Niepoort Charme

Learn More About This Wine

Charme is all about elegance and balance. Made in traditional stone lagares with 100% stems, Charme’s elegance is achieved using grapes from very old vineyards in Vale de Mendiz, on the banks of the Pinhao river. 

2024 marked a return to a more “normal” pattern, with abundant winter rainfall replenishing water reserves. The viticultural year began early, with budburst in the first week of March, evolving in a balanced manner throughout the growing season, with low disease pressure, and culminating with veraison in the second week of July. By the end of August/early September, in Vale de Mendiz, maturity still appeared quite green, which proved ideal for starting the harvest of grapes destined for Charme 2024. The whole bunches were lightly foot-trodden in granite lagares. The most important stage in this winemaking process is the pre-fermentation maceration period and the beginning of alcoholic fermentation, during which extraction is very short but intense. Fermentation of Charme initially takes place in lagares, after which the process is completed in barrels. The wine is aged in French oak barrels for 15 months. 

Perfumed and finely poised, the 2024 Charme opens with delicate aromas of fresh cherry, rhubarb and subtle floral notes, lifted by hints of fresh herbs and a gentle minty freshness. The palate is silky and round, showing impressive finesse rather than power, with bright red fruit gliding across the mid-palate. Lovely, vibrant acidity brings precision and energy, enhancing the wine’s elegance and length. The finish is refined and persistent, with lingering notes of cherry, herbs and a whisper of florality. A beautifully balanced expression of Douro Pinot like delicacy.