For The Love Of Port

40 Year Old Tawny Port by Kopke

Bottled in 2007
Well after a nice bottle of 2007 Kopke Branco Douro, I figured a Kopke 40 year old tawny would be a nice way to finish off the evening. A complex nose of orange rinds, mahogony, vanilla, and licorice bring forth the first indication of what is to come. Some 40 Year Old Tawny's can come off being a bit tired on the palate, lacking a bit of freshness. This one is surely not one of them. Along with maple, vanilla, and chestnut, whisps of cinnamon come alive and fill the back of the mouth just as the finish starts to takes over, and what a finish it is. While the complexity is still vibrantly taking over the palate the finish starts to kick in, in full over drive. It envelopes the whole throat and the maple and cinnamon take center stage, lasting what seems like minutes. I tend to prefer 30 Year Old Tawny's over 40 Year Old's, but this is an exception for sure. The combination of freshness, complexity, and finish this retains is quite amazing. 96 points
06/15/09

Glad you had a great bottle, Andy! The first one I opened was like yours, but the second (which, sadly, was the one I shared with Roy) didn't quite measure up. Since that was his first taste of a Kopke 40-yr old, I can't let him think that's what they're ALL like so I'll be carefully evaluating the rest of my bottles as I open them and when I get a good one I'll rush it over to his house and make him try it!

:hello: I don't think the 40 year old Kopke measures up. Glenn, can you rush over to my house with a good bottle when you find it?

I saw your's and Roy's notes on the bottle you opened and agree that there had to something off about it. A shame as you both described a totally different experience than mine. Although it sounds like you've also had a "good" bottle of it to, so you know how good it can be.

Eric Menchen wrote::hello: I don't think the 40 year old Kopke measures up. Glenn, can you rush over to my house with a good bottle when you find it?

If you're ever in Seattle at a time when we're not otherwise inundated with Port (like at a Port Gala, for instance) I'd be happy to open a bottle with you!

I wouldn't want to risk flying one out to Colorado. I'm sure it would be dramatically affected by being checked in my luggage. So you'll have to come out here to try it. (But that 30-yr old on the mountain was still pretty good!)

Andy,

Wow, knowing your stingy scoring this must have blown your hair back. Now I can't wait for you to get out here in a few weeks so Glenn will share. :)

Roy Hersh wrote:Andy,

Wow, knowing your stingy scoring this must have blown your hair back. Now I can't wait for you to get out here in a few weeks so Glenn will share. :)

Yes, the hair was blown back, but that was probably from hanging my head out the car window at 80 mph

Seriously though, I don't recall ever having this Port before and boy did it exceed any expectations for a 40 year old tawny. As you know I typically have an overall preference for 30 year old tawny's and this is a definite exception for sure!

Yes Glenn, get that bottle ready. I'll be there in a few weeks for some

It's a date! We might even have to do a 40-yr old taste-off with the Kopke and the Noval that I just ordered.

Glenn E. wrote:It's a date! We might even have to do a 40-yr old taste-off with the Kopke and the Noval that I just ordered.

don't gotta twist my arm on that!

I had a chance to taste this again from a 2nd bottle that Glenn brought over yesterday. It was nice enough when first opened and virtually a night and day difference from the last bottle. Nonetheless, Glenn generously poured me a glass for "later" and I wound up drinking it about 8 hours later and paid close attention to the difference between that and the just opened bottle from earlier in the day. I wound up raising my score by a point to 95 and now get what all the fuss is about. I must say that the Kopke vs. Noval exercise would be very very worthy .... blind of course. It will be interesting to see if we can come up with another bottle or two of different 40 year olds to do a great comparison!

Best regards,

Roy

Picked up some of the 40yo at Portal.
When do you want me to come.

Glad you liked it, Roy! I can't wait for Andy to get up here so we can do the head-to-head with Noval.

This (3rd) bottle is definitely showing better than the 2nd one that I opened. It's right up there with what I remember of the 1st bottle, so I'm really glad that Roy's getting to see how good the Kopke can be.

Hmm... if Eric has a Portal... we might have to make this its own tasting!

Eric Ifune wrote:Picked up some of the 40yo at Portal.
When do you want me to come.

I'll meet you at the state line and give you a police escort to my place where some comparison Ports will be waiting

Andy,

After being blown away by my first experience with Kopke 40 last night, I just wrote a note in Glenn's thread from April regarding it. Not that my rating carries much weight, but you might be interested to know that I, too, gave it 96 points in my note in his thread. It's truly sublime, isn't it? Thanks for the excellent note regarding your experience with it.