Projecto de Dirk Niepoort, Vinho Verde (Portugal) Loureiro 2022

 Vinho Verde, meaning, "Green Wine," describes the region and the freshness of its wine.  It is the largest wine region in Portugal.  Its northern border is the Minho River dividing Vinho Verde from the Rías Baixas region of Spain.   Its southern border is the Douro River.  On the western side is a long coastline on the Atlantic Ocean, which has a major effect on the region’s weather condition and green also describes the region.  The Niepoort family moved from Holland to Portugal in 1942 where they established a winery to produce the region’s famous fortified red wine.   Dirk Niepoort oversees the family business these days and while the focus us is still firmly on fortified wines.  He has expanded the winery’s portfolio to include white table wines.  Projecto de Dirk Niepoort is a collaborative venture with other winemakers, this case with the Cerdeira family of the Soalheiro winery.   Dócil is made from the Loureiro grape, named after laurel, an aromatic Mediterranean plant akin to what we usually refer to as bay leaf.  It was fermented in stainless steel with wild yeast and then aged on the lees in tank for 5 months.  It has a very pale golden yellow color with aromas and flavors of peach, green apple and a light floral note.  It is lean and crisp,  with a smooth texture in the mouth. With an alcohol of 11.5%, it will be a refreshing aperitif, or a gentle partner for a fresh poached trout.