Robert Parker verkostet und bewertet für seine renommierte Wein-Zeitschrift »
The Wine Advocate« regelmäßig Weine aus aller Welt, darunter natürlich auch Weine aus Portugal. Den ›
Vertente Tinto 2009‹ von
Niepoort aus dem
D.O.C. Douro bewertet er mit 88/100 Punkten. Nachfolgend im Original die Degustationsnotiz von Mark Squires:
„The 2009 VERTENTE is a typical Douro blend aged 18 months in French oak, only 30% new. It is another Niepoort old vines product, with the blend of vineyards and vines ranging from 20 (the younger vines from Quinta de Napoles) to 70 years. It is also a rather economical choice in this lineup, well positioned in this vintage to compete with some of Niepoort's pricier wines. This year's version shows a fair bit of acidity (as do most of Niepoort's '09s) and a correspondingly mouthwatering finish. I might have thought it was an '08. Elegant in the mid-palate, it is rather bright and sunny, surprisingly crisp this year and very definitely penetrating as the acidity drives the fruit into the palate. This needs a little time to pull itself together, despite having relatively refined tannins, but it is an interesting performance in this vintage. If this Burgundian entrant is your style, it offers some bang for the buck in this lineup. In that regard, note that the even cheaper Twisted reviewed this issue seems quite on par with this in 2009-not quite as persistent perhaps and not quite as likely to age well, but at the moment showing quite nicely. In time they may separate a bit more. Drink now-2019.
Niepoort's output, largely from old vines and high altitude, always has a certain refinement and elegance in common, even in the biggest vintages. It is an interesting aspect of this warm weather wine region. In 2009, a big vintage for most of the rest of the region, the reds seem generally restrained and quite crisp, a little eccentric compared to the typical Douro output in this year. Normally, I feel Niepoort does extremely well in the bigger vintages. This year, I am less sure.”
[af]
