Niepoort LBV Port 2017
Dirk Niepoort calls this the “younger brother” of the Vintage Port, because the origin of the grapes and vinification method are identical. The grapes are manually harvested, received in 25 kilo holders at the Vale de Mendiz, then foot-trodden in round, temperature-controlled granite lagares for four hours everyday after harvest by 25-30 people. Fermentation takes place over 2-3 days with 100% stem inclusion. Wine is then fortified after 50% of fermentation is complete with high quality brandy spirit, then aged in tonéis (large oak barrels) in the Douro over the winter, then moved to the cellars at Vila Nova de Gaia in the spring. At Niepoort the tradition is to bottle the LBVs four to six years after the harvest: Dirk tries to bottle it as soon as possible, in order to retain the fruit and freshness of the LBV.
