1982 Niepoort
Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 4:13 pm
Fitered and decanted for approximately 4 hours.
When first opened, the wine was pretty closed and it just had oxidative tones on the nose - I feared for the worst. But it really opened up in the decanter!
On the eye: In the glass, the wine has browny red, slighly transparant color, with an wide discoloration towards the edges. In the decanter from a distance, the wine still shows a full, dark red.
On the nose: Expressive. Still a lot of primary fruit, ripe, dark and dried. Hints of spices, pepper and some minerality. Some oxidative tones, but in such a way that it is enjoyable.
On the palate: Great concentration. Good acidity level. Tannins are stil present but silky soft. Some spices on the tongue, very well balanced. Fresher orange zest on the mid-palate and a long finish.
Overall conclusion: A great wine, opened 30 years after the harvest, give or take a week or two. Good complexity, depth and balance. Will probably hold up for some time to come, but I don't think it will improve any further.
Score: 18/20.
When first opened, the wine was pretty closed and it just had oxidative tones on the nose - I feared for the worst. But it really opened up in the decanter!
On the eye: In the glass, the wine has browny red, slighly transparant color, with an wide discoloration towards the edges. In the decanter from a distance, the wine still shows a full, dark red.
On the nose: Expressive. Still a lot of primary fruit, ripe, dark and dried. Hints of spices, pepper and some minerality. Some oxidative tones, but in such a way that it is enjoyable.
On the palate: Great concentration. Good acidity level. Tannins are stil present but silky soft. Some spices on the tongue, very well balanced. Fresher orange zest on the mid-palate and a long finish.
Overall conclusion: A great wine, opened 30 years after the harvest, give or take a week or two. Good complexity, depth and balance. Will probably hold up for some time to come, but I don't think it will improve any further.
Score: 18/20.