NIEPOORT CRUSTED

This Crusted Port very much complements the well renowned Vintage and Late Bottled Vintage in the Niepoort range. Traditionally, Crusted Port is selected from wines of Vintage quality, from two or three harvests, which undergo no fining or filtration prior to bottling and are only released three years after bottling. As the name suggests, Crusted Port, with time, will throw a natural deposit in bottle, and that’s why it is important to decant before serving. Niepoort Crusted is most appealing in its youth but will also benefit from several years ageing in bottle, for which the wines should be stored lying down. This Crusted originates, predominantly, from wines of 2007 and 2008 harvest. Grapes were foot trodden in “lagares” prior to ageing in large old wooden vats in our Vila Nova de Gaia cellars. The production was small, with a total of 6,000 liters, bottled in March 2011. Deep red appearance and starting to show some age on the rim, amazing aroma of exuberant cherries and low intensity chocolate; on the palate, a seductive velvety/silky texture is dominant with superb finesse hiding a firm structure. It is worth pointing out that at this moment in time the exuberance of the wine dominates and the elegant style is very enticing to drink right now, however, as it has a fine structure, we believe will allow it to gain some fabulous bottle age over several decades.Winemaker's notes (Mar 2015)