Description
Niepoort Poeirinho
Current Vintage: 2012
The Poeirinho 2012 shows a very vivid color in violet tones. Nose of enormous complexity, very expressive in notes of red fruits, with a very fresh floral side. The purity of aromas and its tremendous freshness are impressive. The limestone terroir vibrates in the aroma and enhances the elegance and finesse of Baga variety. The palate is very fine, with superb accuracy. Vertical and with great vigor, has delicate tannins that make it quite exciting to enjoy right now, but thanks to the very good acidity and to its depth will live long decades in the cellar. Refreshing aftertaste, inviting us to another glass of pure pleasure.
Background Story
The Poeirinho, which name reflects the old name of Baga, is like a tribute to the great Bairrada wines from the past. The huge passion of Dirk Niepoort for Baga variety and for the fantastic terroir of the Bairrada region has made him, over the past three years, look for small parcels of Baga from very old vines, scattered in Cantanhede area. These wines were light in color and alcohol degree, elegant and fine immediately after bottling, but with a huge ageing potential. In 2012, in the first edition of Poeirinho, we have created an incredibly fresh and precise wine, that is already, in our opinion, one of the best non-fortified wines produced by Niepoort.
Food Suggestions
Roasted lamb, sausages dishes, baked cod or vegetarian dishes with vegetables.
Vinification
2012 was a very dry year, with almost no rain during the winter and spring. As a result, the burst occurred fifteen days later than in the previous year and all the growing cycle was delayed. The summer was not as hot as usual and the nights were quite cold in the last two weeks of August. The yield was lower due to the lack of water in the soil and some rain during flowering. Therefore, berries and bunches showed up smaller than normal, about 20% to 30%, when compared with the previous year.
The harvest began in late September. In the old vines, ripening was very balanced, with a good sugar content in grapes and a relatively high content of malic acid, having given good pHs to the wine, although the total acidity was lower than in the previous year. The red wines show deep colors, good concentration, are balanced and with good freshness. The Poeirinho 2012 comes from very old several parcels, some of them century-old. The wine was vinified partly in lagar (wine press), partly in stainless steel vats, where it fermented and macerated for 4 weeks. The malolactic occurred in old 2500L barrels, where it aged for 20 months. Was bottled without filtration.
Technical Information
Soil Type: Calcareous-clay
Region: Bairrada
Average Vine Age: 80 to 150 years
Grape Varieties: Baga
Vines Per Ha: 1500-2500
Pruning Method: Guyot
Alt. From Sea Level: At Sea Level
Harvest Period: Late September 2012
Harvest Method:Hand picked
Malolactic: Barrels
Fermentation: Lagar (wine press) with 20% of stem and stainless steal vat with 15% stem
Bottled: June 2014
Ageing: 20 months in vat
Dry Extract:20.3
Residual Sugar (G/DM3): 1.6
Alcohol (%):12
Ph:3.49
Total Acidity (G/Dm3):5.12
Volatile Acidity (G/Dm3):0.63
Total so2 (mg/dm3):55
Production: 6000 bottles
About Dirk Niepoort
I regard him as one of the sharpest, most provocative and most thoughtful of all winemakers: always willing to experiment, and with a strong sense of direction that comes from being a student of the world’s great wines. Jamie Goode – http://www.wineanorak.com/dirk_van_der_niepoort.htm
“Dirk van der Niepoort is the New Douro: single-handedly he has cajoled, encouraged, persuaded and hauled the Douro into a D.O.C. age of enlightenment. Substituting his Dutch ancestor’s wooden clogs for fashionable plastic Crocs , with an enigmatic expression concealing dry humour, incisive vision and a passion for fine wine verging on the obsessive, he is the uncrowned king of the Cima Corgo. With irreconcilably curly hair and a complex character, this straight talking Beethoven of the bodega has created more stunning wines than might be thought possible in several oenological lifetimes. Beginning with the massively surly and delinquent Robustus in 1990, whose metamorphosis over more than ten years, from ugly duckling into graceful swan, stunned the wine world, not to mention his sceptical father Rolf. Paradoxically progressing to the refined muscularity of Batuta and Burgundian elegance of Charme, his winemaking virtuosity knows no frontiers and continues to push the boundaries of viticulture. Dirk’s skills are not simply confined to the adega, among his many talents are the respective abilities to combine quality with commercial success, develop stylish marketing and impeccable design, and above all, communicate in a direct and clear fashion.” A good nose – The Douro boys http://www.agoodnose.com