Review: Ports of Kopke, 2023 Colheitas

By Christopher Null | August 8, 2023 |

We seem to write about Kopke’s Port collection quite a bit, led by Robert Lublin’s coverage of multiple bottlings over the years. Today we’re taking a deeper dive into Kope’s Colheita Port wines. Colheita traditionally refers to vintage tawny Ports, but Kopke also uses it to refer to its vintage white Port.

I recently received a four-pack of recent bottlings stretching back 20 years — and representing a surprisingly wide range of styles. Let’s give ’em a try.

2013 Kopke Colheita Port – Bottled 2023. Delicious and lively, making the slightly ruddy color deceptive. Lively notes of cherry and plum meld with a distinct chocolate note, hinting at chicory on the back end. Chewy, with a light raisin quality, touched with spice and some modest licorice on the finish. Tawny Port tends to be a bit more brooding, but this 2013 is quite refreshing and gentle. A- / $42

2005 Kopke Colheita Port – Bottled 2022. Even lighter in color, to the point where you could confuse this for a heartier rose. There’s something in the body that echoes still rose wines as well, quite floral with notes of blossoms and red berries, chased by tea leaf and cola notes. Perhaps a bit too ephemeral late in the game, where a Christmas spice note melds with golden raisins to create a lightly sweet character, finishing on a light touch of gentian. B+ / $49

2003 Kopke Colheita Port – Bottled 2022. A much more traditional expression of tawny Port, particularly vs. the 2005 Colheita. Darker amber in color, a more forceful note of tea leaf and a slightly green edge emerges quickly on the palate, a flat cola note hitting harder on the palate. Notes of rhubarb and orange peel duel with sweeter raisin elements, here a bit darker, sometimes pruny. Chocolate is heavier in the finish here, with a slightly nutty, bready, pretzel-adjacent quality to it. A little strange, but intriguing — perhaps largely an afterimage of the wood. I continue to be curious. You can find this for even cheaper than we have listed online if you hunt around. A- / $50

2002 Kopke Colheita White Port – Bottled 2021. That’s a 19 year old white Port, which is a much different experience than the typical white Port. Bright notes of honey, peaches, and apricots are countered by a healthy slug of oxidation, light wine vinegar, and pressed ginger. There’s a touch of milk chocolate somewhere in the middle, but the finish is sharp and bracing, with a little saline in the mix. It drinks closer to a Sauternes than a young white Port, which makes things all the more intriguing. Definitely worth visiting. A- / $63

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