1937 Warre Colheita Port -- Reserve Tawny

[Glenn E.]

FTLOP 4th Anniversary party
Holiday Inn, Issaquah, July 30th 2009

1. 1937 Warre Reserve Tawny (Colheita) bottled 1997
2. 1963 Niepoort Colheita bottled 1986
3. 1966 Porto Rocha Colheita bottled 1997
4. 1968 Quevedo Garrafeira Particular (Colheita) bottled 1999
5. 1963 Croft Vintage Port
6. 1963 Warre Vintage Port
7. 1966 Dow Vintage Port
8. 1967 Quinta do Noval Nacional Vintage Port

1937 Warre Reserve Tawny (Colheita)
bottled in 1997

Color: Crystal clear in the glass, brilliant perfect tawny color. Not as dark as I expected from a tawny this old - much closer to a 20-yr old than a 40-yr old (and this one was 60 when it was bottled). Slight greening/yellowing at the rim of the glass. The clarity and brilliance in the glass cannot be overstated - this was gemstone quality with sharp, crisp highlights. Quite possibly the best looking glass of Port I've ever seen.
Nose: Some aromatic alcohol and faint tangy apricot. Something vanilla-like but not quite actually vanilla. Soft newbuck leather. Medium citrus notes, possibly some orange peel but of a darker nature.
Palate: Very full body with a creamy texture. Toasted almonds, burnt sugar, toffee, molasses. Significant warmth. Some cinnamon and nutmeg.
Finish: How to put this without sounding bad... it was fairly short. Not clipped, not lacking... none of that. Just not a long drawn-out finish like you would normally expect from a Colheita this old. I described it as a space shuttle landing - it comes bombing down from great height, but then right before it crashes out it pulls up and glides in for a smooth and gentle landing.

Score: 97 points. Group (and my) WOTN by a 6-2 margin. Either this was a stellar bottle, or it's a fantastic Colheita. I've always heard good things about the 1937 Colheitas, and this was my first experience with one (other than a Moreira which is its own animal).

[Eric Menchen]

I've always heard good things about the 1937 Colheitas, and this was my first experience with one (other than a Moreira which is its own animal).

You had Kopke 1937 Colheita on 30 Jan 09.

[Glenn E.]

You had Kopke 1937 Colheita on 30 Jan 09.

So I did! For some reason I thought that was a '38, but my notes do indeed confirm that it was a '37. I even have noted that it was bottled in 2000.

Thanks for the reminder!

[Glenn E.]

[Roy Hersh]

My POTN this time around.