Description
Niepoort Tiara White – Douro
Tiara 2014 shows a beautiful crystalline colour. It presents complex and deep aroma, thanks to the long fermentation in barrel. Subtle but very elegant, it is a wine where the stone fruit is in plain harmony with notes of fresh herbs. On the palate, impresses for its with huge structure fully-balanced with a vibrant acidity that makes the wine light, precise and very delicate. Very long and mineral finish.
A wine that is a pleasure to drink while young to feel all the energy, but that will have a long life in the cellar.
Tiara is a white wine of high altitude, a light wine, fine but with great vigor and energy. The entire heritage is found on the vine, the natural yeast for alcoholic fermentation, and the fresh and elegant character. Tiara comes from vines that are over 60 years old, planted at 600 metres in altitude, where Códega do Larinho is the dominant grape variety.
Food Suggestions
Different types of grilled fish dishes. Vegetarian suggestions: grilled vegetables or salads.
Vinification
The viticultural year 2014 was characterised as a year of lower quantity but higher quality. Due to the large amount of water in the soil, accumulated during winter and spring, everything indicated an early year. Indeed, the maturation phase occurred early, allowing us to start the harvest in August. At Quinta de Nápoles, most of the parcels were harvested within a fine weather period between 23 August and 21 September.
The vineyards that gave rise to Tiara were harvested in mid-September. The grapes were transported chilled and pressed during the night. Decanting took place for 24 hours, followed by alcoholic fermentation in large barrels, at a temperature varying between 8-13°C. The wine fermented during a year and malolactic fermentation was carried out.
Region:Douro
Soil Type: Schist
Vineyards: Different small vineyards
Average Vine Age: 40, 60 to 100 years
Grape Varieties: Códega do Larinho, Rabigato, Donzelinho, Cercial and others
Vines Per Ha:6500
Pruning Method:Guyot and Royat
Alt. From Sea Level: 600-800
Harvest Period:September
Harvest Method:Hand picked
Malolactic: Yes
Fermentation: Large capacity oak tonnels
Bottled: December 2013
Ageing: 12 months in used barrels
Alcohol (%) :12.3
Ph:3.29
Total Acidity (G/Dm3):4.8
Volatile Acidity (G/Dm3):0.6
Free So2 At Bottling (Mg/Dm3):22
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
