Medium tawny-mahogany color; raisins, fig, nutmeg, plum, black cherry, cinnamon, caramel, almonds, milk chocolate, oak on the nose and palate.
Sweetness balanced with acidity (3.54 pH). Rich, full body. Traditional porto blend of touriga nacional, touriga franca, tinta roriz. Grapes hand picked, destemmed, crushed. Fermentation occurs in temperature-controlled (82-86 F) vats (lagares) until targeted sweetness (baumé) is achieved. At that point, brandy is added to stop fermentation and create the final fortified wine. The wine then is aged in various oak barrels. The “20 year” references the average age of all the wines in the blend. This drinks like the wines spent at least 20 years in wood. 20% ABV
Kopke is the world’s oldest port wine house, founded in 1638. German diplomat Nicolau Kopkë traveled from Hamburg to Portugal with his son Cristiano. Two years later, he founded Nicolau Kopkë & Co., a shipping company that became the first Port House in history. In 1781 the company purchased a farm in the Douro and began a major turn in the business from a wine-buying and selling enterprise into a major wine producer.
In 1828, Cristiano Nicolau Kopkë, the great-great-grandson of the founder sided with the Liberal party during Portugal’s civil war. After setbacks, the Liberals won a resounding victory in 1834, which ended Portugal’s absolute monarchy and replaced it with a more modern constitutional monarchy. In 1836, Cristiano Nicolau Kopkë was granted the title of Baron of Vilar. In 1841, the company changed its name to C.N. Kopke, which remains the name today. The front labels on the classic, distinctive bottles continue to be stenciled by hand.
In 1922, Kopke acquired Quinta de São Luiz, which became the production site for all Kopke wines. The site is located in Tabuaço, on the left bank of the Douro River between Régua and Pinhão. The estate includes some 309 acres with 232 under vine, many of which are very old vines. In 1940, Kopke received official recognition as the oldest Port House in the world. In 2006, the Sogevinus Group acquired Kopke. Sogevinus was established in the 1990s and has become a major player in the production and distribution of porto. The company bottles almost nine million bottles a year, with 7.8 million being porto. It exports to more than 60 countries.
Kopke 20 Years Old Tawny Porto is sweet and velvety with a long, pleasing finish. Round, concentrated, delicious, sweet, succulent fruit. A classic tawny port made by the oldest Port House in the world (1638 founding). There is a lot to enjoy in this excellent effort. Works as a solo sipper, room temperature in winter, chilled in summer. Pair with aged cheese—cheddar, gouda, parmigiano-reggiano; blue cheese—roquefort, stilton, gorgonzola; also manchego, comté; Portuguese sheep’s milk cheese—queijo serra. Desert pairing—crème brûlée, almond-based desserts, pecan pie, fig tart, bread pudding, coffee or vanilla ice cream, caramel-covered cheesecake. Salted roast almonds (as an aperitif). $70-80
