Tasting note

The 2011 Redoma is one of Niepoort's iconic labels. Typically one of my favorite Niepoort labels, this is firing on all burners this year, a big success in this vintage and a short-list candidate for best Redoma Tinto yet. An old-vines (70+ years) field blend, it was aged for 27 months in wood (the first 12 months in used, 1,000-liter French oak barrels; the rest in used, large capacity, up to 12,000-liter, tonels). Coming in at just 13.5% alcohol, it seems quite graceful in its general structure and mid-palate. Yet, while controlled in every respect, it is still tightly wound and brilliantly focused, with a fresh feel and a crisp, delicious ending. This is not a fruit bomb, by any means, but it has fine fruit, too, and that very tasty conclusion. It's also a wine that should become more and more complex as it ages, which it should do effortlessly despite early approachability. It needs a couple of years to settle down. Then, while it never will be the showiest wine around, it's going to be one of the first bottles to empty on any table. There were 16,632 bottles produced. Drink 2016-2033. Score - 94. (Mark Squires, erobertparker.com, Aug. 2014)