What are the 5 best Colheita's you've had?

[Andy Velebil]

While VP gets most of the spot light, aged Tawny's are pretty special as well. Not to mentioned loved by many here on

So what are your top 5 Colheita's that you've tasted?

[Glenn E.]

Oh man... that's going to require some research!

I can tell you what #1 is, though, as it's still the only Port I've ever given 100 points:

1906 Brunheda Colheita

[Frederick Blais]

Though choices !!! With no order, here's probably the top 5 Colheita to shook my heart and my palate :)

Niepoort 1912
Niepoort 1934
Vieira de Sousa 1811(probably soleira method there)
Andresen 1900
Noval 1937

[Eric Menchen]

In vintage order, not a ranking order:
1937 Kopke (2000 bottling)
1941 Rocha (2000 bottling?)
1955 Burmester (1985 bottling)
1967 Kopke (2007 bottling, possibly others)
I've had plenty of others, but nothing that stands out to make my list.

[Glenn E.]

Okay, research done. Here's my list:

100 - 1906 Brunheda Colheita
98 - 1910 Andresen Colheita
97 - 1900 Constantino Colheita
97 - 1937 Warre Grande Reserve
97 - 1970 Andresen Colheita
97 - 1977 Porto Rocha Colheita (an exceptional bottle, I usually only rate these 93-95)

I'm apparently rather stingy with my ratings above 96. I've given a 1977 Fonseca 97 points before, and I've given a 2007 Vale Meao a 95-98 range on release. Then there are a handful of 40-yr olds that have received 97 points (1 x Kopke, 4 x Romaneira). But otherwise you're looking at my entire list above 96 points.

[John M.]

Forgive me--I am tawny challenged--have only had SIX to date and nothing very old...then only one worth mentioning is

1994 Smith Woodhouse. 92 Points. Was the WOTN of a tasting night.

I've had the 1998 & 2001 Niepoort's. They are pretty pleasing but not in a special class yet either.

[Marc J.]

After looking back at some of my tasting notes, I'd say that the top five colheitas I've tried would include:

1863 Nicolau de Almeida
1885 A.J.S. DaSilva
1900 Niepoort
1920 Burmester
1937 Burmester

[Glenn E.]

Forgive me--I am tawny challenged--have only had SIX to date and nothing very old...then only one worth mentioning is

We really really really need to fix that.

Next year at the ACPT tasting!

[Moses Botbol]

Pocketbook decides; just about any Colheita from Niepoort, Whithwhams, Kopke, or Noval.

[Andy Velebil]

Pocketbook decides; just about any Colheita from Niepoort, Whithwhams, Kopke, or Noval.

Stop being cheap Moses and pick 5 vintages/producers you've had.

(I had to give you some grief, it's been too long )

[Moses Botbol]

Pocketbook decides; just about any Colheita from Niepoort, Whithwhams, Kopke, or Noval.

Stop being cheap Moses and pick 5 vintages/producers you've had.

(I had to give you some grief, it's been too long )

Ok, ok.... you know my note taking is practically non-existent, so here's what I am thinking without reference:

1970 Niepoort
1952 Dalva
1952 Delaforce
Whitwhams Millennium Port
1937 Noval

[Andy Velebil]

[Eric Ifune]

Krohn 1863
Casa Ste Eufemia Garriferria #7
Niepoort 1912
Noval 1937
Viera e Sousa 1811

[Phil W]

My preference is definitely on the ruby side, so my tawny/colheita list is somewhat oddball, but these have been my top rated:

- Graham 1952 Single Harvest Tawny
I like the Graham SHTs, but feel that the 20yr/30yr are better VFM; except that the '52 was just so good, despite being very expensive, that in hindsight I wish I had bought some anyway.

- Niepoort VV 2012
Delicious and well balanced, definitely included on this list for me.

- Dalva Golden White 1971
I've never tried the '52, but have had the '63 and personally I prefer the '71, lovely stuff.

- Kopke 1984
Yes, I could have selected a much older one, but for whatever reason, this was the one that I rated most highly from one evening where I was amazed by it; it was a half-bottle, brought (by RAYC or Axel?) as a bonus drink while we were decanting for a larger tasting, and I was just blown away by it, hence its presence here.

