TN: 1996 Kopke Porto Colheita

[John Trombley]

7/14/2012 rated 89 points: 7/14/2012 rated 89 points: 1996 Kopke Porto Colheita, $23/750 ml, Winds Wine Store, Yellow Springs, OH; Wineworth, LLC, Bellevue, WA 98005. 20 pabv.

A relatively young Colheita, having been bottled in 2004.

T-cork; shows a tablespoonful of crusty sediment and some bittiness--probably should have been allowed to settle longer. Gothic church windows ('tears') quite evident.

Ruby with an admixture of pink bubble gum color, quite transparent and somewhat light in color.

Nose of cherry, fig, slightly burned bacon fat; anise custard, minerals; good floral top-notes.

Medium-dry; a little spiritous, crisp, transparent, with a little medium-grained tannin; good medium length. Could have used a few more years, given the signs of somewhat early bottling. Agree that it has some LBV character.

89/100. Drink 2013-2023, possibly holding longer.