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I had the opportunity to spend an extended period of time tasting a bottle of Cockburn 2015. My overall opinion on this port is that it is pleasant and elegant but a little simple to be a great port. The fruit is round and gentle, the tannins so soft and hidden as to be only discernible on the aftertaste, and the wine is dominated by the acidity. The acidity - which is very pronounced - will likely give the port the ability to age for many decades, but my opinion is that this will be a gentle and elegant style of port rather than a big and burly wine. 87-89/100. Tasted between 7 and 13 Oct 2017.

AHB wrote: ↑09:39 Sun 15 Oct 2017 this will be a gentle and elegant style of port rather than a big and burly wine.

So in that sense very much a classic Cockburn VP?

True, but I was a little underwhelmed by it. Usually I find more structure in a youthful VP, but this seemed elegant almost to the point of being light.

I wonder what the 1975 ports where like when they were first bottled? I didn't taste them, but I wondered whether they were like this. And don't get me wrong, I've grown to like the 1975 vintage ports. They are gentle and delicious and I am really enjoying drinking them at the moment.

Ah ok, that makes sense.

Growing fond of 1975?? What has become of the world!?
Would 1967 also be a good comparison? An elegant Cockburn that I always liked a lot.

It's pretty well known the Cockburn's facilities were in pretty poor shape when the Sym's took them over. I don't think they've totally revamped everything there yet. I'd imagine it's gonna take a bit more time to get everything back up to tip top shape and return it to the former glory it once was. No small task that's for sure. They've made good strides already with the lower and mid tier Ports and really cleaned up the VP as well... (and a really good and super inexpensive Cockburn's Douro wine called "Tuella" we get at Trader Joe's markets).