(2017) Produced at the Quinta do Baixo estate in Bairrada, Syrah from this region is highly unusual and shows Dirk Niepoort's penchant for pushing the boundaries. And he's done that very well with this crisp and agile Syrah, fermented in traditional lagares and aged in large 2500-litre barrels. It is dry with a sense of tobacco-touched red and black berry fruits, a touch herbal and wild, before a palate where the cool finesse of the acidity and lighter tannins give it a refreshing appeal. Really a lovely rendition of Syrah.
(2012) What a beautiful nose; laden with fresh summer flowers and hay meadows, bright red fruit and rose hips. Delicious stuff, light- to medium-bodied and so fresh, with a refined tannin structure and delightful clarity. Not a big wine, but a beautiful one.
(2012) The first wine in the line up with really obvious oak influence giving toast, cedar and some exotic Sandalwood. Chocolaty and red berry fruit beneath, spice and slightly wild, gamy nuances of the Baga. Lovely freshness in the finish with juicy acidity and tight tannins.
(2012) Outrageously heavy bottle, and a big wine aromatically too: a certain overripe charcter, with a vegetal note too giving lots of layered intrigue. On the palate this offers and explosion of fruit: creamy and rich, but juicy definition too. Silky textured, with soft plum at its core, but plenty of vital freshness.
(2011) A very hot vintage so the Baga was particularly softened and ripe. Huge, soft, sweet earth nose with masses of meaty, quite gamy character. Lots of development, showing those meaty, sulphidic notes with a touch of vegetal character on the palate, but the sweet black fruit powers through the mid-palate, with real concentration and intensity. Great finesse and approachability here, though the tart cherry acidity and little lift of liquorice makes a freshness in the finish.
(2011) Concentrated by use of technology, this is breezy, light, delicious stuff with dry extract and lots of schisty, almost ripasso quality and lovely cherry sweetness, Really quite delicate, and has a soft, gently-fruited finish. Delightful.
(2011) Old vine Baga. Slightly closed at first, the black fruits and some supporting older oak add a little more giving roundness. There's meatiness too. The palate bursts into life, with really sweet, punchy fruit that has a fleshy, creamy density. Touches of spice and liquorice from grainy but fine tannins and very good acidity. Fleshy, charming intensity of old vines.
(2011) Trincadeira, Rufete and Touriga. Wonderfully inky, vinous nose, extremely muscular and sinewy with such solid black fruit, but edged with touches of kirsch and violet. There's a little coffee and game adding yet another layer. Delicious palate, the pin-point accuracy of the fruit continues, with tight, glossy depth and that edge of muscular, tight tannin. Long through precision, not brute force.
(2011) >From ungrafted Baga on sandy soils. Some cold maceration to heighten aroma, soften tannins and improve colour. Aged in new French oak from Vosges and Nevers. Only 5 hl/ha yield "It is my fantasy" say Luis. Big oak nose, with lots of smoky, toasty and vanilla aromas with a lift of eucalypt character. The fruit is black and ripe, with a cassis and black cherry lift, and a bold minerality begins to come through. The palate shows a lot of oak at this stage too, but dense, ripe, fleshy fruit comes through on the mid palate, with great ripeness but then the tannins begin to grip and give a spicy, but still elegant grip to the finish with again plenty of elegant acidity. A very impressive wine.
(2010) Grape Varieties: Baga. Huge, creamy blackcurrant and coffee nose. Very international in style, but lovely depth and polish. Palate has super sweet, super concentrated fruit, big powerhouse tannins and beautiful sweetness. huge and arguably not showing a huge sense of place, but just delicious.
