Description

Niepoort Redoma Douro Branco is made from old vines growing at 500-600 masl on the right bank of the Douro River. The varieties used include Rabigato, Códega do Larinho, Viosinho, Donzelinho and Gouveio. But what is more important is that Niepoort Redoma is a cracking white wine.

So good is this Niepoort Redoma that it reminds me of Premier Cru Chablis. Look for characters of red apple, wax, lemon blossom, and dry woody notes. The palate on Niepoort Redoma is impressive upfront. Plush but mineral and dry with a chalky grip.

Niepoort Redoma is a complex white wine. I have no idea if it will age, but if it is on a par with the great Chablis I have tasted, it’ll live for 15 years easily.

Niepoort Redoma Douro Branco 2017, and all wines are eligible for at least 5% off any six bottles. And 10% off any 12 bottles. Some wines will be at a more significant discount and not subject to further discounts.

Eduard Dirk Niepoort is the head of the 180-year-old family business. Under his guidance, the Port has continued to be some of the best in the region. But Dirk introduced high-quality table wines to the stable too. All of the fruit grown by Niepoort is organic. To sum it up: everything from Niepoort is worth your attention.

Niepoort Redoma Douro Branco 2017 Winery Notes

“The 2017 viticultural year was once again very atypical in the Douro region. Due to the extreme drought, harvest began on 10 August and concluded on 10 September – according to our records, this is the earliest date we have ever started and ended harvesting.

The grapes proved to be of excellent quality, with firm and crunchy skins and ripe seeds. Thanks to Niepoort’s philosophy to harvest early, we were able to obtain fruit with sufficient acidity to produce fresh and elegant wines. The grapes were transported to the cellar under temperature-controlled conditions, sorted upon arrival and then gently pressed. The grape must was left to settle for approximately 24 hours. Fermentation took place in French oak barrels, on its fine lees, but without bâtonnage. The Redoma Branco 2017 matured for 8 months in barrel before being bottled in April 2018.”

Douro

This is the region where Port is grown and made. But there is also a great deal of beautiful table wine made. The reds and whites are bold but not overly huge and often have a refreshing savoury element to them.

Portugal

Talking of Portuguese wine, most people would just think of Port. And for good reason, it is a style that took over the world. But to only think of Port is to miss out on the fantastic table wines that come out of the Douro Valley (where Port is made). The Douro is capable of producing world-class, complex reds and whites that are not fortified too.

Moving from the Douro, you will find charming whites and reds of Vinho Verde to the North. Vinho Verde borders Spain and only the Minho (Mino) River separetes VV and Rias Baixas. The grapes grown are almost identical, although spelt and pronounced differently.

Two other wine regions worth noting are the reds of Dao. We don’t see many here in Australia, but they are something special for sure. And, of course, the island of Madeira and their slightly cooked fortified wines. These are real treasures and often forgotten.

The Atlantic Ocean influences most of Portugal’s growing regions. This helps keep the climate from getting too hot and from the air being too still.

Portugal has many indigenous grapes as well as sharing many of the grapes from Spain.

Wine

Wine is the result you get from fermented grape juice. There is proof of wine production dating back 8000 years ago. Fashions, innovations and many other factors have influenced the way wine has evolved over the years.

The wine grape is impressive. It contains everything you need to make grape wine except for the yeast, which lives on the outside of the skins.

Human inputs can influence the final product, including the viticulture (growing) choices. And the winemaker can shape the wine to a point too.

The best wines of the world often refer to terroir. Terroir is a French term that refers to all the climatic, geological and topographical influences on a specific piece of land. And it is true that neighbouring vineyards, grown identically, can taste noticeably different.

White Wine

It is interesting to know that you can make white wine from almost any grape. The colour comes from the skins, and if there is no contact, there is no colour. White wines tend to be delicate, perfumed, higher in acid and lower in alcohol. It seems for this and many other reasons, it is hard to make an incredibly impressive white wine. But those that have mastered the art are indeed some of the best winemakers in the world.

It is a falsehood to think that white wine does not age as well as red wine. But it is correct that white wine, as a rule, doesn’t age for as long.

The Wine Depository

I, Phil, have been running The Wine Depository since 2011. The Wine Depository exists to make sure you are drinking the good wines. You can browse and pick what is interesting to you. Or you can make contact with me. I’ll make sure you get what you want, to your palate, to your budget and to your door.