The oldest Port Wine House honours its founder, Cristiano Nicolau Kopke, with rare and exclusive wine from the beginning of the 20th century
A rare and exclusive wine – a blend of nectars that have rested in the cellars of the oldest Port Wine House for a nearly a hundred years. Very old tawnies from the 1920s and 1930s and the remarkable Colheita 1900 make up this Kopke CNK Very Old Tawny Port.
Limited to 380 numbered bottles, Kopke CNK is an homage to the House’s founder, Cristiano Nicolau Kopke, symbolising endeavour, care, dedication, passion, foresight and expertise of the generations of people who have striven to preserve a living legacy, which we share with the world today. It also reminds us of the everyday duty we have to safeguard this legacy for future generations.
Most of the wines that make up this blend have been maturing in casks of 650 litres. The only exception is the oldest – Colheita 1900 – which has aged in a large oak vat of 2500 litres. Kopke CNK Very Old Tawny Port has a mahogany colour streaked by greenish hues. The nose reveals notes of spice, fig, almond, walnut, coffee, chocolate and a hint of snuff… And then, on the palate, flavours of jelly, cinnamon, resin, curry and balsamic. The balance between sweetness and acidity is perfect, its finish is powerful but fresh, and lengthy.
I am lucky to be able to work with unique wines, some of them extremely old. This is truly special. I am very proud of this blend and I thank all the Kopke winemakers and blenders before me for preserving these remarkable wines, which are a living legacy. My daily mission is exactly the same: to look after the wines that will make the next generation’s future”
Carlos Alves, Sogevinus Fine Wines' Port winemaker.
To reinforce the exclusivity of this wine, Kopke has developed a special bottle in Marinha Grande, the heart of the glass industry in Portugal, that shows the beautiful colour of the wine. The packaging has been developed by OM Design and includes a Portuguese walnut wooden box and leather trims.
The wine was officially presented on 21st June, during a party to celebrate Kopke’s 380th anniversary that took place in Vila Nova de Gaia, gathering more than eighty guests – amongst them importers, distributors, Portuguese and International press, government officials and wine institutions.
This Tawny is part of the collection “A Century of Portuguese Talent”
Barros is launching a limited, numbered and exclusive edition of a very special Tawny Port, which is created by blending old wines from the decades of 1950, ‘60, ‘70, ‘80 and ‘90. Barros Special Edition 102 – Very Old Tawny completes the trilogy of wines that make the collection “A Century of Portuguese Talent“, created to celebrate the first centenary of the House of Barros, established in 1913.
And 1.913 is exactly the number of available bottles of this wine, which is of an “amber colour with greenish hues, aromas of apricot and dried fig, toasted almond, nutmeg and hazelnut, with notes of spice and smoke”. Carlos Alves, Sogevinus Fine Wines’ winemaker of Port wines, describes his blend as “silky, elegant and sophisticated, with a deep finish, combining flavours of dried fruit and curry, and excellent freshness”.
The wines used in this blend Barros Special Edition 102 – Very Old Tawny have aged in small oak casks of 300 litres in the cellars of Barros in Vila Nova de Gaia. We have carefully selected five casks representing the decades 1950, ‘60, ‘70, ‘80 and ‘90 – numbered 11080, 11083, 11086, 11133 and 11134 – and blended them into an absolutely inspiring wine, which not only pays tribute to the history of Barros, but also honours the skill of blending in Port wine.
Silky, elegant and sophisticated, with a deep finish, combining flavours of dried fruit and curry, and excellent freshness”
