If there’s one thing Dirk Niepoort loves, it’s breaking the rules—especially when it makes wine more fun. Enter Trudy the True Ruby, a fresh and dangerously drinkable ruby port that refuses to be boxed into tradition. And because this is part of Niepoort’s Nat’Cool series, it means that it comes in a full liter bottle.
Niepoort has been a pillar of the port world since 1842, but under Dirk Niepoort’s leadership, the house has gone beyond the classic fortified styles. His love for fresh, lighter, and more immediate wines has led to projects like Nat’Cool, a series of low-intervention wines that emphasize drinkability over prestige.
And Trudy? Well, she’s the first port in the Nat’Cool lineup. A cool ruby port? Sounds like an oxymoron, but somehow, it works.
Unlike many ruby ports that are designed to be syrupy, heavy, Trudy is all about freshness. The grapes, sourced from old vineyards in the Cima Corgo, are foot-trodden in traditional lagares. Fermentation is natural, and the wine is aged in large wooden vats to preserve its bright, juicy fruit.
Pour yourself a glass (or a generous mug, no judgment), and Trudy glows with a deep, vibrant red—like a ruby catching the light. The nose bursts with fresh blackberries, cherries, and plums, with hints of violets, dark chocolate, and just a whisper of spice.
Take a sip, and you’ll see why she’s Nat’Cool. The sweetness is perfectly balanced by lively acidity, making it an easy sipper whether served slightly chilled or at room temperature.
The name Trudy the True Ruby sounds like it belongs to a jazz singer in a smoky club, or maybe that fun aunt who always has the best stories and an oversized glass in her hand. Either way, she’s got personality—and she’s not afraid to take up space.
So whether she ends up on the Christmas table, by the fire, or slipped casually into a late-night gathering, Trudy is there to remind us that tradition can be playful too.
Happy Christmas – and may your holidays be bright, generous, and just a little bit Nat’Cool.
