# Colheita Porto Tawny (2005)

- **Producer:** Kopke
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** fortified
- **Grapes:** Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz
- **Region:** Douro, Portugal
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 20.0%
- **Average price:** €46
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now
- **Serving temperature:** 12–14 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, plum, orange, peach, vanilla, cloves, chocolate, coffee, smoke, dried fig, prune, leather, walnut, caramel, toffee

## About this wine

Established in 1638 by Nicolau Kopke, Kopke is the oldest active Port house in existence, predating the official demarcation of the Douro region. While British houses historically focused on bottle-aged Vintage Ports, Portuguese houses like Kopke became legendary for their mastery of wood-aged Colheita Ports. Under the guidance of Master Blender Carlos Alves, the house maintains an extraordinary library of ancient casks in its cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia. The 2005 vintage represents a single-harvest Tawny Port of remarkable poise, capturing a specific moment in time and showcasing the estate's historic dedication to long wood maturation.

## Interesting facts

- Kopke is the oldest active Port house, founded in 1638 by Nicolau Kopke before the Douro was even legally demarcated.
- Unlike Vintage Ports, Colheitas are aged entirely in seasoned wood casks and are only bottled on demand.
- The house of Kopke connects the 2005 vintage to global history, noting it coincides with the founding of YouTube.

## Food pairing

This sweet, fortified Tawny Port pairs exceptionally well with desserts featuring caramelized, nutty, or warm spice profiles. The wine's high acidity cuts through the richness of custards and butter pastries, while its residual sugar matches the sweetness of the dessert. It also acts as a classic contrast pairing for pungent, salty blue cheeses.

## Wine making process

The grapes for this Colheita Port were hand-picked at optimum ripeness from the steep, schist-rich terraces of the Douro Valley. After complete destemming and crushing, the fruit underwent intensive skin maceration in traditional stone vats (lagares) at controlled temperatures of 28-30 degrees Celsius, with constant pumping-over to maximize flavor and color extraction. The fermentation was halted at the precise moment by the addition of neutral grape brandy (beneficio) to preserve the natural residual sugars. The wine was then transferred to seasoned oak casks, where it matured for a minimum of seven years, though Kopke continues to age these casks in their cellars, bottling them only on demand to ensure maximum freshness upon release.