1985 Kopke Vintage Port
Posted: 23:00 Fri 22 Jun 2007
Purchased at Heathrow Airport in Aug 2005* - provenance unknown My first experience of Kopke The cork crumbled and it took significant effort to extract all of the bits with various kitchen implements before decanting.
Decanted easily off remarkably little crust. Colour was a bright brownish red. An attractive floral aroma filled the room whilst decanting. Nose in the decanter revealed strawberry jam and no spirit whatsoever.
On Decanting
Smooth and thick with a slightly bitter anecede flavour. A small amount of heat came through after a few seconds but quickly faded to a minty tingle and then a long sweet finish of strawberry.
+5 Hrs
Significantly darker. Now a ruby red which has lost the brown tint from earlier, perhaps a trick of the light. Very smooth but quite light in the mouth. Anecede and dark chocolate with a mouth watering sweetness. Finish still has that minty tingle followed by long fruit.
Perhaps it's time for my first attempt at a score - I'll use Tom's scale - in
terms of the VP's I have tasted this year this scores a slightly above average 6 - I did not detect any significant tanins and the colour was quite light on decanting despite the absence of heavy sediment so I don't think this will improve from here. That said, it's not dying by any means, so I'll give it
Score: 6-5
* Edit to correct time travel implication highlighted below (thanks' Jdaw1)
Decanted easily off remarkably little crust. Colour was a bright brownish red. An attractive floral aroma filled the room whilst decanting. Nose in the decanter revealed strawberry jam and no spirit whatsoever.
On Decanting
Smooth and thick with a slightly bitter anecede flavour. A small amount of heat came through after a few seconds but quickly faded to a minty tingle and then a long sweet finish of strawberry.
+5 Hrs
Significantly darker. Now a ruby red which has lost the brown tint from earlier, perhaps a trick of the light. Very smooth but quite light in the mouth. Anecede and dark chocolate with a mouth watering sweetness. Finish still has that minty tingle followed by long fruit.
Perhaps it's time for my first attempt at a score - I'll use Tom's scale - in
terms of the VP's I have tasted this year this scores a slightly above average 6 - I did not detect any significant tanins and the colour was quite light on decanting despite the absence of heavy sediment so I don't think this will improve from here. That said, it's not dying by any means, so I'll give it
Score: 6-5
* Edit to correct time travel implication highlighted below (thanks' Jdaw1)