1906 Brunheda Colheita Port

[Glenn E.]

I acquired this bottle on the 2019 Port Harvest Tour. On that tour, Roy asked Brunheda to make it available because he knew I'd want one. This was the first Port that I ever gave 100 points, way back in 2009. Original tasting note here. Opened with dessert at The Herbfarm in Woodinville, WA after a spectacular dinner entitled The Ant & The Grasshopper which celebrates the lingering freshness of summer blending into the deeper flavors of fall.

Given what Roy said in the original thread, and that I do not believe anyone else bought a bottle in 2019, there may have only ever been 3 bottles of this Port to leave the Quinta. Roy's original 2, and now this one. The original 2 were bottled at 103 years old, this one was bottled at 113 years old.

Color: Oddly for a Port this old, it is just a medium tawny color with some hints of medium brown. It's somewhat cloudy as well. There's a distinct greening toward the rim, but almost closer to gold than green.

Nose: light pine sap or resin, a little bit of something like bottle funk but which I think is actually a feature of this Port, some bourbon vanilla, a little bit of orange zest, vanilla caramel swirl candy, candied lemon, and some faint golden raisin. Old, well-used leather. Oak. Pecan. Possibly a hint of coffee grounds on the back end.

Palate: light caramel, faint orange marmalade, mellow dried apricot, and a vague dried stone fruit-like note. Good acidity to balance the sugar, though there's not as much sugar here as there is in some other Brunheda Tawny Ports. The body is medium but the Port is very smooth and creamy. Behind all of the acidity and citrus notes, there's some molasses or possibly some brown sugar which is followed by a hint of cognac.

Finish: I typically find that Brunheda Ports have a drying finish, but not this one. There's a hint of it, but it doesn't last. Vague citrus, vanilla, caramel, and a slight sharpness. The finish falls off relatively quickly, but then lingers for a long time.

Score: 98 points. I am much more experienced now than I was in 2009 and my palate is significantly more developed. It is still a magnificent Port but it no longer warrants its original score for me. Notably, it seems better now - 2 days after opening - than it did at dinner on Sunday. Did it need air? Or is it too subtle and nuanced to stand next to the DR Very Old White that we drank alongside it at The Herbfarm?