NAVAZOS

2009 Niepoort

Grapes Palomino
Colour White
Origin Spain, Jerez
ABV 13%

Dirk Niepoort's venture into Andalucia, or Jerez to be more precise, is a remarkable and extraordinary Palomino fermented in sherry butts. As in sherry production, the wine is allowed to develop a 'flor' and then immediately racked. With many of the characteristics of a Fino sherry, such as a yeasty nose and salty tang, the wine has wonderful texture and incredible length. A curiosity at first perhaps, but develops into a wonderful taste sensation (even if you are not a sherry aficionado). L&S (Feb 2011)


Alternatively, we may well have some bottles in one of our shops - why not give us a call on 0207 244 0522 or send an email to: sales@leaandsandeman.co.uk.

Or, check the RELATED PRODUCTS below for different vintages or wines of a similar style.


NAVAZOS − NIEPOORT 2009 White Wine 13% alc. Limited release: 5,000 bottles (75 cl.)

Everything suggests that the origin of Andalusian biological ageing should be dated back to the second half of the eighteenth century, halfway between Sanlúcar (providing the wines) and Cádiz (providing the market and commercial channels in the form of the tabancos de montañeses where the beneficial effects of the flor were first appreciated). Everything likewise indicates that in those days the practice of fortification was infrequent in the white wines destined to local consumption. We gather that from Agustín Fernández’s 1801 article on "Vineyard and winemaking practices in San Lucar de Barrameda", published in issue 213 of that admirable source of information that was the Semanario de Agricultura y Artes dirigido a los Párrocos. After stating that the best grapes were the "listanes" (palomino fino) and the best vineyards those of "tierras blancas" (albariza soils) he continued as follows: “if the grapes are of top quality, the whites need nothing more; it is true that some add a quarter of refined spirit to stabilize them, but they risk the wines becoming coarse as a result of this” (p 59) If to this we add the fact that the local classification of vineyards according to quality criteria was well settled at the turn of the 18th century, we can infer that the parameters that a top-quality wine of the age had to meet were the following: a) the palomino fino variety, b) sourced from the best vineyards, c) fermented in butt, d) using indigenous yeasts, e) aged under the layer of flor that was formed immediately after the fermentation yeasts finished their job, f) with no added alcohol. This wine, before the generalization of the term "vino de manzanilla” (for which Cádiz was responsible), was plainly known locally as "vino blanco" (‘white wine’). It is no more and no less than that, a white wine, that we offer now as the second vintage of Navazos-Niepoort 2009, produced with the support of Quim Vila by Equipo Navazos and Dirk Niepoort, following exactly the same rigorous quality criteria employed by the best winemakers of the Bajo Guadalquivir some 200 years ago: palomino fino musts sourced from a historic albariza vineyard, fermented in butt with indigenous yeasts that impregnate the vines and the fermentation vessels themselves, aged for almost ten months under a layer of flor thanks to the action of more indigenous yeasts that take control immediately after fermentation, and of course with not a single drop of added alcohol. In the Sherry District the 2009 vintage produced musts of unusually high alcohol. This determined a period of biological ageing of eight/nine months (which is notably longer than the four-to-six-month period we have scheduled for the releases of Navazos-Niepoort). This is also why its bottling—after a few additional months resting in tanks—and its commercial release has been equally delayed until well after the summer of 2010. It is best enjoyed chilled at 7/9ºC, with any type of hors d’ouvres and seafood, as well as lighter rice and pasta dishes, and soft cheeses of delicate flavors. From the chalky soils to the glass, after a period under flor. Never before, in recent times, had tradition and future embraced with such authenticity in a bottle of Andalusian wine. Winemaker's notes (Dec 2012)

Niepoort

Bucking the trend once again, as is his way, Dirk Niepoort proudly declared his excellent Vintage Ports in 2015 unlike the rest of the top producers - and this year he is declaring only the Bioma. This is his superior Port from a single plot on a steep slope.' From our tasting this declaration is totally justified. The wine is superb and fascinating. At Niepoort the aim is harmony and balance these are both here with the Bioma 2016 - but it is also a more cerebral wine than others released - a different feel - this is off-beat perhaps but in a good and beguiling way.

At the same time that famous English names were establishing themselves in the Douro, the other great Port importing nation - the Netherlands - was sending bright business types to set up Port Houses. One such was Franciscus Marius van der Niepoort. Five generations later and the dynamic Dirk van der Niepoort is at the helm.

Niepoort used to be well-known for their Tawny and Colheita ports, but Dirk has worked tirelessly to raise the profile of their Vintage Ports too. One of the key moves, with this in mind, was for Niepoort to purchase their own vineyards with Quintas de Nápoles, do Carril and do Passadouro coming under the Niepoort wing at the end of the 1990's.

This wine isn't currently part of a mixed case, but you can always browse our full selection of mixed cases here.
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