2017 Tiara Branco
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Tasting notes
Mainly Côdega do Larinho plus Rabigato, Donzelinho, Cercial and others. Vines aged 40, 60 and 100 years on schist at 600 m. Fermentation, malo and 12 months' ageing in big oak casks of 1,000 and 3,000 litre. Lightly spicy stone-fruit and delicate spring-blossom aromas. First impression is quite pretty but it soon shows its more mineral character. On the palate, this tastes not totally bone dry. It is balanced and the few grams of residual sugar are completely meshed. Although the fruit profile is not really Riesling, the wine as a whole reminds me of that variety, with its mix of steel and prettiness. This is a baby that needs more time but it clearly has intensity and harmony. Long, too. I kept this in the fridge and, with great restraint, continued to sip it over a period of two weeks. It became more and more impressive, developing a slight toasty/mineral reductive character with time (counter-intuitively). The development in the open bottle promises a wonderful evolution in bottle. Genius wine offering untold pleasure. VVGV (JH)
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Average Score
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
The 2017 Tiara is a field blend, mostly Códega do Larinho, Rabigato, Donzelinho, Cercial and others, aged for 12 months in barrels and used Austrian vats, ranging from 300 liters to 1,000 liters. It comes in with 2.6 grams of sugar, 5.2 of total acidity and at 13.4% alcohol. It had full malolactic fermentation and was fermented on the previous year's lees. Traditionally, I considered this Niepoort's steeliest white. It has changed over the years in style as vinification methods change. This year, it has a surprisingly fruity feel and a friendly demeanor. Enchanting and welcoming, this might not be the most intellectual of Niepoort's whites this year, but it does everything well, and it is irresistible. It may acquire some complexity, too, as it ages.
Wonderful aromas of raw coconut, sliced peaches and ripe pears follow through to a medium to full body. Tangy acidity with orange peel and tangy undertone. Shows energy and brightness. A blend of codega do larinho, rabigato, donzelinho, cercial and others. Drink now.