1952 Kopke Colheita Port

[Alan Gardner]

Tasting of Kopke Colheta Ports (all bottled 2007)
The tasting was on March 11, 2009 and was conducted single-blind, with the order of tasting unknown. Wines were not decanted but poured into the glass about an hour before the tasting commenced. Approx 50 people attended (and voted). The tasting notes are mine alone.
The ranking of the wines is given both for me (1-8) and the overall group consensus (1-8), and the position on the tasting map is also noted (wine A-H), although people could taste in any order. Cost (in Canadian $) is also noted.
NOTE: Overall assessment was that these ports showed ‘just OK’ – obviously a couple were extremely good, but overall the price/quality ratio was too adverse to consider these on a regular basis. Nevertheless the #1 finisher (1952) was in a class by itself and the 96 & 97 were well adrift at the bottom. The 74, 81 & 84 were essentially in a ‘statistical tie’ for 3/4/5.
ASIDE: The 1952 Colheita was a substitute for the preferred 1957 which was withdrawn from sale because of a too high level of lead. But it was apparently shipped simultaneously with all the others, so should have received identical storage.

1952 Colheita (Bottled 2007): My rank #1, Group rank #1, Wine H, $345 Cdn
Vibrant colour, with multiple highlights in the glass. Medium tawny colour with an orange tinge and a definite olive rim.
On the nose clean except for strong vanilla notes.
Palate: Explodes in the mouth, showing bursts of acid and fruit – easily the most complex wine in the tasting, with ‘prickles of flavour’ all over the tongue. Also notes of tangerine (mainly) and orange. Just at a higher level than all the others tasted.

[Andy Velebil]

I can easily see how this won the WOTN title. This is a stunner of a Colheita that is very hard to beat. Kopke nailed this one exactly on the bulls eye.