. The 2021 harvest began on the 11th of August, with excellent indicators, musts with high acidity, low alcohol, and a very stiff skin, resulting in wines that are quite balanced. In September, weather instability led to a peak in the number of grapes entering the cellar and the existence of different maturations depending on their geographic location. After arriving at the Quinta de Nápoles, the grapes were carefully destemmed and fermented in stainless steel tanks under controlled temperatures for approximately one week. A portion of the wine was matured in French oak barriques whereas the rest of the wine remained in stainless steel for about 6 months.

Soil type – Schist

Grape – Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Roriz

Age – 10 to 40 years

Residual Sugar – 0.6 g/L

Alcohol – 12.5 %

Decanter – 90 points

Niepoort’s entry-level label has a classical demeanour. Medium-bodied with cedar-edged sweet plum, red and black fruits before a graphite finish. Hints of pepper, pine needle and esteva add sense of place. Fine, dark chocolate tannins and persistent acidity make for approachability and flow. Made from destemmed fruit which was fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks and a portion of which matured in French oak barriques. As it says on the label, Drink Me..