Niepoort

The story of Niepoort Winery begins in 1842 with Franciscus Marius Niepoort. Like so many great Port houses that we still know today, Franciscus Marius’s first goal was not Port production, but the distribution of wines that were at that time still produced largely by the Portuguese. After 45 years of tireless activity, the company’s founder died in 1887 and left Jakob Eduard Karel van der Niepoort a flourishing business. He continued to expand his father’s work and brought Niepoort at least into the second tier of top Port producers.

His son, Eduard Marius Niepoort, finally took over the fortunes of the Niepoort house in 1912. The passionate natural scientist and man of refined taste guided the house through difficult times. In 1927, Rolf van der Niepoort was born. The 4th generation joined the company at the age of 23 and devoted himself above all to business and human relationships, while remaining rather conservative in matters of wine and Port.

Today, most people associate Niepoort with Dirk van der Niepoort (correctly Eduard Dirk). The likeable curly head has been the conceptual mastermind of the estate since 1987 and started an innovation marathon that has made Niepoort one of the most sought-after houses in the country, both for wine and Port.

The most important and first step taken by Dirk was the acquisition of his own quintas, that is, his own vineyards in the Douro Valley. Specifically, they chose Quinta de Nápoles and Quinta do Carril in the top Port region of Cima Corgo. Here, 15 hectares were newly planted and the vineyard area expanded, and 10 hectares with 60-year-old vines were carefully restored.

Niepoort today – from Vila Nova de Gaia out into the whole world

Here, very close to Porto, just 15 people are working on the great Niepoort miracle. The most important is Master Blender José Nogueira, who has been making Port since the age of 14 and is already training his son as his successor. The Niepoorts and the Nogueiras have formed a unit since the company was founded, so that on both sides the 5th generation is already responsible for Niepoort’s wines.

Fabelhaft Douro – the reinvention of dry red wines

In 2002, with the first Fabelhaft wine, Dirk Niepoort opened a new chapter for the Douro Valley. The labels featuring Wilhelm Busch drawings have since become legendary, especially as Dirk had a separate label created for each export country. The first Fabelhaft wine – a dry cuvée from the classic Port grape varieties Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Amarela and Tinto Cão – was a revelation for many and made dry red wine from Portugal into a new force to be reckoned with, not only in Germany.

In the meantime, Fabelhaft wines are also available as white and rosé – but nothing has changed in the basic concept of wonderful drinkability with beautiful complexity.

Niepoort goes South – new vineyards in Dão and Bairrada

After the Fabelhaft wines from Niepoort had thoroughly shaken up the Douro Valley, Dirk turned to other underrated regions of Portugal. Among the first was Dão Rótulo, which combined Touriga Nacional, Jaen and Alfrocheiro from granite soils. In Bairrada, in addition to slate (Douro) and granite (Dão), Dirk Niepoort found fine limestone soils and old Baga vines. Here, among others, it was the single-varietal Lagar de Baixo that brought the full expressiveness of Baga into the glass. With the light, pale, high-acid and rather low-alcohol Baga wines, Niepoort was able to expand his portfolio to the maximum.

Niepoort – truly European wines

Today, Dirk Niepoort is devoting himself, among other things, to his FIO project, which he launched together with Philipp Kettern on the Middle Mosel. Here, Riesling is clearly the main focus.

Where Niepoort produces wines in Portugal

Douro

• Ports from Ruby to Vintage Port
• dry red wines from Fabelhaft to Redoma to Batuta
• dry white wines from Redoma Branco to Moscatel and Riesling Dócil

Dão

• dry red and white wines of the Rótulo and Conciso ranges

Bairrada

• red wines from Baga, namely Lagar de Baixo, Drink Me Nat Cool and Poeirinho