The genius behind Niepoort's ports and wines and a comparative youngster. Since taking over from his father the quality of the wines Niepoort release has, if anything, improved. Now a superstar and rightly so - his laid back attitude (brilliantly displayed at a tutored Martinez/Niepoort tasting in Harrogate in 2000) to just about everything is one of his great characteristics. He knows how good his wines are - the fact that Robert Parker (for example) doesn't particularly rate them (he lists them simply as 'good') leaves him unfazed. If only there were more winemakers out there like Dirk!