This is the second in a series of posts in which I explore the wonderful world of Port wines, in particular the class known as Aged Tawny Port. Please be advised that I know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about wine. For more about this project, see the Introduction.
As I mentioned yesterday, this is really my second bottle of Port: the first was a 10 Year Old Tawny from Graham’s, but unfortunately I didn’t take notes while I was drinking it. Once I decided that I REALLY LIKE PORT, I figured I should find a good benchmark wine as a basis for further exploration.
This wine (bottled 2010) was a bit harder to find and consistently more expensive than the other 20-year old tawnies available at my local shops, with prices ranging from $65 – $85. But it seemed like a really good place to start. I’d heard a lot about Niepoort’s dedication to quality over the past few weeks, and I must say it shows, even to a newbie like myself.
My first impression is of a very elegant bouquet. The Niepoort has much less of the alcoholic vapor I picked up from the Graham’s 10. Instead I smell spice with just a teasing hint of spirits. This wine has a gorgeous, pale, almost burnt-orange color and presents a complex melange of flavors to my palate. I taste hints of plum, chocolate, caramel, maybe even cherry or apricot… especially in the long, lingering finish. While the first flavors are delightful, it’s that aftertaste that really excites me: the way the flavor settles in at the back of my palate and the center of my tongue and just keeps going long after the sip, almost dancing as it reveals a new facet every few seconds: now sweet, now tart.
I’ve found that the glass makes a huge difference with this wine. When I started working my way through the Graham’s, I was using a generic cordial glass, very small and narrow. But after a while I went out and found a high-quality glass from Riedel, one designed especially for Port. Both glasses are gently tapered in a way that concentrates the aroma and intensifies the flavor. But the cordial glass concentrated it too much, making the wine seem sharper and less refined. In contrast, the Port glass opens up the flavor while concentrating just enough of the aroma to tickle your nose. I could sense this difference with the Graham’s 10, but the difference is like night and day with the Niepoort. Lesson learned: drink the Niepoort from a proper glass or not at all.
I’ve tried this in conjunction with soft or semi-soft cheese (Brie and Port-Salut), which I enjoyed very much. But I also loved it with chocolates, especially those with a caramel center. That chocolate-caramel combination is dynamite, reflecting and enhancing flavors that are already present in the Port while also adding a slight bittersweet tinge. But whether with a dessert or just on its own, the Niepoort is really something special.
Learn more: www.niepoort-vinhos.com