I have already met quite a few winemakers, but non as “crazy” about wines as Dirk Niepoort, owner and fifth generation of the Niepoort winery. Niepoort has so many different types of wine in its assortment that I think not even Dirk himself knows 100% how many they actually make 🙂 🙂 Next to their “regular” gamma of wines and Port wines, Dirk also has something he calls “projects” (basically Dirk’s playground 🙂 ) . These “projects”go from making a Portuguese Riesling to making Baga to …. Niepoort even has an own app for your Smartphone where you can find almost all their wines (including some of the projects), but I’m sure there are still other projects that haven’t been officialised yet and therefore aren’t on the app yet. BTW, Dirk also loves to taste good wines (also non-Niepoort), he didn’t tell me, but something gave it away 🙂 (see pictures below)

We had an appointment to meet Dirk Niepoort in Quinta de Nápoles in the Douro valley, but due to unforeseen circumstances he was only able to meet us in the evening, so it was the lovely Gabriella who showed us around the estate and introduced us to the wonderful world of Niepoort wines where we enjoyed again some very beautiful views of the Douro valley.

 

The Niepoort vineyard can be subdivided in 2 parts, the Port wine vineyard and the “regular” wine vineyard. Like with all Port makers, Niepoort also age most of their Port wines in Villa nova de Gaia. Their regular wines on the other hand in Quinta de Nápoles in the Douro valley. When you first arrive at this Quinta you think it is a small vineyard as you  only see 2 small houses, but once you enter them you notice that half the hill ( at the interior 4 levels down) is all part of the wine estate and is where the wines are made and age. Inredible!!  With a total wine production between 1,5 and 2 million bottles a year (depending on harvest, etc… of course)… Niepoort is seen as a big vineyard amongst the small ones and a “small” one of the big ones :-). I must be honest with you and admit that until maybe 1 or 2 years ago I was of the idea that Niepoort only produced Port wines, so that is why my visit to the vineyard was mostly with a focus on their regular wines… What I won’t be doing is describe all their wines, as that would make my blogpost even bigger than they usually already are + they are already very well described on their website that I would just be doing double work. So in case you want to know all their wines and project do check the Niepoort website or download the free app of your Smartphone or tablet. A nice thing to know is that the first wine Dirk Niepoort made since his “leadership” of the Niepoort vineyard was the 1990 Robustus that back in the 90’s didn’t get released, but since 2004 got tributed under the same name (and I’m sure also an improved version). Not sure why it didn’t get released in 90’s though…

For me Niepoort wines are fun wines, first of all because of the fun product in the bottle, but also because of the bottles itself or better their labels. You will ALWAYS be able to recognize a Niepoort wine (even from a far distance) thanks to its “stamp-like” labels (or at least, that is what it reminds me of – check picture below) and their country specific labels… Yes, country specific labels. They have a particular type of wine (Fabulous wines) for which they had asked designer Cordula Allesandri to make a comic book story to label their bottles and for each country a different one… It’s almost a pity to throw away the bottle afterwards… (I had a few “Allez santé” at home). A collector’s item I guess …although I’m not really the type of person who likes to keep the bottles too long in their cellar as they are to “njammy” to not touch…

Dirk Niepoort is “private” person, someone who doesn’t talk that much when you first meet him (at least that the impression I had, but it could have been because of me of course). Once you start talking about and tasting wines you see him opening up with sparkles in his eyes… and the enthusiasm to have you taste all his best wines and all his new wine projects. If it were for Dirk, I think he would have opened every barrel. I know I keep repeating myself, but it is so much more fun to be around a person who is passionate about something and who wants to teach you something than somebody who doesn’t like what he’s doing… and Dirk has that enthusiasm x 10 🙂  and the amount of knowledge he has about wines from all over the world, WOW!

Luckily for us we visited Niepoort on ‘Dia de São João’aka St. John’s as because of this we could join the celebration that goes along to this day involving food and meeting interesting people. On Dia de São João it is tradition to eat grilled sardines and a local soup… to make a long story short, we had a wonderful celebration with lots of food and some great Niepoort wines… basically it all comes down to that it are the simple things in life that make people happy not matter how rich or famous… Simple food and wine in the company of Friends and/ or family . Events like this are also what I dream of whole year while working in Belgium…

Niepoort has such a wide range of Ports and wines that it is difficult to really indicate a favorite, I mean for every moment or occasion you’ll find the perfect wine due to their difference and particularity. Each wine is as good as all the passion, know-how, good products and devotion you put in them, this makes that every wine you make is your best wine… Although I would suggest to try all of them, from the Ports I loved their Colheita’s and from their “regular” wines to many to mention… my wine-cabinet will be to small for all the new wines I’ll be buying after my Portugal trip 🙂

Enjoy!