Niepoort Colheita Port 1957

Niepoort Colheita Port 1957 – A masterpiece of the fine port-making tradition

The Niepoort Colheita Port 1957 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 Dirk Niepoort, the fifth generation of the family. 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.

What makes this port so unique is its exceptionally long ageing in wooden casks. After ageing for around twenty years in oak casks, the wine was bottled by Niepoort in 1977 – a practice that 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 1957 vintage is documented in several bottlings – in addition to the 1977 bottling, variants from 1973 and 1987 are also known.

The tasting notes paint a picture of a wine of rare perfection. In 2016, *Falstaff* awarded the 1957 Niepoort Colheita 97 points and described it as follows: Medium amber with a fine brown core. Delicate candied orange zest, subtle red berry nuances, delicate nougat, a hint of mocha and delicate plum jam. Exceptionally refined and silky on the palate, delicate sweet tropical fruit, a hint of dried plums, including exotic fruit such as lychee, a subtle acidity, wonderful harmony, light-footed and versatile – an exceptionally fine and elegant tawny that thrives on its precision.

International wine authorities are also impressed. Jancis Robinson described the wine as “greenish-tawny with a yellow rim, rich and viscous, very mild and round on the attack, then lively and clean on the finish, with plenty of oak ageing, slightly chewy, but with plenty of interesting vitality – very sweet, a dried-fruit start, real punch” and awarded it 17.5/20 points. Richard Mayson noted a medium-light amber-tawny colour with fine, delicate, creamy aromas and notes of deliciously sweet caramel, allspice and vanilla – “a lovely old wine” scoring 18/20 points. Andrew Jefford described a clear, pale walnut colour with refined and harmonious aromas and no perceptible spiritiness – “great charm” and a wine of considerable harmony and grace, rated 16.5/20 points.

The tasters on ThePortForum were equally enthusiastic: ‘A very well-structured wine, no heat, no harsh edges, simply very smooth and viscous’ – the wine was unanimously declared the wine of the evening by the group. After 66 days in an open decanter, it still displayed a viscous texture, delicious caramel notes and an incredibly long finish, leaving the mouth watering for a further four to five minutes after tasting.

Today, the Niepoort Colheita Port 1957 is a sought-after rarity. Average auction prices stand at around 246 US dollars, with individual bottles fetching between 231 and 275 US dollars. For lovers of great 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.