**Museum Release** 1983 Niepoort Garrafeira Port

The second generation of the Niepoort family, in the late 19th century, had the fortunate idea of buying from a german glass factory in Oldenburg about 4000 glass balloons (in the form of old apothecaries’ bottles) of dark-green glass with varying capacities from 8 to 11 litres. Eduard Karel Jacob van der Niepoort died early and it was his son, Eduard Marius van der Niepoort, Dirk’s grandfather, who gave purpose to the demijohns by bottling the best wines of the 1931 harvest, thus creating the type “Garrafeira Niepoort”. Since the distant year of 1931 to this day the maturation in the demijohns, sealed with a cork, has been closely watched, it is almost a “sacred” ritual for both the Niepoort and the Nogueira families. 

Tasting Notes: Dark amber core colour and lighter rim, reminiscent of a youngish Colheita-style Port. Sharp and beautifully complex, as a result of the longer-than-usual time spent in casks. Hazelnuts gently showing through the ever-decreasing fruit. In the mouth it shows lovely acidity, making it sharp and elegant, with great complexity and balance. Quite spicy, moving away from the fresher fruits into hazelnuts and prunes. The finish is fresh and at the same time delicate and very long.

Origin: Douro Valley, Portugal

Blend: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Francisca, Tinta Amarela, Sousão, Tinta Roriz