Niepoort Aguardente Vinica Velha

€ 97.50 / 70 cl

This old-timer has recently been redeemed after resting for decades in oak barrels in the wine cellars of Niepoort. It is a dark topaz-colored and orange hues of brandy. Hints of wood, finely balanced. Very concentrated and intense taste after long aging in oak barrels and a long fragrant finish

Food pairing

Delicious digestif also delicious with a good cup of coffee. The Portuguese often add this nectar to their espresso.

Aguardente (aguardiente in Spain) is also used in many cocktails such as the Bali Hai (white Rum, Aguardiente, champagne, lime juice, lemon juice, grenadine syrup, Orgede syrup (almond syrup), the Caipirinha (lime cut into pieces, powdered sugar, Aguardiente, ice cubes) or the delicious Ginjinha, a shot of cherry liqueur (Ginja) that will make you walk on your hands and where you need the full width of the road on the way home. Belgium known as' kriek -, to be mixed with aguardente and sugar.

Grapes: Distilled wine from Portuguese grapes

Alcoholcontent

40 %vol

Store & Serve

Serve at 16°C

Critics & Awards

Aguardente

The spirits in Portugal (Portuguese: Aguardente, derived from água ardente, translated: fiery water) includes alcoholic beverages, usually distilled drinks made from wine, in Portugal. The alcohol percentage is legally limited to 78%. The color can range from clear and colorless to light brown, depending on the aging in the barrel.

Aguardente Vínica

Brandy must be used for the production of port. It is therefore not surprising that there is a long tradition of distilling wines in Portugal. Most of it is used for the production of port.

Some regions are also known for their good brandies:

Lourinhã is known for its light white wines, with an alcohol content of 10%. These are excellent for distilling. In the past, the wine was double distilled with copper stills, but nowadays it is distilled continuously almost everywhere. In 1992 this region obtained the status of DOC. Besides Cognac, Armagnac and Brandy de Jerez, this is the fourth recognized wine region for the production of brandy.

In Vinho Verde the best harvests are used for distilling brandy. It has been officially recognized since 1984. The best brandies are double distilled.

After this, the drink is placed in oak or chestnut barrels. Aguardente Vínica is aged for at least six months, Aguardente (Vínica) Velha for at least one year. But the best brands ripen much longer. Some of the best known producers are Cavipor, Quinta do Tamariz, Ferreirinha, Casa d'Avelleda, Vinhos Campelo and José Maria da Fonseca.

Aguardente Bagaceira

In the Portuguese countryside, the aguardente is traditionally distilled by the local population from the remnants left over after making wine, the Aguardente Bagaceira. The raw materials are distilled in a kettle over a fire. A long tube runs through a large container of warm water and the final product drips from the tube into a jug. The whole is a kind of alembic. In contrast to the distilling of eau de vie in France, where a licensing system has been devised to end home firing in the longer term, this practice is still permitted in Portugal.

Tags: Niepoort