Casa Niepoort’s Vintage Port 2017 has been hailed the ‘Best Port Wine of the World’.
The distinction was awarded in the 2021 edition of Best Wine of the World, described as the “largest wine competition in the world, whether measured by the number of wines, the number of consumers involved or the judges taking part”.
“It is a distinction that fills every Portuguese with pride and which elevates Casa Niepoort –currently in its sixth generation – as well as Port wine to an even higher level,” the winery with over 150 years of winemaking experience under its belt said in a statement.
Over 20,000 wines from 115 countries were judged by 190,000 wine makers and wine lovers from all over the world. All in all, over three million votes were cast through platform Tastingbook.com
The next stage saw only the top-100 voted wines making the finals, which were divided into six main categories – Best Red, Best White, Best Rosé, Best Sparkling, Best Champagne and Best Port.
Dirk Niepoort, president of Casa Niepoort, says he was not surprised to see the Vintage Port 2017 be awarded the accolade. In fact, when the wine was unveiled in June 2019, he described it as the “most perfect Port wine” he had ever tasted.
The 100-point review it had received from influential wine critic Robert Parker had also helped cement its status in the wine world.
Says the wine company, “balance, harmony, concentration, quality of the tannins and freshness” are some of the main characteristics associated with this Port wine.
This is how Casa Niepoort describes the Vintage 2017 on its website: “A wonderful dark purple rim and great depth of colour characterise the wine’s appearance.
The aromatic profile is dominated by superb youthful dark fruit. It is powerful on the initial attack, leading into a fresh mid-palate with beautifully seductive flavours of dark fruit. A great combination of power and elegance, ending in a bold, dry, lengthy and slightly green tannic finish. The length and structure of the 2017 vintage promise a long-lived wine with great ageing potential.”
