Niepoort Colheita Port 1960 with OWC

Niepoort Colheita Port 1960 – A masterpiece of the time-honoured port wine tradition

The Niepoort Colheita Port 1960 is an exceptional wine from one of Portugal’s most distinguished port wine dynasties. The Niepoort estate was founded in 1842 by Franciscus Marius van der Niepoort in Vila Nova de Gaia and is now run by the fifth generation of the family, Dirk Niepoort, who is regarded as one of Portugal’s most influential winemakers. The house’s wines enjoy a legendary reputation amongst connoisseurs, and the Colheita style – a Tawny Port from a single vintage – is regarded as a particular speciality of the house. Niepoort is one of the few producers to have upheld this tradition for many decades and to possess an exceptional stock.

What makes this port so unique is its long ageing in wooden casks. After ageing for over two decades in oak casks, the wine was bottled in the 1980s – bottlings from 1985 and 1989 are documented. This extended cask ageing lends the wine remarkable complexity and depth. Colheitas are vintage Tawnies that mature in small casks; the minimum requirement is seven years, but the tradition at Niepoort is to leave the wine in wood for considerably longer before bottling.

The tasting notes paint a picture of a wine of rare perfection. ThePortForum describes a bronze-coloured appearance with 30 per cent opacity, a nose of dried lemon peel, and a sweet and smooth palate with dried red fruits, leading into a marvellous sweet cherry finish and a long aftertaste – rated 93/100 points. Another taster noted a red centre with a yellowish rim, notes of Pontefract cakes on the nose and strawberries on the palate – “a wonderfully warm wine”. After more than twenty years of cask ageing,*Der Spirituosen-Ankauf* describes a multi-layered spectrum of aromas featuring dried figs and nuts, complex flavours of candied fruit, orange peel and delicate hints of spice, with a long, elegant finish.

Today, the Niepoort Colheita Port 1960 is a sought-after rarity. Prices for individual bottles range from around 356 to 536 euros, depending on the bottler and supplier. For connoisseurs of fine port wines, this wine offers a rare opportunity to experience a Colheita that bears the hallmark of one of Portugal’s most distinguished winemaking families and has retained remarkable vitality, elegance and depth after more than six decades of ageing.