VERTENTE Tinto

Vertente is an appealing wine: the fruit and concentration are the two main features of the Douro
wines, and the elegance is a mark of Niepoort wines. The grapes for Vertente 2008 came partially
from 20 years old vineyards of Quinta de Nápoles in the Tedo Valley, and the rest from Pinhão Valley’s
old vineyards. This wine is dense, complex and fresh, pleasant to drink now but also with great
potential for ageing and improving with time.
Vinification
2008 year was an uncommonly fresh and damp year, for Douro standards; as a result we had a slow
and very balanced maturation process in the vineyards with very good weather during harvest and
ideal conditions to produce amazing wines. Grapes were picked during September, beginning of
October. The wine fermented in stainless steel tanks and lagares, with total maceration varying
between 8 to 25 days. The wine aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, where the malolactic
fermentation occurred.
Tasting Notes
Dark ruby colour, with red fruit aromas, spicy with dark and green pepper notes, very mineral. On the
palate is balanced and appealing, elegant fruit with great freshness, the tannins are smooth but
present with great intensity and persistence. A wine with character to drink now or over the next
few years.
Technical Information
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Niepoort Wine Vertente 2008
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Cheese suggestions:
Camembert
Sainte Albré
Brie
Product . Niepoort Vertente 2008
Producer . Niepoort (Vinhos) S.A.
Region. Douro
Year . 2008
Soil Type . Schist
Vineyards . Nápoles and Pinhão Valley
Average Vine Age . 20-70 years
Grape Varieties . Tinta Roriz, Touriga
Franca, Tinta Amarela, Touriga
Nacional and others
Vines per HA . 4500 to 6500
Pruning Method . Guyot and Royat
Alt. from Sea level . 200 to 450 m
Harvest Period . September/October
Harvest Method . Hand picked
Malolactic . Cask
Fermentation . Stainless steel tanks
and lagares
Ageing . 18 month in French oak
barrels (228 L)
Bottled . May 2010
Dry Extract . 26,8% vol
Alcohol . 13,71% vol
Total Acidity . 5,11 g/L Tartaric Acid
Volatile Acidity . 0,66 g/L Acetic Acid
pH . 3,63
Residual Sugar . 2,0 g/dm3
SO2 free wad . 21 mg/dm3
Production . 78.000 bottles
Food suggestions:
Roast beef (with Yorkshire pudding)
Tradicional Portuguese Duck Rice
Tradicional codfish dishes
Magré de canard