Day 5 – Thursday

Quinta do Silval

Quinta do Silval can trace its root back to at least 1870, and is currently owned by the Magalhães family. Carlos Magalhães and his wife Beatriz relocated from Porto to Quinta do Silval in 1984. The property was in a taste of neglect, and some of the buildings had to be razed and rebuilt.

It has about 60 hectares of vineyards ranging in age from 25 years to 85 years old. They previously sold grapes to other producers, but started producing their own Douro wines under the Dorna Velha brand in 1995 and Port wines under the Magalhães brand in 2000.

Quinta do Silval opened a 14-room hotel on the property in 2005, which includes a restaurant, a pool, and a wine shop.

As a historical note, many Port wine lovers may be familiar with Quinta do Noval’s “Silval” brand, which is their second label for Port. Quinta do Noval registered the brand name Silval sometime around the late 1980s as they knew Quinta do Silval was not using the name Silval on their labels. The wines are not related to each other.

Magalhães 10 Year Old Tawny Port – Bottled in 2018. Light amber-orange in color. A touch of almond, wood, and sundried tomatoes on the nose. Smooth entry with light orange spice, light acidity, and tannins. Medium-long finish. 86 points. 9/26/2019

Magalhães 20 Year Old Tawny Port – Bottled in 2019. Subdued nose. Orange-light brown in color. 18% alcohol gives this a smooth and medium-bodied mouthfeel on the palate. Orange spice, nuts, and light tannins on the finish. 90 points. 9/26/2019

Magalhães 30 Year Old Tawny Port – Bottled in 2017. Amber-orange in color. Some herbal notes and orange spice on the nose. Good, rich mouthfeel. Good acidity, and a very nice balance on the finish. 93 points. 9/26/2019

 
2014 Magalhães Late Bottled Vintage Port – Bottled in 2018. Dark purple in the center with light purple edges. Blueberry and dark fruit on the nose. Blackberry, blueberry, and dark fruit on the palate. Great tannins and structure on the long finish. 92 points. 9/26/2019

2000 Magalhães Vintage Port – Dark violet. Herbal notes with some red fruit on the nose, along with a touch of spirit. Great tannins and structure on the entry, with expanding black currant and some fennel. Great, long finish with fantastic length and flavors. 93 points. 9/26/2019

2003 Magalhães Vintage Port – Dark purple in color with lightening on the very edge. Raspberry and cherry kirsch on the palate with tannins appearing on the mid-palate. Noticeable tannins on the finish. Really good wine. 94 points. 9/26/2019

2004 Magalhães Vintage Port – Vibrant purple in color. Opaque. Violets, a touch of spirit, and dark fruit on the nose. Pronounced tannins appear on the mid-palate with cassis, rolling into the very long finish. This seems like it needs a few more years to age. 91 points. 9/26/2019

Lunch Wines

• 2017 Quinta do Silval Dorna Velha Tinta Barroca Douro Red
• 2017 Quinta do Silval Dorna Velha Douro Red
• 1998 Quinta do Silval Dorna Velha Tinta Roriz Douro Red

2016 Magalhães Vintage Port – Dark purple color. Opaque. Rich blueberry on the nose with some violet and a touch of spirit. Massive blueberry on the entry with tannins expanding on the mid-palate. It needs a ton of time to resolve the primary fruit. 93 points. 9/26/2019

2017 Magalhães Vintage Port – Dark purple in color. Primary dark fruit, blueberry, and spirit on the unintegrated nose. Intense black fruit with mouth-puckering tannins and very long, tannic finish. A VERY young wine. 91 points. 9/26/2019

Niepoort Quinta de Nápoles

Niepoort is a Dutch producer that was started in 1842. It is managed by Winemaker Dirk Niepoort, who is the fifth generation of Niepoort’s to run the business.

Niepoort, like many producers/shippers used to purchase grapes from growers in the Douro Valley and produce their wines and Ports. In the 1980s, Niepoort decided to acquire their own Quintas and vineyards.

The Quintas

Quinta de Nápoles was purchased by Niepoort in 1987. The Quinta has almost 30 hectares of vines that range in age between 26 and 80 years old. The current winery was completed in 2007. Most of Niepoort’s red, white, and rosé wines are produced at the winery here.

