Niepoort Redoma Branco, Douro, Portugal

尼伯特雷多瑪白葡萄酒

點(diǎn)擊次數(shù)：12671

The 2022 Redoma Branco, like the Redoma Reserva, comes from Mur?a, an area of mica and schist that sits at 350 to 400 meters in altitude and is warm during the day and cool at night, so it retains good acidity. The vineyards are 30 to 60 years old and planted with a field blend of Rabigato, Códega de Larinho, Viosinho and Arinto. The wine fermented and matured in barrel (228- and 500-liter). It has the roundness of the vintage, a moderate 12.5% alcohol and good balance and freshness. The oak is neatly integrated and adds nuance and complexity to the wine. It's long, dry and tasty. 70,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2023.

The 2019 Redoma Branco is a field blend from old vines featuring Rabigato, Códega, Viosinho, Donzelinho and others, aged for six months in 20% new French oak. It comes in very dry and at just 12.2% alcohol. This is another super Redoma Branco, which is easily one of the very best values in the Niepoort lineup every year. It's never a big and fat wine, so if that's what you're looking for, look away. It has wonderfully expressive fruit and a subtle concentration that is impressive, however. Plus, it has beautiful structure and persistent but controlled tension on the finish. It's always bright, never shrill, and it handles the modest wood well. There is a slight smoked-toast nuance, but not a lot. It's something to watch, or give this some air. This is a lot of wine for the money if you like the fresh and understated style. Niepoort always says these will age for a couple of decades. It probably will, but let's take that in stages. His track record of saying such things and backing it up has been pretty good, though, and I have seen some nicely developed and intriguing ones. There were 60,000 bottles produced from old vines (60 to 80 years).

The 2018 Redoma Branco is a field blend from old vines featuring Rabigato, Códega, Viosinho, Donzelinho and others, aged for six months in 40% new French barriques. It comes in very dry and at just 11.8% alcohol. This is, said Niepoort, the best in the brand so far. That's strong praise, but he may well be right. This certainly seems poised to make a statement. Textured, intense and very bright, this crisp white does have some oak-impact that reduces the purity for the moment, but it is the structure, power and long finish that impresses here. The wine easily shoves the wood into the background. It is beautifully balanced and able to age effortlessly. They always do, in fact, but this will be among the better ones in that regard. This should develop better than anticipated, but let's be a little conservative now. No matter what, this is a super value this year.

The 2017 Redoma Branco is a field blend from old vines featuring Rabigato, Códega, Viosinho, Donzelinho and others, aged for eight months in 85% used French oak. It comes in at 13% alcohol. Sharp and fresh, this handles its wood beautifully, showing precision and liveliness. Long on the finish, this is a pretty fine Redoma that seems to handle the difficulties of the vintage well. Niepoort called this one of his best. It looks that way, although time will be the ultimate judge, and I still wonder how 2017s will do in the longer run. Niepoort suggested this might last 20 years. All of his wines age well—it is part of who and what Niepoort is. Let's try to check in every now and then, though.

The 2016 Redoma Branco is a field blend from old vines, aged for eight months in an 80/20 blend of used and new French oak. It comes in at just 12% alcohol. This is beautifully done, fresh and lively, gorgeously balanced and even a bit perky for an oaked white. It easily overcomes its wood and the fruit rises above it. The tension on the finish gives this some distinction and it is rather delicious, too. This can pair well with food or be drunk on its own, because it is graceful enough to allow it to be a sipper, while it has enough stuffing to hold up to food. This attractive white should age well, too. Dirk Niepoort predicts a 15-year aging curve, but it will certainly change character as it ages and it is pretty tasty now. So, hold it or don't, depending on how you like them.