- Penfold Great Grandfather
Perhaps I need to don the armour to mention this one in this company, but I loved it, so here it is! I don't know what year it was, and there is a chance it might not have been single-harvest, not sure.

So that would be my top 5; I would also have wanted to include an 1863 Hatch Mansfield, not because of the taste, but because of the pleasure of the experience, so honourable mention perhaps, or it can take the place of the Penfold if that wasn't single-harvest and therefore didn't qualify for the list.

A somewhat different list from many others; I think (so far) I'm the only person to include a white, to include a colheita which is less than 30yrs old, and to include one not from Portugal. I will take my beating later, and slink back off to the old ruby corner again now!

[Andy Velebil]

- Penfold Great Grandfather
Perhaps I need to don the armour to mention this one in this company, but I loved it, so here it is! I don't know what year it was, and there is a chance it might not have been single-harvest, not sure.

A somewhat different list from many others; I think (so far) I'm the only person to include a white, to include a colheita which is less than 30yrs old, and to include one not from Portugal. I will take my beating later, and slink back off to the old ruby corner again now!

Just kidding, good list and even better reasons why you like them.

[Eric Menchen]

A somewhat different list from many others; I think (so far) I'm the only person to include a white, to include a colheita which is less than 30yrs old, and to include one not from Portugal. I will take my beating later, and slink back off to the old ruby corner again now!

You reminded me of one that qualifies for my (previously short) list:
1964 Krohn's Branco White Colheita Port (bottled 2007)

[Joni H]

What a great topic about my favorite type of port!

I have loved Kopke 1984 and 1989. Also Van Zellers 1991 was fantastic. Of some younger ones Offley 1997 has a wonderful price/quality ratio, at least in my part of the world. Portal 2000 was very good with a distinct spicy feel I haven't found in any other colheita.

[Al B.]

I don't generally drink a lot of brown sticky port, preferring to leave those to people like Glenn who I know will appreciate them much more than I do. But occasionally my port chums insist on me trying something new and sometimes what I try makes me think "Mmm. That really is rather good." So my experience is limited, but from what I have tasted my top 5 are:

Scion - I couldn't resist trying a glass at the bar of the Yeatman and I am really glad I did. I was stunned at how good it was and spent a good couple of hours sitting on the terrace looking over the river and sniffing my empty Scion glass. I thought it deserved the hype it had been given. On a par - and I can't split the two apart in terms of quality - is the Niepoort VV bottled in the 1960s.

Whitwhams Dom Pedro Vintage (the 1853) - the best of the colheita wines that I drank with Roy and a group of other port lovers in Seattle in the summer of 2007. Perfectly balancing freshness with concentration.

Crasto 1970 - drunk in 2009 at Crasto. A really huge port, incredibly dense and concentrated.

Graham 1952 - consistent notes every time I've had the good fortune to drink this. The story behind the wine is heartbreaking - the Douro was an economic disaster at that point in history yet a stunning port was still made and blended. Wonderful port.

Feuerheerd 1934 - a half bottle opened as a surprise at the end of a wonderful lunch. Rich, concentrated and thick in texture but with a fabulous acidity that keeps a great balance and such a long finish.

Quinta do Manuela 1970 - Deep red but clearly a colheita from the powerful and distinctive nose. One of the few colheitas that I have drunk which still have a tannic backbone.

Quinta do Noval 1968 - I actually prefer this to the legendary 1937 Noval colheita. I find the complexity on the nose and palate to be astonishing and can sit and sniff my glass for hours - but then find the rest of my companions have drained the bottle when I want some more.

I can't choose between the last 3 so I have included all of them, so there you have my top 7 favourite colheitas of all time.

[Glenn E.]

Quinta do Noval 1968 - I actually prefer this to the legendary 1937 Noval colheita.

Hmm... I have a bottle of the 1968, and while I did enjoy the 1937 very much I was "underwhelmed" in the sense that I only scored it 93 pts and was expecting something in the 95-98 range based on reputation.

(See! I'm not always label biased... just usually. )

I'll have to pick a suitable event for my 1968!

[Eric Menchen]

I very much enjoyed the 1968 Noval, but S. Leonardo 30 and some other 40s top the single tasting of the 1968 that I've had. It is my birth year, so perhaps I should give it another try some time