Winemaker Notes

Colheita 1997

Colheita Ports are Tawny Ports from a single year, aged in the classic 550 L Pipas, for a minimum period of 7 years, but it is Niepoort’s tradition to age Colheita Ports a few more years prior to bottling. These Ports go well with egg-based or dried fruit desserts and on its own at the end of a meal.

VINIFICATION

The viticultural year 1997 was atypical. After a very dry winter, with a hot February, the spring was rainy and very cold until May. However, the long hot, and dry summer allowed a complete and ideal ripeness of the grapes, giving rich full-bodied, and tannic wines, some of them of exceptional quality. It is a year of classic and generalized declaration of Vintage Port.

TASTING NOTES

Beautiful colour of orange tones and brick with good depth. The aroma and palate show the maturity of the wine, due to the long ageing in small old oak casks. It presents candied fruit notes, reminding apricots and peaches integrated with smoke notes and dried fruit. The mouth is very much alive, marked by a vibrant acidity and great volume. It’s enveloping, with a long and very pleasant finish.