Kopke Late Bottled Vintage 2020

Time bestows experience, wisdom, and insight. As the oldest operating port wine house, Kopke's Vintages exemplify a distinct character. This Late Bottled Vintage, aged 4 to 6 years before bottling, presents an intense ruby colour that captures an exceptional year in the brand's storied history.

Traditionally, vines are planted in horizontal terraces on schist-sandstone (greywacke) soil, interspersed with granite. More recent plantings adopt the "vinha ao alto" method, with vines running vertically up the slope.

Grapes are hand-harvested at peak ripeness, then destemmed and crushed. Careful maceration extracts colour, tannins, and aromas, enhanced by constant churning during fermentation in temperature-controlled vats (lagares) at 28-30°C. When the desired sweetness (baumé) is reached, grape brandy is added to fortify the wine. This high-quality single-harvest wine is bottled 4 to 6 years after harvest.

The wine boasts a deep dark-purple hue with a vibrant ruby rim. Its bouquet features ripe wild berries, violet, black pepper, and hints of eucalyptus. On the palate, firm tannins and lively acidity stand out. The harmonious flavour profile includes raspberry, blackberry, and apricot notes, culminating in a long, enduring finish characteristic of Kopke.

This port pairs excellently with dark chocolate and wild berry desserts, mint chocolate cheesecake, and medium-strength cheeses. Serve between 16 and 18°C for optimal enjoyment.