Kopke 80-Year-Old Tawny Port

The aroma of this Port is breathtaking with its intense old wood and dried figs. It is a fabulous wine, very concentrated and dense, full of old wood and dried spice flavors. One of the first 80 Year Olds in a newly created category of aged tawnies, this is blended from multiple old Kopke stocks. (RV)

The NV 80 Year Old Tawny Port, a category I didn't even know existed until recently and now everybody seems to have one, is surprisingly fresh and harmonious for such an old age. It has a dark brown color, controlled volatility and oxidation—nothing green about it—with creamy notes of hazelnuts, milk chocolate, caramel, spice and cherries in liqueur. It is quite attractive, showy, complex and nuanced. It has a rich palate with pungent flavors, great balance of all the elements, integrated sweetness and a velvety texture. The wine was transferred to Vila Nova de Gaia early on after vinification in the Douro and spent decades in oak casks aging in the cellars. This category refers to the average age of the different wines blended to make this wine, here featuring wines from the late 19th century through the 1940s. It comes in at 20% alcohol, with 7.55 grams of acidity, reflecting concentration through old age, and 168 grams of sugar. All components are nicely integrated, making the wine come through as balanced. (LG)