Robert Parker

The 2017 Vintage Port is a field blend from old vines (80 to 100 years old). It comes in with 89 grams per liter of residual sugar. This was set for bottling in two weeks, but it was the final blend. Even when open for a couple of days, this was still tight, muscular and concentrated, grabbing the palate and never letting go. On opening, it was fragrant and delicious, but even then, there was plenty of muscle and evident concentration. The concentration and power merely improved as it aired out—unlike a lot of 2016s (which year Niepoort did not declare).

Tasting it after several days open showed that it shut down and closed up in terms of expressiveness, but it definitively proved that it's an old-school, long-haul wine. Dry, stern and long on the finish, this is brilliant. It is hard to think of any basis on which this is not perfection just now—Niepoort says it is the best he's ever made. It's certainly the best I've seen from him, and it is a leading candidate for "Wine of the Vintage," although certainly not the only one. Finally, this is going to require patience. Nothing about it says "drink me now." It should age brilliantly. If you lack a cellar and patience, look away.

Pekka Nuikki

Dark purple colour with a very pronounced and intense nose of medicinal tones, anise, violets, liquorice, dark fruits, blackberries and spices. Full-bodied, with moderate acidity and big but gentle tannins dominating this youngster. Very intense, ripe, jammy dark fruit and violet flavours are accompanied by loads of spices, liquorice, smoky and tarry flavours. The alcohol is very well integrated into the wine, prolonging the youthful, never-ending aftertaste.

Tastingbook.com

For The Love Of Port

The fruit was sourced from several old-vine field blend
parcels, picked early on. In a vintage replete with opaque purple-black optics, this takes the
cake. My first written comment, ‘Paint it Black’ was spot on when peering into this impenetrable
ink well. An effusive fragrance literally rose out of the glass to meet my nose a foot away… with
boisterous scents of lingonberry, violets, crème de cassis and cherry pie. Medium-full bodied
with a smooth creamy texture, electric acidity and recoiled tannins seemingly integrated with the
fruit, but tensely waiting for the right moment to surge. The gobs of black and purple fruits are
off-dry and pure, with black cherry and cassis at the center, seemingly sweet at times and dry at
others, but here the acidity exacerbates the freshness at the core. With many things to love
about this young Port, the fact that I had to swallow two or three times while tasting some spicy
cinnamon stick in the background, is memorable even months later. The Niepoort 2015 was
quite an achievement, but having had a handful of moments with that Port, I am convinced 2017
is the more complete wine. And as many of us have heard Dirk Niepoort say over the years,
“this is the BEST Vintage Port I have ever made”… with 2017; I believe he might just be right!
It’s not easy to come up with a “drinking window” for this VP, as it is fun and really approachable
right now, but I’ll suggest 2085 or so. 98+ points

James Suckling

Wow. Smoky and intense on the nose with dried fruits and slate undertones. Lots of wet earth too. Full body, sweet yet dry and tannic on the palate. Very powerful and focused. Racy and powerful. A fantastic center palate of fruit. A blend of touriga franca, tinto cao, tinta francisca, tinta amarela, sousao, tinta roriz and others

Falstaff

Dark ruby with an opaque core, purple reflections and subtle rim brightening. Fresh black berry fruit, delicate blackberry confit, a hint of tangerine zest, floral touch and nuances of candied violets. Juicy, energetic and tightly meshed, fine nougat, supporting tannins, superb style, mineral and long lasting, secure development certain ageing potential, very good length.

Gismondi on Wine

When I tasted the unreleased 2017 Vintage Port with Dirk in spring 2019, he told me “it is the best wine I’ve ever made.” I believe him. Though 2017 will be remembered for the intense heat and record low levels of rainfall, Dirk knew early on it would be a vintage year. In spite of the dry weather, flowering and bud burst developed under good conditions, and late summer's high daily temperatures and cold nights allowed an even and gradual ripening. The decision to start harvesting early, on August 24 at Vale de Mendiz, allowed grapes to be received in ideal conditions with fantastic natural acidity. The last grapes were harvested on September 26, before many producers had even gotten into vintage. The yields were approximately 30% down on a normal year due to dehydration. All the components for their 2017 Vintage Port were trodden by foot in circular granite lagares with 100% stems. The wines were racked soon after harvest, aged in tonéis in the Douro over the winter, and then moved to the cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia in March 2018. The youngest vines were over 80 years old, from a few very special schistose sites in the Cima Corgo, and based on Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Francisca, Tinta Amarela, Sousão, Tinta Roriz, plus others in the field blend of gnarly old vines. Alluring from first whiff, with ample savoury, stony, earthy notes infiltrating the potent wild blackberry, cassis, wild mint and fragrant, scrubby rock roses. Tannins are schistous textured, firm as expected, but amazingly well-integrated for such a young wine. So much life and vibrancy ahead here. Understated, and quietly confident, as are the Niepoort ports, this is well-deserving of its wide-spread acclaim, and potential. (Treve Ring).

Revista de Vinhos

Deep and opaque in colour. Perfumed and immediately captivating on the nose, beautifully defined, highlighting the purity of fresh red fruit (raspberry and redcurrant) and black fruit (cherry, blackberry and blueberry), alongside fresh and dried aromatic herbs. Compact, concentrated and dense, yet with tremendous freshness, almost making you forget that this is a sweet, fortified wine. Spicy, with tenacious tannins that grip the palate, especially towards the finish as the velvety texture subsides. Long and vibrant finish, with a certain dryness imparted by the stems.

Jancis Robinson

All from Cima Corgo. All field blends, including Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Francisca, Tinta Amarela, Sousão, Tinta Roriz, etc, oldest vines 80–100 years. Any overripe grapes removed. 100% foot trodden with 100% stems. Press wine very important – like 'gold', says Niepoort. Not from all the vineyards just from his four favourite, eg Pisca. To be bottled June 2019.
Black cherry colour with narrow purple rim. Gorgeous pure hedgerow black fruit and no sense of the alcohol on the nose – it has been completely integrated with the fruit already. Ripe blackberry, elderberry and blackcurrant and a touch of spice, wild fruit. Incredibly intense on the palate but not showy and the tannins make it taste almost dry. Wonderful texture, great freshness, the tannins ‘sweep the sweetness out of the mouth’, as Mondavi once said to Niepoort. Incredible purity, freshness, intensity and harmony. I’ve put a start date of 2025 but this is ridiculously delicious now even though it clearly has massive potential longevity. An incredible dark, rocky purity with a long savoury finish, the fruit is intense but not ultra-fruity. This reminds me of the rocky Douro from which the wines come. Sheer beauty with hidden power. Glorious, very long, totally moreish even now.

Vivino

Vivino

(484 bedømmelser, Optræder i Vivino's 2020 Wine Style Awards: Portuguese Vintage Port, 04-10-2026)