1999 Niepoort Secundum

Tasting notes for individual Ports, with an index sorted by vintage and alphabetically.
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Tasting notes for individual Ports, with an index sorted by vintage and alphabetically.
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RonnieRoots
Fonseca 1980
Posts: 1981
Joined: 08:28 Thu 21 Jun 2007
Location: Middle Earth

1999 Niepoort Secundum VP

Post by RonnieRoots »

Last tasted in 2003, when I predicted it to be "very delicate, easy drinking port" in 8-10 years time. So it was a very nice coincidence to be served this blind some days ago.

Lots of heat initially (it was pop-and-pour), but most of that blew off with time. Soft and evolved fruit, figs and plums, regaining some freshness with time in the glass, but overall already an 'aged' feel. Tannins are still rather fierce, and a bit drying. Some complexity, but overall a pleasant easy drinker, which I guessed to be 1991 Niepoort (the shape of the bottle neck made it easy to guess the shipper :wink: ). I was rather surprised to see it was 1999.

I guess both the characteristics of the vintage and the style of winemaking contribute to its fast maturation, so it will be interesting to see how the 2000 Secundum is holding up. Although this 1999 is nice to drink at this stage, it could do with some softer tannins, but I fear that the fruit will be well faded by the time the tannins have softened. Tasted alongside the Quinta do Passadouro 2000, which was the better port.
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