NV Niepoort Crusted 2011

[jdaw1]

Just three of us, CPR, THRA and JDAW, met in the Green Room of The Boot & Flogger for a tasting with the theme ‘Blind with a clue’.

Links:

• Review of the evening as a whole;
• 1960 Dow (THRA);
• 1977 Smith Woodhouse (JDAW);
• 1985 Dow (CPR1);
• 2011 Niepoort Crusted (from 2007 and 2008 crops) (CPR2);
• Placemats (and parameters by which made);
• Planning and arrangements.

[jdaw1]

2011 Niepoort Crusted, which CPR said came from the ’07 and ’08 harvests. Dark dark red-purple, 100% opaque. Very young and big-fruited. A great early- and late-palate. But a lightness mid-palate made we wonder about crusted. Having spoken about crusted for a few minutes, the clue — “Intrigued by Alex’s tasting note of it” — made me recall the Old Vines Six Grapes. Mid-led by the clue: I should have stuck with Crusted.

[djewesbury]

Having just mentioned your previous good character, I am appalled to see this sloppy work handed in for your Tasting Note homework. Do it again, and this time read your own work.

[domfwc]

Hi,

Long time lurker quite often reading this board. Just registered to post! Nice looking tasting.

Reference the Niepoort Crusted 2011, I was at a tasting with winemaker Nick Delaforce last year. It is, indeed, a blend of the 2007 and 2008, from my notes 80% from the 2008 vintage. I can't find my tasting notes but I seem to recall preferring the previous bottling which was a 2003 / 2005 blend. It may have just been the extra age of that first bottling.

Cheers,

Dominic

[LGTrotter]

Reference the Niepoort Crusted 2011, I was at a tasting with winemaker Nick Delaforce last year. It is, indeed, a blend of the 2007 and 2008, from my notes 80% from the 2008 vintage. I can't find my tasting notes but I seem to recall preferring the previous bottling which was a 2003 / 2005 blend. It may have just been the extra age of that first bottling.

I often think that I need to keep crusted port longer than I do. I bought heaps of Dow 97 crusted and managed to keep a few, they are lovely now and will keep a bit I think. But when I pay a tenner a bottle for port I inevitably neck them with gay abandon so they never seem to last.

Interesting to hear of the vintages and proportions used in crusted, not something I have heard before, so thank you for posting. Lurk no longer.