Niepoort Voyeur 2020 Red

€ 30.18 / 1L

In the usual creative free spirit of Niepoort, in the past few years we decided to test vinifying some of our wines in clay amphorae. After several experiments, in 2018 we produced a wine which we liked very much indeed – the Voyeur! After many months of ageing, we opened the various amphorae in the Quinta de Nápoles and created the ideal blend offering the right combination of freshness, good acidity and lightness.

The appearance of the Voyeur 2019 offers a light, vibrant ruby red with some orange and brick red tones. Its exuberant and floral bouquet combines aromas of red fruit such as redcurrant and raspberry with an earthiness typical for wines fermented and matured in clay. The palate is elegant, with vibrant and fine-grained tannins noticeable on the mid-palate, ensuring that the fresh fruit character persists deep into the light and moreish finish typical of a low-alcohol wine.

Food pairing

Light and simple dishes as well as comfort food

Grapes: Field Blend from vines of 40 to 50 years old

The Voyeur was fermented and macerated in 1000L clay amphorae for several months. Each amphorae contained a wine from a different site in the Douro Valley, all planted with old vines. In this wine, the individual grape varieties are not the most important factor, it is rather the complexity resulting from the blend of the varieties – including white ones – that takes centre stage. The vineyards range from 40 to 50 years of age and grow in high-lying areas which provide a very refreshing aromatic profile and enable the wines to age for months without losing their character.

The 2019 viticultural year was marked by dry weather. Spring began with high temperatures, which subsequently dropped and remained low during the entire summer. Some rainfall occurred at just the right point of the vines’ growth phase, and flowering took place in excellent weather conditions, leading to medium to high yields with healthy berries. The mild days and cool nights of the month of August allowed the fruit to ripen slowly and harmoniously. Harvesting began on 8 August. The Voyeur 2019 is produced from 6 old vineyards with varying geographical exposures and altitudes, all situated in the Douro Valley. The grapes from each of these 6 sites were fermented and macerated in 1000L clay amphorae for approximately 6 months. The combination of grape varieties (including white varieties) in the vineyards is a deciding factor for the wine’s aromatic complexity and structure. After macerating in the amphorae, the different batches of wine were blended in stainless steel tanks and then aged again in amphorae for 2 - 3 months before bottling.

Store & Serve

Serve at 16-18°C. Can be drunk up to 7 years after harvest

Alcoholcontent

11,5 %vol

pH: 3,38

Critics & Awards

Gismondi on Wine Tasted: May 2022

Six amphora reds and whites, from vines 40-50 years old, and from six different sites in the Douro go into this unique Voyeur wine. Voyeur is taken from different sites, altitudes, etc. each year. Each site spent 6 months in 1000L Spanish amphora, lined with beeswax, prior to blending in stainless, returning to amphorae for a couple of months, and then bottling. Near deep-rosé in hue, this lighter, juicy red is filled with crunchy red currants, wild flowers, wild herbs along a silken, sleek palate, finishing with ample salinity. So characterful and charming, enjoy this smashable wine now with a light chill. (Treve Ring).

Tags : Niepoort - Douro