I’m back in Porto, for this year’s edition of Simplesmente… Vinho. Starting officially tomorrow, but we are now gathered in Niepoort’s lodge. Leader of one of the classic port producers, Dirk Niepoort, was among those who spearheaded today’s boom in 2008 with his collaboration with Equipo Navazos and the wine Navazos Niepoort. The wine was made from grapes grown in an albariza vineyard in Jerez and fermented without fortification, undergoing a period under flor, thus combining freshness, depth, and a subtle saline character. It quickly became a cult wine.
Tonight, Dirk poured both the 2014 and 2016 vintages of that wine, alongside some backlog vintages of his reds and a stunning white port from 1895. Ricardo Freitas from Barbeito added to the lineup with an exceptional 50 year old Madeira..
Dirk Niepoort next to him.
The Jerez boom is about a return to the vineyard, organic farming, and singular wines. It is this movement that Simplesmente seeks to highlight by presenting 14 producers from the sherry region this year—both raw and refined. That same energy—of pushing boundaries while respecting history—is what Simplesmente Vinho is all about.
Beyond the wines, the evening took on an artistic dimension as well, with guests contributing their own creative expressions—spontaneous, vibrant, and very much in the spirit of the gathering.
From tomorrow, the focus shifts to Alfândega do Porto, where the festival truly comes alive. The grand riverside space will host winemakers, drinkers, and thinkers from across Iberia, with a special spotlight on the producers from Marco de Jerez. They’ve come to challenge perceptions, to pour wines that blur the lines between past and future, between oxidative depth and raw immediacy.