1985 Cockburn Vintage Port

Shows an abundance of thick, rich fruit and plenty of backbone. Very inky, dense color, with a rich, floral nose of berries and cherries. Full-bodied, medium sweet, with massive anise and cherry flavors and extremely well integrated tannins and acidity. (Web Only-1989)

This house tends to produce quite full-bodied, rich, alcoholic, spirited vintage ports that never have a great deal of complexity or finesse but offer meaty, chocolaty, spicy, full-bodied, alcoholic flavors at the expense of elegance. The 1985 was placed in a tasting where I also inserted the 1983 Cockburn as a ringer. I was surprised to find out, upon revealing the wines, that the massive blockbuster of the tasting was the 1983, and the soft, intensely fruity, forward wine was the 1985. While the 1983 is superior to the 1985, the latter wine should offer rich, opulent, multidimensional flavors in 5-6 years. Like the other 1985s, it is low in acidity and a trifle loosely knit, but relatively powerful and heady, with an amazing level of black-cherry fruit. (RP)