Quinta do Carril nextdoor to Quinta de Nápoles was purchased a year later in 1988, and it added around 9 hectares of vines to their holdings. These vineyards contain old vines, and much of this is used to produce Niepoort’s Batuta red wine.

Quinta do Passadouro was a joint venture between Niepoort and the owner of Passadouro until 2003, and the Quinta supplied grapes to Neipoort up to the dissolution of that partnership.

While not a Quinta, it is worth nothing that Niepoort also purchased an old museum at Mendiz in 2003, and it was renovated into a winery where Niepoort produces their Port wines.

When we arrived, we were greeted by Dirk, who took us on a brief tour of the facilities.

Niepoort Ruby Port – Dark purple in color with some lightening on the rim. Some red fruit on the nose with a touch of spirit underneath. Unctuous mouthfeel with blueberry, blackberry, and firm tannins on the mid-palate. Long finish with balanced tannins and a touch of mint. 89 points. 9/26/2019

2014 Niepoort Late Bottled Vintage Port – Medium-dark purple in color with light clearing on the edges. Black currant on the nose. Balanced tannins and fruit. Pleasant drinker with nice tannins on the finish. 90 points. 9/26/2019

1981 Niepoort Late Bottled Vintage Port – Bottled in 1986. Dirk says that in his opinion, this is the best LBV his father made. Light amber in color with clearing on the edges. Strawberry and red fruit on the nose and some noticeable age. Lush red fruit and chocolate on the palate. Extremely balanced with a finish of strawberry and good acidity. 93 points. 9/26/2019

 
1970 Niepoort Vintage Port – Dirk’s father says this was the first VP he produced himself (they were négociants) prior. Brown-amber in color. Still some lively fruit, with some initial fennel that is slowly evolving into herbal notes. A touch of cinnamon and cherry on the palate. Great tannins and acidity. 95 points. 9/26/2019

1948 Niepoort Garrafeira Port – Moved to demijohns in 1952. Bottled in 1973. Amber-orange in color. Cherry notes and light mint on the nose. Very smooth cherry, fruit, herbal and spice notes on the palate. Long finish. 96 points.9/26/2019

1997 Niepoort Colheita Port – Bottled in 2019. Light amber in color. Orange, caramel, and a touch of vanilla on the nose. Smooth, orange, and maple notes with a touch of orange spice on the palate. Long finish, with just a touch of bitterness. 93 points. 9/26/2019

2017 Niepoort Vintage Port – Almost completely opaque with a dark purple center and lightening only on the very edge. Some dark fruit and a note tankiness. Unintegrated fruit and tannins. Full-bodied, very long finish. A bit “lodgy” – fruit, earth, and wood. 93 points. 9/26/2019

2017 Niepoort Bioma Vinha Velha Vintage Port – Completely opaque in color. Red fruit and floral notes on the nose in spades! There is also some underlying tankiness – pure fruit essence directly from the tank. Very well structured tannins that leap up on the mid-palate and flow through the very long finish. We are the only people that have tasted this VP at this time! 95 points. 9/26/2019

1927 Companhia Agricola e Commerical dos Vinhos do Port Garrafeira Port – Label says “Successora de D. Antonio A. Ferreira”. Orange-yellow in color with green-yellow on the edge. Balsamic vinegar and some herbal notes on the nose. Lively acidity, with caramel and honey on the full-bodied palate. Some almond-skin bitterness on the mid-palate, following through to the finish. Rich intensity and outstanding balance and structure. 97 points. 9/26/2019

Dinner Wines

• 2017 Niepoort Redoma Douro Red
• 2016 Niepoort Batuta Douro Red
• 2018 Redoma Reserva Douro Red
• 2018 Redoma Douro Red
• 2016 Charm Douro Red

Niepoort Presidente Light Tawny Port -18 year old Tawny Port that was bottled 40 or 50 years ago. Tobacco, balsamic, cinnamon, and vegetative notes on the nose. Some unctuous mouthfeel, but disjointed tannins and acidity. A bitter, vegetative note on the mid-palate and finish. Still some light fruit and acidity. Pleased to be able to try this. 89 points. 9/26/2019

1964 Niepoort Garrafeira Port -This wine was placed in demijohn in 1971 and bottled in 1978. Vegetative and woody notes on the nose with a touch of underlying orange peel. I can’t see the color very well due to the dim lighting, but from the nose of this, it seems old. Good acidity and some bitterness on the finish. 88 points. 9/26/2019