TN: 1983 Kopke Vintage Port

[Al B.]

Decant: 4 hours - Labelled as "Kopke Quinta Santa Luiz 1983" but the cork was branded "Kopke Vintage 1983". The cork fell into the bottle before the point of the corkscrew could penetrate the top of the cork. Decanted cleanly off a small amount of very solid sediment. Hazy at first in appearance, but became clear as it warned from cold cellar temperature. Initially very pale brown when decanting but put on red colour until it became a very attractive pale red with a light centre and a rim that was almost colourless. Slight TCA on the nose, very musty, but with some sweet redcurrant fruit still left. Very dry entry, good body and texture with a strange tingling sensation in the centre of the tongue. Difficult to distinguish any fruit because of the TCA, although the TCA is slight and still allows an idea of what this wine might be able to offer. Good complexity, with aeration releasing some interesting toffee and black licorice. Swallowing is hot, before a long aftertaste of toffee apples. A poor wine, but a difficult one to judge from this TCA tainted bottle. I also suspect that the bottles were not well stored. NR points